Tuesday, August 11, 2015

USS Mercedita-- Part 1: Captured Apalachicola

Last week, I mentioned that this ship was sent to the Dominican Republic back in August 1865, to preserve American lives and interests as the Navy returned to its prewar duty.

From Wikipedia.

It was launched and commissioned in 1861.  Screw steamer (gunboat) 183 feet in length, 30.3 feet beam, 1,000 tons and carried eight 12-pdr. guns.  Built in Brooklyn and purchased by the U.S. Navy with Commander Henry S. Stellwagen as first commander.

Assigned to the Gulf Blockading Squadron on 3 January 1862 and destroyed two blockade-runners.  In March it was sent to relieve the USS Marion at the West Pass of the Apalachicola River.  It destroyed Confederate batteries at St. Vincent island on 21 March and it and the USS Sagemore captured Apalachicola on April 3rd.

--Old B-R'er

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