USS Commodore McDonough

USS Commodore McDonough was a ferryboat acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Ferryboats were of great value, since – because of their flat bottom and shallow draft — they could navigate streams and shallow waters that other ships could not.

USS Commodore McDonough (1862-1865) at Hilton Head, during the Civil War
History
United States
Name	USS Commodore McDonough
Laid down	date unknown
Launched	date unknown
Acquired	5 August 1862 at New York City
Commissioned	24 November 1862
Decommissioned	(sunk) 23 August 1865
Fate	Foundered under tow, 23 August 1865
General characteristics
Type	Gunboat
Displacement	532 long tons (541 t)
Length	154 ft (47 m) (estimated)
Beam	32 ft (9.8 m) (estimated)
Draft	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Propulsion	Steam engine side-wheel propelled
Speed	8 kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h)
Complement	75
Armament	1 × 9 in (230 mm) smoothbore gun, 1 × 20-pounder rifle, 4 × 24-pounder smoothbore guns

Purchased in New York City in 1862

Commodore McDonough — an armed, side-wheel ferry — was purchased on 5 August 1862 in New York City; fitted out at New York Navy Yard; and commissioned on 24 November 1862, Lieutenant Commander G. Bacon in command.

Civil War service

Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockade

Commodore McDonough joined the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron at Port Royal, South Carolina on 11 December 1862. Throughout her service, she operated in South Carolina waters, primarily off Charleston, but often cruising up the many rivers of that coast to bombard shore installations, cover the landing of troops, engage Confederate batteries, and perform reconnaissance. In the continuing operations in Charleston Harbor, she frequently bombarded the forts protecting the city.

Foundered while under tow at war’s end

At the close of the war, she assisted in harbor clearance at Port Royal, South Carolina, and on 23 August 1865 — while under tow for New York — she foundered.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Media related to USS Commodore McDonough (ship, 1862) at Wikimedia Commons