Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

Petrita

Screw Steamer:
  • Built, date and location unknown
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Early in the morning of 23 October 1846, a small squadron under COMO. Matthew Perry steamed into a sleepy Mexican town located 7 miles up the Grijalva River. Frontera (now Alvaro Obregon) was caught by surprise
  • Leaving the steam frigate USS Mississippi at the mouth of the river because of her draft, the squadron captured 2 steamers and a number of coastal schooners
  • The most important capture was Petrita, a small but swift American built steamer
  • She was added to the squadron which was composed of the steamers USRC McLane and USS Vixen, and schooners USS Bonito and USS Nonata
  • Early the next morning Perry sailed farther up the Grijalva River to attack the town of San Juan Bautista (now Villa Hermosa)
  • At 9 a.m. the Squadron passed the abandoned Fort Acacchappa, where it stopped long enough to spike the guns
  • It was 12 noon when the Perry arrived at his destination where he captured 5 more vessels, and bombarded San Juan Bautista
  • Not being able to garrison the town because of the lack of men, Perry withdrew to Anton Lizardo, and island just south of Vera Cruz
  • Petrita was inactive for the remainder of 1846 and the first part of 1847
  • This was due to a coal shortage and violent storms called "northers" which occur during the winter months
  • On 7 March 1847, COMO. David Conner and General Winfield Scott made a reconnaissance of Vera Cruz in Petrita
  • She ran close to Fort Sari Juan de Ulua and was straddled by gunfire, however, no damage was sustained
  • Petrita participated in the Vera Cruz amphibious assault
  • COMO. Conner's plan was to have the large warships tow landing craft from Anton Lizardo to Isla Sacrificios, a distance of a few miles
  • The small steamers would then pick up the tow and run the landing craft in to shore. Sloop USS Saint Marys transferred her tow to Petrita, and she safely towed them in
  • By 10 p.m. more than 10,000 troops had been landed. The operation was a complete success.
  • Suffering from engine defects, Petrita was inactive for the remainder of the war
  • Final Disposition, in 1848 Petrita was lost off Alvarado, All hands were saved.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 200t.
    Length unknown
    Beam unknown
    Depth of Hold unknown
    Draft unknown
    Speed unknown
    Complement unknown
    Armament one gun
    Propulsion
    steam engine(s)
    boiler(s)
    screw(s)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 SizeImage Description Contributed
    By
    There are no images of Petrita available at NavSource
    Petrita
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Old Navy" Steam and Sail Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    Last Updated 12 August 2022