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USS Samuel Rotan

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Samuel Rotan Type: Schooner Tonnage: 212
Length: 110’ Beam: 28’6” Draught: Loaded: 9’, Light: 5’
Speed: Max: 11 knots Complement: 29 men Class: Not Listed.
Armament: December 31, 1863: 1 30-pdr. Dahlgren rifle, 2 32-pdrs. 57 cwt, 1 24-pdr. howitzer

December 31, 1864: 1 30-pdr. Dahlgren rifle, 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, 2 32-pdrs. 57 cwt, 1 24-pdr. howitzer
Namesake: Not Listed.

Images:

Image Needed

 

Captain(s):
Acting Master William G. Nutting
Captain Image

Acting Ensign J. W. Willard
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864): York and Pamunkey Rivers and Chesapeake Bay | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 17, 1864)3

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

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

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  • Armament:

Third Offensive Order of Battle (July 1-31, 1864): York River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (July 31, 1864) 4

  • Captain:
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  • Armament:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle (August 1-31, 1864): York River, Virginia | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (August 17, 1864)5

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

York River and Chesapeake Bay | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (September 1 & 16, 1864)6,7

Second Division (Hampton Roads and James River) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (October 1, 1864)8

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  • Note: On October 1, 1864, this ship is noted as on “York River.”9

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

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

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (November 1, 1864)10

York River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (December 5 & 15, 1864)11,12

  • Captain: Acting Master William G. Nutting (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)13,14,15
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
    • 5 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)16
    • 1 x 30-pdr. Dahlgren rifle, 1 x 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, 2 x 32-pdrs. 57 cwt, 1 x 24-pdr. howitzer (December 31, 1864)17
  • Notes:
    • On November 12, 1864, this ship was located in the Chickahominy River and was classified as a “schooner.”18
    • On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.19

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

York River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)20,21,22,23

Norfolk Navy Yard, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (February 25, 1865)24

  • Captain: Acting Master William G. Nutting (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)25,26,27,28
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 5 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)29,30,31,32
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.33,34,35,36

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

Norfolk Navy Yard, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)37

Not Present (away in NC) (April 1, 1865)38

Hampton Roads, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 15, 1865)39

  • Captain:
    • Acting Master William G. Nutting (March 18 and April 1, 1865)40,41
    • Acting Ensign J. W. Willard (April 15, 1865)42
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 5 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)43,44,45
  • Notes:
    • On March 18, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Schooner.”46
    • On April 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “schooner” and a “guard ship.”47

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:48

Samuel Rotan, a wooden, center-board schooner purchased by the Navy at Philadelphia on 21 September 1861, was fitted out as a gunboat at the Philadelphia Navy Yard; and commissioned there on 12 November 1861, Acting Master John A. Rogers in command.

Late in January 1864, she was back on blockade duty off the west coast of Chesapeake Bay, and she continued this duty into the autumn. Then she was transferred to the James River to help support General Grant’s operations against Richmond. Early in December 1864, she was back off the York River and served in that area into the spring of 1865. In April [1865], she sailed north for inactivation; and she was decommissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 10 June 1865. The schooner was sold there on 15 August 1865 to a Mr. Stannard.

 

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. 199 ↩
    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 X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    11. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    14. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    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, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 199 ↩
    18. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, p. 61 ↩
    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. 398–400 ↩
    21. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
    25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    29. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    30. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    31. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    32. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    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. 71–73 ↩
    38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    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. 116–118 ↩
    48. “Samuel Rotan.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/samuel-rotan.html. ↩

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