- USS Powhatan (1850)
The first USS "Powhatan" was a sidewheel steam
frigate in theUnited States Navy during theAmerican Civil War . She was named forPowhatan , a Native American chief of easternVirginia .She was one of the last, and largest, of the
United States Navy 's paddle frigates."Powhatan"'s keel was laid on
6 August 1847 atNorfolk, Virginia . Her engines were constructed byMehaffy & Company ofGosport, Virginia . She cost $785,000. She was launched on14 February 1850 by theNorfolk Navy Yard and commissioned2 September 1852 , CaptainWilliam Mervine in command.After shakedown out of Norfolk, "Powhatan" joined the
Home Squadron asflagship of CommodoreJohn T. Newton and sailed for New York where she was visited by the Secretary of the Navy,John P. Kennedy . She departed New York16 October 1852 for Vera Cruz with the new Minister toMexico , JudgeAlfred Conkling , on board and returned to Norfolk27 November viaHavana and Pensacola."Powhatan", under Comdr.
William J. McCluney , was next assigned to theEast India Squadron and arrived on station viaCape of Good Hope 15 June 1853 . Her arrival in Chinese waters coincided with an important phase of CommodoreMatthew C. Perry ’s negotiations for commercial relations with theJapan ese and the opening of two ports. She was Perry’s flagship during his November visit to Whampoa. On14 February 1854 she entered Yedo (Tokyo ) Bay with the rest of the squadron and theTreaty of Kanagawa was signed on her deck on31 March 1854 .During August 1855 "Powhatan" accompanied HMS "Rattler" in a successful raid against Chinese pirates off
Kulan and reached the U.S.14 February 1856 with the new treaty.On January 19, 1860, the USS Powhatan accompanied by a Japanese capital ship,
Kanrin Maru , left Uraga, Japan, en route to San Francisco as part of the first official embassy of the Empire of Japan to the United States of America. The Japanese embassy was formally composed of three men: Ambassador Shinmi Masaoki (新見豊前守正興), Vice-Ambassador Muragaki Norimasa (村垣淡路守範正), and Observer Oguri Tadamasa (小栗豊後守忠順)."Powhatan" remained active throughout the Civil War. She served as Flag Officer
Garrett J. Pendergrast ’s flagship at Vera Cruz during October 1860. In April 1861, while under the command of Lt.David Dixon Porter , she assisted in the relief ofFort Pickens ,Florida , and in the establishment of the blockade ofMobile, Alabama 26 May , capturingschooner "Mary Clinton"29 May . During July and August "Powhatan" joined the blockade of the Southwest Pass of theMississippi River , retaking schooner "Abby Bradford"15 August . From late August to October she pursued CSS "Sumter" throughout much of theWest Indies . "Powhatan" operated offCharleston, South Carolina from October 1862 to August 1863, captured schooner "Major E. Willis"19 April and sloop "C. Routereau"16 May , and deployed for a second time to the West Indies from November 1863 to September 1864 as flagship of Rear AdmiralLardner . She participated in the successful reduction ofFort Fisher , 24–25 December 1864 and in its capture 13–15 January 1865 . In October 1865 she sailed from Boston with "Tuscarora" and "Vanderbilt", escorting monitor "Monadnock" toCalifornia viaCape Horn . She arrived atSan Francisco, California on22 June 1866 .n waters to protect American commerce: July–August 1880, February–May 1882, January–May 1883, January–May 1885, and January–February 1886.
"Powhatan" decommissioned
2 June 1886 and was sold30 July 1886 toBurdette Pond ofMeriden, Connecticut , and scrapped5 August 1887 .See USS "Powhatan" for other ships of this name.
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