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USS Roanoke (1855)
Encyclopedia
The second USS Roanoke was a steam frigate in the United States Navy
, later converted to an ironclad.
in command.
Assigned to the Home Squadron
as flagship
, Roanoke’s first duty was to return the American filibuster
and former President
of Nicaragua
, William Walker, and 205 of his men to the United States
. Sailing for Aspinwall, Colombia
, (now called Colón, Panamá
), on 30 May 1857, Roanoke returned on 4 August with Walker and his followers. Subsequently, Roanoke was sent to Boston Navy Yard
where she decommissioned on 24 September 1857.
Recommissioned on 18 August 1858, Roanoke resumed her duties as flagship of the Home Squadron. Roanoke devoted the following months to cruising in the West Indies, carrying the U.S. Minister at Bogotá
, George W. Jones
, to Aspinwall and Cartagena
. For over a year, she was stationed at Aspinwall awaiting the arrival of a special Japanese embassy to the United States. The Japan
ese delegation, traveling to Washington
to exchange ratifications of the 1858 treaty, departed Yokohama
on 13 February 1860 in the frigate and reached Aspinwall by a train across the isthmus
on 25 April 1860. The Roanoke embarked the delegation and reached Hampton Roads
on 12 May 1860 and was decommissioned.
Following the outbreak of the American Civil War
, Roanoke recommissioned on 20 June 1861. Attached to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, she destroyed the schooner Mary off Lockwood’s Inlet, N.C., on 13 July 1861. The screw frigate subsequently took part in the capture of the schooners Albion and Alert and helped take the ship Thomas Watson off Charleston, S.C., on 15 October 1861.
During the attack of the CSS Virginia
(the former ) on Union warships in Hampton Roads, 8 March 1862, Roanokes deep draft prevented her from engaging the Confederate
casement ram and kept her out of action the next day when the Virginia engaged the Union
turreted ironclad, . Roanoke embarked 268 men from the and which Virginia had sunk, transported them north, and arrived at New York City
on 25 March, and decommissioned the same day.
Under the direction of the Chief of Naval Construction, John Lenthall and the Chief of Steam Engineering, Benjamin F. Isherwood
the Roanoke began an extensive modification at Novelty Iron Works, N.Y. Roanoke was cut down to a low-freeboard ship and given three revolving Ericsson
centerline turrets. Instead of the usual series of 1 in. laminated plates for hull armor, Roanoke featured one-piece 4.5 in. slabs. She kept her single funnel but landed her full ship rig, and in her new configuration was accepted by the Navy
at New York Navy Yard on 16 April 1863. An ordnance report, dated 31 August 1863, listed her battery as follows: fore turret 1 x 15 in. Dahlgren
smoothbore, 1 x 150-pounder rifle; middle turret 1 x 15 in. Dahlgren, 1 x 11 in. Dahlgren; after turret, 1 x 11 in. Dahlgren, 1 x 150-pounder rifle.
Sea trials indicated that her heavy turrets caused her to roll dangerously in a seaway, and that her hull was not sufficiently strong to bear their weight and the concussion of the continuous firing. Recommissioned on 29 June 1863, Roanoke was assigned as harbor defense ship at Hampton Roads, Virginia, a duty she performed through the end of the Civil War.
Roanoke was decommissioned on 20 June 1865 at New York Navy Yard. Retained in reserve, Roanoke’s only postwar service was as flagship of the Port Admiral
at New York. Roanoke was recommissioned on 13 January 1874 and remained in reduced commission until again placed in reserve on 12 June 1875. Struck from the list on 5 August 1882, Roanoke was sold for scrapping on 27 September 1883 at Chester, Pennsylvania
, to E. Stannard & Co., Westbrook, Connecticut
.
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...
, later converted to an ironclad.
Steam frigate service
Roanoke launched on 13 December 1855 at Norfolk Navy Yard; and commissioned 4 May 1857, Captain John B. MontgomeryJohn B. Montgomery
John Berrien Montgomery was an officer in the United States Navy who served during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.-Biography:...
in command.
Assigned to the Home Squadron
Home Squadron
The Home Squadron was part of the United States Navy in the mid-19th century. Organized as early as 1838, ships were assigned to protect coastal commerce, aid ships in distress, suppress piracy and the slave trade, make coastal surveys, and train ships to relieve others on distant stations...
as flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, Roanoke’s first duty was to return the American filibuster
Filibuster (military)
A filibuster, or freebooter, is someone who engages in an unauthorized military expedition into a foreign country to foment or support a revolution...
and former President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, William Walker, and 205 of his men to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Sailing for Aspinwall, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, (now called Colón, Panamá
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
), on 30 May 1857, Roanoke returned on 4 August with Walker and his followers. Subsequently, Roanoke was sent to Boston Navy Yard
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. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
where she decommissioned on 24 September 1857.
Recommissioned on 18 August 1858, Roanoke resumed her duties as flagship of the Home Squadron. Roanoke devoted the following months to cruising in the West Indies, carrying the U.S. Minister at Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, George W. Jones
George W. Jones
George Wallace Jones , a frontiersman, entrepreneur, attorney, and judge, was among the first two United States Senators to represent the state of Iowa after it was admitted to the Union in 1846...
, to Aspinwall and Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
. For over a year, she was stationed at Aspinwall awaiting the arrival of a special Japanese embassy to the United States. The Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese delegation, traveling to Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to exchange ratifications of the 1858 treaty, departed Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
on 13 February 1860 in the frigate and reached Aspinwall by a train across the isthmus
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
on 25 April 1860. The Roanoke embarked the delegation and reached Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on 12 May 1860 and was decommissioned.
Following the outbreak of 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...
, Roanoke recommissioned on 20 June 1861. Attached to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, she destroyed the schooner Mary off Lockwood’s Inlet, N.C., on 13 July 1861. The screw frigate subsequently took part in the capture of the schooners Albion and Alert and helped take the ship Thomas Watson off Charleston, S.C., on 15 October 1861.
During the attack of the CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia was the first steam-powered ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy, built during the first year of the American Civil War; she was constructed as a casemate ironclad using the raised and cut down original lower hull and steam engines of the scuttled . Virginia was one of the...
(the former ) on Union warships in Hampton Roads, 8 March 1862, Roanokes deep draft prevented her from engaging the Confederate
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...
casement ram and kept her out of action the next day when the Virginia engaged the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
turreted ironclad, . Roanoke embarked 268 men from the and which Virginia had sunk, transported them north, and arrived at 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...
on 25 March, and decommissioned the same day.
Ironclad service
Benjamin F. Isherwood
Benjamin Franklin Isherwood was an engineering officer in the United States Navy during the early days of steam-powered warships. He served as a ship's engineer during the Mexican–American War, and after the war did experimental work with steam propulsion...
the Roanoke began an extensive modification at Novelty Iron Works, N.Y. Roanoke was cut down to a low-freeboard ship and given three revolving Ericsson
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...
centerline turrets. Instead of the usual series of 1 in. laminated plates for hull armor, Roanoke featured one-piece 4.5 in. slabs. She kept her single funnel but landed her full ship rig, and in her new configuration was accepted by 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...
at New York Navy Yard on 16 April 1863. An ordnance report, dated 31 August 1863, listed her battery as follows: fore turret 1 x 15 in. Dahlgren
Dahlgren gun
Dahlgren guns were muzzle loading naval artillery designed by Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren USN, mostly used in the period of the American Civil War. Dahlgren's design philosophy evolved from an accidental explosion in 1849 of a 32-pounder being tested for accuracy, killing a gunner...
smoothbore, 1 x 150-pounder rifle; middle turret 1 x 15 in. Dahlgren, 1 x 11 in. Dahlgren; after turret, 1 x 11 in. Dahlgren, 1 x 150-pounder rifle.
Sea trials indicated that her heavy turrets caused her to roll dangerously in a seaway, and that her hull was not sufficiently strong to bear their weight and the concussion of the continuous firing. Recommissioned on 29 June 1863, Roanoke was assigned as harbor defense ship at Hampton Roads, Virginia, a duty she performed through the end of the Civil War.
Roanoke was decommissioned on 20 June 1865 at New York Navy Yard. Retained in reserve, Roanoke’s only postwar service was as flagship of the Port Admiral
Port Admiral (United States Navy)
Port admiral is an honorific rank in the United States Navy, for the senior officer of the ships in a naval dockyard. Examples include Samuel Livingston Breese from 1869 to 1870 in Philadelphia. The port admiral usually has a flagship, examples of which include for the New York port admiral from...
at New York. Roanoke was recommissioned on 13 January 1874 and remained in reduced commission until again placed in reserve on 12 June 1875. Struck from the list on 5 August 1882, Roanoke was sold for scrapping on 27 September 1883 at 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 :...
, to E. Stannard & Co., Westbrook, Connecticut
Westbrook, Connecticut
Westbrook is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,292 at the 2000 census. The town center is also classified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place .-Geography:...
.