CSS Arkansas running through the Union fleet above Vicksburg, Mississippi, 15 July 1862
Commanding officer William D. Porter upgraded his ship without official authorization into an ironcladgunboat. Under his orders she was lengthened, widened, and completely reengineered, and her appearance was changed drastically. New, more powerful, engines were put in place and she was rearmored. After her upgrade Essex took part in operations near Vicksburg, Mississippi. On 15 July 1862, USS Essex was engaged with CSS Arkansas as that ship successfully ran past the Union fleets in front of the city. On 23 July, Essex unsuccessfully attacked the Arkansas at her moorings but was repelled by the Arkansas and the shore guns under whose protection the Arkansas lay. Federal forces withdrew from Vicksburg shortly thereafter. After withdrawing, Essex joined Admiral David Farragut's squadron and was the only Federal ironclad on the lower Mississippi River. On 5 August 1862, Essex helped repel a Confederate Army attack on Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
On 6 August, the Essex once again engaged CSS Arkansas as that vessel attempted to relieve the beleaguered Confederates attacking Baton Rouge. As Essex approached, the steering mechanism of the Arkansas jammed and her crew was forced to scuttle her due to the presence of the Essex.
Transfer to the Navyedit
In October 1862 the Essex was transferred from the Army to the United States Navy. She was involved in the bombardment of Port Hudson, Louisiana and assisted during the occupation of Baton Rouge. In May–July 1863 under the command of Robert Townsend she participated in the siege and capture of Port Hudson. USS Essex took part in the Red River Campaign of March–May 1864.
In December 1864, the USS Essex was in Memphis, Tennessee. According to David Redrick, the Rear Admiral's cook, some of the boat's crew "slipped ashore at night" and "got on a spree". Boatswain William Bernard Dolen, age 33, was part of a detail sent ashore to "arrest the boys". During the arrest, he was stabbed in the right chest by a fellow seaman, and was honorably discharged for disability due to the chronicity of the wound, from which he later died in 1878.
After the waredit
Essex was decommissioned in July 1865. She was sold in November 1865 and reverted to the civilian name New Era. She was scrapped in 1870. USS Essex had the reputation as one of the most active gunboats on the Mississippi River, despite her relatively weak armor. It often was damaged in actions.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Essex (ship, 1856).
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships USS Essex (1861-1865)
Civil War Era albumen view of USS Essex
Bombardment of Fort Henry (Feb. 2-6, 1862)
December 15, 2023
essex, 1856, other, ships, with, same, name, essex, essex, 1000, ironclad, river, gunboat, united, states, army, later, united, states, navy, during, american, civil, named, essex, county, massachusetts, essex, originally, constructed, 1856, albany, indiana, s. For other ships with the same name see USS Essex USS Essex was a 1000 ton ironclad river gunboat of the United States Army and later United States Navy during the American Civil War It was named for Essex County Massachusetts USS Essex was originally constructed in 1856 at New Albany Indiana as a steam powered ferry named New Era Essex at Baton Rouge Louisiana July 1862HistoryUnited StatesNameNew EraLaunched1856Acquired20 September 1861Decommissioned20 July 1865RenamedEssex in late 1861Refitas an ironclad late 1861Fatesold on 29 November 1865 scrapped 1870General characteristicsTypeIroncladDisplacement640 tonsLength202 ft 62 m Beam60 ft 18 m Draft6 ft 1 8 m Speed5 5 knotsComplement124Armament1 32 pounder 3 11 inch Dahlgren smooth bores 1 10 inch Dahlgren smoothbore 1 12 pounder howitzerArmor1 forward casemate sidesA contemporary illustration of the 1861 conversion of the steamer New Era into the gunboat USS Essex Contents 1 Service in Tennessee 2 Battling the CSS Arkansas 3 Transfer to the Navy 4 After the war 5 References 6 External linksService in Tennessee editIn September 1861 New Era was purchased by the United States Army for use in its Western Gunboat Flotilla and was modified into a 355 ton timberclad gunboat In November 1861 USS New Era took part in an expedition up the Cumberland River Shortly thereafter she was renamed USS Essex and received an upgrade to iron armor and various other alterations On 11 January 1862 USS Essex engaged Confederate States Navy gunboats near Lucas Bend Missouri On 6 February 1862 she took part in the attack on Fort Henry Tennessee and was badly damaged by Confederate gunfire Battling the CSS Arkansas edit nbsp CSS Arkansas running through the Union fleet above Vicksburg Mississippi 15 July 1862Commanding officer William D Porter upgraded his ship without official authorization into an ironclad gunboat Under his orders she was lengthened widened and completely reengineered and her appearance was changed drastically New more powerful engines were put in place and she was rearmored After her upgrade Essex took part in operations near Vicksburg Mississippi On 15 July 1862 USS Essex was engaged with CSS Arkansas as that ship successfully ran past the Union fleets in front of the city On 23 July Essex unsuccessfully attacked the Arkansas at her moorings but was repelled by the Arkansas and the shore guns under whose protection the Arkansas lay Federal forces withdrew from Vicksburg shortly thereafter After withdrawing Essex joined Admiral David Farragut s squadron and was the only Federal ironclad on the lower Mississippi River On 5 August 1862 Essex helped repel a Confederate Army attack on Baton Rouge Louisiana On 6 August the Essex once again engaged CSS Arkansas as that vessel attempted to relieve the beleaguered Confederates attacking Baton Rouge As Essex approached the steering mechanism of the Arkansas jammed and her crew was forced to scuttle her due to the presence of the Essex Transfer to the Navy editIn October 1862 the Essex was transferred from the Army to the United States Navy She was involved in the bombardment of Port Hudson Louisiana and assisted during the occupation of Baton Rouge In May July 1863 under the command of Robert Townsend she participated in the siege and capture of Port Hudson USS Essex took part in the Red River Campaign of March May 1864 In December 1864 the USS Essex was in Memphis Tennessee According to David Redrick the Rear Admiral s cook some of the boat s crew slipped ashore at night and got on a spree Boatswain William Bernard Dolen age 33 was part of a detail sent ashore to arrest the boys During the arrest he was stabbed in the right chest by a fellow seaman and was honorably discharged for disability due to the chronicity of the wound from which he later died in 1878 After the war editEssex was decommissioned in July 1865 She was sold in November 1865 and reverted to the civilian name New Era She was scrapped in 1870 USS Essex had the reputation as one of the most active gunboats on the Mississippi River despite her relatively weak armor It often was damaged in actions References editThis article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Essex ship 1856 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships USS Essex 1861 1865 Civil War Era albumen view of USS Essex Bombardment of Fort Henry Feb 2 6 1862 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Essex 1856 amp oldid 1184011535, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
