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USS Eutaw

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Eutaw Type: Double-Ender Sidewheel Steamer Tonnage: 955
Length: 205’ Beam: 35’ Draught: 8’6”, Light: 7’
Speed: Max: 13 knots, Avg.: 9 knots Complement: 135 men Class: Sassacus
Armament: October 18, 1864: 4 9″ Dahlgren Smoothbores, 2 100-pdr. Parrott rifles, 2 20-pdr. Rifles

December 5, 1864: 4 9″ Dahlgren Smoothbores, 2 100-pdr. Parrott rifles, 2 20-pdr. Rifles, 2 24-pdr. Howitzers
Namesake: A town in Alabama.

Images:

NH 61876 USS Eutaw (1863-1867)3

Ship Model Available:

Long Face Games USS Sassacus (and Sassacus Class) Ship Models Designs, 1/600 and 1/1200

Image of USS Sassacus Long Face Games 3D Ship Model

Captain(s):
Lieutenant Commander Homer C. Blake
Captain Image

Lieutenant Commander Leonard Paulding
Captain Image

Acting Volunteer Lieutenant John W. Simmons
Captain Image

Captain 4
Captain Image

 

First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864): James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 17, 1864)4

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On June 17, 1864, this ship is noted as “off Bermuda Hundred” and “above Newport News” on the James River.5

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

  • Captain: Lieutenant Commander Homer C. Blake (June 26, 1864)6
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: Eutaw, Tecumseh, Tritonia, Pink, Rose, and Althea were ordered to leave the front for Hampton Roads on June 23, 1864. The latter four vessels, all tugs, were to be repaired by Captain Gansevoort prior to being sent on to their destinations.7
  • Note: Eutaw was ordered to “land,” or remove multiple IX-inch guns (how many?) on or around June 26, 1864, but based on her armament later, it looks like this probably did not happen.8

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

Not present at the Siege of Petersburg, probably convoying Tecumseh to Mobile, Alabama to report to Admiral Farragut.9,10

  • 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 and 17, 1864)11,12

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On August 17, 1864, this ship is noted as “waiting Department’s orders as to place to be repaired.”13

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle (September 1-October 13, 1864): Norfolk Navy Yard, Va. (repairing) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (September 1 & 16, 1864)14

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note:
    • On September 1, 1864, this ship is noted as “repairing, Aug. 8, 1864.”15
    • On September 16, 1864, this ship is noted as “Second Division, repairing.”16

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 4 x 9″ Dahlgren Smoothbores, 2 x 100-pdr. Parrott rifles, 2 x 20-pdr. Rifles (October 18, 1864)17

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)18,19,20

  • Captain: Lieutenant Commander Homer C. Blake (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)21,22,23
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
    • 4 x 9″ Dahlgren Smoothbores, 2 x 100-pdr. Parrott rifles, 2 x 20-pdr. Rifles, 2 x 24-pdr. Howitzers (December 5, 1864)24
    • 10 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)25
  • Notes:
    • On November 12, 1864, this ship was located in the James River at “Deep Bottom” and was classified as a “gunboat.”26
    • On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 3” vessel.27

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)28,29,30,31,32

  • Captain:
    • Lieutenant Commander Homer C. Blake (January 1 & 15 and February 1, 1865)33,34,35
    • Not Listed. (February 15, 1865)36
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 10 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)37,38,39,40
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 3” vessel.41,42,43,44

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle (March 1-April 2, 1865): James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)45,46,47

  • Captain:
    • Not Listed. (March 18, 1865)48
    • Acting Volunteer Lieutenant John W. Simmons (April 1, 1865)49
    • Lieutenant Commander Leonard Paulding (April 15, 1865)50
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 10 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)51,52,53
  • Note: On March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Paddle Class” vessel.54,55,56

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:59

Eutaw, a double-ended side wheel steamer, was launched in February 1863 by J. J. Abrahams, Baltimore, Md.; and commissioned 2 July 1863, Lieutenant Commander H. C. Blake in command.

Eutaw joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron for operations in the Potomac and James rivers and along the Atlantic coast as far south as the southern border of North Carolina. On 4 and 5 May 1864, she sailed up the James River to cover, with two other ships, the landing of troops below City Point, Va., and between 14 and 17 July, shelled Malvern Hill, Va.

Eutaw towed the monitor Tecumseh to Pensacola, Fla., between 5 and 28 July 1864, returning to picket duty in the James River 22 August. There she served until the close of the war. On 26 April 1865, she sailed for New York, where she was decommissioned 8 May 1865. Eutaw lay in ordinary until sold 15 October 1867.

 

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. 81 ↩
    3. “NH 61876 USS Eutaw (1863-1867).” Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-61000/NH-61876.html. Lithograph published by Endicott & Co., New York, circa 1865. This image was used in Endicott & Co. prints to represent many, if not all, of the Sassacus class double-ender gunboats. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. ↩
    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 10, p. 210 ↩
    7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 197 ↩
    8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 210 ↩
    9. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
    10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, pp. 198–199 ↩
    11. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
    12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, p. 326 ↩
    13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
    14. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
    15. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
    16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
    17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 81 ↩
    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. 39–40 ↩
    22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    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, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 81 ↩
    25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, p. 61 ↩
    27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    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 XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
    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 XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    42. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    43. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    44. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    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. 116–118 ↩
    48. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    49. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    50. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    51. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    52. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    53. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    54. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    55. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    56. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    57. “Eutaw.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/e/eutaw.html. ↩
    58. “Eutaw.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/e/eutaw.html. ↩
    59. “Eutaw.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/e/eutaw.html. ↩

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