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USS Western World

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 Western World Type: Screw Steamer Tonnage: 441 (450)
Length: 178’ Beam: 34’3” Draught: Loaded: 8’6”
Speed: Max: 7 knots Complement: Not Listed. Class: Not Listed.
Armament: March 31, 1865: 1 30-pdr. Parrott rifles, 2 32-pdrs. 57 cwt., 2 32-pdrs. 47 cwt.
Namesake: Not Listed.

Images:

Image Needed (Does One Exist?)

 

Captain(s):
Acting Master [Acting Ensign] Edward Herrick
Captain Image

Captain 2
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

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

Washington (DC) Navy Yard (repairing), not present at the Siege of Petersburg.3

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The Western World was repairing at Washington Navy Yard from April 1864 to November 10, 1864, when she was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.4

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

Washington (DC) Navy Yard (repairing), not present at the Siege of Petersburg.5https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html.]

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The Western World was repairing at Washington Navy Yard from April 1864 to November 10, 1864, when she was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.6

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

Washington (DC) Navy Yard (repairing), not present at the Siege of Petersburg.7

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The Western World was repairing at Washington Navy Yard from April 1864 to November 10, 1864, when she was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.8

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

Washington (DC) Navy Yard (repairing), not present at the Siege of Petersburg.9

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The Western World was repairing at Washington Navy Yard from April 1864 to November 10, 1864, when she was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.10

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

Washington (DC) Navy Yard (repairing), not present at the Siege of Petersburg.11

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The Western World was repairing at Washington Navy Yard from April 1864 to November 10, 1864, when she was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.12

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

Washington (DC) Navy Yard (repairing), not present at the Siege of Petersburg.13

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: The Western World was repairing at Washington Navy Yard from April 1864 to November 10, 1864, when she was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.14

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

Washington (DC) Navy Yard (repairing), not present at the Siege of Petersburg. (November 1-10, 1864)3

Not present at the Siege of Petersburg. (December 5, 1864)16

James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (December 15, 1864)17

  • Captain: Acting Master Edward Herrick (December 15, 1864)18
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 5 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)19
  • Note: The Western World was repairing at Washington Navy Yard from April 1864 to November 10, 1864, when she was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.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): James River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (January 1 & 15 and February 1, 15 & 25, 1865)22,23,24,25,26

  • Captain: Acting Ensign Edward Herrick (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)27,28,29,30
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 5 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)31,32,33,34
  • Note: On January 1 &15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.35,36,37,38

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

White House, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)39

Sailed for St. Inigoes, Maryland and duty in the Potomac Flotilla, not present at the Siege of Petersburg. (March 21, 1865)40

  • Captain: Acting Ensign Edward Herrick (March 18, 1865)41
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
    • 5 x “guns” (March 18, 1865)42
    • 1 x 30-pdr. Parrott rifles, 2 x 32-pdrs. 57 cwt., 2 x 32-pdrs. 47 cwt. (March 31, 1865)43
  • Note: On March 18, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Paddle Class” vessel.44

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:45

On 2 January 1862, Western World was ordered to Port Royal, S.C., to join the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. On the 26th, she participated in a major reconnaissance sweep of the Savannah River, Ga., and its tributaries…

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

However, the ship returned to the Washington Navy Yard on 1 April [1864] for more repairs and remained there until early November [1864].

Western World was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron on 10 November 1864. She patrolled the Virginia coast between the Nansemond River and Lawn’s Creek and, on 15 December 1864, helped to refloat the grounded monitor Saugus. On 5 March 1865, she arrived in the Rappahannock River to support the Army of the Potomac46 in operations against Fredericksburg. Later transferred to White House, Va., she sailed on 21 March for St. Inigoes, Md., and duty in the Potomac Flotilla. Western World was deployed in Virginia’s Mobjack Bay on 6 April and, on 5 May [1865], proceeded to the Washington Navy Yard. She was decommissioned there on 26 May 1865 and was sold at public auction on 24 June 1865 to H. R. Hazelhurst.

 

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. 238 ↩
      3. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      4. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      5. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      6. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      7. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      8. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      9. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      10. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      11. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      12. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      13. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      14. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      15. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      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. 192–194 ↩
      19. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      20. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      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. 398–400 ↩
      23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
      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 ↩
      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, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      32. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      33. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      34. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      35. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      36. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      37. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      40. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      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. 71–73 ↩
      43. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 238 ↩
      44. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      45. “Western World.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/western-world.html. ↩
      46. SOPO Editor’s Note: Whoever the Western World was supporting at Fredericksburg, it wasn’t the Army of the Potomac.  The AotP was at Petersburg getting ready for the final offensive in late March 1865. Please Contact me using the link at the top of the page if you have more information on the Fredericksburg operation discussed here. ↩

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