Tuesday, February 12, 2013

USS Mercedita-- Part 1

Good Ol' Wiki.

Back on Jan 31st, I wrote about the two Confederate ironclads, the Palmetto State and Chicora attacking the Union blockading fleet off Charleston, SC.  One f the ships I mentioned was the USS Mercidita.

The USS Mercidita was a wooden steamer built in Brooklyn, NY, in 1861, purchased by the US Navy July 1, 1861, and commissioned Dec.1861.

It was 1000 tons, 183.6 feet long and mounted eight 32-pdr. guns.

It was assigned to the Gulf Blockade Squadron on January 1862 and chased two blockade-runners ashore on Jan. 4th.  In March, it took up position off Apalachicola, Florida,  and destroyed Confederate batteries at St. Vincent Island which was four barrier islands.  Later, it captured St. George Island and Dog Island.

We stayed on St. George Island back in January.

More to Come.  --Old B-R'er

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