USS Jacob Bell

Last updated

USS Jacob Bell, Union Navy.jpg
Colored lithograph of the Jacob Bell, published circa the 1860s.
History
US Naval Jack 36 stars.svg US flag 34 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Jacob Bell
NamesakeCo-proprietor of the shipbuilder
Builder Brown & Bell (New York)
Completed1842
Acquired22 Aug 1861, for $12,000
Commissioned22 Aug 1861
Decommissioned13 May 1865 at the Washington Navy Yard
Stricken1865 (est.)
FateLost at sea, 6 November 1865
General characteristics
Tons burthen229
Length141 ft 3 in (43.05 m)
Beam21 ft (6.4 m)
Depth of hold8 ft 1 in (2.46 m)
Propulsion steam engine, side wheel-propelled
Complement49
Armament
  • one 8" Dahlgren smoothbore gun
  • one 32-pounder gun

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. [1] Her duties included river patrols, guard duty, and other duties as assigned.

Contents

Commissioned in New York City

Jacob Bell, was built by Brown & Bell at New York City in 1842. [1] She was purchased at New York City from O. T. Glover and F. R. Anthony on 22 August 1861 and commissioned the same day; Lt. Edward P. McCrea was in command.

Civil War service

Potomac River operations

Jacob Bell immediately sailed for the Potomac River, where the following day she joined steamer USS Ice Boat (1861) in shelling a Confederate battery at the mouth of Potomac Creek. She remained in the Potomac enforcing the blockade of the Virginia coast, reconnoitering along the shore of the Potomac and in its tributaries for Confederate fortifications and shelling any batteries found.

Supporting McClellan's Peninsular Campaign

In April 1862 Jacob Bell accompanied five other Union ships to the Rappahannock River to gather information for Major General George B. McClellan, who was then launching his Peninsular Campaign and pondering over potential advantages of a second beachhead. The Union ships ascended the Rappahannock River to Tappahannock (Urbana), Virginia, 50 miles by land from Richmond, Virginia.

Illustration depicting the ironclads Monitor and Galena bombarding Confederate forces as General McClellan's army withdraws following the Battle of Malvern Hill, 2 July 1862. The other two ships visible are probably USS Aroostook (beyond Monitor's bow) and USS Jacob Bell (behind Monitor, at left). USS Jacob Bell in battle.jpg
Illustration depicting the ironclads Monitor and Galena bombarding Confederate forces as General McClellan's army withdraws following the Battle of Malvern Hill, 2 July 1862. The other two ships visible are probably USS Aroostook (beyond Monitor's bow) and USS Jacob Bell (behind Monitor , at left).

Jacob Bell became even more closely involved in the affairs of General McClellan's Army of the Potomac when she was transferred to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron for duty on the James River. She arrived Hampton Roads 28 May and the following day proceeded with USS Mahaska (1861) to Fort Powhatan. A party which went ashore 30 May found no evidence that the forts had been occupied. The next day USS Aroostook (1861) joined the two ships in ascending the James to a point 3 miles below Drewry's Bluff, finding no obstructions or batteries on the passage but suffering some annoyance from riflemen on the left bank. The three ships promptly returned to their anchorage off Turkey Island.

A request from General McClellan

A message from General McClellan, who was then fighting the Battle of Seven Pines, arrived a few minutes past midnight 2 June, requesting support from the Navy. Jacob Bell, accompanied by five other ships stood up stream at dawn but was prevented from reaching Richmond, Virginia, by carefully prepared obstructions at Drewry's Bluff. Nevertheless, the Navy wisely remained in the upper James, where its support a month later saved the Army of the Potomac from destruction at the end of Lee's masterful Seven Days campaign.

Meanwhile, Jacob Bell labored tirelessly in support of the Union cause, engaging batteries and pickets ashore, reconnoitering tributaries in hostile territory, and maintaining communications along the river. She continued this valuable service until transferred back to the Potomac Flotilla, departing Fort Monroe for Washington, D.C. 2 September.

Reassigned to the Potomac Flotilla

For the remainder of the war, Jacob Bell was primarily concerned with the defense of Washington—alternately serving in the Potomac and the Rappahannock according to the ebb and flow of the titanic struggle between General Robert E. Lee and the Army of the Potomac. All the while, her duties as a blockader were discharged with skill and devotion. She captured C. F. Ward, a metal lifeboat with a contraband cargo 17 October and destroyed two schooners 4 November while on a reconnaissance mission up Nomini Creek, Virginia. On 23 August 1863, she caught schooner Golden Leaf trying to slip into Hosier's Creek, Virginia, with a cargo of sugar. Two more ships were taken in 1864.

In between prizes, blockade duty was varied by shelling batteries along the shore and landing boat parties to destroy Confederate property.

Confederate scout and spy Thomas Nelson Conrad was arrested by a landing party of the Jacob Bell on the night of 16 April 1865. [2]

Decommissioning

Always busy until the South's defeat, Jacob Bell decommissioned at Washington Navy Yard 13 May 1865, and was lost at sea 6 November while being towed by USS Banshee (1862) toward New York City.

Related Research Articles

CSS <i>Teaser</i>

CSS Teaser had been the aging Georgetown, D.C. tugboat York River until the beginning of the American Civil War, when she was taken into the Confederate States Navy and took part in the famous Battle of Hampton Roads. Later, she was captured by the United States Navy and became the first USS Teaser.

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

USS Marblehead was a Unadilla-class gunboat built for the United States Navy during the American Civil War.

USS <i>Monticello</i> (1859)

The first USS Monticello was a wooden screw-steamer in the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for the home of Thomas Jefferson. She was briefly named Star in May 1861.

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>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 Yankee was a steam-powered side-wheel tugboat acquired by the Union Navy just prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War.

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>Resolute</i> (1860) Gunboat of the United States Navy

The first USS Resolute was a steamer acquired by 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 <i>Racer</i> (1861) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Racer was a schooner acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used for various purposes, but, especially for bombardment because of her large 13-inch mortar that could fire up and over tall riverbanks.

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

USS Morse was a ferryboat acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

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 Dan Smith was a schooner used 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>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 <i>Thomas Freeborn</i> Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Thomas Freeborn was a steam tug acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy as a gunboat to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

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

USS George Mangham was a schooner 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 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.

USS Rescue was a small (111-ton) steamer commissioned 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.

References

  1. 1 2 Silverstone, Paul H. (1989): Warships of the Civil War Navies, p. 85; Naval Institute Press, Maryland, ISBN   0-87021-783-6.
  2. ↑ Conrad, Thomas Nelson. The Rebel Scout. Washington, DC: The National Publishing Co., 1904, p. 150

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.