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USS ROWAN (Torpedo Boat # 8, TB-8)

CLASS - Rowan As Built.
Displacement 182 Tons.
Dimensions 170' (oa) x 17' x 6'.
Armament 4 x 1 pdr., 3 x 18" tt.
Speed 26 Knots, Crew 24.

Operational and Building Data
Builder Moran Bros. Co., Seattle, WA.
Laid down 22 June 1896.
Launched 8 April 1898.
Commissioned 1 April 1899.
Decommissioned 28 October 1912.

Stricken 29 October 1912.
Fate sold for scrap on 3 June 1918.

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Rowan 51kVice Admiral Stephen Clegg Rowan, USN, (1808-1890), was born near Dublin, Ireland, on 25 December 1808. He emigrated to the United States about ten years later and in February 1826 became a U.S. Navy Midshipman, appointed from the state of Ohio. Over the next eleven years he served afloat in several ships and in March 1837, while attached to the U.S. Exploring Expedition, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. During the later 1830s and early 1840s Rowan was assigned to the U.S. Coast Survey, and subsequently was an officer of the ship of the line Delaware in the south Atlantic and Mediterranean. In 1845-1848 he served in the sloop of war Cyane and played an active role in Mexican war operations in California, including leading the landing party that captured San Diego. While commanding the store ship Relief with the Brazil Squadron in 1855, he was promoted to the rank of Commander. During the opening several months of the Civil War, as commanding officer of the steam sloop Pawnee, Rowan attempted to relieve besieged Fort Sumter, South Carolina, towed endangered ships from the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, operated against Confederate forces along the Potomac River and participated in the capture of Forts Hatteras and Clark, North Carolina. After commanding the larger sloop Brooklyn during the last months of 1861, he played a leading role in offensive operations on the North Carolina Sounds. His combat achievements were recognized by simultaneous promotions to Captain and Commodore in July 1862, and by command of the big steamer Powhatan. From late 1862 until the fall of 1864, Rowan commanded the big ironclad New Ironsides during operations against Charleston, S.C., and also briefly led U.S. naval forces in the North Carolina Sounds. Following the end of the war, Commodore Rowan commanded the cruiser Madawaska and, following promotion to Rear Admiral in July 1866, was Commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard. Between August 1867 and November 1870 he led the U.S. Asiatic Squadron. During the 1870s, as a Vice Admiral, Rowan was Commandant of the New York Navy Yard (1872-1876), held a variety of important oversight positions and performed special duties. His final decade was spent as Governor of the Naval Asylum, Superindendant of the Naval Observatory and Chairman of the Lighthouse Board. Retired from active service in April 1889, Vice Admiral Rowan died on 31 March 1890 at Washington, D.C.Tony Cowart
Rowan 73kPhoto #: NH 63730. USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) in port, circa the late 1890s or early 1900s. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Terry Miller, Executive Director, Tin Can Sailors Inc.
Rowan 90kPhoto #: NH 103501. USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) in port, circa the late 1890s or early 1900s. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.NHC
Rowan 28kA starboard side line drawing by A.D. Baker III of USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) as she appeared in 1898. Pointed object on deck at base of mast is a folding boat; cylinder abaft second stack was a reload torpedo locker. Image scanned from U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.Robert Hurst
Rowan 77kPhoto #: 19-N-15-9-8. USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) hauled out of the water, circa 1900. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.Terry Miller, Executive Director, Tin Can Sailors Inc.
Rowan 81kPhoto #: 19-N-15-9-7. USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) view forward, taken while she was hauled out of the water, circa 1900. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.NHC
Rowan 71kPhoto #: 19-N-15-9-6. USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) view aft, taken while she was hauled out of the water, circa 1900. Note the form of her stern, and her twin four-bladed propellers, mounted aft of her rudder. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.NHC
Rowan 95kPhoto #: 19-N-15-9-12. USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) on the building ways at the Moran Brothers shipyard, Seattle, Washington, with a protective shed built over most of her hull, circa 1898. Another vessel is under construction at right. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.NHC
Rowan 97kPhoto #: NH 100039-KN. "Torpedo Fleet, San Diego, California" photograph taken during the early 1900s, published on a color-tinted postcard at about that time by Edward H. Mitchell of San Francisco, California. Present are (from left to right); USS Davis (Torpedo Boat # 12); USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8); USS Goldsborough (Torpedo Boat # 20); and USS Farragut (Torpedo Boat # 11). Courtesy of R.D. Jeska, 1984. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.NHC
Rowan 41kPhoto #: NH 103500. USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) outboard profile drawing, prepared circa the later 1890s. The original drawing is mid-labeled as representing USS DuPont (Torpedo Boat # 7). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.NHC
Rowan 65kPhoto #: NH 104449. USS Iris (1898-1917) anchored in San Diego Harbor, California, while serving as tender to the Pacific Fleet Torpedo Squadron, circa 1909-1912. USS Rowan (Torpedo Boat # 8) is alongside. Photograph by McDaniel, printed on postcard ("AZO") stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.NHC
Rowan 111kThe decommissioned Rowan tied to a buoy in the Mare Island Channel. From her decommissioning until she was sold, she was known as "Target Rowan" at the Yard. It is not clear if she was the actual target or towed target, and if she was the target was if for gun fire or torpedoes?Darryl Baker


USS Rowan TB-8 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The Hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


LT Reginald Fairfax Nicholson    Apr 1 1899 - ?

ENS Earl Roop Shipp   1908 - ?

ENS Robert Frank Gross    ? 1910 - ?


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website


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