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USS Abraham (1858)
Encyclopedia
USS Abraham (1858) — formerly CSS Victoria — was a side-wheel steamer captured by the Union Navy
from the Confederate States of America
during the American Civil War
.
Abraham — a capacious ship of 800 LT (812.8 t) — served primarily as a storeship, conveying supplies to Union vessels in the battle area and at times, during such missions, getting struck by enemy shell.
in 1858 and based at St. Louis
— was acquired by the Confederate Government for service as a troop transport on the waters of the Mississippi River
and its tributaries.
and then by Flag Officer Charles Davis
, relentlessly fought their way downstream from Cairo, Illinois
. On 6 June, they met Southern river forces in the Battle of Memphis
and won a decisive victory which gave the North control of the Mississippi River above Vicksburg, Mississippi
. Later that day, the Union gunboat
s found and took possession of several Confederate vessels moored at the wharf at Memphis
. Victoria was one of these prizes.
A fortnight
later, on the 15th, Victoria was renamed Abraham and, under the command of Acting
Ensign
William Wagner, continued to serve the Union cause in the same capacity. While not exposed to the hazards of combat, the ship constantly suffered the perils of life on the upper Mississippi River and, on several occasions, was threatened by fires on nearby vessels.
For example, on the night of 7 February 1863, she moored astern of the gunboat when she caught fire; and Abraham only escaped when Glide was cut adrift, pushed out into the current by the tug
, and allowed to drift downstream.
On 9 May 1864, Abraham moved from Cairo to Mound City, Illinois
, where she served through the end of the Civil War.
on 3 February 1869 and burned until she was a total loss.
As of 2004, no other ships in the United States Navy
have borne this name.
Union Navy
The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...
from the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Abraham — a capacious ship of 800 LT (812.8 t) — served primarily as a storeship, conveying supplies to Union vessels in the battle area and at times, during such missions, getting struck by enemy shell.
Service with the Confederacy
Early in the Civil War, Victoria — built at Elizabeth, PennsylvaniaElizabeth, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on the east bank of the Monongahela River, where Pennsylvania Route 51 crosses, upstream of Pittsburgh and close to the county line. The population was 1,493 at the 2010 census...
in 1858 and based at St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
— was acquired by the Confederate Government for service as a troop transport on the waters of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and its tributaries.
Capture by Union Navy forces
In the spring of 1862, Union warships of the Western Flotilla, commanded at first by Flag Officer Andrew FooteAndrew Hull Foote
Andrew Hull Foote was an American naval officer who was noted for his service in the American Civil War and also for his contributions to several naval reforms in the years prior to the war. When the war came, he was appointed to command of the Western Gunboat Flotilla, predecessor of the...
and then by Flag Officer Charles Davis
Charles Henry Davis
Charles Henry Davis was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, serving primarily during the American Civil War, and with the United States Coast Survey.-Early life and career:...
, relentlessly fought their way downstream from Cairo, Illinois
Cairo, Illinois
Cairo is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the county seat of Alexander County. Cairo is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The rivers converge at Fort Defiance State Park, an American Civil War fort that was commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant...
. On 6 June, they met Southern river forces in the Battle of Memphis
Battle of Memphis
The First Battle of Memphis was a naval battle fought on the Mississippi River immediately above the city of Memphis on June 6, 1862, during the American Civil War. The engagement was witnessed by many of the citizens of Memphis. It resulted in a crushing defeat for the Rebels, and marked the...
and won a decisive victory which gave the North control of the Mississippi River above Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
. Later that day, the Union gunboat
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:...
s found and took possession of several Confederate vessels moored at the wharf at Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. Victoria was one of these prizes.
Service in the Union Navy
Davis used the riverboat as a storeship and an inspection vessel for his flotilla until that organization, an Army outfit commanded by naval officers, was transferred to the Navy on 1 October and renamed the Mississippi Squadron.A fortnight
Fortnight
The fortnight is a unit of time equal to fourteen days, or two weeks. The word derives from the Old English fēowertyne niht, meaning "fourteen nights"....
later, on the 15th, Victoria was renamed Abraham and, under the command of Acting
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
William Wagner, continued to serve the Union cause in the same capacity. While not exposed to the hazards of combat, the ship constantly suffered the perils of life on the upper Mississippi River and, on several occasions, was threatened by fires on nearby vessels.
For example, on the night of 7 February 1863, she moored astern of the gunboat when she caught fire; and Abraham only escaped when Glide was cut adrift, pushed out into the current by the tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
, and allowed to drift downstream.
On 9 May 1864, Abraham moved from Cairo to Mound City, Illinois
Mound City, Illinois
Mound City is a city located along the Ohio River in Pulaski County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 692. It is the county seat of Pulaski County.-Geography:Mound City is located at ....
, where she served through the end of the Civil War.
Post-war decommissioning and subsequent career
After the collapse of the Confederacy, Abraham was taken out of service and laid up at Mound City until sold there to L.C. and R.N Alexander on 30 September. Redocumented Lexington on 16 March 1866, the side-wheeler served private interests on the Mississippi until she caught fire at Algiers, LouisianaAlgiers, Louisiana
Algiers is a neighborhood within the city of New Orleans. It is the portion of Orleans Parish on the West Bank of the Mississippi River.Algiers is also known as the 15th Ward, one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans.-History:...
on 3 February 1869 and burned until she was a total loss.
As of 2004, no other ships in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
have borne this name.