USS De Soto-- Part 1: A Very Fast Ship

In the last post I wrote about this ship capturing four blockade runners in one day.

From Wikipedia.

Completed as a merchant ship in 1859.  Sold to U.S. Navy 12 August 1861 and name retained.  Commissioned 1861.  Decommissioned 16 June 1864.  Recommissioned 12 August 1865.  Decommissioned 11 September 1868.  Sold 30 September 1868 to be used as a merchant ship again on the New York-Havana-New Orleans run.  Destroyed by fire 31 December 1868.

1,675 tons, 253 feet long, 38 foot beam sidewheel steamer.  Capable of 14 miles an hour, very fast for its time and size.  130 crew

Armament:

1861:  eight 32-pdr guns, one 30-pdr. Parrott rifle

1863:  one 11-inch Dahlgren, one 30-pdr. Parrott rifle, six 32-pdr rifles, two 12-pdr. smoothbores.

No Wonder the De Soto Was Able to Capture Four Blockade Runners in One Day.  --Old B-R'er