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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Sachem (II)


Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal

Screw Gunboat:
  • Built in 1844 as a screw steamer at New York City
  • Purchased by the US Navy at New York, 20 September 1861
  • Commissioned, date unknown, Acting Master Lemuel G. Crane, in command
  • During the Civil War USS Sachem participated in the following actions:
    Escorted USS Monitor to Hampton Roads, and was present during the Monitor's historic engagement with Confederate ironclad ram, CSS Virginia, the former USS Merrimack.
    Assigned to the Coast Survey, surveying the lower Mississippi River at New Orleans in early April 1862 marking channel for Farragut's deep draft ships and located firing positions for Porter's mortar schooners
    Reconnoitered Lake Ponchartrain and the Pearl River and surveyed the entrance to Mobile Bay, early May 1862
    Assisted in the refloating of the grounded steamer USS Clifton, at Mobile Bay, early May 1862
    Returned to the Navy, circa 30 June 1862, from the Coast Survey, assigned to blockade Arkansas Pass, TX., Acting Volunteer LT. Amos Johnson, in command
    Battle at Galveston Harbor, 31 December 1862
    Assisted in Farragut's further advance up the Mississippi in March 1863
    Assigned to the force sealing off the mouth of the Red River in late March 1863
    Assigned to the joint Army-Navy expeditionary force to attack Sabine Pass, TX, late-September 1863
    Severely damaged by Confederate batteries at Fort Mannahasset, surrendering to Confederate forces
    Repaired and operated by the Texas Marine Department supporting the Confederate Army
  • No record exists of her service after March 1864
    Specifications:
    Displacement 197 t.
    Length 121'
    Beam 23' 6"
    Depth 7' 6"
    Speed unknown
    Complement 52
    Armament
    one 20-pdr Parrott rifle
    four 32-pdrs
    Propulsion steam

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    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Clifton 130k The Disabling and Capture of the Federal Gunboats 'Sachem' and 'Clifton', in the Attack on Sabine Pass, Texas, September 8th, 1863." Line engraving published in "The Soldier in our Civil War", Volume II. USS Clifton is shown to the left, aground and returning fire from the Confederate fortifications. USS Sachem is at the right.
    US Navy photo # NH 59143 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Tommy Trampp

    USS Sachem (II)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01Act. Master Crane, Lemuel G.11 January 1862 - June 1862
    02Act. Master Johnson, AmosJune 1862 - 8 September 1863
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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    Last Updated 14 September 2012