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USS Cohasset

Editor’s Note: Do you have information on this ship’s role at the Siege of Petersburg?  Please contact us using the Contact button in the menu at the top of the screen.  We are happy to exchange information with other researchers.

Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Cohasset Type: Tug Tonnage: 100 (or 142)
Length: 82’ Beam: 18’10” Draught: Loaded: 9’, Light: 8’
Speed: Max: 10.5 knots, Avg.: 7.5 knots Complement: 12 men Class: Not Listed.
Armament: May 26, 1863: 1 20-pdr. rifle, 1 24-pdr. howitzer
Namesake: Towns in Massachusetts and Minnesota.

Images:

20424vCohassetCLOSEUP3

 

Captain(s):
Acting Ensign and Pilot George B. Griffin
Captain Image

Captain 2
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864): York and Pamunkey Rivers and Chesapeake Bay | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (at least June 14 and 17, 1864)4,5,6

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On June 17, 1864, this ship is noted as a “tug.”7

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

York and Pamunkey Rivers and Chesapeake Bay | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 19-25)8,9

Ordered to Hampton Roads to report for further duty, and appears to have gone to the James. (June 25, 1864)10

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Third Offensive Order of Battle (July 1-31, 1864): Fourth Division (James River) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (July 31, 1864)(but ordered to Beaufort, NC)11

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On July 31, 1864, this ship is noted as “ordered to Beaufort, N. C.”12

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

  • Not Present (away in NC)

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The Cohasset apparently returned to Norfolk, Va. on October 1, 1864. More research is needed.13

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle (November 1-December 31, 1864): Norfolk Navy Yard, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (December 5 & 15, 1864)14,15

  • Captain: Acting Ensign and Pilot George B. Griffin (December 5 & 15, 1864)16,17
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 1  x “guns” (December 15, 1864)18
  • Note:
    • Note: On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.19
    • The Cohasset is not listed at all on the November 1, 1864 list of vessels in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.  More research is needed to find out where she was located.20

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle (January 1-February 28, 1865):

Norfolk, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (January 1 & 15 and February 1, 1865)21,22,23

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (February 15, 1865)24

  • Captain: Acting Ensign and Pilot George B. Griffin (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)25,26,27,28
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 1 x “gun” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)29,30,31,32
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.33,34,35,36

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

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)37

Norfolk, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 1, 1865)38

Towing coal [Where?] | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 15, 1865)39

  • Captain: Acting Ensign and Pilot George B. Griffin (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)40,41,42
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 1 x “gun” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)43,44,45
  • Note: On March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Screw Class” vessel.46,47,48

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:49

The first Cohasset, a tug originally called E. D. Fogg and later Narragansett, was built in 1860 at Providence, R.I.; purchased by the Navy 13 September 1861; outfitted at New York Navy Yard; delivered at Hampton Roads, Va., 26 October 1861; and assigned to duty with the Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Pilot Thomas Evans in command.

From 26 October 1861 to July 1864 Cohasset sailed in the Norfolk area and in the rivers of Virginia as a picket and dispatch boat, carried mail and supplies, towed coal barges, acted as guard for Minnesota, and shared in the fighting in the York, James, and Nansemond Rivers.

Ordered to Beaufort, N.C., in July 1864, Cohasset was used for harbor defense and towing until 1 October 1864, when she returned to Norfolk for duty towing coal barges in the James River.

Cohasset arrived at Boston Navy Yard 1 June 1865. She served as yard tug there until 1882, when she was transferred to Newport, R.I., where she was sold 9 May 1892.

 

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. 60–61 ↩
    3. Waud, Alfred R. , Artist. Broadside views of the Whitehead, Cohasset, and Young America. (Between 1860 and 1865) Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2004661172/>. This is a closeup of the Cohasset, taken from the larger drawing and zoomed in. ↩
    4. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
    5. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume X, p. 148 ↩
    6. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 165 ↩
    7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
    8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 165 ↩
    9. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 166 ↩
    10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 166 ↩
    11. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
    12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
    13. “Cohasset I (Tug).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/cohasset-i.html. ↩
    14. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    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. 140–142 ↩
    17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    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. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    21. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    29. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    30. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    31. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    32. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    33. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    34. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    35. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    36. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    37. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    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. “Cohasset I (Tug).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/cohasset-i.html. ↩

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