USS Lehigh ( 1863 ) The first USS " Lehigh " was a " Passaic " - class monitor launched 17 January 1863 by Reaney , Son & Archbold , Chester , Penn . , under a subcontract from John Ericsson ; and commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 15 April 1863 , Commander John Guest in command . A week later , the new monitor joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron at Newport News , VA . She performed blockade duty in the Hampton Roads - Virginia Capes area , and on the night of 10 June joined a flotilla under Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee in an expedition up the James River to assist Army troops . Returning to Newport News two days later , she resumed blockade duty until sent back up the James with seven other Union warships to threaten Richmond , Va . , the Confederate [ [ Capital capital . In the wake of the [ [ Battle of Gettysburg ] ] , the movement was designed to divert Confederate strength from [ [ General ] ] [ [ Robert E . Lee | Robert E . Lee ’ s ] ] [ [ Army of Northern Virginia ] ] which had invaded the North and imperiled [ [ Washington , D . C . | Washington ] ] . The expedition caused the South to evacuate [ [ Fort Powhatan ] ] , leaving no defenses on the James below Chaffin ’ s or [ [ Drewry ' s Bluff | Drewry ’ s ] ] Bluffs , some from Richmond . The situation relaxed as the [ [ Confederate States Army | southern army ] ] retreated across the Potomac River , and the Union warships dropped down river to Hampton Roads . On the morning of 23 July , " Lehigh " , towed by [ [ USS Circassian ( 1862 ) | " Circassian " ] ] , got underway north and arrived New York City two days later for repairs . In August 1863 , commanded by Commander [ [ Andrew Bryson ] ] , she headed south and joined the [ [ South Atlantic Blockading Squadron ] ] off Charleston , S . C . . The monitor took part in the attacks on [ [ Fort Sumter ] ] of 1 and 2 September , being struck several times ; engaged [ [ Sullivan ' s Island , South Carolina | Sullivan ’ s Island ] ] 7 September ; [ [ Fort Moultrie ] ] 8 September , receiving 29 hits ; covered a landing party attacking Fort Sumter 9 September ; and from 27 October to 20 November engaged Fort Sumter almost daily , running aground 16 November off Sullivan ' s Island under heavy enemy fire . Five of " Lehigh " ' s sailors were awarded the [ [ Medal of Honor ] ] for helping to free the vessel during this incident : Landsman [ [ Frank S . Gile ] ] , Coxswain [ [ Thomas Irving ( Medal of Honor ) | Thomas Irving ] ] , Gunner ' s Mate [ [ George W . Leland ] ] , Landsman [ [ William Williams ( Medal of Honor ) | William Williams ] ] , and Seaman [ [ Horatio Nelson Young ] ] . [ [ File : Uss Montauk 1862 . jpg | thumb | left | 310px | The USS " Lehigh " to the right of the USS " Montauk " in Philadelphia Navy Yard , circa 1902 . ] ] After repairs at Port Royal , S . C . , " Lehigh " rejoined the fleet off Charleston 13 January 1864 , was assigned to picket duty , and during the following year kept up an intermittent fire on various enemy fortifications in Charleston Harbor . In March 1865 , " Lehigh " rejoined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and served in the James River through the end of the [ [ American Civil War | Civil War ] ] . She decommissioned at League Island Navy Yard on 9 June 1865 . Laid up and under repairs at League Island for a decade , " Lehigh " was recommissioned on 15 December 1875 , with Commander George A . Stevens in command , and served as practice and school ship at the [ [ U . S . Naval Academy ] ] . In April 1876 , she was assigned to the [ [ North Atlantic Station ] ] , and operated in the vicinity of Port Royal . From 1879 to 1895 " Lehigh " lay in the James River at City Point and off Richmond . In 1895 , she was taken to League Island and repaired , and on 18 April 1898 was recommissioned under [ [ Lieutenant ] ] R . G . Peek for coastal defense and stationed off the New England coast for the duration of the [ [ Spanish - American War ] ] . She was decommissioned 8 September 1898 , and remained at League Island until sold 14 April 1904 . External links . [ [ Category : Passaic - class monitors ] ] [ [ Category : Ships built in Pennsylvania ] ] [ [ Category : 1863 ships ] ] [ [ Category : Ships of the Union Navy ] ] [ [ Category : American Civil War monitors of the United States ] ] [ [ Category : Spanish – American War monitors of the United States ] ]