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USS Pequot

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Pequot Type: Screw Gunboat Tonnage: 593
Length: 190’ Beam: 29’ Draught: Loaded, forward: 9’6”, Aft: 12’, Light, forward, 7’6”, Aft: 11’4”; Oct. 13, 1864, Forward: 9’7”, Aft: 11’6”
Speed: Max: 11 knots, Avg.: 8 knots Complement: 130 men Class: Not Listed.
Armament:

March 31, 1864: 1 150-pdr. Parrott rifle, 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, 6 32-pdrs. 33 cwt., 2 24-pdr. howitzers; 1 heavy12 pdr., 1 12-pdr. rifle

January 13, 1865: 1 150-pdr. Parrott rifle, 6 32-pdrs. 33 cwt.

April 26, 1865: 1 150-pdr. Parrott rifle, 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, 6 32-pdrs. 33 cwt., 2 24-pdr. howitzers; 1 heavy 12 pdr., 1 heavy 12-pdr. Smoothbore
Namesake: An Indian tribe resident in Southern Connecticut, members of the Algonquian language grouping.

Images:

NH 45213 USS PEQUOT (1863-1869)3

 

Captain(s):
Lieutenant Commander Stephen P. Quackenbush
Captain Image Needed

Lieutenant Commander Daniel L.  Braine
DanielLBraineUSNavyV8P3914

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 17-18, 1864)5,6

  • Captain: Lieutenant Commander Stephen P. Quackenbush (June 18, 1864)7
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On June 17, 1864, this ship is noted as “off Fort Powhatan” and “above Newport News” on the James River.8

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

  • 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)9

  • 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)10,11

  • 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)12,13,14

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On September 16 and October 1, 1864, this ship is noted as in “James River.”15,14

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. (Away in North Carolina)

  • Captain: Lieutenant Commander Daniel L.  Braine (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)17,18,19
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 8 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)20
  • Note: On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.21

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

Not Present. (away in North Carolina) (January 1-February ??, 1865)

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (February 25, 1865)22

  • Captain: Lieutenant Commander Daniel L. Blaine (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)23,24,25,26
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
    • 8 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)27,28,29,30
    • 1 x 150-pdr. Parrott rifle, 6 x 32-pdrs. 33 cwt. (January 13, 1865)31
  • Notes:
    • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.32,33,34,35
    • Based on the lists of vessels in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron on February 15 and 25, 1865, the USS Pequot returned to the James River sometime between those two dates. More research is needed.36,37

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

Norfolk Navy Yard, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)38

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 1, 1865)39

Chesapeake Bay | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 15, 1865)40

  • Captain: Lieutenant Commander Daniel L.  Braine (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)41,42,43
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
    • 8 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)44,45,46
    • 1 150-pdr. Parrott rifle, 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, 6 32-pdrs. 33 cwt., 2 24-pdr. howitzers; 1 heavy 12 pdr., 1 heavy 12-pdr. Smoothbore (April 26, 1865)47
  • Notes:
    • Note: On March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Paddle Class” vessel.48,49,50
    • Based on the lists of vessels in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron on April 1 and 15, 1865, the USS Pequot left the Richmond-Petersburg area for the Chesapeake Bay sometime between those dates. More research is needed.51,52

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:54

Pequot, a wooden screw gunboat, was launched 4 June 1863 by the Boston Navy Yard; and commissioned there 15 January 1864, Lt. Comdr. Stephen P. Quackenbush in command.

The new gunboat departed Boston 5 February [1864] and joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She captured British blockade runner Don off Beaufort, N.C., 4 March [1864], and helped the Army beat back a Confederate attack on Wilson’s Wharf, James River, Va., 24 May [1864]. Blockade duty occupied her until she participated in the attacks on Fort Fisher which protected Wilmington, N.C., 24 [December] 1864 and 13 January 1865, closing that last major Confederate port. She followed this victory by helping capture Fort Anderson, N.C.

After the end of the Civil War, she decommissioned at New York Navy Yard 3 June 1865 and was laid up until sold in 1869.

 

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. 175 ↩
    3. “NH 45213 USS PEQUOT (1863-1869).” Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-45000/NH-45213.html. PEQUOT and her sisters were built with straight bows and two masts. Five sister ships, not including PEQUOT, were rebuilt with clipper bows and three masts, circa 1869. This was done on the orders of Admiral Porter. Description: Courtesy of Rear Admiral D.L. Braine Catalog #: NH 45213 ↩
    4. Daniel L.  Braine image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 8, Page 391.  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, p. 159 ↩
    7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 10, p. 159 ↩
    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, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
    10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
    11. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, p. 326 ↩
    12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
    13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
    14. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    15. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
    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 XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    18. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    19. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    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 XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
    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 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: This list shows 3 guns, but I believe it is a typo. All other lists in this time frame show 8 guns. ↩
    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, p. 175 ↩
    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. 192–194 ↩
    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 XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    40. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    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, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 175 ↩
    48. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    49. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    50. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    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 X, p. 137 ↩
    54. “Pequot I (Wooden Screw Gunboat).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pequot-i.html. ↩

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