John Barrien Montgomery USN-- Part 25: U.S. Pacific Squadron at Onset of the Civil War

Continued from March 1, 2023.

At the onset of the Civil War, the U.S. Pacific Fleet/Squadron consisted of the screw sloops USS Lancaster, USS Narragansett and USS Wyoming; the sidewheeler sloop Saranac and sailing sloops USS St. Mary's and USS Cyane.  None of them were in San Francisco, but spread all over the Pacific.  It was commanded by John Barrien Montgomery (the destroyer USS Montgomery (DD-121) that fought in World War I and World War II was named after him.

Montgomery did not know the war had started until May 1861, while on board the Lancaster in Hawaii.

Acting Rear Admiral Charles H. Bell took command of the Pacific Fleet on January 2, 1862.

--Old B-Runner

USS Lancaster-- Part 24: Screw Sloop-of-War

John B. Montgomery commanded the Pacific Squadron of the U.S. Navy at the onset of the Civil War  until  relieved January  2, 1862.  The Lancaster was his flagship.

USS LANCASTER

From Wikipedia.

The first ship in the Navy with this name.  (There was also another one launched in 1855 that was a sidewheel steamship purchased by the Navy in 1862 and converted into a ram operating on the western rivers.)

Montgomery's Lancaster was a screw sloop-of-war that served in the Civil War through Spanish-American War.

It was laid down at the Philadelphia Navy Yard  in December 1857 and launched  20 October 1858; sponsored by  Miss Harriet Lane, niece and official hostess of President James Buchanan.  Commissioned  12 May 1859 with Captain John Rudd in command.

--Old B-Runner

USS Roanoke-- Part 23: Not a Successful Ironclad Monitor

Initial plans called for four turrets on the new monitor, but only three were placed.    Her masts, rigging and everything except smokestack was removed above the gundeck.  Little to nothing was done to reinforce the hull which proved to be a major problem.

Those three turrets, however, mounted some really heavy pieces of artillery:  two muzzle loading 15-inch Dahlgren, two 11-inch Dahlgrens and two eight inch 150-pdr. Parrott rifles.  No turret had two of the same two caliber guns, however.

Commissioned 29 June 1863.

Her initial commander as an ironclad was Captain Benjamin F. Sands (who was also at the battles of Fort Fisher while in command of the USS Fort Jackson),  He reported that on the trip from New York to Hampton Roads that the ship rolled heavily that it would be impossible to use its guns.

On 14 July, Sands test fired his guns for the first time and three of the guns dismounted because of the bad recoil.  It was decided that the Roanioke would serve only as harbor defense for Hampton Roads, where she spent the rest of the war.

She was decommissioned in 1875 and sold for scrap in 1883.

--Old B-Runner

USS Roanoke-- Part 22: Sister Ship of USS Merrimak and At Battle of Hampton Roads

The USS Roanoke was named after the Roanoke River in Virginia and North Carolina.  She was laid down in Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia  in May 1854 and launched in December 1855.  It had an inauspicious start when it sank during the launching and had to be refloated.

She was commissioned  on 4 May 1857 with Captain John B. Montgomery in command.  One of her early duties was to transport  William Walker and his fillibuster men back from Central America.  After that, she returned to Central America to await  the arrival of the first Japanese embassy to the United States.

At the start of the Civil War, the Roanoke was assigned to the  North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and made some captures of blockade runners off Lockwood Folly Inlet, N.C. and off Charleston, S.C.

It was at the Battle of Hampton Roads where her former sister ship, the  USS Merrimack had been turned into the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia.  But her  deep draft prevented her from engaging.  After the battle, she ferried survivors of the USS Congress and USS Cumberland to New York City.

Upon arrival, she was decommissioned  and reconstruction began to convert her into a monitor.

--Old B-Runner

USS Roanoke-- Part 21: General Characteristics as Frigate and Monitor

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS (as a frigate)

Length:  263.8 feet

Beam:  51.4 feet

Complement:  674

Armament:  

One 10-inch Dahlgren gun

Twenty-eight 9-inch Dahlgren guns

Fourteen 8-inch Dahlgren guns

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS (as a monitor)

Complement:   347

Armament (in three turrets)

Two 15-inch Dahlgren guns

Two 150-pdr.  Parrott rifles

Two 11-inch Dahlgren guns

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 20: The USS Roanoke, A Steam Frigate Converted to the First Three Turret Monitor

The second ship John B. Montgomery commanded was the USS Roanoke, one of the most powerful and newest ships in the U.S. Navy when the Civil War started.

From Wikipedia.

The USS Roanoke was a wooden-hulled Merrimack-class screw frigate.  There were a total of six of these ships in that class.  Three of them, the USS Minnesota, USS Colorado and USS Wabash took part in the bombardments of Fort Fisher.

She served as the flagship for the U.S. Home Fleet in the late 1850s.

She was converted into an ironclad monitor during 1862-1863; the first-ever ship with more than two turrets (three).  

However, her conversion was not very successful as she rolled excessively and the weight of her armor and turrets strained her hull.  Her depth was too much to operate off shallow Confederate ports so spent the rest of her career in harbor defense at Hampton Roads, Virginia.

The Roanoke was placed in reserve after the war and sold for scrap in 1883.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 18: Ships John Montgomery Commanded Which Were in the Civil War

Three of the ships John B. Montgomery commanded at one time or another also participated in the Civil War.  They were the USS Portsmouth during the Mexican War, the USS Roanoke before the Civil War and the USS Lancaster in the early part of the war.

I will write about the Civil War service of each one.

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USS Portsmouth

(1843-1878)

The second ship to bear the name USS Portsmouth.  Built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, across from Portsmouth, New Hampshire.   Launched in 1843 and commissioned in 1844 with John Berrien Montgomery commanding.

It was a sailing wooden sloop of war.

It was 151 feet 10 inches long, had a beam of 37 feet 3 inches and a crew of 227.  Armament consisted of  eighteen 32-pdrs. and two 64-pdr shell guns.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery (DD-121)-- Part 17: John B. Montgomery, Namesake

 After the Mexican War, John Montgomery was made executive officer of the Washington Navy Yard in April 1849 and held that position until 1851.  Commissioned  a captain in January 1853 and in April 1857, was placed in command of the USS Roanoke.

He then sailed to Aspinwall in Central America and returned with 250 of William Walker's filibusters.

During the following two years he served on shore duty and 1859-1862, commanded the United States' Pacific Squadron with the USS Lancaster as his flagship.  

On his return to New York, he was placed in waiting for orders until May 1862 when he was given commands of various Navy Yards.

He was made commodore on the retired list in July, 1862 and a rear admiral  on July 25, 1866.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery (DD-121)-- Part 16: John B. Montgomery, Ship's Namesake

From Geni.

Also during the War of 1812, John B. Montgomery participated in attack on Kingston, Upper Canada (Ontario), and capture of Little York, Fort George and Newark

After the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, he received a sword and the thanks of Congress for his services at that battle.  Later he was present during the blockade and attack on Macknaw in August 1814.

Still later, he  was transferred to the USS Ontario under  Commander Stephen Decatur with whom he took part in the Algerine War (2nd Barbary War) of 1815.

Commissioned to the rank of lieutenant in 1818, he continued to rise through the ranks and in 1845, was given the command of the USS Portsmouth in the Navy's Pacific Fleet.  (The Portsmouth also fought in the Civil War.)

When the Mexican War started, he took his ship to San Francisco Bay.  On July 9, 1846, he led a small force from his ship to te coastal town of Yerba Buena and raised the American flag in the town plaza after capturing it without firing a shot.

In 1847, the town would be renamed officially San Francisco.

He also participated in  the blockade of Mazatlan, Mexico, and the bombardment and capture of Guaymas on the Gulf of California.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery (DD-121)-- Part 14: Named for War of 1812, Mexican War and Civil War Naval Officer

From Wikipedia, a RoadTrippin' Thru History's favorite source.

USS MONTGOMERY (DD-121)

A Wickes-class destroyer during WW I and later reclassified as DM-17 (Destroyer Minelayer) when it participated in WW II.  She was the fifth ship to bear the name Montgomery in the U.S. Navy and was named after Admiral John B. Montgomery, a Navy officer in the Mexican War and the Civil War.

It was built at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia and was launched 23 March 1918, sponsored by Mrs. Andrew Jones, a descendant of Admiral Montgomery.  The destroyer was commissioned  on 26 July 1918.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length:  314 feet 5 inches

Beam: 31.8 feet

Complement:  113 enlisted and officers

Speed:  35  knots

Armament:

Four 4-inch guns

Two 3-inch guns

Twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes

One depth charge protector

Two depth charge tracks

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 13: The WW I and WW II Destroyer USS Montgomery (DD-121)

Right now, we are taking a RoadTrip through history with the USS Montgomery.  This is the fifth ship to bear the name, starting with the American Revolution with the first one, then the War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War and now both World Wars up to the current ship of that name.

One of the things I do when RoadTrippin' is to find out how the ship got its name.

The first two were named after American hero, Gen. Richard Montgomery who was killed in the American Revolution,  I believe the third Montgomery had its name because that was the ship's name when the U.S. Navy purchased the ship during the Civil War.  

The 4th USS Montgomery was named after the capital of Alabama.  The current one (the 6th of that name) was also named after the state capital.

The 5th one, the USS Montgomery (DD-121) was named after Rear Admiral John B. Montgomery.  He was a veteran of the Mexican War and Civil War.  U.S. destroyers are traditionally named after people.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 12: The Spanish-American War and WW I

During the Spanish-American War, she cruised near Cuba and Haiti in April 1898 and in May joined the blockade of Havana.  On May 5, she took two prizes and shelled Spanish forts a week later.

After decommissioning and recommissioning in  1908, the Montgomery operated as a  torpedo experimental ship and from1914-1918, was a Maryland Naval Militia ship.

Renamed the Anniston  14 March 1918, she patrolled and escorted off the U.S. Atlantic Coast during World War I.

Decommissioned at Charleston on 16 May 1918 and sold 14 November 1919.

--Old B-Runner

RoadTripping With USS Montgomery-- Part 11: The 4th USS Montgomery and Spanish-American War

The 4th USS Montgomery was the lead ship of her class and was rated as an unprotected cruiser.  She served in the Spanish-American War and World War I.

Launched 5 December 1891 by the Columbian  Iron Works, Baltimore, Maryland and commissioned 21 June 1894 at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia.  It was named after Montgomery, Alabama.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length:  269.10 feet

Beam:  37 feet

Draft:  14.6 feet

Speed:  17 knots

Complement:  30 officers, 249 enlisted

Armament:

Two 6-inch guns

Eight 5-inch guns

Six 6-pounder guns

Two 1-pounder guns

Two Gatlin guns 

Three 18-inch torpedo tubes'

--Old B-Runner

RoadTrippin' With USS Montgomery-- Part 10: The Civil War USS Montgomery

The third USS Montgomery was in the Civil War, which is the basis for all of this.   It was originally a civilian ship that was leased by, and later bought, by the Union Navy near the start of the war.  I wasn't able to find out for sure how it got its name, but think that might have been its name when purchased by the Navy.

Now, I had never heard of any USS Montgomery in the Navy before, much less this one.   And, I kind of pride myself on knowing Civil War naval history.  That would include names of ships.

And, to make matters worse, it was at both battles of my favorite Civil War battle, or for that matter, any historical battle, Fort Fisher.  That was embarrassing.

Fort Fisher is one of my Big Three when it comes to naval/maritime events.  Anytime I come across anything on these three I am sure to read  further.  And, another USS Montgomery was at the second one of the Big Three.  Find out what it is a few posts from now.

I will write more about the third USS Montgomery after I finish with the next two USS Montgomerys.

How Could I Not Know About a Ship at Fort Fisher?  -Old B-Runner

RoadTripping With USS Montgomery-- Part 9: The Second USS Montgomery in War of 1812

Continuing with our roadtrip through history with this ship.

The second USS Montgomery was listed as a sloop or schooner during the War of 1812.

The Wikipedia article said it was built by Thomas Macdonough in 1813 and part of his fleet to keep the British Navy from controlling Lake Champlain.  It participated in convoying  Wade Hampton's troops in their advance to Canada.

The only other two things were that the ship was decommissioned and sold in 1815 and that it was also named after Gen. Richard Montgomery.

This paltry amount of information was surprising in that this ship would have been available to fight in the Battle of Lake Champlain where the American fleet was commanded by Macdonough.  Why wouldn't he have used it?

After further research, I believe that Macdonough wasn't impressed with the ship very much and that there was a naval arms race going on with both the British and Americans launching more and bigger ships.  Evidently, whenever a new ship was launched, Macdonough would take cannons and sailors off the Montgomery.

I have come across mention that the Montgomery and several other ships were left behind at Plattsburgh to defend the town.

--Old B.Runner

RoadTrippin' With the Montgomery-- Part 8: The First USS Montgomery in the American Revolution

Continuing with the Roadtrip Through History with the ships by the name of USS Montgomery.

Like I said earlier, whenever I come across a U.S. warship, I like to see if there were other ships by that name in the Navy.  Always, my first stop is at Wikipedia which has a list of ships by that name.  Makes it easier.  There have been six ships by that name and one of them was in the Civil War which is why I am writing about it here.

The first ship by that name was a frigate ordered by the Continental Congress  during the American Revolution and built on the Hudson River north of New York City.  It was to have carried 24 guns, but it and another frigate, the USS Congress, were both destroyed by the Americans to prevent capture when the British took New York City.

It was one of 13 ships ordered by Congress and was launched in 1776 and burned in 1777.  I did not know that the Americans had a program to build warships during the war.

I also like to find out where the name came from.  My first thought was from the city of Montgomery, Alabama, but I doubt that there was any town there in 1776, maybe an Indian village.

It was named after Richard Montgomery.  Then, he must have been a naval guy.  Turns out he wasn't.  He was an Army general who was killed during the American attack on Quebec.  I didn't even know that we had attacked Canada during the American Revolution.

He was co-commander of the U.S. force with another man often considered the best American general during the war.  And, it wasn't George Washington.  It was a guy by the name of Benedict Arnold.

One other thing about Richard Montgomery was that he had been in the British Army before the war.

That Would be An Interesting Story in Itself.  --Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 7: LCSs and DDs Look Quite a Bit Like ....

Before I go any further, I happened to notice something while looking at side views of the USS Montgomery and other LCS ships as well as new destroyers.

These ships seem to incorporate parts of two Civil War ships.

Take a look online and make your guess.

Answer below.

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The superstructure of the ships reminds me of Confederate ironclads.  Take a look at the CSS Virginia, Tennessee or Albemarle.

And, every one of them has a gun mounted in a turret in the bow area, which would be the USS Monitor.

A Little Taste of the Civil War in Today's Navy.  --Old B-Runner

Cruising with USS Montgomery-- Part 6: There Were Six Ships in U.S. Navy By That Name

As I said in the last post, whenever I'm doing a story about a ship, I like to see of there have been other ships by that name.

Wikipedia is an excellent quick source of information, because by the  ship's name, they have a spot for "Other ships with the same name."  Click on it and a list will come up.

Even though I had never heard of a ship on the U.S. Navy by the name of Montgomery, I found that the new USS Montgomery (LCS-9) is actually the sixth ship to bear that name.  Those names stretch back to the American Revolution and cover much of the country's history.

And there was one from the Civil War, which is why I was making the presentation in a series of Civil War talks.

And, as part of the RoadTrip experience, I will take a look at each of the USS Mongomerys.  I will look at the ship's history, and I am also very interested in for whom or what the ship was named.

--Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 5: About the USS Montgomery (LCS-8)

The page in the PVA calendar had some information about the ship, which looks part aircraft carrier aftward.

It is named after the city of Montgomery, Alabama (I always like to find out how U.S. Navy ship's got their name), and was commissioned  10 September 2016.  It is 418 feet long with a 104 foot beam.  Its crew has 40 core members and up to 35 mission crew.

It has one  57 mm gun and a missile launcher and can carry several helicopters.

It was built in Mobile, Alabama.

Another thing I do in RoadTripping Through History is find out if there were any other ships by that name in the Navy.

--Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 4: Here We Go (What Is an LCS?)

When you go RoadTrippin' Through History, you start with one thing and then how many other things you can attach to it.  What can you find out?  

So, we're going to take a trip through history and it starts with a current U.S. warship, the USS Montgomery (LCS-8).  I came across a picture of this ship and information on the December 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America calendar.  I'd never heard of it, nor had I ever heard of any ship in the U.S. Navy by that name.

The first thing I had to do was find out what LCS stood for.  I am aware of many Navy designations for ships.  For example, (DD) means destroyer, (BB) means battleship, (CV) means aircraft carrier and (SS) means submarine.  But what does LCS stand for?

It stands for Littoral Combat Ship.  Next step was to find out what littoral meant.  That was not a word in my general vocabulary.  Looking it up I found that littoral meant something to do with coastal or shallow waters.  The combat ship was easy.  So, this is a ship meant for operating up close to the enemy in shallow coastal waters.

--Old B-Runner