USS Decatur (1839)

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For other ships with the same name, see USS Decatur.

USS Decatur (1839)
USS Decatur
History
United States
Laid downdate unknown
Launched1838
Acquired1839 at
New York Navy Yard
Commissionedcirca 16 March 1840
Decommissioned20 June 1859
In serviceMarch 1863
Out of service1865
Stricken1865 (est.)
FateSold, 17 August 1865
General characteristics
Displacement566 tons
Length117 ft (36 m)
Beam32 ft (9.8 m)
Draft
  • depth of hold 15'
  • draft 15' 8"
Propulsionsail
Speed10 knots
Complement150 officers and men
Armament
  • fourteen 32-pounder guns
  • two 12-pounder rifles

USS Decatur was a

African slave trade. Decatur served in both the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War
.

The sloop-of-war was named in honor of Commodore Stephen Decatur (1779–1820), one of the United States Navy's greatest heroes and leaders of the first two decades of the 19th century.

Launched in 1839 at the New York Navy Yard

Decatur, a large sloop of 566 tons, was built in 1838 and 1839 at

New York Navy Yard
. She was outfitted with heavy guns and manned by a crew of 150 officers and enlisted men.

South Atlantic Ocean operations

Commanded by Commander H. W. Ogden, she sailed from

African Squadron for the suppression of the slave trade
. She was placed in ordinary during 1845 and 1846.

Mexican–American War operations

Decatur sailed from

Pensacola Navy Yard, arrived off Castle Juan de Uloa, Mexico, 14 April, for duty in the Mexican–American War
.

Although she was too large to ascend the Tuxpan River, 14 of her officers and 118 men accompanied Commodore Matthew C. Perry's expedition to attack Tuxpan. She also furnished 8 officers and 104 men for the capture of Tabasco from 14 to 16 June. She continued to cruise in Mexican waters until 2 September when she sailed for Boston, Massachusetts, arriving 12 November.

Atlantic Ocean operations

Rejoining the

African Squadron, Decatur cruised on the northwest coast of Africa on the lookout for slave ships and protecting U.S. interests from 2 February 1848 to 15 November 1849. After a period in ordinary she sailed from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for duty with the Home Squadron, cruising off the Atlantic Coast and in the Caribbean
until arriving at Boston 21 August 1852 where she was decommissioned for repairs.

Recommissioned 12 July 1853 Decatur joined a Special Squadron to guard the fishing interests of American citizens in North Atlantic Ocean waters, returning to Boston in September to prepare for distant service.[

Gut of Canso.[1] After searching for the missing merchant ship San Francisco in the Caribbean in January and February 1854, she sailed from Norfolk 16 June to join the Pacific Squadron
.

Pacific Ocean operations

After a stormy transit of the

Straits of Magellan, she called at Valparaíso, Chile, arriving 15 January 1855, then visited Honolulu from 28 March to 23 June. Sailing on to Washington Territory, Decatur entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca
19 July.

On her way to

Bainbridge Island, Washington Territory. Had she not righted herself with the incoming tide, the fate of Seattle might have turned out very differently.[2] Decatur remained in the Pacific Northwest to deter Native American outbreaks, providing support to the settlers in the Battle of Seattle (26 January 1856). The city had been garrisoned with officers and crew of the Decatur while all hands returned to the ship. "the woman and children were sent on board, as citizens and marines were left in charge of the block house, as officers and crew returned to the ship". Involving about 900 people, the numbers were reported to Chief Seattle that "700 engaged the forces of the whites" while there were 110 officers and 70 citizens who partook in the battle. Despite rumours of 35 killed and 35 wounded on the side of the whites, only two casualties were reported, both civilians. Damage to the Decatur was repaired "all well on board" when the Decatur left Seattle.[3]

San Francisco, California
between 2 August and 27 September 1855 for supplies.

On 13 June 1856, she arrived at

Mare Island Navy Yard for repairs, and on 8 January 1857, sailed for Panama, touching at Central American ports for the protection of U.S. interests. She sailed 3 June to Nicaragua to evacuate U.S. citizens connected with the filibustering expedition of William Walker to Panama, where she arrived 5 August. She cruised off Panama, Peru
, and Chile until 23 March 1859 when she was ordered to return to Mare Island.

Civil War service

She was decommissioned at Mare Island 20 June 1859 and remained in ordinary until March 1863 when she was fitted as a defensive floating battery and stationed off San Francisco.

Final decommissioning

She was sold at Mare Island on 17 August 1865.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Shipping Intelligence". Daily News. No. 2288. London. 20 September 1853.
  2. ^ Binnie, Mabel Fisken. "In Search of Bainbridge Island" (map). Dec 1932.
  3. ^ "War in Cascadia, Puget Sound". St. Louis Dispatch. 7 March 1856. p. 2.

External links


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