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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Pembina (I)


Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal

Unadilla Class Screw Gunboat:
  • Laid down, date unknown, by Thomas Stack, New York, engines by Novelty Iron Works, New York
  • Launched, 28 August 1861
  • Commissioned, 16 October 1861, LT. John P. Bankhead in command
  • During the Civil War USS Pembina was assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron
    Participated in the bombardment of Forts Beauregard and Walker, 7 November 1861
    Supported the occupation of Beaufort, S.C., 9 November 1861
    Assisted on closing off Savannah in early December 1861
    Engaged Confederate positions at Port Royal Ferry in December 1861 and January 1862
    Assisted in clearing the Coosaw River, 17 January 1862 and 18 February
    Operated in the Wright’s and Mud rivers area
    Cleared mines from the Savannah River above the mouth of Wright’s River 13 to 15 February 1862
    Escorted transports and covered troops as they assaulted Confederate positions
    Seized schooner Rowena, 6 June 1862, on the Stono River North Carolina
    Reassigned to the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron in 1863
    Captured sloop Elias Beckwith near Mobile, 23 April 1863
    Seized the blockade running Dutch brig Geziena Hilligonda, 4 December 1864, off Brazos Santiago, TX.
  • Decommissioned, 22 September, 1865, at the Washington Navy Yard
  • Sold, at New York, 30 November 1865
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 507 t.
    Length 171'
    Beam 31' 6"
    Depth 15' 9"
    Draft 10'
    Speed 10 kts
    Complement unknown
    Armament
    one 11" Dahlgren smoothbore
    one 20-pdr Parrott Rifle
    two 24-pdrs
    Propulsion steam
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description
    Pembina 198k Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861, depicting Pembina under construction at the Thomas Stack shipyard, New York City. Pembina was launched on 28 August 1861.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 59373
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Unadilla 82k Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly, July-December 1861 volume. depicting the ten "90-Day Gunboats" constructed for the U.S. Navy in 1861-62. Ships, as identified in the image are from left to right;
    USS Chippewa
    USS Sciota
    USS Itasca
    USS Winona
    USS Huron
    USS Ottawa
    USS Pembina
    USS Seneca
    USS Unadilla and
    USS Sagamore. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Photo #: NH 59367
    Robert Hurst
    Wabash 170k "Portion of the Naval Expedition, as it appeared on the night of October 16, sailing to Hampton Roads. -- Sketched by an Officer on Board. 1861".
    Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861 volume, pages 712. It depicts Flag Officer DuPont's squadron en route to capture Port Royal, South Carolina. Ships, all U.S. Navy, as identified below the image bottom, are (from left):
    USS Wabash,
    USS Florida,
    USS Augusta,,
    USS Alabama,,
    USS Ottawa,,
    USS Seneca,
    and USS Pembina.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 59316
    Robert Hurst
    Wabash 100k "The Great Naval Expedition" to capture Port Royal, South Carolina, November 1861. Engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861 volume, pages 696-697, depicts Federal warships and transports, under Flag Officer Samuel F. DuPont, USN, departing Hampton Roads, Virginia, en route to Port Royal. Ships, as identified below the image bottom, are (from left): (illegible),
    Oriental,
    Baltic,
    USS O.M. Pettit,
    USS Gem of the Sea,
    Great Republic,
    USS Wabash (DuPont's flagship),
    USS Seneca,
    USS Pembina,
    USS Connecticut,
    USS Mercury,
    USS Unadilla,
    USS Augusta,
    USS Alabama and (illegible).
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo #: NH 59315
    Robert Hurst
    Senica 105k "Reconnaissance of Vernon River, Ossabaw Sound, Georgia, Discovery of a Rebel Battery and Camp, 11 December 1861".
    Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly, January 1862. It depicts Federal warships engaging the Confederate battery, shown in the far left distance. Ships, as identified below the image bottom, are (from left): USS Seneca, USS Pembina, USS Ottawa and Steamer Mary Andrew. For the original sketch from which this engraving was made, see Photo # NH 59310.
    US Naval Historical Center Photo #: NH 59309
    Robert Hurst
    Senica 96k "Discovery of a Rebel Battery and Camp on Vernon River, Georgia, 11 December 1861".
    Sketch by William Crane, artist for Harper's Weekly, presented by the artist to LT, Thomas H. Stevens, Commanding Officer of USS Ottawa. It depicts the US Navy gunboats USS Seneca, USS Pembina, USS Ottawa and steamer Mary Andrew, at the time of Rebel Battery opening fire. The Federal ships were under the command of CDR. C.R.P. Rodgers of USS Wabash. This sketch apparently served as the basis for the engraving seen in Photo # NH 59309. US Naval Historical Center Photo #: NH 59310
    Robert Hurst
    Arkansas 78k "Army & Navy Reconnaissance. Tuesday Morning Nov. 5" 1861 Line engraving published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume I, page 189, depicting Federal ships investigating Port Royal Sound, South Carolina, prior to their successful attack on Confederate fortifications there. Ships and other items identified across the bottom of the print include (from left to right):
    USS Mercury, with Generals Sherman and Stevens & staff on board;
    USS Penguin, with Hilton Head Battery beyond;
    USS Pawnee; Broad River (in distance);
    CSS Huntress (distance);
    USS Seneca; Steamer Screamer (distance);
    USS Ottawa with Capt. Rogers & General Wright on board;
    Steamer Everglades (distance, beyond Ottawa;
    USS Pembina;
    CSS Lady Davis (distance); Beaufort River (distance); Bay Point Battery (distance); USS Curlew; (probably misidentified as no record exists that USS Curlew served with South Atlantic Blockading Squadron) Confederate camp (distance);
    USS Isaac Smith.
    US Navy photo # NH 59319
    Tommy Trampp
    Issac Smith 75k "Bombardment and Capture of Port Royal, South Carolina, 7 November 1861" Engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861 volume, pages 760-761. It depicts Federal warships, under Flag Officer Samuel F. DuPont, USN, bombarding Fort Beauregard (at right) and Fort Walker (at left). The Confederate squadron commanded by Commodore Josiah Tattnall is in the left center distance. Subjects identified below the image bottom are (from left): tug Mercury,
    Fort Walker,
    USS Wabash (DuPont's flagship),
    steamer Screamer (?),
    USS Susquehanna,
    CSS Huntsville, Commo. Tattnall, (probably misidentified as no record exists that CSS Huntsville served in the defenses of Port Royal, S.C.
    USS Bienville,
    USS Pembina,
    USS Seneca,
    USS Ottawa,
    USS Unadilla,
    USS Pawnee,
    USS Mohican,
    USS Isaac Smith,
    USS Curlew; (probably misidentified as no record exists that USS Curlew served with South Atlantic Blockading Squadron),
    USS Vandalia,
    USS Penguin,
    USS Pocahontas,
    USS Seminole,
    Fort Beauregard,
    USS R.B. Forbes
    and "Rebel Camp".
    US Navy photo # NH 59256
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Pembina 116k "Gun-Boats Entering Savannah River above Fort Pulaski." Engraving published in Harper's Weekly, January-June 1862 volume, page 132. It depicts USS Pembina (left center) and USS Unadilla (right) engaging Confederate gunboats under Commodore Josiah Tattnall while entering the Savannah River, Georgia, to cut off Fort Pulaski, 22 February 1862.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 59284
    US Naval History and Heritage Command

    USS Pembina (I)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
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    Last Updated 17 March 2017