USS ''Cricket'' was a steamer acquired by the

Union Navy ), (official) , colors = Blue and gold , colors_label = Colors , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. ''Cricket''—armed with six 24-pounder howitzers—was used by the Union Navy as a bombardment

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-steam ...

used to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy and to bombard riverside fortifications as required.

Service history

''Cricket'', a stern-wheel steamer, was built at

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

; purchased 18 November 1862 at

Cairo, Illinois Cairo ( ) is the southernmost city in Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County. The city is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Fort Defiance, a Civil War camp, was built here in 1862 by Union General Ulysses ...

, and commissioned 19 January 1863, Acting Master Amos R. Langthorne in command. Between 4 February and 7 April 1863, ''Cricket'' served on guard duty at

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

, during which time she seized a quantity of cotton on ''Delta'' and ''Forest Queen'' on 15 March and landed it at Cairo. Reassigned to the White River Station between Memphis and the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United Stat ...

, ''Cricket'' patrolled the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

to prevent the crossing of Confederate troops and supplies and to keep the banks free from hidden batteries and

guerrillas Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics ...

. She engaged a battery above Argyle Landing on 2 May and another near

Greenville, Mississippi Greenville is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 34,400 at the 2010 census. It is located in the area of historic cotton plantations and culture known as the Mississippi Delta. Hi ...

, on 4 May. In August 1863 she joined and in an expedition up the White River. ''Cricket'' continued into the Little Red River and on 14 August captured the last two Confederate army transports in the area, ''Kaskaskia'' and ''Thomas Sugg'', returning to the Mississippi River under frequent musket fire from Southern troops ashore. In November and December 1863 ''Cricket'' convoyed troop transports on the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names, ...

and cleared the river banks of guerrillas, as she supported

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

movements. She then joined the naval forces on the Red River Station, and participated in an expedition up the

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

and

Ouachita River The Ouachita River ( ) is a river that runs south and east through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Louisiana, joining the Tensas River to form the Black River near Jonesville, Louisiana. It is the 25th-longest river in the United States ( ...

s in

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

from 29 February to 5 March 1864, supporting the Army. Serving as

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...

for Admiral

David D. Porter David Dixon Porter (June 8, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a United States Navy admiral and a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the U.S. Navy. Promoted as the second U.S. Navy officer ever to attain the rank of ...

, ''Cricket'' and her squadron ascended the river as far as Springfield Landing, Louisiana, when news of a Confederate victory at the

Battle of Pleasant Hill The Battle of Pleasant Hill occurred on April 9, 1864 and formed part of the Red River Campaign during the American Civil War when Union forces aimed to occupy the Louisiana state capital, Shreveport. The battle was essentially a continuation ...

, called them back to their station. Hampered by falling water and the difficulty of making sharp turns while going downstream with the current, the squadron was attacked again and again by Confederate troops as it returned to the Mississippi River. On 26 April ''Cricket'' fought off capture when a boarding attempt was made suddenly by 1,200 soldiers as she ran past a battery of 18 artillery pieces. She was struck 38 times and lost 12 killed and 19 wounded out of crew of fifty officers and men-1/3 of the crew were African Americans.Battles and Leaders of the Civil War Vol IV .pp.364-365 She brought Admiral Porter safely to and sailed to Mound City for repairs. Out of commission from 31 May to 13 August 1864 when repairs were completed, ''Cricket'' returned to duty on the White River Station until the end of hostilities. She was decommissioned 30 June 1865 and sold 17 August 1865 at

Mound City, Illinois Mound City is a city and the county seat of Pulaski County, Illinois, United States. It is located along the Ohio River just north of its confluence with the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 588. History Mound Ci ...

References

External links

USS Cricket (1863-1865, "Tinclad" # 6)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cricket Ships of the Union Navy Ships built in Pittsburgh Steamships of the United States Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States