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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:
| Name: USS Onondaga | Type: Double Turreted Monitor | Tonnage: 1,250 |
| Length: 226’ | Beam: 49’3” | Draught: Forward: 12’4”, Aft: 12’9” |
| Speed: Max: 9 (or 7) knots, Avg.: 6 knots | Complement: 150 men | Class: Onondaga |
| Armament: February 23, 1864: 2 15″ Dahlgren Smoothbores, 2 150-pdr. Parrott rifles | ||
| Namesake: A lake and county in New York. | ||
Images:
Ship Model Available:
Long Face Games Union Monitor USS Onondaga, 1/600 and 1/1200
Captain(s):
Commander William A. Parker
5
Lieutenant Commander Charles H. Cushman
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Lieutenant Commander Homer C. Blake
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Captain 4
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First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864): James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 17, 1864)6
- Captain:
- Crew Strength:
- Armament:
- Note: On June 17, 1864, this ship is noted as at “Trent’s Reach” and “above Wilson’s Wharf” on the James River.7
Second Offensive Order of Battle (June 19-30, 1864): James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 21-23, 1864)8,9
- Captain: Lieutenant Commander Charles H. Cushman (June 21 and 23, 1864)10
- Crew Strength:
- Armament: Forward Turret: 1 x 15″ Dahlgren Smoothbore, 1 x 8” Parrott Rifle; Aft Turret: 1 x 15″ Dahlgren Smoothbore, 1 x 8” Parrott Rifle (June 21, 1864)11
Third Offensive Order of Battle (July 1-31, 1864): Fourth Division (James River) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (July 31, 1864)12
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- 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)13,14
- 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)15,16,17
- Captain:
- Crew Strength:
- Armament:
- Note: On September 1 & 16 and October 1, 1864, this ship is noted as in the “James River.”18,19,20
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 & 12 and December 5 & 15, 1864)21,22,23,24
- Captain:
- Crew Strength:
- Armament: 4 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)28
- Notes:
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)31,32,33,34,35
- Captain:
- Crew Strength:
- Armament: 4 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)40,41,42,43
- Note:
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) (at Trent’s Reach on April 1, 1865)48,49,50
- Captain: Lieutenant Commander H. C. Blake (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)51,52,53
- Crew Strength:
- Armament: 4 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)54,55,56
- Note: On March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Screw Class” vessel.57,58,59
Siege of Petersburg Battles:
- Action at Howlett’s Bluff (June 21, 1864)60,61
- Engagement of Federal Ironclads with Howlett’s Battery (November 29, 1864)
- Engagement of Federal ironclads with Howlett’s Battery (December 5-6, 1864)
- Battle of Trent’s Reach (January 23-25, 1865)
Siege of Petersburg Involvement:62
The first Onondaga, a double turreted monitor, was launched 29 July 1863 by Continental Iron Works, Greenpoint, N. Y., under subcontract from George W. Quintard; sponsored by Miss Sally Sedgwick, daughter of former U. S. Representative Charles Baldwin Sedgwick, who codified naval laws for the Navy Department; and commissioned at New York Navy Yard 24 March 1864, Capt. Melancthon Smith in command.
With Mattabesset, the new monitor departed New York 21 April 1864, and arrived Hampton Roads two days later. Operating primarily in the James River Flotilla, Onondaga supported General Grant’s drive on Richmond. On 29 November with Mahopac she engaged Southern batteries on the James at Howlett’s, Va., and resumed the attack 5 and 6 December.
Early in January much of the Union strength was withdrawn from the James as Admiral Porter assembled his powerful fleet for the forthcoming attack on Fort Fisher, N. C., which protected Wilmington. Onondaga was the only monitor left to guard Union forces on and along the James against Flag Officer John K. Mitchell’s Confederate James River Squadron. When the Southern force steamed down river to attack the weakened Union forces there afloat, the monitor dropped downstream to a position affording her greater maneuverability. She and her supporting gunboats awaited the Southern attack only to have the Confederate thrust blunted when Mitchell’s ironclads Virginia No. 2 and Richmond, gunboat Drewry, and torpedo boat Scorpion all ran aground trying to pass obstructions at Trent’s Reach. After attacks by Northern shore batteries and Onondaga, Drewry exploded, Scorpion was abandoned, and the two Southern ironclads withdrew upriver when they were refloated the next day.
After continuing to support Union troops fighting to take the Confederate capital until General Lee was forced to abandon Richmond, Onondaga steamed north and decommissioned at New York 8 June 1865 and was laid up at League Island, Pa. By Act of Congress approved 7 March 1867, the monitor was sold to her builder, G. W. Quintard and subsequently resold to France for service in the French Navy under the same name.
Bibliography:
Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:
- 150 Years Ago Today: Actions at Four-Mile Creek and Dutch Gap: August 13, 1864
- 150 Years Ago Today: Engagement of Federal Ironclads with Howlett’s Battery: November 29, 1864
- 150 Years Ago Today: Engagement of Federal Ironclads with Howlett’s Battery: December 5-6, 1864
- 150 Years Ago Today: Action at Fort Brady, James River: January 25, 1865
- LT: June 6, 1864 Elias S. Peck
- MAP: Action at Howlett’s Bluff, June 21, 1864
- MAP: Engagement of Federal Ironclads with Howlett’s Battery: December 5-6, 1864
- MAP: Engagement of Federal Ironclads with Howlett’s Battery: November 29, 1864
- MAP: Ship Locations of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron on the James River, June 17, 1864
- MAP: Ship Locations on the James River, June 17, 1864, Part 1: Farrar’s Island to Bermuda Hundred
- NP: June 3, 1864 Kennebec Journal: The Rebel Torpedoes in James River
- NP: June 22, 1864 Philadelphia Inquirer: The James River Fleet, June 7, 1864
- NP: July 9, 1864 Irish-American (New York, NY): The USS Onondaga in the Action at Howlett’s Bluff, June 21, 1864
- NP: December 17, 1864 Irish-American (NY): Monitor Onondaga Engages Battery Dantzler, Nov. 29, 1864
- NP: December 24, 1864 Irish-American (NY): Four Union Ironclads Attack Battery Dantzler, Dec. 5-6
- NP: February 4, 1865 Irish-American (NY): Battle of Trent’s Reach from Deck of USS Onondaga, Jan. 23-24
- OR XLII P1 #245: Report of Captain Lemuel B. Norton, Signal Corps, Chief Signal Officer, AotJ, August 1-31, 1864
- OR XLII P1 #246: Reports of Captain Henry R. Clum, Signal Corps, Chief Signal Officer, AotJ, Sept 1-Oct 31, 1864
- ORN Series 1, Vol. X: Union Orders in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, June 1864
- ORN Series 1, Vol. X: Report of Acting Rear-Admiral S. P. Lee giving Stations of Vessels in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, June 17, 1864
- ORN Series 1, Vol. X: Report of Acting Rear-Admiral Samuel P. Lee, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, June 21, 1864
- ORN Series 1, Vol. X: Report of Lieutenant Commander Charles H. Cushman, USS Onondaga, June 21, 1864
- ORN XI: Report of Commander Parker, U. S. Navy, regarding complaints of his conduct made by Lieutenant-General Grant, U. S. Army
- ORN XI: Report of Lieutenant Sumner, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. S. Massasoit
- ORN XI: Abstract log of the U. S. S. Eutaw, Lieutenant-Commander H. C. Blake, U. S. Navy
- ORN XI: Abstract log of the U. S. S. Hunchback, Lieutenant Joseph P. Fyffe, U. S. Navy
- ORN XI: Report of Second Assistant Engineer Stone, U. S. Navy, in temporary command of the U. S. S. Spuyten Duyvil
- ORN XI: Report of Commander Parker, U. S. Navy, on the Battle of Trent’s Reach, Jan. 23-25, 1865
Sources:
- “DANFS.” Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs.html. ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 165 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume IX, p. 683 ↩
- Double turretted i.e. turreted monitor “Onondaga”, James River, Va. (Photographed between 1861 and 1865, printed between 1880 and 1889) Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2013647379/>. ↩
- William A. Parker image. MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 64, Page 3177. United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 177, pp. 181–182 ↩
- “The Onondago in Action.” The Irish-American (New York, NY). July 9, 1864, p. 1 col. 7 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 177, pp. 181–182 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, pp. 181–182 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, p. 326 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, p. 61 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, p. 61 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
- “The Onondago in Action.” The Irish-American (New York, NY). July 9, 1864, p. 1 col. 7 ↩
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, 177, pp. 181–182 ↩
- “Onondaga I (Monitor), Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/o/onondaga-i.html. ↩