USS Brown (left) and USS Benefit during the Red River Campaign, 1864 | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Laid down | date unknown |
Launched | 1863 |
Acquired | 1863 or 1864 |
In service | circa February 1864 |
Out of service | circa May 1865 |
Stricken | circa May 1865 (est.) |
Fate |
|
General characteristics | |
Displacement | 213 tons |
Length | not known |
Beam | not known |
Draught | not known |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | not known |
Complement | not known |
Armament | not known |
USS Benefit was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a tugboat and general transport in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.
Benefit, a sidewheel steamer built at Metropolis, Illinois, in 1863, was temporarily acquired by the Union Navy sometime either late in that year or early in 1864 from Mr. Edward Buse for use of the Mississippi Squadron as a tug and general transport.
Manned by a civilian crew and commanded by an officer appointed by her owner, under the direction of Acting Master John D. Harty, the steamer began serving the Navy early in February 1864 if not before then. Her first documented mission began at noon on February 2 of that year when she departed Cairo, Illinois, and descended the Mississippi River with important dispatches for Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter.
The tug's most notable service occurred during the joint Army Navy expedition up the Red River in the spring of 1864. While engaged in this operation, she braved the fire of a four-gun battery some 50 miles above Grand Ecore, to carry information to the admiral. The civilian master of the tug was killed in the action, and Lt. Silas W. Terry took charge of the vessel so that she might complete her mission.
After Porter's Flotilla succeeded in withdrawing from the Red River, Benefit continued to serve on the Mississippi and its tributaries supporting the Mississippi Squadron until after the Confederacy collapsed in April 1865.
On April 9, 1865, the day of General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House, her commanding officer was ordered to turn all public property on board Benefit over to the naval station at Monnek City, Illinois; and, soon thereafter, she was returned to her owner. The tug resumed merchant service and continued to operate on the Mississippi River system until she was destroyed by fire on April 6, 1867, at Starks Landing, Alabama.
Laurent Millaudon was a wooden side-wheel river steamboat launched at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1856 operating in the New Orleans, Louisiana, area, and captained by W. S. Whann. At the beginning of the American Civil War she was taken into service by the Confederate Navy as CSS General Sterling Price. On 6 June 1862, she was sunk at the Battle of Memphis. She was raised and repaired by the Union army, and on 16 June 1862 was moved into Union service as USS General Price and served until the end of the war.
USS John P. Jackson (1860) was a steamship acquired by the United States Navy during the beginning of the American Civil War. She was assigned to the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America. as well as the bombardment of Mississippi River ports.
USS Dahlia was a paddle-wheel tugboat acquired by the Union Navy during the beginning of the American Civil War. Dahlia was assigned to the Mississippi River area to provide tug and other services to Union ships requiring assistance.
USS Gazelle was a side-wheel steamer acquired by the Union Navy for duty with the Mississippi River Squadron.
USS Antelope was a stern-wheel steamer acquired by the Union Navy for service during the American Civil War. Originally Lavinia Logan—a charter vessel built in 1861 at Parkersburg, Virginia — she was purchased in 1864 to support operations of the Union Army along the streams of the Mississippi River.
USS General Lyon, originally the De Soto, was recaptured from the Confederate States of America and renamed USS De Soto, and then USS General Lyon, after Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon.
USS Ivy was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.
USS Rattler was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.
USS Cricket was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.
USS St. Clair was a steamer purchased by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.
USS Hastings was a steamer purchased by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a gunboat assigned to patrol Confederate waterways.
USS Paw Paw was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a convoy and patrol vessel on Confederate waterways.
USS Exchange was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.
USS Juliet was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a gunboat in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.
USS Kenwood was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a gunboat in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.
USS Alonzo Child was a side-wheel steamer seized by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a barracks ship in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.
USS Huntress was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was placed into service as a gunboat assigned to support the Union Navy during the naval blockade of ports and rivers of the Confederate States of America.
USS Pink was a steamer commissioned by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She served the Union Navy's struggle against the Confederate States of America in various ways: as a tugboat, a gunboat, and as a small transport.
USS Rodolph was a steamer commissioned by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She served the Union Navy during its struggle against the Confederate States of America, both as a tugboat and a minesweeper, as well as a gunboat when the occasion demanded. Just as the war was ending, Rodolph struck a mine and sank, with four of her crew killed and a number of others wounded.
USS Tallahatchie was a 171-ton steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War for service against the Confederate States of America.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.