≡ Menu

USS Commodore Barney

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 Commodore Barney Type: Sidewheel Steamer Tonnage: 512
Length: 143’ Beam: 33’ Draught: 9’
Speed: 8 knots Complement: 96 men Class: Commodore Barney
Armament: Sept. 7, 1863: 5 IX-inch, 1 100-pdr. Parrott rifle, 1 heavy 12-pdr.
Namesake: Joshua Barney was born 6 July 1759 in Baltimore, Md. He served with distinction in Hornet and Wasp during the Revolutionary War and at the outbreak of the War of 1812 reentered the Navy as a captain, and commanded a fleet of gunboats defending Chesapeake Bay. At the Battle of Bladensburg, Barney and his sailors, acting as artillerymen, made a heroic defense of the National Capitol. Commodore Barney died 1 December 1818 at Pittsburgh, Pa.

Images:

ORNXPg045USSCommodoreBarney3

 

Captain(s):
Acting Volunteer Lieutenant George B. Livingston
Captain Image

Captain 2
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

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

Sounds of North Carolina | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 13-?, 1864)4

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On June 17, 1864, this ship is noted as “ordered up in James River.” 5

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

Away in North Carolina, not present at the Siege of Petersburg (June 21, 1864)6

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (after June 21- June 30, 1864)7

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On June 21, 1864, Captain Melancton Smith was ordered to move from the North Carolina Sounds with the Miami, Sassacus, and Commodore Barney and proceed to the James River for duty there.8

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle (August 1-31, 1864): Fourth Division (James River) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (August 1 & 17, 1864)9

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle (September 1-October 13, 1864): Second Division (Hampton Roads and James River) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (September 1 & 16 and October 1, 1864)10,11,12

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On October 1, 1864, this ship is noted as in “James River.”13

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

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

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)14,15,16

Appomattox River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (November 12, 1864)17

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant George B. Livingston (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)18,19,20
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 7 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)21
  • Note:
    • On November 12, 1864, this ship was located in the Appomattox River and was classified as a “ferryboat.”22
    • On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.23

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

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant George B. Livingston (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)29,30,31,32
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 7 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)33,34,35,36
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.37,38,39,40

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

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)41

Appomattox River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18 and April 1, 1865)42

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant George B. Livingston (March 18 and April 1, 1865)43,44
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 7 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1, 1865)45,46
  • Note: On March 18 and April 1, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Paddle Class” vessel.47,48

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:49

Commodore Barney, an armed side wheel ferry, was built in 1859 at New York as the ferry boat Ethan Allen; purchased by the Navy 2 October 1861; and commissioned later in the month.

On 13 and 14 April 1864, she joined in the James-Nansemond Rivers expedition.

After spending the period from 22 April to 27 June 1864 in the North Carolina sounds she returned to cruise the James and Appomattox Rivers until ordered to Washington Navy Yard 5 May 1865. She was sold there 20 July 1865.

 

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. 63 ↩
    3. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, after p. 44 ↩
    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, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
    6. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume X, p. 175 ↩
    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 X, p. 175 ↩
    9. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
    10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
    11. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
    12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    14. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    15. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, p. 61 ↩
    18. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    19. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    20. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    21. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, p. 61 ↩
    23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
    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 XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    40. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    41. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    42. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    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. 71–73 ↩
    46. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    47. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    48. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    49. “Commodore Barney.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/commodore-barney.html. ↩

    Tagged as: ,

    { 0 comments… add one }

    Leave a Reply

    Next post:

    Previous post:

    Search SOPO

    SOPO RSS Feed

    Subscribe to The Siege of Petersburg Online RSS Feed

    Links