- USS Scourge (1846)
USS "Scourge" was a steamer warship in service during the
Mexican-American War (1846 –1848 ) betweenMexico and theUnited States . She was the thirdUnited States Navy ship of that name.__TOC__
Acquisition
The ship was built as merchant steamer "Bangor", by
Betts, Harlan, and Hollingsworth ofWilmington, Delaware . She was powered by twin screws and was the first iron-hulled, sea-going merchant vessel in the United States.She was bought by the U.S. on
December 30 1846 so it would be in combat in theGulf of Mexico . Once equipped, she was renamed "USS "Scourge", under the command of LieutenantCharles G. Hunter .ervice
"Scourge" joined the forces of Commodore
Matthew C. Perry in theGulf of Mexico onMarch 29 1847 . It was part of the "Mosquito Flotilla" and it was immediately assigned to start a blockade over Alvarado, port that had an already concerted attack by air and land. On31 March 1847 , acting alone, "Scourge" captured a defenseless and abandoned, military-wise, port of Alvarado.After this action, the vessel participated on the captures of
La Peña ,Plama Sola ,Hospital Hill ,Tuxpan andTabasco . Previous to the attack on Tabasco, Lieut. Lockwood, officer in command, became one of the first officers to protect a vessel's exposed machinery by usingsandbag s.ale
The "Scourge" was sold in
New Orleans, Louisiana to another country onOctober 7 1848 .ee also
*See USS "Scourge" for other ships of the same name.
* List of United States Navy Ships
*Mexican-American War
*US Navy
*es icon AlvaradoReferences
External links
* [http://www.navyhistory.com/MISC%202/scourageIII.html NavyHistory.com]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s7/scourge-iii.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Scourge"]
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