- USS Whitehall (1850)
USS "Whitehall" (1850) was a steamer acquired by the
Union Navy during theAmerican Civil War . She was assignedblockade duty; however, her condition was not always considered seaworthy, and she was plagued with condition problems."Whitehall" -- a side-wheel
gunboat and convertedferry built in1850 atBrooklyn, New York -- was purchased by the Navy there on10 October 1861 and was commissioned soon thereafter at theNew York Navy Yard , Acting Master Francis P. Allen in command.Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockade
Assigned to the
South Atlantic Blockading Squadron , "Whitehall" sailed forPort Royal, South Carolina ; but her unseaworthy condition prevented her completing the voyage south. She put in toPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania , in early November for emergency repairs and stopped again atHampton Roads for the same purpose a few days later. "Whitehall" leftNewport News, Virginia , for Port Royal on5 November -- only to be forced back to Hampton Roads by high seas on6 November . On7 November , carpenters examining "Whitehall" declared her unseaworthy. Nevertheless, she was badly needed at Port Royal and proceeded south towed by USS|Connecticut|1861 on12 November 1861 . Again "Whitehall" turned back, reentering Hampton Roads on13 November 1861 . That same day, she was ordered toBaltimore, Maryland , for an extensive overhaul.Reassigned to the North Atlantic Blockade
"Whitehall" was reassigned to the
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron inHampton Roads on29 November 1861 . She departed theVirginia Capes on6 December 1861 , bound forAnnapolis, Maryland , to pick up arms and provisions for the squadron and returned to Hampton Roads, On29 December 1861 , "Whitehall" and eight other steamers engagedCSS Sea Bird in the roads shortly after the Confederate steamer had captured a waterschooner and attacked the Army steamer, "Express", which had been towing it. After an action lasting one-half hour, "Sea Bird" withdrew from the battle and retired under the protection of Confederate shore batteries. "Whitehall" and USS|Morse|1861 covered Union forces as they withdrew.“The worst boat of all ferryboats...”
On
2 January 1862 , "Whitehall" got underway forHatteras Inlet ,North Carolina . However, she immediately became disabled and returned to Hampton Roads. Flag OfficerLouis M. Goldsborough , commanding theNorth Atlantic Blockading Squadron , called "Whitehall" "the worst sea boat of all the ferryboats with which I have had to do, and certainly the most unfortunate." A survey taken of the vessel on22 February 1862 found both her machinery and hull badly deteriorated.Action against the "CSS Virginia"
"Whitehall" saw her final action on 8 and
9 March 1862 against the Confederate ironcladCSS Virginia , the former "Merrimack". On8 March , federal gunboats, including "Whitehall", attempted to draw the Rebel vessel away from Unionwarships anchored offNewport News, Virginia . Failing this, "Whitehall" engaged Confederate steamers "Yorktown" andCSS Jamestown , inflicting minor damage. During theUSS Monitor -CSS Virginia engagement on9 March 1862 , "Whitehall" and the rest of the Union fleet abstained from direct battle, preferring to fire long-range, ineffective shots at "Virginia". "Whitehall" suffered three casualties and had parts of her upperworks burned by Confederate shot during the two days of activity."Whitehall" destroyed by fire
Early on the morning of
10 March 1862 atOld Point Comfort ,Virginia , a flash fire swept and totally destroyed "Whitehall". There were no casualties.References
See also
*
United States Navy
*American Civil War External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w7/whitehall-i.htm USS Whitehall]
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