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USS Pawtuxet

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Pawtuxet Type: Sidewheel Steamer Tonnage: 974
Length: 205’ Beam: 35’ Draught: Loaded: 9’3”, Light: 8’
Speed: Max: 14 knot; 1 knot leeway Complement: Not Listed. Class: Not Listed.
Armament: October 13, 1864: 2 100-pdr. Parrott rifles, 4 9″ Dahlgren Smoothbores; 2 20 pdr. Parrott rifles, 2 24-pdr howitzers
Namesake: A river in Rhode Island.

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Captain(s):
Commander James H. Spotts
Captain Image

Captain 2
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

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

  • Not Yet Commissioned3

Second

  • Not Yet Commissioned4

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

  • Not Yet Commissioned5

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

Not Yet Commissioned (August 1-25, 1864)6,7

Commissioned on August 26, 18648

  • Captain: Commander James H. Spotts (August 26, 1864)9
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

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

Not Present (September 1 & 16 and October 1, 1864)10,11,12

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 2 x 100-pdr. Parrott rifles, 4 x 9″ Dahlgren Smoothbores; 2 x 20 pdr. Parrott rifles, 2 x 24-pdr howitzers (October 13, 1864)13

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

Not Present (North Carolina)14

  • 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)15,16,17

  • Captain: Commander James H. Spotts (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)18,19,20
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 10 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)21
  • Note: On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 3” vessel.22

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

Not Present (North Carolina) (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)23,24,25,26

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (February 25, 1865)27

  • Captain: Commander James H. Spotts (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)28,29,30,31
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 10 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)32,33,34,35
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 3” vessel.36,37,38,39

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)40,41,42

  • Captain: Commander James H. Spotts (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)43,44,45
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 10 x “guns”46,47,48
  • Note: On March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Paddle Class” vessel.49,50,51

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:52

Pawtuxet, a side wheel steamer, was launched by the Portsmouth N.H., Navy Yard 19 March 1864; delivered to the Navy at New York 18 May 1864 and commissioned 26 August 1864, Comdr. J. H. Spotts in command.

Following commissioning Pawtuxet was ordered to the Grand Banks to join the quest for the Confederate raider Tallahassee, but before she could get underway Tallahassee had returned safely to Wilmington. Powtuxet was then ordered south to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Joining the 3rd Division in October [1864] she was ordered to cruise off the Carolina coast, primarily between Capes Lookout and Fear. At the end of December [1864] she bombarded the defenses at Wilmington in support of the first assault against Fort Fisher. Returning 13 January [1865], she again turned her guns on that fort; sent men and boats to participate in the successful assault on the 15th; then resumed blockade duties. Shifted to the Virginia coast in April, she decommissioned at New York 15 June 1865 and was 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. 172 ↩
      3. “Pawtuxet.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pawtuxet.html. ↩
      4. “Pawtuxet.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pawtuxet.html. ↩
      5. “Pawtuxet.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pawtuxet.html. ↩
      6. “Pawtuxet.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pawtuxet.html. ↩
      7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
      8. “Pawtuxet.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pawtuxet.html. ↩
      9. “Pawtuxet.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pawtuxet.html. ↩
      10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
      11. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
      12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
      13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 172 ↩
      14. “Pawtuxet.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pawtuxet.html. ↩
      15. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
      16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
      17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      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. 192–194 ↩
      22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
      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 XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      33. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      34. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      35. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      36. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      37. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      40. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      41. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      42. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      43. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      44. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      45. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      46. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      47. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      48. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      49. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      50. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      51. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      52. “Pawtuxet.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pawtuxet.html. ↩

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