- USS Commodore Hull (1862)
USS "Commodore Hull" (1862) was a ferryboat acquired by the
Union Navy during theAmerican Civil War . She was outfitted as agunboat and assigned to theUnion blockade of theConfederate States of America .Built in New York
"Commodore Hull", a side wheel
ferryboat , was built at the New York in1860 (or 1861 Dubious|date=March 2008) as the civilian ferryboat "Nuestra Señora del Regla", intended for use atHavana, Cuba . Purchased by the Union Navy1 September 1862 , she was converted to agunboat and commissioned on27 November ,1862 , Acting Master W. G. Saltonstall in command.USS "Commodore Hull" was named in honor of Commodore
Isaac Hull (1773 -1843 ), a significant U.S. Naval commander during and after theWar of 1812 . There were four subsequent USS "Hull"s, all destroyers.Civil War Service
Assigned to the North Atlantic blockade
"Commodore Hull"'s ferryboat design made her especially useful for operations in sheltered waters, so she was assigned to the
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and operated along the coasts and rivers ofVirginia andNorth Carolina . She took part in the siege of Washington, N.C., from30 March 1863 to16 April 1863 .In
Albemarle Sound , she took part in the 5 May 1864 battle with the Confederate ironclad CSS "Albemarle". As a picket, "Commodore Hull" was the first to sight the formidable ram approaching and fired at her from close quarters in the 3-hour engagement.Siege of Plymouth
"Commodore Hull" joined in the attacks on and the capture of Plymouth, N.C. on 29 October 1864. On 31 October 1864, she was heavily damaged by Confederate batteries, losing four killed and three wounded. Crewmember Coxswain Patrick Colbert was awarded the
Medal of Honor for action on that date. Colbert's Medal of Honor citation reads::"Served on board the U.S.S. Commodore Hull at the capture of Plymouth, 31 October 1864. Painfully wounded by a shell which killed the man at his side, Colbert, as captain of the forward pivot gun, remained at his post until the end of the action, braving the heavy enemy fire and appearing as cool as if at mere target practice."
End of service
"Commodore Hull" was repaired and remained active until the end of the Civil War. She was decommissioned on
8 June 1865 at theNew York Navy Yard . "Commodore Hull" was sold27 September 1865 at the Yard. She was subsequently renamed to "Waccamaw" in civilian employment, which lasted until sometime prior to1885 .References
*DANFS
**cite web
url = http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c11/commodore_hull.htm
title = Commodore Hull
accessdate = 2006-06-27
work = Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
*cite web
url = http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/com-hull.htm
title = USN Ships -- USS Commodore Hull (1862-1865)
accessdate = 2006-06-27
*cite web
url = http://www.medalofhonor.com/NewYorkCivilWarRecipientsA-K.htm#C
title = Medal of Honor - New York Civil War Recipients
accessdate = 2006-06-27ee also
*
American Civil War
*Union Navy
*Confederate States Navy External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/com-hull.htm US Navy Historical Image Collection for USS Commodore Hull]
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