- USS Monocacy (1864)
The first USS "Monocacy" was a sidewheel
gunboat in theUnited States Navy . She was named for theBattle of Monocacy ."Monocacy" was launched by
A. & W. Denmead & Son ,Baltimore, Maryland ,14 December 1864 ; sponsored by Miss Ellen Denmead; completed late in 1865; and placed in service in 1866.Assigned to the
Asiatic Squadron , "Monocacy" remained there until 1903, a period of service so long that the lightdraft gunboat was given the nickname “Jinricksha of the Navy”.After patrol duty through 1867, "Monocacy" joined her squadron in representing the U.S. Government at the opening of the ports of
Osaka and Hyōgo,Japan ,1 January 1868 . In December, she surveyed the Inland Sea between Nagasaki and Osaka to locate appropriate sites for lighthouses, another step in the realization of American commercial trade with isolationist Japan. The gunboat spent most of 1869 and 1870 patrolling off Japan to help check license in the restless years following theMeiji Restoration in 1867.After repairs at
Shanghai , "Monocacy" began charting theYangtze River 23 March 1871 . By April she was underway for Nagasaki, Japan, to participate in a five-ship survey expedition to theSalee River ,Korea , and, while there, attempt contact with representatives of the Kingdom of Korea. After Korean shore batteries attacked screwtug "Palos" nearChemulpo , a landing party of 576 sailors and 110 marines stormed a series of forts along the Salee River on10 June , losing three killed and seven wounded. The expedition to retires in July. In September, the gunboat resumed her navigation of the Yangtze before returning to Shanghai4 February 1872 . For the last quarter of the 19th century, "Monocacy" cruised along the coasts of Japan, Korea, andChina , docking in Japan through the winter months. From23 October until11 November 1899 , the veteran ship carried the U.S. Minister to China as she visited the open ports of the Yangtze River.In 1900, "Monocacy" became involved in the repercussions of the
Boxer Rebellion . On14 June , she captured seven small craft offTongku , China. The foreign persecutions ended with the capture ofPeking , on14 August , by theChina Relief Expedition , and "Monocacy" docked atTaku Bar , China, where she remained through the razing of theTaku forts in accordance with the formal settlement signed in September 1901.On
22 June 1903 "Monocacy" was struck from the Navy list and sold toHashimoto and Son , Nagasaki, Japan.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m13/monocacy-i.htm
External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-m/monocacy.htm Views of USS Monocacy from US Navy Historical Center]
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