USS Fort Henry was a gunboat which saw service with the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Originally designed as a ferryboat, she was purchased by the Navy before entering commercial service and converted into a fighting vessel. During the war, she took part in the naval blockade of the Confederacy and captured a number of blockade runners. After the war, she was sold to a New York ferry company. Renamed Huntington, she operated for about two years as an East River ferry before being destroyed by fire in 1868.
Fort Henry was 150 feet 6 inches (45.87 m) in length, with a beam of 32 feet (9.8 m) and hold depth of 11 feet 9 inches (3.58 m).[1] She had a registered tonnage of 552, and in later naval service, a displacement of 519 long tons.[1]Fort Henry was powered by a single-cylinder steam engine with bore of 38 inches (0.97 m) and stroke of 10 feet (3.0 m),[2][3] built by Henry Esler & Co. of New York.[4] While the engine type is undocumented, Fort Henry's bore and stroke were identical to that of the other five ferries built at the same time for the Union Ferry Co., four of which are known to have been fitted with inclined engines.[a]
Before she could enter commercial service,[8]Fort Henry was purchased by the US Navy on 25 March 1862 for the sum of $69,689.74.[9] After purchase, the Navy converted the vessel into a gunboat, which included fitting her with two 9-inch smoothbore cannon and four 32-pounder guns. On 3 April 1862, she was commissioned as USS Fort Henry, Acting Lieutenant J. C. Walsh in command.[1]
On 20 July 1863, Fort Henry sent her launch to reconnoiter the Crystal River, an expedition in which two of her men were killed by fire from the shore.[1]
She sailed north in June 1865, arriving at New York City 19 June, where she was decommissioned 8 July 1865.[1] The following month, Fort Henry along with a number of other decommissioned US Navy ships were put up for auction at New York by Burdett, Jones & Co.[2][3] On 15 August, Fort Henry was sold for $18,500,[9] and passed into the hands of the Long Island Rail Road.[10]
Renamed Huntington, the vessel entered commercial service as a ferry,[10] operating between Manhattan and Hunter's Point, Queens. While still in this service, she was burned to the waterline at Hunter's Point on 22 February 1868.[11][b] Her estimated value at the time of her loss was $55,000, of which $15,000 was covered by insurance.[11]
Footnotes
^The other five ferries were America, Union, Hamilton, Whitehall and Somerset.[4][5][6][7]
^Cudahy, probably erroneously, gives the date as the 11th.[12]
References
^ abcdefg"Fort Henry". Naval History and Heritage Command. United States Navy. 19 Dec 2014. Retrieved 27 Feb 2020.
^ ab"Naval Intelligence". The New York Times. 1865-08-15. p. 2.
^ ab"U.S. Government Vessels at Auction". The New York Times. 1865-08-14. p. 6.
^ ab"Shipbuilding, &c., in New York" (PDF). The New York Herald. 1862-10-27. p. 2.
^"Our Ship-yards" (PDF). New-York Daily Tribune. 1862-08-14. p. 8.
^Frazer, John F., ed. (Jun 1863). "The Steamer Hamilton". Journal of the Franklin Institute. 3. Vol. XLV. Philadelphia: Franklin Institute. p. 381. hdl:2027/hvd.32044102914611.
Cudahy, Brian L. (1990). Over and Back: The History of Ferryboats in New York Harbor. New York: Fordham University Press. pp. 341, 428–429, 446. ISBN0823212459.
Daniels, Josephus (ed.). Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. II. Vol. 1. Washington, D.C.: United States Government. p. 86.
February 04, 2023
fort, henry, confused, with, fort, mchenry, gunboat, which, service, with, union, navy, during, american, civil, originally, designed, ferryboat, purchased, navy, before, entering, commercial, service, converted, into, fighting, vessel, during, took, part, nav. Not to be confused with USS Fort McHenry LSD 43 USS Fort Henry was a gunboat which saw service with the Union Navy during the American Civil War Originally designed as a ferryboat she was purchased by the Navy before entering commercial service and converted into a fighting vessel During the war she took part in the naval blockade of the Confederacy and captured a number of blockade runners After the war she was sold to a New York ferry company Renamed Huntington she operated for about two years as an East River ferry before being destroyed by fire in 1868 HistoryUnited StatesNameUSS Fort HenryNamesakeFort Henry a fortification on the Tennessee RiverOwnerUnion Ferry Company 1862 United States Navy 1862 65 Long Island Rail Road 1865 68 OperatorSee ownersChristenedFort HenryCompleted1862Acquired by USN 25 March 1862Commissioned3 April 1862Decommissioned8 July 1865RenamedUSS Fort Henry 1862 Huntington 1865 Stricken1865 est IdentificationOfficial no 11460FateDestroyed by fire at Hunter s Point 22 February 1868General characteristicsTonnage552Displacement519 tonsLength150 ft 6 in 45 87 m Beam32 ft 9 8 m Draft11 ft 9 in 3 58 m PropulsionSteam engine sidewheelsArmamenttwo 9 in 230 mm smoothbore guns four 32 pounder guns Contents 1 Construction and design 2 Service history 3 Footnotes 4 References 4 1 BibliographyConstruction and design EditFort Henry was originally one of a batch of six ferryboats ordered by the Union Ferry Company for service on the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn A wooden hulled sidewheeler Fort Henry was built in Brooklyn in 1861 62 She was named after a Confederate fort on the Tennessee River recently conquered by Union forces 1 Fort Henry was 150 feet 6 inches 45 87 m in length with a beam of 32 feet 9 8 m and hold depth of 11 feet 9 inches 3 58 m 1 She had a registered tonnage of 552 and in later naval service a displacement of 519 long tons 1 Fort Henry was powered by a single cylinder steam engine with bore of 38 inches 0 97 m and stroke of 10 feet 3 0 m 2 3 built by Henry Esler amp Co of New York 4 While the engine type is undocumented Fort Henry s bore and stroke were identical to that of the other five ferries built at the same time for the Union Ferry Co four of which are known to have been fitted with inclined engines a Before she could enter commercial service 8 Fort Henry was purchased by the US Navy on 25 March 1862 for the sum of 69 689 74 9 After purchase the Navy converted the vessel into a gunboat which included fitting her with two 9 inch smoothbore cannon and four 32 pounder guns On 3 April 1862 she was commissioned as USS Fort Henry Acting Lieutenant J C Walsh in command 1 Service history EditAssigned to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron Fort Henry arrived at Key West Florida 2 June 1862 for blockade duty in the vicinity of St George Sound and the Cedar Keys Highly successful in apprehending blockade runners she took one sloop in 1862 and in 1863 took four schooners four sloops and one smaller craft In April 1863 with St Lawrence and Sagamore she made an expedition to scour the coast between the Suwannee River and Anclote Keys A sloop was taken off Bayport Florida 9 April where the group engaged an enemy battery and set a schooner aflame with its fire 1 On 20 July 1863 Fort Henry sent her launch to reconnoiter the Crystal River an expedition in which two of her men were killed by fire from the shore 1 She sailed north in June 1865 arriving at New York City 19 June where she was decommissioned 8 July 1865 1 The following month Fort Henry along with a number of other decommissioned US Navy ships were put up for auction at New York by Burdett Jones amp Co 2 3 On 15 August Fort Henry was sold for 18 500 9 and passed into the hands of the Long Island Rail Road 10 Renamed Huntington the vessel entered commercial service as a ferry 10 operating between Manhattan and Hunter s Point Queens While still in this service she was burned to the waterline at Hunter s Point on 22 February 1868 11 b Her estimated value at the time of her loss was 55 000 of which 15 000 was covered by insurance 11 Footnotes Edit The other five ferries were America Union Hamilton Whitehall and Somerset 4 5 6 7 Cudahy probably erroneously gives the date as the 11th 12 References Edit a b c d e f g Fort Henry Naval History and Heritage Command United States Navy 19 Dec 2014 Retrieved 27 Feb 2020 a b Naval Intelligence The New York Times 1865 08 15 p 2 a b U S Government Vessels at Auction The New York Times 1865 08 14 p 6 a b Shipbuilding amp c in New York PDF The New York Herald 1862 10 27 p 2 Our Ship yards PDF New York Daily Tribune 1862 08 14 p 8 Frazer John F ed Jun 1863 The Steamer Hamilton Journal of the Franklin Institute 3 Vol XLV Philadelphia Franklin Institute p 381 hdl 2027 hvd 32044102914611 Cudahy 1990 pp 428 429 Cudahy 1990 p 341 a b Daniels 1921 p 86 a b Cudahy 1990 pp 341 446 a b Burning of a Ferry Boat Harrisburg Telegraph Harrisburg PA 1868 02 22 p 2 Cudahy 1990 p 446 This article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here Bibliography Edit Cudahy Brian L 1990 Over and Back The History of Ferryboats in New York Harbor New York Fordham University Press pp 341 428 429 446 ISBN 0823212459 Daniels Josephus ed Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion II Vol 1 Washington D C United States Government p 86 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Fort Henry amp oldid 1130762792, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
