New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-06
the OLD VAR VESSEL RICHMOND.
SIZE HAS PROBABLY MADE HER LAST CRUISE
HER HONORABLE WAR RECORD WILL LIVE
rnxGrp THAN HER TIVEOAK TIMBFES

SHE HAS PROBABLY MADE HER LAST Cru lNE-
HER HONORABLE WAR RECORD WILL LIVE
LONGER THAN HER LIVE OAK TIMDfEN.
There +, something sod I'm CIc thought that th"
arrival ~ The Old flagship Richmond al 'hc Noii'N
Navy Yard virtually ends her long and useful career
a. vessel able Ia cope with the cNig'nclor OF "t -
,l, demonstrated herself during the tim" from the
firing upon Font sumter IN the spring OF l0dl. mp 10
The surrender Of the Confederate ram oonewal IA the
harbor of Havana IN the spring OF 1865, and war
vessel during peace since then. The Richmond is
one II the few vessels remaining which enter Interest
u,ly into The naval history II the civil war. ana "n"
after another Of which IS condemned and placed ia
Rotten Row Ia become food for the worms AID an
abiding pl1ce for barnaclcs and young oysters until
they shall fall to pieces or TO be sold 70 the junk
dealers for jess than the metal and wood In them
are worth
And vet the Richmond /, probably in better con
dition "a day than many others Of the old WOODEN
vessels from the fact that she built Of the best
I've oak that could be obtained I'm 1857. the wear
She was constructed al the Norfolk Navy Yard Her
vrlucipal dimensions are 260 feet IN length over all
- feet beam - = , feet depth OF hold, 1896 ton
displacement. aud a sail area OF 1854 square feet
She furnished with the old style Of low-prc's'c
double back-actlng engines. Of 66 inches diameter al
cylinder and three feet stroke Her battery consists
of twelve nine inch smooth bore guns one eight inch
muzllc loading rife d0pOundcr breech loading
rife two 20 FOUNDER brce'h loading rifles. four -
mlmetre revolving cannon, one thrrcinch brrcrh
lnsding rifle and Calling rapid firing gun.
The Rlchmond's first cruise In the Mediterranean
Squadron. where she rcmalned until the civil war
began, when she vas ordered home To- Join the Yves,
| tulf BlJckadiug squadron she associated with
all the movements In which the Hartford was engaged
Under the command Of Captain tafterwud Rear
AdmiraD James H. Alden, she was In ME expedition
up the Mississippi River and AZ the capture Of New
4 Nf.K .iD anil tt In "a
| Port hudson, on March Il, letj3 She was struck
twenty seven times by the rebel cannon bals and
Shells at Port liudson, and lost large number OF
men including Lieutenant Commander Cummings, IN"
| executive officer. Captain Thornton \. Jenkins ~
levcd Captain Alden OF the command later, and she
| took a prominent part IN The capture Of Mobile on
| August ,, l-lJi. being third In line of the Union
fleet After the she made cruise In the Medi
torranean returning 10 Boston IN 1877 when she was
| almost rebuilt and provided with boilers AT
that time she was reported by board OF survey 10
lac ono of the best and srCngc, vessels In the al
scrvire Her cruise to the Aslatc squadron.
by way Of the Canal, at which time eN President
| Grant was IA passenger far Hong Kong on his
| trim around the world. Since then the vessel has
| Lcen almost constantly employed squadron or
\ special duty.