The first ''Passaic'' was a single turreted, coastal

monitor Monitor or monitor may refer to: Places * Monitor, Alberta * Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States * Monitor, Kentucky * Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States * Monitor, Washington * Monitor, Logan County, West ...

purchased by the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

for service 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 ...

Built in New York

''Passaic'', first of a ten-ship class of 1335-ton ironclad monitors, was built by

Continental Iron Works The Continental Iron Works was an American shipbuilding and engineering company founded in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in 1861 by Thomas F. Rowland. It is best known for building a number of monitor warships for the United States Navy during the Am ...

, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, under subcontract from

John Ericsson John Ericsson (born Johan Ericsson; July 31, 1803 – March 8, 1889) was a Swedish-American inventor. He was active in England and the United States. Ericsson collaborated on the design of the railroad steam locomotive ''Novelty'', which co ...

. The engine was built by Delemater Iron Works and it had a propeller of cast iron, in diameter. It was launched 30 August 1862; and commissioned 25 November 1862, Captain

Percival Drayton Percival Drayton (August 25, 1812 – August 4, 1865) was a career United States Navy officer. He served in the Brazil Squadron, the Mediterranean Squadron and as a staff officer during the Paraguay Expedition. During the American Civil War, he ...

in command.

Civil War service

Two days later the new monitor departed New York and joined the

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required the monitoring of of Atlantic ...

at Hampton Roads on 29 November but was immediately sent to the

Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is the former shipyard and Weapon, ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast, Washington, D.C., Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy. The Yard currently serv ...

for repairs. There

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Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

visited the ship with members of his cabinet 6 December. After returning to Hampton Roads on 26 December, ''Passaic'', towed by , got underway three days later with , towed by , heading for Beaufort, North Carolina. Encountering bad weather off

Cape Hatteras, North Carolina Cape Hatteras is a cape located at a pronounced bend in Hatteras Island, one of the barrier islands of North Carolina. Long stretches of beach, sand dunes, marshes, and maritime forests create a unique environment where wind and waves shap ...

, she leaked badly and was forced to work her pumps and throw all shot overboard to remain afloat, but she reached Beaufort on New Year's Day 1863. ''Monitor'' foundered during the storm. Anchoring off

Port Royal, South Carolina Port Royal is a town on Port Royal Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 14,220 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort metropolitan area. Port Royal is home to Marine Cor ...

, on 21 January, she proceeded to Wassaw Sound. On 23 February with , ''Passaic'' captured schooner ''Glide'' laden with cotton. With her sister monitors, ''Passaic'' attacked

Fort McAllister Fort McAllister was a Confederate earthen-work fort used to defend Savannah, Georgia during the American Civil War. It was the southernmost of the forts defending Savannah and was involved in the most battles. It was located on the Ogeechee Rive ...

to test her fighting capabilities in action. On 7 April, she took part in Rear Admiral

Samuel F. Du Pont Samuel Francis Du Pont (September 27, 1803 – June 23, 1865) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy, and a member of the prominent Du Pont family. In the Mexican–American War, Du Pont captured San Diego, and was made commander of the Ca ...

's attack on Charleston, South Carolina. Severely battered during the engagement, she returned to New York and decommissioned for repairs 12 May. Recommissioned 19 July, ''Passaic'' arrived off Morris Island in Charleston Harbor on 25 July, and took part in all operations against that place. Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren used her as his flagship during the attack on

Fort Moultrie Fort Moultrie is a series of fortifications on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The first fort, formerly named Fort Sullivan, built of palmetto logs, inspired the flag and n ...

, and she assisted in rescuing when that monitor ran aground under the fire of Fort Moultrie.

Post-war service

On 16 June 1865, ''Passaic'' decommissioned at the

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the ci ...

and was laid up there from 1866 to 1874. Repaired during the following year, she recommissioned in Hampton Roads, 24 November 1876. From 1878 to 1882 she served as

receiving ship A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Hulk may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or to refer to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipmen ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

From 1883 to 1892 she was stationed at the

Naval Academy A naval academy provides education for prospective naval officers. See also * Military academy A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally pro ...

, Annapolis, Maryland, and from 1893 to 1894 at the Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts. During 1895 and 1896 she was loaned to the

Massachusetts Naval Militia The Massachusetts Naval Militia (at first called the Massachusetts Colonial Navy and later the Massachusetts State Navy), was a naval militia active during the American Revolutionary War. It was founded December 29, 1775, to defend the interests ...

and during the next two years to the Georgia Naval Militia at Brunswick, Georgia. On 16 May 1898 ''Passaic'' was again recommissioned, assigned to the Naval Auxiliary Force and sent to Key West and Pensacola, Florida.

Decommissioning and sale

She was decommissioned at the Pensacola Navy Yard in Pensacola on 11 September 1898, and sold to Frank Samuels on 10 October 1899.

References

Bibliography

* *''Additional technical data from'' *

External links

*
navsource.org: USS ''Passaic''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Passaic Passaic-class monitors Ships built in Greenport, New York 1862 ships Ships of the Union Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States Steamships of the United States Navy