USS Monongahela (1862)

USS "Monongahela" (1862) was a barkentine–rigged screw sloop-of-war that served in the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Her task was to participate in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America. Post-war she continued serving her country in various roles, such as that of a storeship and schoolship.

Built in Philadelphia

"Monongahela" – the first U.S. Navy ship to bear that name – was built by the Philadelphia Navy Yard and was launched 10 July 1862; sponsored by Miss Emily V. Hoover, daughter of Naval Constructor Hoover who superintended the ship’s construction; and commissioned 15 January 1863, Captain James P. McKinstry in command.

Civil War service

Assigned to bombardment duty

Initially assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron, "Monongahela" sailed instead to reinforce Rear Admiral David G. Farragut’s West Gulf Blockading Squadron off Mobile, Alabama, remaining on duty off that port until ordered to attempt to run past Confederate batteries on the Mississippi River at Port Hudson, Louisiana, on the night of 14 March to 15 March 1863.

As Army forces ashore conducted a mortar bombardment, the squadron got underway about 2200, heavier ships "Hartford", "Richmond", and "Monongahela" screening the smaller "Albatross", "Genesee", and "Kineo" from the forts, steam frigate "Mississippi" bringing up the rear.

In the course of the ensuing furious engagement, only "Hartford" and "Albatross" succeeded in passing up river, "Richmond" losing her steam power early in the battle and drifting downstream out of range with "Genesee" lashed alongside. "Monongahela" grounded under the guns of a heavy battery, taking a pounding and losing six men killed and 21 wounded, including the captain, until she worked loose with "Kineo’s" aid. While attempting to continue upriver, her overloaded engine broke down, and the sloop was forced to drift downstream with "Kineo". "Mississippi", grounding at high speed, was hit repeatedly and set afire, eventually blowing up and ending the engagement.

Attack on Port Hudson

Two months later, 27 May, Confederate defenders turned back a major assault on Port Hudson following constant bombardment by "Monongahela", serving as temporary flagship of Admiral Farragut, and other ships of the squadron. On 7 July 1863, the ship, in company with "New London", engaged southern field batteries behind the levee, 12 miles below Donaldsonville, Louisiana, "Monongahela’s" new skipper Commander Abner Read being killed in this action. She then departed 26 October 1863 for Brazos Santiago, Texas, to support General Nathaniel Banks’ troops in the capture of that town and Brownsville, 2 November to 4 November, in addition capturing several blockade runners.

"Monongahela" continued her duty off Texas, covering the landing of 1,000 Union Army troops on Mustang Island, Arkansas Pass, Texas, 16 November to 17 November and supporting a Union reconnaissance at Pass Cavallo on the gulf shore of Matagordas Peninsula 31 December 1863 to 1 January 1864. She returned to blockade off Mobile, Alabama, soon after, stopping numerous blockade runners throughout the spring and summer of 1864.

Mobile Bay operations

On 15 July, the warship’s boats conducted a reconnaissance of the Mobile Bay area to determine the Confederate torpedo (naval mines) defenses; and then, 3 August, Admiral Farragut took his stripped-for-action squadron of 18 ships, including four monitors, against those defenses. In the fierce fight and great victory that followed, "Monongahela" bombarded Confederate forts and then rammed the heavy Confederate ram "Tennessee". The sloop succeeded only in damaging herself in the full speed drive into the armored enemy ship, but combined heavy gunfire from the other Union ships forced the Confederate warship to surrender, ending the battle and closing the last major gulf port to the South.

"Monongahela" remained on duty with the West Gulf squadron until the end of the Civil War

Post-war service

Caught in a tsunami

Post-war "Monongahela" was assigned to the West Indies Squadron. While on service with the West Indies Squadron, the warship had the unique experience of being landed high and dry almost a mile inland from the shoreline when a tidal wave struck Frederikstad, St. Croix, 18 November 1867.

Following an earthquake, she was hit by a wall of water 25 to 30 feet high and carried over the beach and warehouses to come to rest on an even keel some distance from the water. A working party of mechanics from New York Navy Yard under Naval Constructor Thomas Davidson succeeded in refloating the ship 11 May 1868, following a four month endeavor. "Monongahela" was towed to New York City and thence Portsmouth where she was slowly repaired, finally departing in 1873 to join the South Atlantic Station.

Redesignated a training ship

Following a 3-year cruise on that duty, the steam sloop served as a training ship off the east coast and then departed for the Asiatic Station, serving in the Far East until need of repairs took her to Mare Island Navy Yard in 1879 where she decommissioned. In 1883, the veteran warship was converted to a supply ship, with all her machinery being removed that fall to make additional room for supplies. During the conversion, her rig was changed to bark to allow her handling by a smaller crew. "Monongahela" continued her duty on the Pacific Squadron as storeship at Callao, Peru, into 1890, and then sailed round Cape Horn to Portsmouth Navy Yard to be fitted out as an apprentice training ship.

Emerging from the refit a full-rigged ship, the old converted sloop joined the Training Squadron in 1891, serving in that capacity until relieving "Constellation" 15 May 1894 as U.S. Naval Academy Practice Ship. Making annual cruises each year except for 1898 when the war with Spain intervened, the ship conducted her last Academy cruise from 6 June to 4 September 1899, sailing to England and Portugal.

Upon completion of this cruise, "Monongahela" became training ship for apprentices at the Training Station, Newport, Rhode Island, serving for 3 years in that capacity and cruising to ports throughout Europe’s Atlantic coast and the Caribbean.

Destroyed by fire

Finally detached from the Atlantic Training Squadron 9 May 1904, the old warship served as a storeship at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, until totally destroyed by fire 17 March 1908.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m13/monongahela-i.htm

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-m/monong.htm USS Monongahela (1863-1908)]