USS Tioga

Last updated

History
US flag 34 stars.svgUnited States
Laid down1861
Launched18 April 1862
Acquired1862
Commissioned30 June 1862
Decommissioned29 June 1864
In service6 June 1865
Out of service8 May 1866
Stricken1866 (est.)
FateSold, 15 October 1867
General characteristics
Type Steamer Gunboat
Displacement819 tons
Length209 ft (64 m)
Beam34 ft 11 in (10.64 m)
Draft10 ft 2 in (3.10 m)
Depth of hold12 ft 3 in (3.73 m)
Propulsion
Speed11.5 knots
Complement105
Armament

USS Tioga was a large steamer with powerful guns, acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

Contents

Tioga was used by the Union Navy as a gunboat in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.

Tioga constructed at the Boston Navy Yard

Tioga – one of 12 double-ended steam gunboats laid down in the summer and fall of 1861 – was launched by the Boston Navy Yard on 18 April 1862; sponsored by Mrs. H. P. Grace; and commissioned on 30 June 1862, Lt. George W. Rodgers in command.

Civil War operations

Assigned to the North Atlantic blockade

The double-ender sailed for Hampton Roads, Virginia, late that day, joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron upon her arrival there on 5 July, and promptly ascended the James River to support Union troops beleaguered in a small pocket on the north bank of the river.

Maintaining control of the James River for McClellan

Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had recently defeated General George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac in the Seven Days campaign and penned the Northern forces in a bridgehead at Harrison's Landing where they were protected by the guns of Union warships and fed by Federal supply ships. The Union gunboats, charged with maintaining control of the James for the North to assure the continuation of McClellan's waterborne support, constituted an independent division of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron called the James River Flotilla.

One of the first ships to "screen an aircraft carrier"

While in the James River Flotilla, Tioga escorted supply ships and frequently exchanged fire with Southern batteries and sharpshooters ashore. One of her more unusual duties during this assignment was the chore of protecting the barge which carried and launched an observation balloon to reconnoiter Confederate positions and troop deployments. Thus, it has been claimed jocularly that she was one of the first warships to screen an aircraft carrier.

Supporting General McClellan and defending Washington

During much of August, Tioga helped to cover the movement of Union troops as McClellan evacuated the peninsula between the James and the York Rivers and transferred his troops north by water to protect Washington, D.C. After the withdrawal had been largely completed, the James River Flotilla was broken up on 29 August, with a dozen of its ships being transferred to the Potomac Flotilla and the remainder reverting to the direct control of Rear Admiral Louis M. Goldsborough, who commanded the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Tioga was one of the Union warships sent north to strengthen Federal control of the Potomac River and, by doing so, to beef up the Union forces afloat ready to defend Washington, D.C. At this time, General Robert E. Lee was defeating General John Pope's Army of Virginia in the Second Battle of Bull Run, greatly endangering the Federal capital.

Reassigned to the West India Squadron

However, before Tioga could become an effective part of the Potomac Flotilla, a change of orders reassigned her to the newly established West India Squadron, formed – under the command of Commodore Charles Wilkes – to counter the threat posed by the recent commissioning of the Confederate commerce raider Florida and the expected activation of the steam warship then being built for the South in England under the designation 290 which would prey on Northern shipping as Alabama. While Tioga never encountered either of these adversaries which would win renown under Confederate colors, she did compile an impressive score against blockade runners.

Maintaining an impressive score against blockade runners

She took her first prize on 14 February 1863, when she overhauled Avon and sent that English schooner to Key West, Florida, for adjudication. On 13 March, she captured another British schooner, Florence Nightingale, laden with cotton and without papers. Nine days later, she made a prize of the English side-wheel steamer Granite City. The British sloop Justina struck her colors to the gunboat on 23 April.

On 20 June, while cruising in company with USS Santiago de Cuba and USS Octorara, Tioga sighted a strange steamer; and the three Union ships gave chase. When they noticed a large quantity of cotton floating in the water, Tioga and Octorara hove to and picked up the jettisoned cargo, while Santiago de Cuba kept up the pursuit and overtook the English steamer Victory which she sent to Boston, Massachusetts, under a prize crew.

A week later, Tioga captured Julia as that English schooner attempted to slip through the Union blockade laden with cotton and rosin. On 25 September, she took Confederate steamer Herald which had escaped from the South with a cargo of cotton and naval stores.

Reassigned to the East Gulf Blockade

Three days before the gunboat made this capture, orders had left Washington to transfer Tioga to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. After beginning her new assignment, the double-ender participated in the capture of sloop Last Trial near Key West; but thereafter she spent much of the autumn undergoing repairs at Key West.

Doing her best in intercepting blockade runners

Early the following year, she resumed her success as a bane to blockade runners. She took an unidentified schooner – laden with salt, liquors, coffee, arms, and other items badly needed by the South – off Grand Bahama Island on 4 January 1864. On 20 March, she overhauled the sloop Swallows – laden with cotton, rosin, and tobacco – and sent her to Boston. About the same time, she chased and overtook the sloop Oriental.

Crew stricken with yellow fever, ship is sent north and decommissioned

Late in the spring of 1864, yellow fever broke out on board Tioga; and, on 19 June, she was ordered north. She arrived at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on the 27th and was decommissioned two days later but remained in quarantine in the lower harbor until October.

Post-war operations

After an overhaul had been completed and the Civil War had ended, Tioga was recommissioned at Portsmouth on 6 June 1865 and cruised off the New England coast through the summer. In October, the ship was transferred to the Gulf Squadron; and she arrived at Pensacola, Florida, on 30 November. The double-ender cruised in the Gulf of Mexico, principally off the coast of Texas, through the winter and into the spring of 1866.

Final decommissioning and sale

Ordered north, Tioga arrived at New York City on 8 May and was laid up in the navy yard there until she was sold on 15 October 1867.

See also

Related Research Articles

USS A. Houghton – a 326 ton bark – was purchased during the beginning of the American Civil War by the Union Navy.

USS New London was a screw steamer of the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was outfitted with a Parrott rifle and 32-pounders, and was assigned as a gunboat in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America.

The first USS Sonoma was a sidewheel gunboat that served in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for Sonoma Creek in northern California, Sonoma County, California, and the town of Sonoma, California, that in turn were named for one of the chiefs of the Chocuyen Indians of that region.

USS <i>Seminole</i> (1859) Gunboat of the United States Navy

The first USS Seminole was a steam sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.

USS <i>Kennebec</i> (1861) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Kennebec was a Unadilla-class gunboat built for the U.S. Navy following the outbreak of the American Civil War. She was named for the Kennebec River.

USS <i>Satellite</i> (1854) American naval ship

USS Satellite was a large, steam-powered large tugboat, acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War and equipped with two powerful 8-inch guns. She was assigned to the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America.

USS <i>Jacob Bell</i> Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Jacob Bell was a sidewheel steamer acquired by the Union Navy for use during the American Civil War. She was one of the oldest vessels so acquired. Her duties included river patrols, guard duty, and other duties as assigned.

USS Anacostia was a steamer, constructed as a tugboat, that was first chartered by the United States Navy for service during the Paraguay crisis of the 1850s and then commissioned as a U.S. Navy ship. She later served prominently in the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

USS <i>General Putnam</i> (1857) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS General Putnam – also known as the USS William G. Putnam – was acquired by the Union Navy during the first year of the American Civil War and outfitted as a gunboat and assigned to the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America. She also served as a tugboat and as a ship's tender when so required.

USS Western World was a ship acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

USS <i>Octorara</i> (1861) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Octorara was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the Confederates from trading with other countries.

USS <i>Aroostook</i> (1861) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Aroostook was a Unadilla-class gunboat built for the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Aroostook was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

USS Stepping Stones was a steamer purchased by the Union Navy during the early part of the American Civil War.

USS <i>Adela</i> Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Adela was a steamer captured 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 <i>Tahoma</i> Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Tahoma was a Unadilla-class gunboat built by order of the United States Navy for service during the American Civil War.

USS Adolph Hugel was a schooner acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

USS Arletta was a schooner acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a gunboat and, at times, an ammunition ship, in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.

The third USS Union was a heavy (1,114-ton) steamer with a powerful 12-inch rifled gun purchased by the United States Navy during the American Civil War.

USS T. A. Ward was a 284-ton schooner was purchased by the Union Navy during the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cummings Howell</span>

John Cummings Howell was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He rose to the rank of rear admiral and late in his career was commander-in-chief of the North Atlantic Squadron and then of the European Squadron.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.