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USS Mendota

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Mendota Type: Double-Ender Sidewheel Gunboat Tonnage: 974
Length: 205’ Beam: 35’ Draught: 8’9”
Speed: Max: 11 knots, Avg.: 8 knots Complement: Not Listed. Class: Sassacus
Armament: July 1, 1864: 2 100‑pdr. Parrott rifles, 4 9″ Dahlgren Smoothbores, 2 24‑pdr. Dahlgren rifles, 2 20‑pdr. Dahlgren rifles
Namesake: A lake in Wisconsin. Madison, the State capital, is located on Mendota’s southern shore.

Images:

33947v: U.S.S. Mendota, James River, Va.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 Edward T. Nichols
EdwardTNicholsUSNavyV15P703L4

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 14 and 17, 1864)5,6

  • Captain: Commander Edward T. Nichols (June 14, 1864)7
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Notes:
    • On June 17, 1864, this ship is noted as located “above USS Hunchback” and “above Wilson’s Wharf” on the James River.8
    • During this time, USS Mendota served as a picket ship near Four Mile Creek. Her guns were used to prevent the establishment of Confederate batteries or entrenchments which would threaten river communications or imperil a small Union Army base camp.9

Second Offensive Order of Battle (June 19-30, 1864): James River | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 30, 1864)10

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: During this time, USS Mendota served as a picket ship near Four Mile Creek. Her guns were used to prevent the establishment of Confederate batteries or entrenchments which would threaten river communications or imperil a small Union Army base camp.11

Third Offensive Order of Battle (July 1-31, 1864): Fourth Division (James River) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (July 31, 1864)12

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 2 x 100‑pdr. Parrott rifles, 4 x 9″ Dahlgren Smoothbores, 2 x 24‑pdr. Dahlgren rifles, 2 x 20‑pdr. Dahlgren rifles (July 1, 1864)13:
  • Note: During this time, USS Mendota served as a picket ship near Four Mile Creek. Her guns were used to prevent the establishment of Confederate batteries or entrenchments which would threaten river communications or imperil a small Union Army base camp.14

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle (August 1-31, 1864): Fourth Division (James River) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (August 1 & 17, 1864)15,16

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: During this time, USS Mendota served as a picket ship near Four Mile Creek. Her guns were used to prevent the establishment of Confederate batteries or entrenchments which would threaten river communications or imperil a small Union Army base camp.17

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)18,19,20

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Notes:
    • On September 16 and October 1, 1864, this ship is noted as in the “James River.”21,22
    • During this time, USS Mendota served as a picket ship near Four Mile Creek. Her guns were used to prevent the establishment of Confederate batteries or entrenchments which would threaten river communications or imperil a small Union Army base camp.23

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The “small Union Army base camp” at Deep Bottom had been greatly expanded by the capture of New Market Heights and Fort Harrison on September 29, 1864.  I am unsure how or if the Mendota’s role changed once this happened.  More research is needed.

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, 1865)24,25,26

  • Captain: Commander Edward T. Nichols (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1865)27,28,29
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 10 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)30
  • Notes:
    • On November 12, 1864, this ship was on picket duty in the James River at “Dutch Gap” and was classified as a “gunboat.”31
    • On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 3” vessel.32

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)33,34,35,36,37

  • Captain: Commander Edward T. Nichols (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)38,39,40,41
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 10 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)42,43,44,45
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 3” vessel.46,47,48,49

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

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)50

Hampton Roads | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 1, 1865)51

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (at Drewry’s Bluff on April 15, 1865)52

  • Captain: Commander Edward T. Nichols (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)53,54,55
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 10 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)56,57,58
  • Notes:
    • On March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Paddle Class” vessel.59,60,61
    • During her last 2 months of service (mid-March to mid-May 1865) she directed ship movements at Hampton Roads and also at the mouth of the Delaware River.62

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:65

Mendota, a sidewheel gunboat, was launched 13 January 1863 by F. Z. Tucker, Brooklyn, N.Y.; acquired by the Navy 1 February 1864; and commissioned 2 May 1864, Comdr. E. T. Nichols in command.

From the day of her commissioning in 1864, Mendota was assigned to the James River (Va.) Division, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. The first 10 months she served [May 1864 to the end of February 1865] as a picket ship near Four Mile Creek. Her guns were used to prevent the establishment of Confederate batteries or entrenchments which would threaten river communications or imperil a small Union Army base camp. Action on 28 July [1864] was particularly intense. During her last 2 months of service [March into May 1865] she directed ship movements at Hampton Roads and also at the mouth of the Delaware River.

After the war Mendota decommissioned 12 May 1865 and was laid up at League Island, Philadelphia, until sold 7 December 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. 140 ↩
    3. U.S.S. Mendota, James River, Va. (Photographed between 1861 and 1865, printed between 1880 and 1889) Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2013647365/ ↩
    4. Edward T. Nichols image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 15, Page 703L.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    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,  147 ↩
    7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 147 ↩
    8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
    9. “Mendota I (SwGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mendota-i.html. ↩
    10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume X, pp. 218–219 ↩
    11. “Mendota I (SwGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mendota-i.html. ↩
    12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
    13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 140 ↩
    14. “Mendota I (SwGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mendota-i.html. ↩
    15. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
    16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, p. 326 ↩
    17. “Mendota I (SwGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mendota-i.html. ↩
    18. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
    19. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
    20. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    21. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
    22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    23. “Mendota I (SwGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mendota-i.html. ↩
    24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    29. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    30. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    31. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, p. 61 ↩
    32. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    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. 54–55 ↩
    38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    40. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    41. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    42. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    43. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    44. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    45. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    46. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    47. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    48. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    49. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    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. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    54. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    55. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    56. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    57. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    58. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    59. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    60. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    61. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    62. “Mendota I (SwGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mendota-i.html. ↩
    63. “Naval Correspondence,” South Danvers (Mass) Wizard, August 8(?), 1864, p. ? col. ? ↩
    64. “Mendota I (SwGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mendota-i.html. ↩
    65. “Mendota I (SwGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/mendota-i.html. ↩

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