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USS Clematis

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Clematis Type: Screw Tug Tonnage: 297
Length: 127’ Beam: 22’ Draught: Forward: 8’, Aft: 10’
Speed: (probably) 12 knots Complement: 46 men Class: Not Listed.
Armament: September 29, 1864: 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, 2 12-pdr. Heavy Smoothbore
Namesake: A perennial flowering vine of the crowfoot family.

Images:

Image Needed (Does One Exist?)

 

Captain(s):
Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Elias D. Bruner
Captain Image

Acting Volunteer Lieutenant George H. Gooding
Captain Image

Acting Master Samuel P. Crafts
Captain Image

 

First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864):

  • Not Yet a Navy Ship

Second Offensive Order of Battle (June 19-30, 1864):

  • Not Yet a Navy Ship

Third Offensive Order of Battle (July 1-31, 1864):

  • Not Yet a Navy Ship

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle (August 1-31, 1864):

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: Clematis, a steam tug, was built in 1863 at Cleveland, Ohio, and purchased by the Navy August 2, 1864.3

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle (September 1-October 13, 1864):

Not Present (September 1 & 16 and October 1, 1864)4,5,6

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Elias D. Bruner (September 14, 1864)7
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 1 x 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, 2 x 12-pdr. Heavy Smoothbore (September 29, 1864)8
  • Note: The ship was taken to New York Navy Yard to be outfitted, and placed in commission there September 14, 1864, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Elias D. Bruner in command. Departing New York October 4, 1864 with the monitor Mahopac in tow, Clematis arrived at Fort Monroe, Va., October 6. She operated as a tug in the James and Elizabeth Rivers and at Norfolk Navy Yard…9

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle (October 14-31, 1864):

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: Clematis operated as a tug in the James and Elizabeth Rivers and at Norfolk Navy Yard…10

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle (November 1-December 31, 1864):

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (November 1-5, 1864)11

Not Present (away in NC) (November 6-December ??, 1864)(listed November 1, definitely December 5, 1864)12,13,14

Norfolk, Va. (repairing) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (December 15, 1864)15

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Elias D. Bruner (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)16,17,18
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 3 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)19
  • Notes:
    • Clematis operated as a tug in the James and Elizabeth Rivers and at Norfolk Navy Yard until November 5, 1864.20
    • After repairs in Norfolk from December 13, 1864, Clematis again served up the James River in March and April 1865.21
    • On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.22

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle (January 1-February 28, 1865): Norfolk, Va. (repairing) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (January 1 & 15 and February 1, 15 & 25, 1865)23,24,25,26,27

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Elias D. Bruner (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)28,29,30,31
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 3 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)32,33,34,35
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel. 36,37,38,39

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle (March 1-April 2, 1865):

Norfolk Navy Yard, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)40

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 1, 1865)41

Norfolk, Va. (repairing) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 15, 1865)42

  • Captain:
    • Acting Volunteer Lieutenant George H. Gooding (March 18, 1865)43
    • Acting Master Samuel P. Crafts (April 1 & 15, 1865)44,45
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 3 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)46,47,48
  • Note: After repairs in Norfolk from December 13, 1864, Clematis again served up the James River in March and April 1865.49
  • Note: On March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Screw Class” vessel.50,51,52

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:53

Clematis, a steam tug, was built in 1863 at Cleveland, Ohio, and purchased by the Navy 2 August 1864. She was taken to New York Navy Yard to be outfitted, and placed in commission there 14 September 1864, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Elias D. Bruner in command.

Departing New York 4 October 1864 with the monitor Mahopac in tow, Clematis arrived at Fort Monroe, Va., 6 October. She operated as a tug in the James and Elizabeth Rivers and at Norfolk Navy Yard until 5 November when she sailed for duty on the blockade off Wilmington, N.C.

After repairs in Norfolk from 13 December 1864, Clematis again served up the James River in March and April 1865. On 27 April she cleared Fort Monroe, Va., for Mobile, Ala., arriving 21 May 1865. Retained in service at the close of the Civil War, she served the Gulf Squadron until 23 May 1866 when she sailed for Philadelphia Navy Yard, arriving 31 May. She was placed out of commission 6 June 1866 and sold 26 November 1866.

 

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

      Sources:

      1. “DANFS.” Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs.html. ↩
      2. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 59 ↩
      3. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      4. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
      5. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
      6. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
      7. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 59 ↩
      9. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      10. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      11. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
      13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
      14. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      15. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
      17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
      18. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      19. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      20. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      21. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
      28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      29. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      30. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      31. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      32. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      33. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      34. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      35. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      36. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      37. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      40. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      41. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      42. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      43. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      44. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      45. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      46. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      47. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      48. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      49. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩
      50. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      51. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      52. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      53. “Clematis.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/clematis.html. ↩

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