USS ''Tennessee'', originally USS ''Madawaska'', was a

screw frigate Steam frigates (including screw frigates) and the smaller steam corvettes, steam sloops, steam gunboats and steam schooners, were steam-powered warships that were not meant to stand in the line of battle. There were some exceptions like for exa ...

built of wood at the New York Navy Yard in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York, and launched as ''Madawaska'' on 8 July 1865. Powered by two Ericsson vibrating-lever engines, ''Madawaska'' departed New York City for sea trials 14 January 1867, Commander Francis A. Roe in command. Remaining at sea for one week, she steamed nearly 1,000 nautical miles (1,150

statute mile The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 Engli ...

s; 1,852 km) before returning when her supply of coal was exhausted. USS Madawaska (1865)

She was renamed ''Tennessee'' 15 May 1869 and timbered up to the necessary height to allow a

spar deck A deck is a permanent covering over a compartment or a hull of a ship. On a boat or ship, the primary or upper deck is the horizontal structure that forms the "roof" of the hull, strengthening it and serving as the primary working surface. V ...

to be installed. She was fitted with new compound back‑acting engines capable of developing . She carried 380 tons of coal but was also rigged for sail, the area of her 10 principal sails being . Her duties included service as flagship of the

Asiatic Squadron The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron of United States Navy warships stationed in East Asia during the latter half of the 19th century. It was created in 1868 when the East India Squadron was disbanded. Vessels of the squadron were primarily inv ...

under Rear Admiral William Reynolds, with Captain William W. Low in command. By 1879 she was flagship of the

North Atlantic Squadron 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 ...

under Rear Admiral Robert W. Wyman, with Captain David B. Harmony in command. On 15 February 1881 at

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

, Louisiana, Seaman

George Low George Michael Low (born Georg Michael Löw, June 10, 1926 – July 17, 1984) was an administrator at NASA and the 14th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Low was one of the senior NASA officials who made numerous decisions as m ...

jumped overboard and rescued a fellow sailor from drowning, for which he was 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 valo ...

. In ''The Steam Navy of the United States'', Frank M. Bennet relates that during the time ''Tennessee'' was flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron she was "the largest vessel then in commission in the American Navy, and the era of mastless steel cruisers was yet so far away that she was not suspected, by the youngsters at least, of being obsolete and stood as the type of all that was excellent and majestic in ship construction." Her spaciousness and the comfort of her quarters as well as her handling characteristics made her a favorite duty station. ''Tennessee'' was sold on 15 September 1886 to Burdett Pond of Meriden, Connecticut.

References

* (USS ''Madawaska'') * (USS ''Tennessee'') {{DEFAULTSORT:Tennessee Ships built in Brooklyn 1865 ships Steamships of the United States Navy

See also

References