I’d just consider most of the barge-handlers in the Mississippi watershed to be towboats. Enjoy this smattering beginning with Jerry Deal (1971) .
Ace G (1980) ,
Ronnie Tucker (1976) ,
Shirley Franklin and Connell Smith (both 1978) ,
Stephen L. Colby (1967),
American Pillar (1976),
Nellie (1962) and Katherine Berry (2007),
Katherine Berry again and Issaquena (1966),
Stephen Foster (1948) and Captain Val (1965),
Charlie G. (1962),
Spirit, Piasa, (both 1958) and William K. Powell (??). Also note White Cloud, a government boat of the St Louis Fire Department in the foreground.
Pioneer (1981??),
Miss Illinois (1998),
and finally Capt. John H. Lozier, which used to be known as
Southland (1951). Just take aoff the faux-sidewheels. Foto below was taken in September 1967 in Louisville, KY.
And I’ll end with a mystery question. What is anything you can determine about these two vessels? The smaller one is circled for a reason.
Thanks to DanOwen of Boat Photo Museum for use of the Southland foto. All others by Will Van Dorp.
tugster: a waterblog 
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January 14, 2013 at 1:30 pm
walt
The Big ship is the CSS Virgina Merrimac, the smaller vessel is the tugboat coaxing the Merrimac along. Stephen Foster, wrote Swanee River, and here i thought it was Homina Homina Ed Norton!
January 14, 2013 at 1:34 pm
starbuck5250
The larger is a ‘City’ class ironclad river gunboat from the US Civil War era. The smaller is a very interesting tug named USS Fern. She was famous for carrying Gen Sherman up the Yazoo River in 1863.
January 14, 2013 at 7:14 pm
Joe
The Ironclad sternwheeler is the U.S.S. Queen of the West, (Note the Flotilla Leader stripe on the stack caps), (of the Full Service FRAM of the Arkansas River Steamer of the same name.) the smaller vessel is the Flotilla tender, they look to be replacing paddle boards, a common practice as the river was not dredged until around 1900. Picture may have been taken in 1863.
December 2, 2013 at 10:34 pm
spookiewon
:[ The Stephan L. Colby is a couple miles down river from my house right now, mostly underwater. It has been interesting to watch the salvage efforts, though.