- USS Miantonomoh (1863)
The first USS "Miantonomoh" was a double-turreted, twin-screw, wooden-hulled, ironclad monitor in the
United States Navy following theAmerican Civil War ."Miantonomoh" was laid down at the
New York Navy Yard ,Brooklyn, New York , in1862 ; launched15 August 1863 ; and commissioned18 September 1865 , CommanderDaniel Ammen in command.Assigned to the
North Atlantic Squadron , "Miantonomoh" cruised for a short time along the east coast, thence steamed to theWashington Navy Yard where she remained until April1866 . In late April she sailed to New York and there prepared for an extended cruise toEurope an waters. Under the command of Comdr.John C. Beaumont , she sailed with steamers "Augusta" and "Ashuelot"6 May . After touching at Halifax, Nova Scotia, she reachedSt. John’s, Newfoundland ,23 May . There she embarked the Assistant Secretary of the Navy,Gustavus Fox , who arrived3 June en route to undertaking special assignments in Europe.Upon the order of President
Andrew Johnson , Secretary of the NavyGideon Welles instructed Fox to deliver Alexander II, Emperor ofRussia , a copy of a Joint Resolution of Congress which expressed “deep regret” at the recent attempt on the Czar’s life and congratulations on his escape from harm. In addition, and of greater importance, Welles requested Fox to visit important naval stations and collect::...all the information that is attainable relative to the means which are possessed by the principal naval powers for building, repairing, and laying up naval vessels, an...in regard to their navy yards and navy establishments....You should also examine some of the more modern built naval vessels abroad; and, availing yourself of your experience...institute comparisons between the present naval appliances and improvements of your own country and those of Europe....Departing St. John’s
5 June , the three ships crossed the Atlantic in less than 11 days. Fox described the first ocean crossing of an ironclad monitor as “a pleasant trip.” During much of the voyage she was towed by "Augusta" “as a matter of convenience and precaution rather than necessity.”After reaching Queenstown
16 June , "Miantonomoh" steamed viaPortsmouth toCherbourg ,France , where Fox debarked29 June for talks withNapoleon III . She returned to the English coast7 July and a week later received visitors including British royalty, government officials, and members of the press, all of whom viewed her with wonderment and amazement. Her departure in naval design caused considerable comment in the English press, and the Times exclaimed: “The wolf is in our fold; the whole flock at its mercy.”The success of her reception in
England typified her subsequent visits to other European nations during the next several months. Departing15 July , "Miantonomoh" steamed toDenmark where she was inspected by King Christian IX and the royal family; thence, on the 31st, she entered theBaltic Sea en route to Russia. Eleven ships of theRussian Navy , including four monitors, met her at Helsingfors (Helsinki ) and escorted her toKronshtadt where she arrived5 August . She remained at that important Russian naval base for more than a month. During that time she was viewed with interest and attention by the Czar, his family, and leading Russian naval officers.Commenting on the success of the naval mission to Russia, Captain Alexander Murray later wrote: “We were the victims of a hospitality which I did not believe had an existence out of America, and...of a generosity which does not often fall to the lot of navy officers anywhere;....”
From Russia "Miantonomoh" continued her triumphant visit to European ports. With Assistant Secretary Fox embarked, she visited
Stockholm ,Sweden , in mid-September; thence, she arrivedKiel ,Prussia ,1 October amidst “a great number of the Prussian ships of war.” The monitor left Fox to complete his duties3 October and steamed toHamburg where she arrived the 6th. “Here we remained a week,” wrote Captain Murray, “and experienced the full flood of that tide of visitors to the ‘monitor’ which had been increasing ever since we left the United States....”"Miantonomoh" called at French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian ports during the next 6 months. Her mission of showing both the flag and herself proved wholly successful. The “tide of visitors,” reported Captain Murray, “wherever we went, overwhelmed us.”
In company with "Augusta", "Miantonomoh" departed
Gibraltar 15 May 1867 . Steaming via the Canary and Cape Verde. Islands, Caribbean ports and the Bahamas, she anchored off League Island, Philadelphia,22 July , thus completing a cruise of more than 17,700 miles. Captain Murray concluded his report to Secretary of the Navy Welles: “The vessels themselves [are] in such a condition as to be readily enabled to repeat the service just performed.” "Miantonomoh", however, decommissioned at Philadelphia26 July 1867 and was laid up at League Island."Miantonomoh" recommissioned
15 November 1869 , Comdr. R. W. Shufeldt in command. She steamed to New England and served with the funeral fleet that escorted the British ship carrying the body ofGeorge Foster Peabody , noted American philanthropist, back toMassachusetts for burial. She continued her operations in the North Atlantic station until28 July 1870 when she decommissioned at Boston.As part of Secretary of the Navy
George M. Robeson ’s ambitious plans to overhaul and modernize ships of the Navy, "Miantonomoh" was taken toChester, Pennsylvania , in1874 , ostensibly for “repairs” at the yard ofJohn Roach . On23 June 1874 Congress authorized funds for the purpose of “completing the repairs” of four double-turreted monitors including "Miantonomoh". However, the “repairs” consisted of the constructing of new vessels under the guise of repairing the old ones. She was broken up in1875 and but few of her materials were used in the building of the larger, more heavily armored, iron-hulled “New Navy” monitor which became the second "Miantonomoh".References
*"This article contains text from the US Naval Historical Center."
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m10/miantonomoh-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
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