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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Louisiana (II)


Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal

Screw Steamer Gunboat:
  • Built at Wilmington, Del., in 1860
  • Purchased by the Navy at Philadelphia 10 July 1861
  • Commissioned USS Louisiana, in August 1861, LT. Alexander Murray in command
  • Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron operating along the Virginia coast
  • Louisiana and USS Savannah engaged CSS Patrick Henry, 13 September 1861, off Newport News without conclusive results
  • Two of Louisiana's boats destroyed a Confederate privateer at Chincoteague Inlet 5 October
  • On 7 October she captured schooner S. T. Carrison with a cargo of wood near Wallops Island
  • Louisiana boats, led by Lt. Alfred Hopkins, surprised and burned three Confederate vessels at Chincoteague Inlet 28 and 29 October
  • Louisiana was reassigned to Hatteras Inlet, 2 January 1862, to prepare for the invasion of the Carolina Sounds
  • For the next 3 years, she patrolled, supported Army troops and made raids throughout the intricate water system
  • On 6 September 1862, Louisiana provided fire power for Union troops repelling Confederate attacks on Washington, N.C.
  • She captured schooner Alice L. Webb at Rose Bay, N.C., 5 November 1862
  • Participated in the Army-Navy expedition which captured Greenville, N.C., 4 days later
  • On 20 May 1863, one of her boat crews captured a still unrigged schooner in the Tar River north of Washington, N.C.
  • In early December in an attempt to destroy the fortifications at Fort Fisher, guarding Wilmington, N.C., Louisiana was partially stripped and laden with explosives
  • She left Hampton Roads 13 December in tow of Sassacus for Beaufort, N.C., where the loading of powder was completed
  • She arrived at Fort Fisher, 5 days, here Wilderness took up the tow with a volunteer crew
  • Wilderness and Louisiana departed Beaufort, 23 December, Wilderness positioned Louisiana under Fort Fisher
  • Louisiana was blown up as planned, but with little effect
  • Several weeks later, the massed gunfire of the fleet and amphibious assault reduced the last great bastion of the Carolina Sounds
    Specifications:
    Displacement 295 t.
    Length 143' 2"
    Beam 27' 3"
    Depth of Hold 8' 1"
    Draft 8' 6"
    Speed unknown
    Complement 83
    Armament
    one 8" Dalghren smoothbore
    one 32-pdr
    one 12-pdr Dalghren rifle
    Propulsion steam

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    Size Image Description Source
    Patrick Henry 134k Naval Skirmish between the Rebel Iron-plated War Steamer CSS Patrick Henry), and a portion of the Federal Fleet anchored in James River, Va., off Newport News. Line engraving published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated, 1861. It probably depicts the action of 13 September 1861. Ships shown are (from left to right):
    USS Louisiana,
    CSS Patrick Henry,
    USS Savannah and
    USS Cumberland.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 59210
    Robert Hurst
    Louisiana 16k Drawing broadside view of Gunboat USS Louisiana by Waud, Alfred R. (Alfred Rudolph), 1828-1891.
    J.P. Morgan, 1919 (DLC/PP-1919:R1.2.456), Morgan collection of Civil War drawings, Library of Congress.
    Tommy Trampp
    Louisiana
    098665502
    286k Diagram of powder stowage aboard USS Louisiana by a volunteer crew from USS Agawam under the direction of Agawam's commanding officer CDR. Alexander C. Rhind
    Civil War Sea Battles, Chapter XV, Page 197
    Tommy Trampp

    USS Louisiana (II)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 13 November 2020