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NavSource Online: Army Ship Photo Archive

USED Snagboat John R. Meigs


Sternwheel Snagboat:
  • Laid down in 1879 by US Army Engineers at South St. Louis, MO.
  • Launched in 1879
  • Delivered to the the US Army Engineers in 1879
  • Christened and placed in service as USED Snagboat John R. Meigs in 1879
  • Assigned to the US Army Engineers Mobile District
  • John R. Meigs worked to keep the Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers open to navigation during her US Army career
  • Final Disposition, blown up, 1 September 1889, while removing mines below New Orleans after the Spanish-American War ended. a mine exploded under the forecastle and removed it completely. Casualties included 6 killed. Meigs sank about an hour after the explosion
    Specifications:
    Displacement 225 t.
    Length 172'
    Beam 38'
    Draft 5'
    Speed unknown
    Complement unknown
    Crane unknown
    Propulsion
    reciprocating steam engine
    stern-wheel

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    Size Image Description Source
    John R. Meigs
    303202503
    11k
    Namesake
    John Rodgers Meigs (February 9, 1842 – October 3, 1864) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was the son of Brigadier General Montgomery C. Meigs, the Quartermaster General of the United States Army. He participated in the First Battle of Bull Run. He attended the United States Military Academy, where he was an acting assistant professor of mathematics and graduated first in his class in June 1863. He was lauded by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton for strengthening the defenses of Baltimore, Maryland; was an engineer and acting aide-de-camp on the staff of Brigadier General (Volunteers) William W. Averell and was Chief Engineer of the Middle Military Division and aide-de-camp to General Phillip Sheridan. Photo taken circa 1864. (Wikipedia)
    Tommy Trampp
    John R. Meigs
    303202501
    113k USED Snagboat John R. Meigs at St. Louis in 1890
    During the Spanish-American War in 1898, the Mississippi River below Forts Jackson and St. Phillip downriver from New Orleans, was mined to prevent the approach of the Spanish fleet. Meigs drew the assignment of removing the mines once the war ended. On 1 September 1898 a mine exploded under of on the forecastle destroying the foredeck of the boat clear back to the pilothouse. Pilot J.C. Davis was not injured although the pilothouse was destroyed. Engineer J.W. Lane was blown into the river but escaped injury. A maid also survived, but the rest of the crew perished. Neither the wreck nor the victims were recovered.
    Crew members: CAPT. Phinras Starr; Sgt. John Newman and Pvt. Pat Carlos, US Army Engineer Corps; J.D, Malone, fireman; Ralph Rogers and Harry Jackson, deckhands; J.C. Davis, pilot; J.W. Lane, engineer. Louisiana Digital Library, Baton Rouge, La.
    John Spivey

    There is no history available for USED Snagboat John R. Meigs at NavSource
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    Last Updated 3 March 2023