.gif)
USS Commodore Perry (1859)
Encyclopedia
USS Commodore Perry (1858) was a 512 LT (520.2 t) steamer acquired by the Union Navy
during the first year of the American Civil War
.
Commodore Perry was outfitted as a gunboat
with heavy guns and a large crew of 125 officers and enlisted personnel. Her powerful guns were capable of doing considerable damage to blockade runners or shore fortifications of the Confederate States of America
.
Master
F. J. Thomas in command.
The ship was named in honor of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry
, who commanded American forces on Lake Erie
in the War of 1812
, and his brother Matthew Calbraith Perry, who negotiated the historic treaty which opened Japan
to American commerce, and who had died the previous year, in 1858.
, which resulted in the surrender of Roanoke Island
, part of the long campaign through which the Navy secured key coastal points.
Commodore Perry took part in the capture of Elizabeth City, North Carolina
on 10 February, and the next day captured the schooner
Lynnhaven. As operations along the North Carolina
coast continued, she joined in the capture of and in March, and in April took singly or in concert with others of her squadron four schooners and a sloop
in the Pasquotank River
and New Begun Creek.
On 3 October, Commodore Perry joined in an Army-Navy expedition against Franklin, Virginia
, and on 10 December joined an attack against Plymouth, North Carolina
. Four crewmen were awarded the Medal of Honor
for their actions during the expedition against Franklin: Boatswain's Mate John Breen, Seaman Daniel Lakin
, Seaman Alfred Peterson, and Seaman John Williams
. After another combined expedition against Hertford, North Carolina
on 30 January 1863, Commodore Perry patrolled constantly in Pamlico
and Albemarle Sound
s and the streams which enter them, frequently exchanging fire with small detachments of Confederates ashore.
.jpg)
Repaired at Norfolk, Virginia
and Baltimore, Maryland late in 1863, she returned to her squadron in March 1864 for duty in the inland and coastal waters of Virginia
on picket, guard, and patrol duty, joining in many amphibious expeditions, until the close of the war.
on 12 June 1865, and there was decommissioned on 26 June and sold on 12 July.
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...
during the first year 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...
.
Commodore Perry was outfitted as a 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:...
with heavy guns and a large crew of 125 officers and enlisted personnel. Her powerful guns were capable of doing considerable damage to blockade runners or shore fortifications of 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...
.
Built in New York in 1859
Commodore Perry — an armed, side-wheel ferry — was built in 1859 by Stack and Joyce, Williamsburg, New York; purchased by the Navy on 2 October 1861; and commissioned later in the month, ActingBrevet (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...
Master
Master (naval)
The master, or sailing master, was a historic term for a naval officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing vessel...
F. J. Thomas in command.
The ship was named in honor of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry
United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
, who commanded American forces on Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, and his brother Matthew Calbraith Perry, who negotiated the historic treaty which opened Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
to American commerce, and who had died the previous year, in 1858.
Assigned to the North Atlantic blockade
Commodore Perry sailed from Hampton Roads, Virginia on 17 January 1862 to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and on 7-8 February took part in the attack, in cooperation with the Union ArmyUnion Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, which resulted in the surrender of Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
, part of the long campaign through which the Navy secured key coastal points.
Commodore Perry took part in the capture of Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County and Camden County in the State of North Carolina. With a population of 18,683 at the 2010 census, Elizabeth City is the county seat of Pasquotank County....
on 10 February, and the next day captured the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Lynnhaven. As operations along the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
coast continued, she joined in the capture of and in March, and in April took singly or in concert with others of her squadron four schooners and a sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
in the Pasquotank River
Pasquotank River
The Pasquotank River is a coastal water-body in Northeastern North Carolina in the United States. Located between Camden and Pasquotank counties, the Pasquotank connects directly to the Albemarle Sound and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway via Elizabeth City.-History:The name "Pasquotank" is...
and New Begun Creek.
On 3 October, Commodore Perry joined in an Army-Navy expedition against Franklin, Virginia
Joint Expedition Against Franklin
The Joint Expedition Against Franklin was a joint engagement between the United States Army & Navy against the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The engagement was intended to move Union forces into an area where Confederate forces were gathering as they prepared to move on...
, and on 10 December joined an attack against Plymouth, North Carolina
Plymouth, North Carolina
Plymouth is the largest town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,107 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...
. Four crewmen were awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for their actions during the expedition against Franklin: Boatswain's Mate John Breen, Seaman Daniel Lakin
Daniel Lakin
Daniel Lakin was an American sailor who served in the Union Navy during the American Civil War. For his actions at the Joint Expedition Against Franklin while serving aboard the , Lakin was promoted from seaman to acting master's mate and received the Medal of Honor on 3 April 1863. The citation...
, Seaman Alfred Peterson, and Seaman John Williams
John Williams (Medal of Honor, b. 1832)
John Williams was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Joint Expedition Against Franklin....
. After another combined expedition against Hertford, North Carolina
Hertford, North Carolina
Hertford is a town in Perquimans County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,185 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Perquimans County. Hertford is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region and is part of the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area...
on 30 January 1863, Commodore Perry patrolled constantly in Pamlico
Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound in North Carolina, is the largest lagoon along the U.S. East Coast, being long and 24 to 48 km wide. It is a body of water separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a row of low, sandy barrier islands, including Cape Hatteras. The Neuse and Pamlico rivers flow in...
and Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located,...
s and the streams which enter them, frequently exchanging fire with small detachments of Confederates ashore.
Repaired at Norfolk and at Baltimore
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Baltimore, Maryland late in 1863, she returned to her squadron in March 1864 for duty in the inland and coastal waters of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
on picket, guard, and patrol duty, joining in many amphibious expeditions, until the close of the war.
Post-war decommissioning
She sailed from Norfolk for New York CityNew 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 12 June 1865, and there was decommissioned on 26 June and sold on 12 July.