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133k | Original photo caption: Our fine frigates of the War of 1812 were armed with carronades and long guns. Gunnery became more scientific in the years preceding the Civil War, and Dahlgren and Rodman smooth bores and Parrott rifled guns were the chief dependence of the Navy. The picture is an actual photograph of a Civil War gun crew on the Mendota, a steamer of 974 tons, mounting two 100-pounders, two 20-pounders, four 9-inch guns, and two 24-pounders Replacement photo: Enlisted personnel are bringing the Parrott gun into position on board the "Mendota." The gun crew are wearing Navy colts and cutlasses at their sides to repel boarders; do hand to hand fighting on a shore excursions, or to capture a Rebel ship if necessary. The lone Marine is wearing a “Kepi” at the rear of the gun National Archives photo |
Original photo: Darryl Baker Replacement photo: Bill Gonyo |
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393k | James River at Deep Bottom, Virginia Library of Congress photo |
Bill Gonyo | |
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270k | Stereoscopic image of the Officers of gunboat Mendota Photo by Matthew Brady National Archives Identifier 111-B-601 |
Dave Tooley | |
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146k | Photo from "Civil War Sea Battles - Shipwrecks in he War Between the States" by Edward Stokes Miller | Tommy Trampp Photo added 3 November 2020 |
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382k | Ship's officers and crew on the foredeck, 1864-65 Photographed by Matthew Brady U.S. Navy photo NH 59439 |
Naval History and Heritage Command | |
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169k | Ship's officers and crew on the foredeck of USS Mendota, 1864-65 Photographed by Matthew Brady Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 59439 |
Robert Hurst | |
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113k | Original photo: James River, c. 1864 Replacement photo: Photo by Matthew Brady, 1 January 1864 National Archives photo ARC 524597 |
Original photo: National Archives Replacement photo: Robert Hurst |
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158k | 10 July 1864 Courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographic Division |
Bill Gonyo | |
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42k | Gunboat Mendota on James River, 1 August 1864 Matthew Brady Collection DVIC Photo HD-SN-99-01854 |
Defense Visual Information Center | |
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186k | c. 1864 James River, VA Library of Congress photo |
Bill Gonyo | |
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235k | Acting Ensign Winslow B. Barnes received his commission on 8 March 1864. He served his enlistment aboard the gunboat USS Mendota for the remainder of the war until he resignation was approved. He separated from the U.S. Navy on 26 April 1865. His only command was the schooner William H. Dennis loaded with 800 tons of coal to sail a resupply from the James River to Beaufort, S.C. with a crew of eleven men led by CDR Edward T. Nichols. This is the only mention of Barnes in the “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion | ||
From the day of her commissioning in 1864, Mendota was assigned to the James River (Va.) Division, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. The first 10 months she served as a picket ship near Four Mile Creek. Her guns were used to prevent the establishment of Confederate batteries or entrenchments which would threaten river communications or imperil a small Union Army base camp. Action on 28 July was particularly intense. During her last 2 months of service she directed ship movements at Hampton Roads and also at the mouth of the Delaware River.
After the war Mendota decommissioned 12 May 1865 and was laid up at League Island, Philadelphia, until sold 7 December 1867.
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