USS Owasco (1861)

USS Owasco (1861)

USS "Owasco" was a wooden hulled screw gunboat in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for Owasco Lake.

"Owasco", built by Charles Mallory, was launched at Mystic, Connecticut, 5 October 1861; delivered to the Navy at New York Navy Yard 6 December 1861; and commissioned there 23 January 1862, Lt. John Guest in command.

The new “ninety-day gunboat” departed New York 5 February and reached Key West, Florida, 10 days later where Comdr. David D. Porter’s mortar flotilla was assemblying. She then headed via Ship Island, Mississippi for Pass a L’Outre. En route, on 16 March, she captured schooners "Eugenia" and "President" laden with cotton and bound for Havana.

The mortar flotilla had been established by the Navy to neutralize forts St. Philip and Jackson which protected New Orleans, Louisiana against attack from the sea. "Owasco" was one of seven steamers assigned to the flotilla to tow the schooners and help them navigate safely in the tricky currents of the Mississippi River. In mid April she and her sister steamers moved the schooners into position below the forts. On the 18th, when the mortars opened fire on the Southern positions, the steamers supported the attack with flat trajectory fire until, six days later, David Farragut led his deep draft vessels in a historic dash past the Confederate heavy works. The following day New Orleans fell, depriving the South of its largest city and greatest industrial and commercial center.

When Farragut ascended the Mississippi for the second time, "Owasco" helped to tow the schooners up river to a position just below Vicksburg, Mississippi from which they bombarded the Confederate cliffside batteries 28 June as Farragut, raced under the Southern guns to join the Western Gunboat Flotilla above Vicksburg.

"Owasco" participated in the bombardment and capture of Galveston, Texas 3 October; but, on New Year’s day, was driven out of that port by Confederates in cotton clad steamers.

After continuing blockade duty, she participated in the joint Army-Navy capture of Brazos, Texas 3 November 1863. She captured the English schooner "Fanny" 19 April 1864, carrying cargo for Confederate General Magruder from Havana. She continued to serve along the coast of Texas through the end of the war.

She decommissioned at New York Navy Yard 12 July 1865 and was sold at auction at New York 25 October 1865.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • USS Sciota (1861) — was a steamship rushed into production by the Union Navy at the start of the American Civil War. She was outfitted as a gunboat, with both a 20 pounder rifle for horizontal firing, and two howitzers for shore bombardment, and assigned to the… …   Wikipedia

  • USS Katahdin (1861) — a 507 ton steamship was acquired during the beginning of the American Civil War by the Union Navy. Katahdin was outfitted as a gunboat with cannon and rifled gun for blockade duty and two howitzers for shore bombardment. Built in Bath, Maine, in… …   Wikipedia

  • USS Virginia (1861) — was a heavy 581 ton blockade running steamer captured by the U.S. Navy and put to use by the Union during the American Civil War. Virginia served the Navy primarily as a mortar gunboat. Her ordnance included six 24 pounder howitzers for riverbank …   Wikipedia

  • USS Westfield (1861) — USS Westfield was a sidewheel steam ferryboat in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. Westfield was purchased by the Navy from Cornelius Vanderbilt on 22 November 1861; outfitted at New York by J. A. Westervelt; and commissioned… …   Wikipedia

  • List of steam gunboats of the United States Navy — Unadilla class *USS Aroostook (1861) *USS Cayuga (1861) *USS Chippewa (1861) *USS Chocura (1861) *USS Huron (1862) *USS Itasca (1861) *USS Kanawha (1861) *USS Katahdin (1861) *USS Kennebec (1861) *USS Kineo (1862) *USS Marblehead (1861) *USS… …   Wikipedia

  • List of United States Navy ships, O — O * USS O Bannon (DD 177, DD 450, DD 987) * USS O Brien (TB 30, DD 51, DD 415, DD 725, DD 975) * USS O Callahan (FF 1051) * USS O Flaherty (DE 340) * USS O Hare (DD 889) * USS O Kane (DDG 77) * USS O Neill (DE 188) * USS O Reilly (DE 330) * USS O …   Wikipedia

  • Liste der Schiffe der United States Navy/O — Schiffe der United States Navy A B …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • USRC Harriet Lane (1857) — The Harriet Lane was a revenue cutter of the United States Revenue Cutter Service and, on the outbreak of the American Civil War, a ship of the United States Navy and later Confederate States Navy. She was named after the niece of senator and… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”