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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

USS MONTAUK


Passaic Class Monitor: Displacement: 1,875 tons. Dimensions: 200 x 46 x 10.5 feet/60.96 x 14.01 x 3.2 meters. Propulsion: Ericsson VL engines, 2 boilers, 320 hp, 1 shaft, 4-5 knots. Crew: 75. Armor: Iron: 3-5 inch sides, 1 inch deck, 11 inch turret. Armament: 1 dual turret with 1x15 inch Dahlgren smoothbore, 1x11 inch Dahlgren smoothbore.

Operational and Building Data: Single-turreted monitor Montauk was built by John Ericsson at Continental Iron Works, Greenpoint, N.Y.; launched 9 October 1862; and commissioned at New York 14 December 1862, Comdr. John L. Worden in command.
Fate: Decommissioning at Philadelphia in 1865, she remained there until sold to Frank Samuel 14 April 1904.
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Passaic 39k Plan of turret for Passaic class monitors. The port stoppers can be seen clearly in this drawing. Photo courtesy of "Monitors of the U.S. Navy, 1861-1937", pg 11, by Lt. Richard H. Webber, USNR-R. (LOC) Library of Congress, Catalog Card No. 77-603596.
Passaic 61k Propeller and rudder arrangement of the Passaic class. Photo courtesy of "Monitors of the U.S. Navy, 1861-1937", pg 13, by Lt. Richard H. Webber, USNR-R. (LOC) Library of Congress, Catalog Card No. 77-603596.
U.S. Navy Warships, 1862. 724k Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly, 1862, depicting several contemporary U.S. Navy ironclad and conventional warships. They are (from left to right: Puritan (in the original twin-turret design); Catskill; Montauk; Keokuk (citing her original name, "Woodna"); Passaic; Galena (behind Roanoke, with name not cited); Roanoke; Winona; New Ironsides; Naugatuck; Brooklyn and Monitor. Photo # NH 58752, now in the collections of the National Archives & National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
MONTAUK 119k Line engraving of the Montauk after a sketch by W.T. Crane, published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 188. It depicts the interior of the Montauk's gun turret, probably at about the time she was completed in December 1862. Guns are both Dahlgren smoothbores: a XV-inch at right and an XI-inch at left. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58705.
MONTAUK 115k Line engraving of the Montauk after a sketch by W.T. Crane, published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 187. It depicts a scene the compartment below the Montauk's gun turret, probably at about the time the ship was completed in December 1862. Note crewman reading a newspaper, at right. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58700.
MONTAUK 140k Line engraving of the Montauk published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 186. It depicts scenes on board the monitor, probably at about the time she was completed in December 1862. The views include the Commanding Officer's cabin, arrangements for manually rotating the Montauk's turret, and the anchor well on the foredeck. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58701.
MONTAUK 105k Line engraving of the Montauk published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 187. It depicts scenes on board the monitor, probably at about the time she was completed in December 1862. The views include a view in the officers' ward room, with negro messmen at work, and several vignettes of ordnance equipment. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58703.
MONTAUK 110k Line engraving of the Montauk published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 186. It depicts a scene on the monitor's berth deck, probably at about the time she was completed in December 1862. Note mess table at left, crewmen resting and reading a newspaper, and ladder leading topside. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58704.
MONTAUK 111k Line engraving of the Montauk published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 186-87. It depicts scenes on board the monitor, probably at about the time she was completed in December 1862. The views include: interior of the armored pilothouse,with vignettes showing the inside and outside appearance of the pilothouse viewing ports; turret port for the ship's XV-inch Dahlgren gun; entrance to the shell room; a crewman reading a newspaper near the windlass; signal flags hoisted above the pilothouse; and the flagstaff at the ship's stern. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58702.
MONTAUK 111k "The Iron-clad Montauk engaging the Rebel Fort McAllister, in the Ogeechee River, 28th January 1863. -- Sketched by an Officer of the 'Dawn.'". Line engraving, published in Harper's Weekly 1863, depicting Montauk in the foreground, firing on the fort. At left, also bombarding, are the U.S. ships Seneca, Wissahickon, Dawn and C.P. Williams. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58899.
MONTAUK 127k Acting Ensign Isaac J. McKinley U. S. Navy. This carte-de-visite was created by Fredericks of New York. Signed in ink on the verso by McKinley reads, "Isaac J. McKinley, U. S. Navy, Iron-Clad "Montauk" Big Ogeechee River Geo. February 21, 1863". McKinley served aboard the Montauk with Commander John Lorimer Worden. On 28 February 1863, although engaged with Confederate Batteries at Ft. McAllister, the Montauk spotted the famed Confederate commerce raider CSS Nashville (then renamed CSS Rattlesnake) and ordered all guns to bear on the hated Confederate ship. Worden set the Nashville afire and ran her aground to keep her from sinking, although her magazine exploded and she was destroyed. Both Worden and McKinley received prize money for the Nashville's destruction. Prize money was one year’s salary to members of the navy. Acting Ensign Isaac J. McKinley served about the Pocahontas during her assignment as part of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron in 1865. McKinley was appointed Acting Ensign on 5 September 1862 and discharged on 13 August 1865. Photo courtesy of the Heritage Auctions November 2011 Catalog (Public Domain) via Bill Gonyo.
MONTAUK 219k The Union iron clad monitor Montauk destroying the Rebel steamship Nashville in the Ogeechee River, near Savannah Ga., 28 February 1863. Published by Currier & Ives, 1863?. LOC photo # LC-USZC2-3113 courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C via Tom Kermen.
MONTAUK
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625k Montauk shelling the Confederate Privateer Rattlesnake (ex-CSS Nashville) in the Ogeechee River, Georgia, 28 February 1863. Painting by Alexander C. Stuart, owned by the James W. Woodruff, Jr., Confederate Naval Museum, Columbus, Georgia. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 101697-KN via Robert Hurst
MONTAUK 820k The Union iron clad monitor Montauk destroying the Rebel steamship Nashville in the Ogeechee River, near Savannah Ga., 28 February 1863. Image from p.51 of the book Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, pub. 1 January 1877, being for the most part contributions by Union and Confederate officers, based upon the Century War Series, volume 4, by Julian Oliver Davidson. Image courtesy of the British Library from its digital collections, courtesy of Robert Hurst.
MONTAUK 115k Line engraving published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 41, showing Rattlesnake burning after being shelled by the monitor Montauk, commanded by Captain John L. Worden, USN, in the Ogeechee River, Georgia on 28 February 1863. Fort McAllister is in the right-center background, and the U.S. Navy gunboats Seneca, Wissahickon, Dawn are providing supporting fire in the left distance. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 59286.
MONTAUK 88k Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly 1863. It depicts the Montauk detonating a mine in the Ogeechee River, Georgia,in the morning of 28 February 1863, as she was withdrawing after destroying the Confederate ship Rattlesnake. Montauk was damaged by this explosion and had to be run aground until repairs could be made. Photo courtesy of sonofthesouth.net. Text courtesy of USNHC.
Passaic 107k "Panoramic View of Charleston Harbor. -- Advance of Ironclads to the Attack, 7 April, 1863" Line engraving published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 172, with a key to individual ships and land features shown. U.S. Navy ships present are (from left to center): Keokuk, Nahant, Nantucket, Catskill, New Ironsides, Patapsco, Montauk, Passaic and Weehawken. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. USNHC # NH 59269.
Ironclads in Action
nantucket1e
648k Ironclads in Action
Sketch of Charleston Harbor, showing placement of US Navy Ironclads during the attack in April 1863 (from top to bottom):
Keokuk,
Weehawken,
Passaic,
Montauk,
Patapsco,
Catskill,
Nantucket &
Nahant.
Photo courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
Passaic 61k George Cook's photograph of Union ironclads firing on Fort Moultrie, S.C., believed to be the world’s first combat photograph.
Monitors engage Confederate batteries on Sullivan's Island, Charleston, South Carolina. Photographed from one of the Confederate emplacements, the ships are identified as (from left to right): Weehawken, Montauk and Passaic. The monitor on the right appears to be firing its guns. Date is given as 8 September 1863, when other U.S. Navy ships were providing cover for Weehawken, which had gone aground on the previous day. She was refloated on the 8th after receiving heavy gunfire from the Confederate fortifications.
Photo courtesy of the Cook Collection, Valentine Richmond History.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph USNHC # NH 51964.
MONTAUK 86k Ships moored in the Anacostia River off the Washington Navy Yard, D.C. waterfront, after the end of the Civil War, about 1865. The large twin-turret monitor in the center is Miantonomoh, with the smaller monitor Montauk tied up alongside her, to the left. In the left distance are the "light draft" monitor Chimo and the twin-turret monitor Tonawanda. The former Confederate ironclad Stonewall is beyond them. In the right distance is the Yard's western shiphouse. Ship at right is probably Resaca.
The original print is mounted on a carte de visite produced by Christimo, 45 Rua de Quitanda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Courtesy of Mrs. W.E. Taylor, 1941, from the collection of Medical Inspector William E. Taylor, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58936.
MONTAUK 89k Four monitors laid up in the Anacostia River, off the Washington Navy Yard, circa 1866. Ships are (from left to right): Mahopac, Saugus, Montauk (probably); and either Casco or Chimo. Photo mounted on a stereographic card, marked: "Photographed and published by Kilburn Brothers, Littleton, N.H.". Courtesy of Paul H. Silverstone, 1982. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 93868.
MONTAUK 84k Miantonomoh moored off the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in 1865-66. Montauk is tied up alongside, to the left. The Navy Yard's western shiphouse is visible in the right background. Photo mounted on a stereographic card. Courtesy of the Steamship Historical Society of America, 1952. Collection of Rosmar S. Devereaux. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 86239.
MONTAUK 128k "Post-mortem Examination of Booth's Body on board the Monitor Montauk." Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly 13 May 1865, depicting the scene on board Montauk, off the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., on 27 April 1865, as Union officers examined the body of John Wilkes Booth. Booth had assassinated President Abraham Lincoln of 14 April 1865. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 51959.
Monitors 607k Monitors in ordinary at League Island Navy Yard: Nahant, Lehigh, Canonicus, Manhattan, Jason [ex-Sangamon],Catskill, Montauk, Mahopac & Ajax circa 1890 - 1901, but most likely taken in 1898. Insert Image and text provided by University of California, Riverside.
Photo courtesy of The Herald. (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 22 April 1898, Image 10, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Photo LC-D401-21287 courtesy of loc.gov.
NAHANT 288k Nahant, Lehigh, Canonicus, Manhattan, Jason [ex-Sangamon],Catskill, Montauk & Mahopac lay tied up in rusting retirement, circa 1900. Photo courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
BB-4 Iowa 871k League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia, 1900;
Note the caption in the photo says Iowa (BB-4), however she was on the west coast during this time and Indiana (BB-1) & monitors Lehigh & Montauk were all in Philadelphia.
Detroit Publishing Company Photo # 4a08494v from lcweb2.loc.gov.
JunkNROLD TIME MONITORS TO BE SOLD AS JUNK.
THE MONITOR MONTAUK

The last of the old time war monitors, five in number, have been condemned by a naval board of survey and the Navy Department will shortly sell them to the highest bidders. The vessels are the Canonicus, Jason [ex-Sangamon], Lehigh, Montauk and Nahant. They are at the League Island Navy Yard. They will probably be bought by junk dealers and broken up for the iron contained in them.
Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo courtesy of The Washington Times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 19 October 1902, Image 7, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
MONTAUK 77k Montauk at left, and Lehigh at right, laid up at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, circa late 1902 or early 1903. The ships present, at extreme left and in center beyond Montauk and Lehigh, include three other old monitors and two new destroyers (probably Bainbridge (DD-01) and Chauncey (DD-03), both in reserve at Philadelphia from November 1902 to February 1903). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 45896.
MontaukNRLAST OF THE OLD MONITORS AWAIT DESTRUCTION
VIEW OF THE MONTAUK, ONE OF THE LAST OF THE OLD MONITORS. NOW AT LEAGUE ISLAND NAVY YARD.
Image and text provided by Indiana State Library.
Photo courtesy of The Indianapolis Journal. (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 08 February 1904, Image 9, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
(NISMF)376kA guest studies a painting depicting the history of battleships. The artwork was painted by George Skybeck and presented to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association during their annual banquet at Honolulu, Hawaii, on 8 December 1991. USN photo # DN-SC-92-05391, by PHC Carolyn Harris, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.

USS MONTAUK History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The Hazegray & Underway Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Not Applicable To This Ship
Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway Battleship Pages By Andrew Toppan.
Monitor National Marine Santuary, NOAA.
Tour the Wreck of the Monitor.

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