The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-21
VESSELS OF THE old NAVY
The Floating Forts of the Sixties
RELOCATED to the Rear.
What Has Become of the Warsbips
That Figured Prominently In the
Civil Wnr-Many Now Used by the
Naval Militia of Various States.


something about our new navy. The
pictures of the modern battleships and
cruisers which were published in news
papers and periodicals In profusion during
the war with Spair have been the chief
means of bringing the navy prominently
before the average American citizen.
While we are justly proud of the achieve
mcnts of our modern naval fighting ma
chimes, it is OF interest to look back
little and note what has become of the old
navy which forty years ago fought and
Won battles. In those days people were
as enthusiastic over the navy as they are
today.
of the men-of-war which belonged to
the United States Navy at the time of the
breaking out of the civil war only twenty
nine remain. They are the Canonicus.
Catskill, Constellation, Lancaster, Lehigh
Mahopec, Manhattan, Michigan, Mon
ocacy, Monongahela. Passaic, Pensacola,
Portsmouth, Richmond, st. Louis, Sara
toga, Vermont, Wabash, Wyandotte,
Yantic, Dale, Hartford, independence,
Iroquois, jamestown, Montauk. Nahant,
New Hampshire and Minnesota. The
Canonicus was built in 1862 a single
turret monitor. Her displacement was
2. IUU tons, with battery of two 15-inch
smooth-bore guns and l2-pounder how
tiers. This vessel engaged the battery
at Howlett's, James River, in 1864, and
bombarded Fort Fisher In 1s6f-6o. she
was struck thirty-six times during the
first days lighting at Fort Fisher ana
badly cut up. The Canonicus participated
in the capture of the prizes Beatrice, NO
vember a. 1861: the Celt, January, 1850,
ami the Deer, February, 1865, off Charles
ton. She is now at anchor at the navy
yard at Philadelphia.
The Catskill. another single turret monl-
Irrf1f In
ment. She was equipped with battery
of two 15-inch smooth bore guns she
was engaged against the toris IN
Charleston Harbor under Admiral Du-
pont She attacked Forts Morgan and
Morris Island July 10, 1863, and was hit
sixty-four times These forts were at
tackled a number of times, in each OF
which the Catskin participated. and she was
present at the time of their evacuation
Commander Rogers was killed on board
of her August II, 1868. The Catskill IS
now at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
The Constellation, built at Baltimore in
1877, is a wooden sailing sloop of l.ls6 tons
| displacement. Her active service during
the civil war was confined to searching
the waters of the Mediterranean for Con-
federate privateers. The sloop is now
used a training ship at Newport h l.
The cruiser Lancaster, $3.50 tons dis-
placement, built in 1852 twelve guns, is
| a wooden vessel, now stationed as Il tram
ing ship at the Pacific station; While of
Panama in 1864 her crew seized party OF
| the steamer Salvador.
The Lehigh single turret monitor.
$50 tons displacement was built IN lSoz
| and was armed with a main and second
airy battery, the former consisting OF two
| 15-inch smooth bore guns. and the latter
| OF two l2-pounder howitzers- During the
| civil war she was assigned to the south
| Atlantic Squadron. She was engaged IN
| the bombardment of Fort SUMTER cover
| ing the landing of party attacking the
| fort on the night OF September g. 1868.
fzf1 n. ian
| of the Presto at SuIiiyan's Island. and
| also did picket duty off Charleston. She
| is now at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
The Mahopec, another single turret
| monitor. was built in 1867 and is of 2100
tons displacement. This monitor was ac-
! tive in the James River. attacked Fort
| Fisher, and was present at the evacua-
| ton Of Charleston. Her armament was
| the same as that of the Lehigh.
| The Manhattan. "a sister monitor to the
| last two named, saw service as part of
the Mississippi Squadron. She was en-
gagged in the attacks upon the forts at
| Mobile. and with Farragut received the
| surrender of the ram Tennessee: was en-
| gagged against Fort Morgan, and was pres
ent at the time of its surrender. She is
| now at Philadelphia.
| The Minnesota, cruiser of AGO tons
| displacement. nine guns, was not actively
| engaged in the civil war. She is now
| turned over to the use of the MaSSachu-
| sets Naval Reserves.
| The Monocacy. an iron steamship, 1870
!
| an armament of 37-mm. Hotchkiss revolv-
| ing cannon. She is now with the Asiatic
/ Squadron. Sne has no civil war record.
J The MOnongahela, 2,l00 tons, screw
| propeller steamer, six guns, is now used
| as a training ship for naval cadets. Dur
! ing the civil war she was assigned to the
| West Gulf Squadron. She attempted, with
| Farragut to pass the batteries at Port
| Hudson, on the night of March 14-l5. 1863
| She became disabled and badly cut up. In
| this engagement six of her crew were
I ffgsN NnftF mo
| her captain, Mcl<instry. She became later
| Farraguts flagship. Admiral Schley was
| lieutenant on her at the time. Her
| commander, Abner Read was wounded in
| an attack upon her from the batteries at
| Nine. Winchester's plantation, near Dom
] aldsonville. in 1863 The Monongahela also
| took an active part in the engagements at
| Mobile.
The monitor Montauk. single turret. 1875
| tons displacement, was assigned to the
| South Atlantic Squadron and took part
| in the first and second attack on Fort
| McAllister. destroyed the Confederate
| stores at Nashville, and was hit forty-siX
| times. She was injured by the explosion
| of a torpedo under her port boiler while
| returning from the destruction of the mil
' itary stores at Nashville She attacked
| Fort Sumter and succeeded in silencins
Fort Wagner. She is now lying at the
! Philadelphia Navy Yard.
| The monitor Nahant is now at Philadel-
| phia With the Weehawken she captured
the Confederate ram Atlantic in Nassau
| Sound in 1863 and participated in the en-
! gagements In Charleston Harbor.
| The monitor Nantucket is offered for
| sale by the Government. She was struck
| fifty-one times in the Charleston Harbor
| engagements and helped capture the Brit
| ish steamer Jupiter at sea. She is also at
| Philadelphia.
The wooden sailing ship New Hamp-
| shire did not engage in active service IN
| the civil war. but was used as store
| ship at Port Royal. She is now at dock
| in New York and has been turned over
| to the State naval militia.
The Dale Is a sloop of war, built in 1883,
| 675 tons In 1891 she was turned over to
| the State of Maryland for the use of its
| naval militia. During the civil war the
| Dale cruised in search of the Confederate
! privateer Jeff Davis. She captured the
| Confederate schooners Specie and Mabel
| Afterward she was used as a store and
| guardship at Port Royal. She went out
| of commission at Philadelphia in 1862. but
| was recommissioned as ordnance ship at
| Key West. Fla. during the Spanish war.
The steamer Franklin is a revenue ship,
| now at Norfolk. Va.
| The Hartford has a record during the
! civil war so well known as to need no
| further telling. She is n first class slopu
| Of war, ship rugged, and was built in 1858.
| She is now on her way TO Venezuela. She
| has an armament of thirteen guns.
! The Independence. sailing vessel of
! wood built in 1881, 800 tons displacement,
| is used as temporary barracks for marines
at Mare Island. cal.
| The Iroquois. 1915 tons, is now in the
| Marine Hospital Service. She was in aC-
| tive service in the lower Mississippi before
| the passage of the forts. She bOmbardei
! Forts jackson and st. Philips, and was in
| the general engagements in that section.
| She towed fire RATS ashore and protected
| the mortar boats. She passed the forts at
| New Orleans. and her officers hOisted the
flag over the United States arsenal At
| Baton Rouge.
| The screw steamer Pensacola, 1900 tons