USS Monadnock (1864)

The first USS "Monadnock", a twin‑screw, wooden‑hull, double-turreted, ironclad monitor was laid down at the Boston Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA, in 1862; launched 23 March 1863; and commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard 4 October 1864, Captain John M. Berrien in command. It was named after Mount Monadnock, a mountain in southern New Hampshire.

Background

The only monitor of the "Monadnock"-class to see action during the Civil War, the "Monadnock" was designed by Chied of Naval Engineering John Lenthal. Lenthall actually designed four monitors at that time. The "Monadnock" and the "Agamenticus" were the first and are considered the two "Monadnock"-class vessels. Lenthall altered the designs of the next two, the "Miantonomoh" and the "Tonawanda" and dubbed them the "Miantonomoh"-class. Because of the similarities between the two classes they are sometimes referred to collectively as the "Miantonomoh"-class.

The "Monadnock" used powerful steam engines designed by Chief of Steam Engineering, Benjamin F. Isherwood. Her hull design was also much more streamlined than monitors designed by John Ericsson. Unfortunately, her internal frames were only 4.5 in oak and like Lenthall's "Roanoke" conversion, the weight of her turrets weakened the structural integrity of the hull and she was prone to rotting and cracking.

Civil War Service

In service, the "Monadnock" steamed to Norfolk, VA, and there Commander Enoch Greenleafe Parrott took command 20 November 1864. On 13 December she departed Norfolk for the assault against Fort Fisher. She joined Rear Admiral David D. Porter’s North Atlantic Blockading Squadron on the 15th, and 4 days later departed Beaufort, NC, to join the Union fleet massed to attack Confederate defenses on the Cape Fear River. On the morning of Christmas Eve, she closed the entrance of the river, guarded by Fort Fisher. At less than 1,200 yards from shore she began bombarding the fortification and continued throughout the day. The following morning she resumed shelling as 2,000 Army troops under the command of General Benjamin F. Butler landed north of the fort. However, after coming close to the fort, the troops were pulled back and reembarked in the landing boats.

The attack was renewed 13 January 1865. Through the 15th, "Monadnock" again shelled the fort’s defenses, disabling many of the guns. Firing continued until the last gun on the sea face was silenced, well after the troops, under Major General Alfred Terry, and sailors and Marines had launched their final and successful assault. During the action, perhaps the largest amphibious operation in American history, prior to World War II, "Monadnock" was struck five times.

Having aided in the closing of the port of Wilmington, NC, the South’s last important link in the overseas supply lifeline, "Monadnock" turned toward Charleston, SC. On 19 February, while still in the Charleston area; she sent a volunteer crew to take possession of blockade runner "Deer".

After a stay at Port Royal, SC, she steamed to Hampton Roads 15 March. On 2 April, she steamed up the James River to support the final assault on Richmond, VA and then assisted in clearing the river of torpedoes to allow safe passage to the fallen Confederate capitol. Returning to Hampton Roads 7 April, she sailed out into the Atlantic on the 17th, en route to Havana, where she kept watch over CSS Stonewall. Back at Norfolk by 12 June, she entered the Philadelphia Navy Yard on the 20th to fit out for her cruise to the west coast.

Post-War Cruise around South America

"Monadnock" departed Philadelphia, PA 5 October; with "Vanderbilt", "Tuscorora", and "Powhatan". Temperatures in the fire-room ranged from 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (49-60 degrees Celsius) near the equator.Alden, John D., CDR USN "Monitors 'Round Cape Horn" "United States Naval Institute Proceedings" September 1974 pp.78-82] Stokers collapsed daily from heat prostration and special inducements of extra pay and spirits were offered to men to take their place. During part of the trip, her crew rigged a single square sail and jib which increased speed by 1.5 knots. After stops at numerous South American ports, she transited the Straits of Magellan and arrived at Callao while a Spanish squadron was bombarding the town during the Chincha Islands War. Peru later purchased American monitors "Oneota" and "Catawba" for use in the War of the Pacific. "Monadnock"s arrival at Acapulco coincided with Mexican attempts to end French intervention in Mexico. The squadron continued on to San Francisco, CA, anchoring off that city 21 June 1866. On 26 June she proceeded to Vallejo, CA and entered the Mare Island Navy Yard where she decommissioned 30 June.

In 1874 her wooden hull was broken up as part of a program to "rebuild" Civil War era monitors into modern ones. In fact, she was replaced by a completely new ship, which was also named "Monadnock".

Notes

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m13/monadnock-i.htm
*"Additional technical data from" cite book
last = Gardiner
first = Robert
coauthors =
title = Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905
publisher = Conway Maritime Press
year = 1979
pages = p. 121
month =
isbn = 0 85177 133 5