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USS Mackinaw

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Mackinaw Type: Double-Ender Sidewheel Steamer Gunboat Tonnage: 974
Length: 205’ Beam: 35’ Draught: Loaded, forward: 8’6”, Aft: 9’6”
Speed: Max: 14 knots, Avg.: 11 knots Complement: Not Listed. Class: Algonquin
Armament: June 1, 1864 and January 1, 1865: 2 100‑pdr. Parrott rifles on pivots, 4 9″ Broadside Smoothbores, 2 24‑pdr.Broadside Smoothbores, 1 heavy 12 pdr., 1 12‑pdr. Rifle

March 31, 1865: 1 15”, 6 9”, 2 24-pdrs., 1 heavy 12-pdr., 1 12-pdr. Howitzer Rifle
Namesake: Not Listed.

Images:

NH 57251 A Double-Ender gunboat In the James River, Virginia, 1864-65. 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):
Commander John C. Beaumont
JohnCBeaumontUSNavyV64P31514

Captain 2
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864): James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (at least June 15, 17-18, 1865)5

  • Captain: Commander John C. Beaumont (June 15 and 17-18, 1864)6
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 2 x 100‑pdr. Parrott rifles on pivots, 4 x 9″ Broadside Smoothbores, 2 x 24‑pdr.Broadside Smoothbores, 1 x heavy 12 pdr., 1 x 12‑pdr. Rifle (June 1, 1864)7
  • Note: On June 17, 1864, this ship is noted as at “lower Dutch Gap: now covering army at Wilcox’s Wharf” and “above Wilson’s Wharf” on the James River.8

Second Offensive Order of Battle (June 19-30, 1864): James River | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 30, 1864)9

  • 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)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 & 17, 1864)11,12

  • 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)13,14,15

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On October 1, 1864, this ship is noted as on the “James River.”16

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: Based on the October 1, 1864 and November 1, 1865 list of ships in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, USS Mackinaw must have put in to Norfolk, Va. for repairs sometime in October 1864. I do not know the exact date.  More research is needed.17,18

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle (November 1-December 31, 1864): Norfolk Navy Yard, Va. (repairing) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (November 1, 1864)19

  • Captain: Commander John C. Beaumont (November 1, 1864)20
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The Mackinaw had been repaired and was transferred to North Carolina prior to November 7, 1864.21

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

In North Carolina away from the Siege of Petersburg | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)22,23,24,25

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (February 25, 1865)26

  • Captain: Commander John C. Beaumont (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)27,28,24,25
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 2 x 100‑pdr. Parrott rifles on pivots, 4 x 9″ Broadside Smoothbores, 2 x 24‑pdr.Broadside Smoothbores, 1 x heavy 12 pdr., 1 x 12‑pdr. Rifle (January 1, 1865)31
  • Note: Based on the lists for the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron for February 1 and 15, 1865, at some point between those dates the USS Mackinaw returned to the James River and the Siege of Petersburg. More research is needed.32,33

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle (March 1-April 2, 1865): James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18 and April 18, 1865) (located in the Appomattox River on April 1, 1865)34,35,36

  • Captain: Commander John C. Beaumont (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)37,38,39
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
    • 1 x 15”, 6 x 9”, 2 x 24-pdrs., 1 x heavy 12-pdr., 1 x 12-pdr. Howitzer Rifle (March 31, 1865)40
    • 10 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)41,42,43
  • Note: On March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Paddle Class” vessel.44,45,46

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • Action at Wilcox’s Wharf (June 17, 1864)47
  • Escorted Transports on the James River (night of June 17 to June 18, 1864)48
  • Supported Union troops on their advance from Dutch Gap, Va. (August 11-?, 1864)49

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:50

The sidewheel steamer Mackinaw, built at the New York Navy Yard in 1863, was launched 22 April 1863, and commissioned at New York 23 April 1864, Comdr. J. C. Beaumont in command.

Mackinaw joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, starting picket duty on the James River in May and remaining on the river for most of 1864. She destroyed the steamer Georgiana McCaw 5 June [1864] and supported Union troops on their advance from Dutch Gap, Va., 11 August [1864].

Transferred to the Wilmington blockade, Mackinaw chased a steamer 7 November and captured schooner Mary east of Charleston 3 December. She participated in the attacks on Fort Fisher 24 and 25 December and 13 and 14 January 1865. She went into action against Fort Anderson 18 February, shelling the works at Port Royal until the latter part of April. She was ordered to Portsmouth, N.H., 26 April and decommissioned 11 May.

Recommissioned 18 January 1866, Mackinaw served in the North Atlantic Squadron and in the West Indies until decommissioning 4 May 1867. She was sold at public auction at Philadelphia 3 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, pp. 130–131 ↩
    3. “NH 57251 A ‘Double-Ender’ Gunboat.” Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-57000/NH-57251.html. Photo #: NH 57251 A Double-Ender gunboat In the James River, Virginia, 1864-65. Originally identified as USS Agawam (1864-1867), this ship differs from her in detail. It has been identified in published sources as USS Mackinaw (1864-1867). The monitor in the right background is USS Saugus (1864-1891). U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Catalog #: NH 57251 ↩
    4. John C. Beaumont image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 64, Page 3151.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. This is a postwar photo after Beaumont had become a Rear Admiral. ↩
    5. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 148–149, 157–158, p. 159 ↩
    6. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume X, pp. 148–149,  p. 158, p. 159 ↩
    7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, pp. 130–131 ↩
    8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
    9. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume X, pp. 218–219 ↩
    10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
    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. 410–412 ↩
    14. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
    15. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    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. 39–40 ↩
    20. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    21. “Mackinaw.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mackinaw.html. ↩
    22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
    27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    29. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    30. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    31. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, pp. 130–131 ↩
    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 XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
    34. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    35. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    36. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    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, Series 2, Volume 1, pp. 130–131 ↩
    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. 116–118 ↩
    44. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    45. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    46. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    47. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 158–159 ↩
    48. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume X, p. 159 ↩
    49. “Mackinaw.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mackinaw.html. ↩
    50. “Mackinaw.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mackinaw.html. ↩

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