USS Signal (1862)

USS "Signal" (1862) — a small 190-ton steamship — was acquired during the second year of the American Civil War by the Union Navy and outfitted as a gunboat. She also served other types of duty, such as that of dispatch vessel and convoy escort.

Built in West Virginia in 1862

The first ship to be named "Signal" by the Navy — a wooden-hulled, stern-wheel steamer built in 1862 at Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia) — was purchased by the U.S. Navy on September 22, 1862 at Saint Louis, Missouri.

Civil War service

Mississippi River operations

Although no record of her commissioning has been found, it is known that she was in operation on October 22, 1862, when she departed Carondelet, Missouri and headed down the Mississippi River to join in the campaign against the Confederate river fortress at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Acting Volunteer Lieutenant John Scott was mentioned as her commanding officer in an order issued on November 14 and presumably commanded the ship from the start of her service.

"Signal's" first weeks were devoted to duty as a dispatch vessel. On November 29, she and "Marmora" entered the Yazoo River on a reconnaissance expedition and ascended that stream some 21 miles. From time to time, riflemen fired upon the ships from the river banks; but, in each instance, the ships shelled and dispersed the attackers. That afternoon, the ships returned to the Mississippi unharmed.

Yazoo River operations

"Signal's" work for the day steaming up and down shallow, winding streams in hostile territory was a sample of the service she would perform throughout her career. She and "Marmora" again ascended the Yazoo on December 11 to obtain information needed for a projected joint Army-Navy expedition in that area to outflank Vicksburg, Mississippi. They discovered Confederates had placed torpedoes (mines) in the channel and returned to report and to volunteer to destroy the explosive devices.

The next morning, accompanied by "Cairo", "Pittsburg", and "Queen of the West", they returned up the Yazoo to destroy the "infernal machines." During this early mine sweeping operation, one of the torpedoes exploded under "Cairo", and she sank 12 minutes later. "Cairo" was the first of over 40 Union ships to be torpedoed during the Civil War. The expedition returned to the Mississippi after dark that evening bringing the survivors from "Cairo".

Operations on the White River

On January 4, 1863, "Signal" got underway in an expedition up the White River to attack Fort Hindman, which surrendered on the 11th, after a three-day battle. About a month later, "Signal" made a reconnaissance up the White River and brought back information of the military situation at Little Rock, Arkansas.

Late in February, "Signal" returned to the Yazoo and devoted most of her time probing that stream until Vicksburg fell on July 4.

Return to Mississippi patrolling

During the ensuing months, "Signal" served as a dispatch vessel and patrolled the Mississippi to interdict Confederate commerce especially from the Red River. On December 8, 1863, "Signal" and "Neosho" defended disabled merchant steamer "Henry Von Phul", which had been shelled by a Southern shore battery.

On April 19, 1864, "Signal" was ordered to ascend the Red River to Alexandria, Louisiana to protect coal and provision barges waiting there for the use of the flotilla of gunboats Rear Admiral David D. Porter had led farther upstream in the campaign known as the Red River Expedition.

On May 4, "Signal" was ordered "to take on board a bearer of dispatches from Mayor General Nathaniel Prentice Banks and proceed down the river..." About 20 miles down stream, the ship was fired upon by Confederate cavalrymen, and she returned the fire with her starboard guns. The engagement continued intermittently until she reached USS "Covington" and Army transport "John Warner" some four more miles below.

"Signal" burns and crew is captured

"Signal" rounded to and made fast to the stern of "Covington", and both ships continued to engage the Confederates throughout the day and night. At daylight, the three ships got underway; but, upon rounding Dunn's Bayou, "John Warner's" whistle signaled "enemy in sight." Artillery and small arms fire soon disabled the transport which drifted ashore blocking the channel below the gunboats.

In the ensuing battle, "Signal" was disabled and ran aground where she was reluctantly set afire and abandoned by her crew which was captured ashore. The two other ships were also lost. However, most of the crew of "Covington", along with "Covington’s" captain, managed to escape and make its way back to safety at Alexandria, Louisiana.

Fate of the crew

"Signal’s" captured crew was held at the Camp Ford Prisoner of War camp near Tyler, Texas. The prisoner of war exchange lists show thirty nine men from this vessel as being exchanged from this camp. Three of the crew members, Gun Captain Timothy O'Donoghue, Quarter Gunner Charles Asten, and Gunner's Mate George Butts were awarded the Medal of Honor for their conduct during the ship's final engagement on the Red River.

References

Medal of Honor Recipients Civil War (M-Z)http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/civwarmz.html

ee also

* American Civil War
* Union Navy
* Confederate States Navy
* USS Covington (1863)

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s12/signal_i.htm USS Signal]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-s/signal.htm USS Signal (1862-1864, "Tinclad" # 8)]