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USS Puritan (1864)
Encyclopedia
The USS Puritan was originally designed as a double-turreted ironclad monitor, the plans were altered to the specifications of John Ericsson
, Puritan’s builder, following a long debate with the Navy
; she was built with a single turret. Contracted 28 July 1862 to Ericsson, who in turn subcontracted the hull to the Continental Iron Works of Greenpoint
, New York
and the machinery to the Allaire Iron Works
of New York City
, she was launched 2 July 1864. However, due to delays in construction and the casting of the 20-inch smoothbores she was never completed, her construction being suspended in 1865.
During the years following the war
, Puritan along with several other monitors suffered extensive deterioration with their combat value likewise decreasing. In 1874–75 Secretary of the Navy
George Robeson
decided to carry out extensive repairs on Puritan and four monitors of the Miantonomoh-class.
A line engraving of the planned USS Puritan refit that was actually constructed as the BM-1
.
Funds were not appropriated for new construction, but the condition of the ship’s hulls particularly, necessitated building essentially new ships, bearing no real resemblance to the originals. A scandal resulted when the fact came to light that Robeson was paying for new ships with the old ones. As a result, the first Puritan was turned over to John Roach of Chester, Pennsylvania
as partial payment for the “unauthorized” construction of the second Puritan
: the name was not changed on the Navy List due to belief that the “repaired” vessel was still the Civil War monitor.
John Ericsson
John Ericsson was a Swedish-American inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother Nils Ericson. He was born at Långbanshyttan in Värmland, Sweden, but primarily came to be active in England and the United States...
, Puritan’s builder, following a long debate with the 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...
; she was built with a single turret. Contracted 28 July 1862 to Ericsson, who in turn subcontracted the hull to the Continental Iron Works of Greenpoint
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bordered on the southwest by Williamsburg at the Bushwick inlet, on the southeast by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and East Williamsburg, on the north by Newtown Creek and Long Island City, Queens at the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and the machinery to the Allaire Iron Works
Allaire Iron Works
The Allaire Iron Works was a leading 19th-century American marine engineering company based in New York City. Founded in 1816 by engineer and philanthropist James P...
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, she was launched 2 July 1864. However, due to delays in construction and the casting of the 20-inch smoothbores she was never completed, her construction being suspended in 1865.
During the years following the 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...
, Puritan along with several other monitors suffered extensive deterioration with their combat value likewise decreasing. In 1874–75 Secretary of the Navy
United States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
George Robeson
George M. Robeson
George Maxwell Robeson was an American Republican Party politician and lawyer from New Jersey who served as a Union army general during the American Civil War, and then as Secretary of the Navy during the Grant administration. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1879 to...
decided to carry out extensive repairs on Puritan and four monitors of the Miantonomoh-class.
A line engraving of the planned USS Puritan refit that was actually constructed as the BM-1
USS Puritan (BM-1)
The second USS Puritan was a Puritan class monitor in the United States Navy, constructed in 1882. She was the only ship in her class.-Construction:...
.
Funds were not appropriated for new construction, but the condition of the ship’s hulls particularly, necessitated building essentially new ships, bearing no real resemblance to the originals. A scandal resulted when the fact came to light that Robeson was paying for new ships with the old ones. As a result, the first Puritan was turned over to John Roach of Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
as partial payment for the “unauthorized” construction of the second Puritan
USS Puritan (BM-1)
The second USS Puritan was a Puritan class monitor in the United States Navy, constructed in 1882. She was the only ship in her class.-Construction:...
: the name was not changed on the Navy List due to belief that the “repaired” vessel was still the Civil War monitor.