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USS Vicksburg

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 Vicksburg Type: Screw Gunboat Tonnage: 886 (930)
Length: 185’ Beam: 33’ Draught: Loaded: 13’8”, Light: 12’6”
Speed: Max: 9 knots, Avg.: 6 knots Complement: Not Listed. Class: Not Listed.
Armament: January 1, 1865: 1 100-pounder Parrott rifle, 4 30-pounder Parrott rifles, 1 20-pounder Parrott rifle, 1 light 12-pdr. Smoothbore
Namesake: A city in Mississippi located on a bluff at the mouth of the Yazoo River; founded in 1812; and named for Newitt Vick (1766-1819), the owner of a plantation on the present site of the city. During the American Civil War (1861-1865), Union General Ulysses S. Grant besieged the city from 19 May to 4 July 1863. The Confederate garrison surrendered, giving the North control of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, and contributing greatly to the eventual overall Union victory.

Images:

NH 42052 USS Vicksburg3

 

Captain(s):
Lieutenant Commander Francis H. Baker
Captain Image

Lieutenant [or Acting Master] William U. Grozier
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864): Norfolk, Va. [repairing] | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (June 17, 1864)4

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On June 17, 1864, this ship is noted as “repairing.” 5

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

  • Not present at the Siege of Petersburg.

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

  • Not present at the Siege of Petersburg.

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

  • Not present at the Siege of Petersburg.

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

Away in NC, not present at the Siege of Petersburg. (October 1, 1864)6

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

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

Location not listed. (November 1, 1864)7

Hampton Roads, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (December 5, 1864)8

Away in North Carolina, not present at the Siege of Petersburg. (December 15, 1864)9

  • Captain: Lieutenant Commander Francis H. Baker (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)10,11,12
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 6 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)13
  • Note: On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 3” vessel.14

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

Away in North Carolina, not present at the Siege of Petersburg. (January 1 & 15 and February 1, 1865)15,16,17,18

Ordered north to Hampton Roads, Va. (February 22, 1865)19

Hampton Roads, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (February 25, 1865)20

  • Captain:
    • Lieutenant Commander Francis H. Baker (January 1 & 15, 1865)21,22
    • Lieutenant William U. Grozier (February 1 & 15, 1865)23,24
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
    • 6 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)25,26,27,28
    • 1 x 100-pounder Parrott rifle, 4 x 30-pounder Parrott rifles, 1 x 20-pounder Parrott rifle, 1 x light 12-pdr. Smoothbore (January 1, 1865)29
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 3” vessel.30,31,32,33
  • Note: The Vicksburg was ordered north to Hampton Roads on February 22, 1865.34

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

White House, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)35

Not sure where Vicksburg went, but not present at the Siege of Petersburg (April 1 & 15, 1865)36,37

  • Captain: Acting Master William U. Grozier (March 18, 1865)38
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 6 x “guns” (March 18, 1865)39
  • Note: On March 18, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Screw Class” vessel.40

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:41

The first Vicksburg, a wooden steamer built in 1863 at Mystic, Conn., was purchased by the Navy at New York City on 20 October 1863; and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 2 December [1863], Lt. Comdr. L. Braine in command…

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

Vicksburg began the final year of the war [1865] assisting Union forces in mop-up operations following the fall of Fort Fisher during a second amphibious assault, which took place between 13 and 15 January 1865. She also participated in the bombardment of Half Moon Battery, situated on the coastal flank of the Confederate defense line which crossed Cape Fear Peninsula six miles above Fort Fisher, on 11 February [1865]. On 22 February [1865], she was ordered north to Hampton Roads. In March, Vicksburg sailed with several vessels to White House, Va., to support Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s siege of Richmond by keeping open navigation between White House and the mouth of the York River.

With the end of the Civil War in April 1865, Vicksburg was decommissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 29 April, and sold at auction to C. C. & H. Cable on 12 July. She was documented for merchant service on 7 August 1865. Her name last appeared on lists of merchant vessels in the autumn of 1868.

 

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. 231-232 ↩
    3. “USS Vicksburg.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-42000/NH-42052.html. Title: USS Vicksburg Description: (1863-1865) Contemporary photograph, mounted on a carte de visite, of a Civil War era artwork. Donation of Rear Admiral Daniel L. Braine, USN (Retired), circa the 1890s. He was Vicksburg’s Commanding Officer. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Catalog #: NH 42052 ↩
    4. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
    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, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    9. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    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. 192–194 ↩
    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. 398–400 ↩
    16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    18. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    19. “Vicksburg I (ScGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/v/vicksburg-i.html. ↩
    20. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
    21. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    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, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 231-232 ↩
    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. “Vicksburg I (ScGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/v/vicksburg-i.html. ↩
    35. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    36. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    37. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    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. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    41. “Vicksburg I (ScGbt).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/v/vicksburg-i.html. ↩

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