USS Memphis (1862)

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For other ships with the same name, see USS Memphis.
USS Memphis
USS Memphis
History
United Kingdom
NameMemphis
OwnerDenny & Begbie
BuilderWilliam Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton, Scotland
LaunchedApril 3, 1862
HomeportLondon
IdentificationUnited Kingdom Official Number 44836
FateCaptured, July 31, 1862
United States
NameUSS Memphis
Acquired
  • by capture July 31, 1862
  • Purchased, September 4, 1862
CommissionedOctober 4, 1862
DecommissionedMay 6, 1867
FateSold, May 8, 1869
United States
NameMississippi
Owner
  • William Weld & Co (1869-c.1875)
  • Frederick Baker (c.1875-1879)
  • H. Hastings & Co. (1879-1881)
  • Edward Lawrence (1881-1882)
  • Oregon Improvement Co. (1882-1883)
AcquiredMay 8, 1869
Homeport
FateDestroyed by fire, May 13, 1883
General characteristics
TypeScrew steamer
Tonnage1,091 GRT, 791 NRT
Length239 ft (72.8 m)
Beam30 ft 2 in (9.2 m)
Depth19 ft (5.8 m)
Installed power2-cylinder Steam engine, 200nhp
PropulsionSingle screw propeller
Speed11.5 kn (21.3 km/h)
Armament7 × guns

The second USS Memphis was a 7-gun screw steamer, built by William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton, Scotland in 1861, which briefly served as a Confederate blockade runner before being captured and taken into the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was destroyed by fire in 1883.

Description[]

The ship was 239 feet (72.8 m) long, with a beam of 30 feet 2 inches (9.2 m) and a depth of 19 feet (5.8 m). She was powered by a 2-cylinder steam engine having cylinders of 46 inches (120 cm) diameter by 36 inches (91 cm) stroke. Rated at 200 nhp, it drove a single screw propeller, giving a speed of 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h). She was assessed at 1,091 GRT, 791 NRT.[1]

History[]

Memphis was built by William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton, United Kingdom for Peter Denny and Thomas Begbie. She was launched on April 3, 1862. Her port of registry was London and the United Kingdom Official Number 44836 was allocated.[1]

Civil War service[]

Confederate blockade runner[]

Memphis — on her maiden voyage, while running the Union blockade of Confederate ports on June 23, 1862 — ran aground off Sullivan's Island, South Carolina while attempting to enter Charleston harbor. Efficient work by Southern troops got her partially unloaded on the following day, and she was towed to safety by the steamships Etiwan and Marlon before Federal warships could hit her with shell fire.[2] They were kept at bay by gunfire from Fort Beauregard.[3] Memphis was captured by sidewheel gunboat USS Magnolia outbound from Charleston with a cargo of cotton on July 31, 1862, and purchased by the Union Navy from a prize court at New York City on September 4, 1862.[4]

Union blockade ship[]

Memphis was commissioned on October 4, 1862, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant in command. Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Memphis sailed for Charleston and began service on October 14 with the capture of British steamer Ouachita bound for Havana, Cuba. She continued patrol in 1862–1863. On January 4, 1863, she joined sidewheel steamer Quaker City in taking Confederate sloop Mercury with a cargo of turpentine for Nassau, Bahamas. On January 31, Confederate ironclads CSS Palmetto State and CSS Chicora made a dash out of Charleston Harbor into the midst of the blockading ships. Screw steamer Mercedita was rammed and disabled by Palmetto State while sidewheel steamer Keystone State was next attacked and left for Memphis to take in tow. The two rams then retired.[4]

By March of the following year, Memphis was operating in the North Edisto River. On March 6, 1864, Confederate torpedo boat CSS David attempted a run on the Union blockader. The spar torpedo struck Memphis' port quarter but did not explode. After her second torpedo misfired, David retreated upstream out of range of her foe's heavy guns. Memphis, uninjured, continued her blockading duties to the end of the Civil War.[4]

Post-war[]

On May 6, 1867, Memphis was decommissioned, and sold to V. Brown & Co., at New York on May 8, 1869.[4] Renamed Mississippi, She was sold to William Weld & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts.[1] On May 12, 1869, she was reported to have been wrecked on Mauritius.[5] On 29 August 1871, she was reported to have been wrecked in the Hatteras Inlet during a hurricane. All on board were rescued.[6] She was on a voyage from New York to New Orleans, Louisiana.[7] Mississippi was sold c.1875 to Frederick Baker, Boston. In 1879, she was sold to H. Hastings & Co., Boston. Mississippi was sold in 1881 to Edward Lawrence, New York. She was sold in 1882 to the Oregon Improvement Co, Portland, Oregon. On May 13, 1883, when she was gutted by a dock fire at Seattle, Washington.[1]

See also[]

  • List of ships captured in the 19th century#American Civil War
  • Bibliography of early United States naval history#American Civil War

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Memphis". Caledonian Maritime Heritage Trust. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "Running the Blockade at Charleston". Preston Chronicle. No. 2654. Preston. July 12, 1862.
  3. ^ "Mercantile Ship News". The Standard. No. 11833. London. July 16, 1862. p. 7.
  4. ^ a b c d "Memphis II (ScStr)". Naval History and Heritage Command. August 7, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2020. (public domain)
  5. ^ "Loss of the American Steamer Mississippi". Belfast News-Letter. No. 44465. Belfast. May 27, 1869.
  6. ^ "Total Loss of the Steamer Mississippi". The Standard. No. 14701. London. September 13, 1871. p. 3.
  7. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". Glasgow Herald. No. 9891. Glasgow. September 13, 1871.

Coordinates: 47°37′12″N 122°22′37″W / 47.620°N 122.377°W / 47.620; -122.377

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