USS ''Richmond'' was a wooden steam
sloop
A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular sa ...
in 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 ...
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 ...
.
Service in the Caribbean
''Richmond'' was launched on 26 January 1860 by the
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest industrial facility tha ...
,
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval M ...
. Commanded by Captain
D. N. Ingraham, the ship departed Virginia 13 October 1860 for the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
. Upon her return to New York City 3 July 1861, the nation had already been plunged into
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
so she was immediately readied for sea. Her first war service began 31 July 1861 when she sailed for
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...
to search for the elusive Confederate raider commanded by
Raphael Semmes
Raphael Semmes ( ; September 27, 1809 – August 30, 1877) was an officer in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War. Until then, he had been a serving officer in the US Navy from 1826 to 1860.
During the American Civil War, Semmes wa ...
. Leaving
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
on 5 September, ''Richmond'' cruised along the southern coast of
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
and around
Cape San Antonio. Semmes, however, reached
, Louisiana; and, by 22 August, ''Richmond'' was at Kingston taking on coal again. Departing 25 August, ''Richmond'' arrived at Key West on 2 September en route north to join the
Gulf 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 ...
.
Mississippi River blockade
After cruising before
Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida, area. It is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. The fort was completed in 1834 and was one of the few ...
, ''Richmond'' was ordered to the
Head of the Passes at the mouth of 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 ...
where she patrolled the river's mouth to maintain the blockade. ''Richmond's'' captain became commander of a small flotilla, which included the sloop of war, , and the despatch vessel, . The ships were taken across the bar at the Head of the Passes during the first week of October.
In the early morning darkness of the 12th, the Confederate ram and three armed
steamers of Commodore Hollins's
Mosquito Fleet
The term Mosquito Fleet has had a variety of naval and commercial uses around the world.
United States
In United States, U.S. naval and maritime history, the term has had ten main meanings:
#The United States Navy's fleet of small gunboats, lead ...
attacked ''Richmond'' and her consorts in an attempt to break the blockade in what became the
Battle of the Head of Passes
The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the “mosquito fleet” in the local media, on ships of the Union blockade s ...
. Steaming under cover of darkness, the Confederate ships took the Union squadron by surprise. ''Richmond'' was taking on coal from the
schooner
A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...
, ''Joseph N. Toone'', when ''Manassas'' rammed ''Richmond'' tearing a hole in the sloop's side. Passing aft, the ram tried but failed to hit ''Richmond'' again before disappearing astern. ''Richmond''s gunners got away one complete broadside from the port battery though, somewhat evening the score.
While and ''Preble'' retired down the southwest Pass, ''Richmond'' covered their retreat. Three Confederate fire rafts were then sighted floating down river, and several large steamers were seen astern of them. In attempting to cross the bar, both ''Vincennes'' and ''Richmond'' grounded and were taken under fire by Confederate gunners afloat and ashore. Fortunately, the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
transport, ''McClellan'', arrived with long range rifled guns on loan from
Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida, area. It is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. The fort was completed in 1834 and was one of the few ...
; and halted the second Confederate attack.
''Richmond'' then cruised off the mouth of the river, blockading Confederate forces and aiding Army engineers erecting batteries on the banks of the South and Southwest passages. In mid-November 1861, she returned to
Pensacola Bay
Pensacola Bay is a bay located in the northwestern part of Florida, United States, known as the Florida Panhandle.
The bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, is located in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County, adjacent to the city of Pensacol ...
for temporary repairs. On 22 November ''Richmond'' joined the steam sloop of war ''Niagara'' and the guns of Fort Pickens to bombard
Pensacola Navy Yard
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United State ...
, the Confederate defenses at
Fort McRee
Fort McRee was a historic military fort constructed by the United States on the eastern tip of Perdido Key to defend Pensacola and its important natural harbor. In the defense of Pensacola Bay, Fort McRee was accompanied by Fort Pickens, located a ...
, and the town of
Warrington
Warrington () is a town and unparished area in the borough of the same name in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Mersey. It is east of Liverpool, and west of Manchester. The population in 2019 was estimat ...
. On the second day of firing ''Richmond'' had one man killed and seven wounded when hit twice by shore fire. One shell hit forward, destroying railing and hammock nettings, and one aft on the starboard side glanced under her counter, exploding underwater, damaging her bottom and causing serious leaks. ''Richmond'' retired to
Key West
Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
, Florida, and stood out from that port 27 November 1861 for repairs at the
New York Navy Yard
The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex located in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York (state), New York. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a ...
.
Capture of New Orleans
![New Orleans h76369k](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/New_Orleans_h76369k.jpg)
''Richmond'' departed New York on 13 February 1862. ''Richmond'' joined the West Gulf Blockading Squadron off
Ship Island
Ship Island is a barrier island off the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, one of the Mississippi–Alabama barrier islands. Hurricane Camille split the island into two separate islands (West Ship Island and East Ship Island) in 1969. In early 2019, t ...
on 5 March as Flag Officer
David Farragut
David Glasgow Farragut (; also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. Fa ...
prepared to seize
, Louisiana. ''Richmond'' crossed the bar on 24 March with the fleet and began making preparations for battle. On 16 April, Farragut's fleet moved to a position below
Forts Jackson and
St. Philip. Mounting over 100 guns, these forts were the principal shore defenses of New Orleans. The Confederates had also gathered a flotilla of requisitioned gunboats and were trying to complete the powerful casemate ram as well. They further counted on using fire ships to disrupt the large Union squadron.
Hidden by intervening woods, the Union mortar flotilla under Commander
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 ...
began a six-day bombardment of the Confederate forts on 18 April 1862. The Confederates began sending fire rafts downstream, and ''Richmond'' reported dodging one in the early morning of 21 April which "passed between us and the ''Hartford'', the great flames shooting as high as the masts." On 24 April Farragut's fleet ran past the forts, engaged and defeated the Confederate flotilla, and continued upriver for about . Though ''Richmond'' was hit 17 times above the waterline, her chain armor kept out many rounds and limited her casualties to two killed and three wounded. ''Richmond'' landed her
Marine
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
Ocean
* Maritime (disambiguation)
* Marine art
* Marine biology
* Marine debris
* Marine habitats
* Marine life
* Marine pollution
Military
* ...
detachment at New Orleans to help keep order until General
Benjamin Franklin Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler (November 5, 1818 – January 11, 1893) was an American major general of the Union Army, politician, lawyer, and businessman from Massachusetts. Born in New Hampshire and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, Butler is best ...
's Army troops arrived. ''Richmond'' helped take possession of military installations at
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, it is the parish seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana's most populous parish—the equivalent of counties i ...
on 10 May 1862. Four days later she cruised upriver, first to a point 12 miles below the juncture of the
Red River, thence off Natchez River and finally to a position below the Confederate stronghold at
Vicksburg Vicksburg most commonly refers to:
* Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city in western Mississippi, United States
* The Vicksburg Campaign, an American Civil War campaign
* The Siege of Vicksburg, an American Civil War battle
Vicksburg is also the name of ...
on 18 June 1862.
Vicksburg and Port Hudson
![Port hudson naval guns](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Port_hudson_naval_guns.png)
Farragut's squadron, with ''Richmond'' in company, successfully passed Vicksburg exchanging heavy fire on 28 June 1862 and was present when Farragut's fleet joined with Commodore
Charles H. Davis'
Western Flotilla
The Mississippi River Squadron was the Union brown-water naval squadron that operated on the western rivers during the American Civil War. It was initially created as a part of the Union Army, although it was commanded by naval officers, and was ...
above Vicksburg on 1 July 1862. ''Richmond'' again suffered two killed and was damaged almost as severely as during the New Orleans campaign. On 15 July 1862 the Confederate casemate ram came out of the
Yazoo River
The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Mississippi. It is considered by some to mark the southern boundary of what is called the Mississippi Delta, a broad floodplain that was cultivated for cotton plantations before the ...
and ran past the Union Fleet above Vicksburg. Although hotly pursued by ''Richmond'' and other ships, the ram escaped to shelter under the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg. Farragut's fleet again raced past Vicksburg and ''Richmond'' continued to provide escort for supply steamers and shore bombardment support.
In one of the fiercest engagements of the war, Farragut's squadron attempted to pass the Confederate fortifications at
Port Hudson some upriver from Baton Rouge on 14 March 1863. Only and succeeded in running the gauntlet, the remainder of the fleet having to turn back. ''Richmond'', lashed alongside , found she could make no headway against the strong current as she came under fire from the shore batteries. Her executive officer, Comdr.
Andrew B. Cummings, was mortally wounded. ''Richmond'' was struck soon afterward by a 42-pounder shell which ruptured her steam lines, filling the engine room and berth deck with live steam. As ''Genesee'' was unable to tow ''Richmond'' against the current, the two ships reversed course, passing again through heavy shore fire. Attempts by General
Nathaniel P. Banks
Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union general during the Civil War. A millworker by background, Banks was prominent in local debating societies, ...
' Union Army troops to take Port Hudson on 27 May were no more successful and Federal forces afloat and ashore settled down for a long siege. ''Richmond'' continued to perform exacting duties, occasionally providing guns and their crews for use ashore.
Meanwhile, strenuous efforts to take Vicksburg finally forced that city to surrender to General Grant on 4 July 1863. Five days later, ''Richmond'' and other ships below Port Hudson helped Union ground forces to take possession of that last Confederate bastion on the Mississippi.
Mobile Bay
''Richmond'' departed New Orleans on 30 July 1863 for a much-needed overhaul at New York Navy Yard. On 12 October 1863, she sailed south, calling at
Port Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal is a List of cities and towns in South Carolina, town on Port Royal Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 14,220 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hilton Head Is ...
, and
Key West
Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
, Florida, before rejoining Admiral Farragut's squadron at New Orleans on 1 November; a fortnight later she began blockade duty off
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...
.
''Richmond'' was present with Farragut's fleet when the epic naval assault against Mobile Bay was mounted on 5 August 1864. For this attack, ''Richmond'' was lashed to the starboard side of , and proceeded with the fleet across the bar.
Fort Morgan Fort Morgan can apply to any one of several places in the United States:
*Fort Morgan (Alabama), a fort at the mouth of Mobile Bay
*Fort Morgan, Alabama, a nearby community
*Fort Morgan (Colorado), a frontier military post located in present-day Fo ...
opened fire and the action was soon general. Fifteen minutes later as the
monitors
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 Vir ...
were preparing to meet the defending Confederate casemate ram , struck a moored "torpedo" or mine and sank in seconds. Then , just ahead of ''Richmond'', backed athwart ''Richmond's'' bow in order to clear "a row of suspicious looking buoys." ''Richmond'' and ''Port Royal'' in turn went hard astern, causing the entire line of wooden ships to fall into disarray. Admiral Farragut in ''Hartford'' decided the boldest course through the torpedo fields was the only one possible and gave his famous command "Damn the torpedoes ... full speed ahead!" Moving into the bay, ''Richmond'' opened fire on the Confederate steamers , , , and ''Tennessee''. At the same time the gunboat , cast off from ''Hartford'', captured ''Selma''. Soon afterward ''Port Royal'' was sent after the disabled ''Gaines''.
''Tennessee'' attempted in vain to ram ''Brooklyn''. Capable of only a very small speed, the southern ram was subjected to heavy fire from ''Hartford'' and ''Richmond''. ''Tennessee'' passed astern toward Fort Morgan as Farragut's fleet proceeded into the bay away from the fort's fire. ''Tennessee''s commander,
Franklin Buchanan
Franklin Buchanan (September 17, 1800 – May 11, 1874) was an officer in the United States Navy who became the only full admiral in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War. He also commanded the ironclad CSS ''Virginia''.
Early lif ...
, chose to follow and engaged the entire Union squadron.
Farragut attacked her with his strongest ships. ''Richmond'' proceeded in line abreast with ''Hartford'' and ''Brooklyn''. For over an hour the Confederate ship was battered and even rammed by ''Hartford''. By mid morning, Buchanan could see that his ship was a floating hulk and was surrounded by much stronger forces. Accordingly, a white flag was raised and the twin-turret monitor went alongside. ''Richmond'' suffered no casualties in the action and only slight damage.
Fort Morgan still put up determined resistance, however, and ''Richmond'' joined the squadron in a steady day and night bombardment. Invested by Union troops ashore, the fort finally capitulated on 23 August.
''Richmond'' continued to operate in Mobile Bay and also in Pensacola Bay for a time before arriving at the Southeast Pass of the Mississippi River on 23 April 1865. That same evening, the Confederate ram dashed down river from the Red River in an attempt to reach the open sea. Successfully passing Union ships at the mouth of the Red River and at New Orleans, ''Webb'' ran out of luck some below New Orleans. Closely pursued by Union gunboats behind her, ''Webb'' found ''Richmond'' guarding the estuary leading to the Gulf of Mexico. Trapped, ''Webb'' was run ashore, set afire, and blown up by her crew.
A total of 33 sailors and marines earned the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
while serving aboard ''Richmond'' during the Civil War, more than on any other ship.
The first medals went to four members of the ship's engineering department for their efforts after an engine room was damaged by shellfire during the 14 March 1863 attack on Port Hudson. The remaining medals went to three marines and twenty-six sailors for their actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
;Attack on Port Hudson, 14 March 1863
* Second Class Fireman
John Hickman
* First Class Fireman
Matthew McClelland
Matthew McClelland (November 1832 – January 30, 1883) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration the Medal of Honor for his actions in the American Civil War.
Military service
Matthew McC ...
* First Class Fireman
John Rush
* First Class Fireman
Joseph E. Vantine
;Battle of Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864
* Yeoman
Thomas E. Atkinson
* Quartermaster
John Brazell
* Captain of the Top
Robert Brown
* Master-at-Arms
William M. Carr
* Coxswain
James B. Chandler
* Quartermaster
Thomas Cripps
* Chief Quartermaster
Cornelius Cronin
* Boatswain's Mate
Charles Deakin
Charles Deakin (1837 - d. October 4, 1865), born Charles Deykin, was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Milita ...
* Chief Boatswain's Mate
William Densmore
Chief Boatswain's Mate William Densmore (b. about 1833 – d. June 17, 1865) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile B ...
* Coal Heaver
William Doolen
* Boatswain's Mate
Adam Duncan
* Coxswain
Hugh Hamilton
* Coxswain
Thomas Hayes
* Captain of the Top
John H. James
* Captain of the Top
William Jones
* Sergeant
James Martin, II (USMC)
* Captain of the Top
James McIntosh James, Jamie, Jim or Jimmy McIntosh may refer to:
* James Mackintosh (percussionist), Scottish percussionist and drummer
* James M. McIntosh (1828–1862), Confederate Army general
* James McIntosh (Medal of Honor) (1829–1908), American Medal o ...
* Sergeant
Andrew Miller (USMC)
* Captain of the Top
James H. Morgan
* Captain of the Forecastle
George Parks
* Seaman
Hendrick Sharp
* Coxswain
Lebbeus Simkins
* Captain of the Forecastle
James Smith
* Second Captain of the Top
John Smith
* Coxswain
Oloff Smith
Oloff Smith (born c. 1833, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Born in about 1833 in ...
* Ordinary Seaman
Walter B. Smith
* Orderly Sergeant
David Sprowle (USMC)
* Coxswain
Alexander H. Truett
* Quartermaster
William Wells
Post-war service
''Richmond'' departed New Orleans on 27 June, arrived at the
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of t ...
on 10 July, and was decommissioned there on the 14th. In 1866 she was fitted out with a new set of engines.
Recommissioned at Boston on 11 January 1869, ''Richmond'' departed on 22 January for European waters. Arriving at
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
on 10 February, she called at various Mediterranean ports during the remainder of the year and during 1870 was stationed at
Villefranche and
Marseilles
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
to protect U.S. citizens potentially endangered by the
Franco-Prussian War. After the peace was made at Versailles, ''Richmond'' cruised the Mediterranean again. She returned to Philadelphia on 1 November 1871 and decommissioned there on the 8th.
Selected for service with the
West Indies Squadron, ''Richmond'' was recommissioned on 18 November 1872 and stood out from Hampton Roads on 31 January 1873. Arriving at Key West 11 February, she surveyed shoals near Jupiter Inlet, then cruised in the West Indies. On 7 April she was at
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana.
The municipality extends over , and contains t ...
to assist in securing the release of U.S. seamen held by the Spanish. She then called at Havana and Matanzas before returning to Key West at the end of the month.
Ordered to the Pacific in May, ''Richmond'' rounded
Cape Horn
Cape Horn ( es, Cabo de Hornos, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramírez ...
and arrived at San Francisco on 28 November. After repairs, she departed California, 14 January 1874, 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 ...
of the
South Pacific Station
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
. Throughout 1874 and 1875 she cruised the west coast of Latin America. In September 1876 she again doubled Cape Horn and, after cruising off
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
and
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, reached
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...
on 22 August 1877. On 18 September she was decommissioned for repairs at the Boston Navy Yard.
Recommissioned on 19 November 1878, ''Richmonds next duty was as flagship of the
Asiatic Fleet
The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...
. Departing Norfolk 11 January 1879, ''Richmond'' passed into the Mediterranean and through the
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
, hoisting the flag of Rear Admiral
Thomas H. Patterson
Thomas Harmon Patterson (May 10, 1820 – April 9, 1889) was a Rear admiral (United States), rear admiral in the United States Navy.
Early life
Patterson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on May 10, 1820. He was the second son of Commodore Da ...
at
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...
on 4 July 1879. For four years ''Richmond'' cruised among the principal ports of China, Japan, and the Philippines, serving as flagship until 19 December 1883 when ''Trenton'' relieved her. While at Shanghai on 17 November 1879, Landsman
Thomas Mitchell rescued a shipmate from drowning, for which he was later awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
.
Receiving a new crew at
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
in September 1880, ''Richmond'' remained on station until departing Hong Kong for the United States on 9 April 1884. Again transiting the Suez Canal, ''Richmond'' reached New York on 22 August and was decommissioned for repairs.
Completely overhauled, ''Richmond'' was recommissioned at New York on 20 January 1887 for duty on the
North Atlantic Station
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the Nort ...
. Into 1888 she cruised from Halifax to Trinidad. On 27 June 1888 she was detached for foreign service.
Departing Norfolk on 2 January 1889, ''Richmond'' was assigned to the
South Atlantic Station
The Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic was an operational commander of the Royal Navy from 1939. The South American area was added to his responsibilities in 1960, and the post disestablished in 1967.
Immediately before the outbreak of the Sec ...
. Again serving as squadron flagship, she cruised off Uruguay and Brazil for over a year, returning to Hampton Roads on 28 June 1890. On 7 October, she arrived at
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
, where she served as a training ship until 1893. The following year she steamed to Philadelphia; served there as a
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 ...
until 1900; then remained moored at
League Island
League Island was an island in the Delaware River, part of the city of Philadelphia, just upstream from the mouth of the Schuylkill River. The island was developed as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Since the late 20th century, it has been red ...
until ordered to Norfolk in 1903. At Norfolk, she served as an auxiliary to the receiving ship until after the end of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
''Richmond'' was struck from the
Navy list
A Navy Directory, formerly the Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval author ...
in June 1919 and sold to
Joseph Hyman & Sons, Philadelphia, on 23 July. She was delivered to that firm on 6 August for breaking up. Beached at
Eastport, Maine
Eastport is a city and archipelago in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,288 at the 2020 census, making Eastport the least-populous city in Maine. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainla ...
and burned to recover valuable metal sometime in the 1st half of 1920.
See also
*
Union Blockade
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 ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richmond
1860 ships
American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States
Gunboats of the United States Navy
Ships built in Portsmouth, Virginia
Ships of the Union Navy
Sloops of the United States Navy
Maritime incidents in October 1861