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USS Nansemond

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 Nansemond Type: Sidewheel Steamer Tonnage: 340
Length: 146’ Beam: 26’ Draught: Loaded: 8’3”, Light: 7’
Speed: Max: 15 knots, Avg.: 10 knots Complement: 63 men Class: Not Listed.
Armament: 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, 2 24-pdrs.
Namesake: A county and a river in southeastern Virginia.

Images:

Image Needed (Does One Exist?)

 

Captain(s):
Acting Master James H. Porter
Captain Image

Captain 2
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

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

  • Not Present (North Carolina)3

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

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

  • Not Present (North Carolina)4

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

  • Not Present (North Carolina)5

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

  • Not Present (North Carolina) (September 1, 1864)6
  • Not Present (Baltimore, MD, repairing since September 1)(September 16 and October 1, 1864)7,8

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

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

Not Present (North Carolina) (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)9,10,11

  • Captain: Acting Ensign (Acting Master by Dec. 15) James H. Porter (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)12,13,14
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 3 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)15
  • Note: On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.16

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

Not Present (North Carolina) (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)17,18,19,20

Hampton Roads, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (February 25, 1865)21

  • Captain: Acting Master James H. Porter (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)22,23,24,25
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 3 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)26,27,28,25
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.30,31,32,33

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

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)34

Not Present (April 1 & 15, 1865)35,36

  • Captain: Acting Master James H. Porter (March 18, 1865)37
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 3 x “guns” (March 18, 1865)38
  • Note: On March 18, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Paddle Class” vessel.39

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:40

The first Nansemond, a side wheel steamer built at Williamsburg, N.Y. in 1862, as James F. Freeborn, was purchased by the Navy at New York City 18 August 1863 from Richard Squires; renamed Nansemond and commissioned at Baltimore 19 August, Lt. Roswell H. Lamson in command.

After joining the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron off Wilmington 24 August 1863…

[SOPO Editor’s Note: The ship’s earlier Civil War service has been omitted.]

After supporting the Union’s final drive on Richmond, Nansemond decommissioned at Washington Navy Yard 8 August 1865. She was transferred to the Treasury Department 22 August and served the Revenue Cutter Service as W. H. Crawford, operating primarily along the Atlantic coast from Baltimore to Key West. She was sold at Baltimore to Edward D. Booz 24 April 1897.

 

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. 154 ↩
      3. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
      4. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
      5. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
      6. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
      7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
      8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
      9. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
      10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
      11. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
      13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
      14. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      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. 192–194 ↩
      17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      18. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      19. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      20. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      21. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
      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 XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      29. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      30. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      31. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      32. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      33. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      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. 71–73 ↩
      39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      40. “Nansemond I (SwStr).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/nansemond-i.html. ↩

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