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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Louisiana (II)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal

Screw Steamer Gunboat:

Built at Wilmington, Del., in 1860

Purchased by the Navy at Philadelphia 10 July 1861

Commissioned USS Louisiana, in August 1861, LT. Alexander Murray in command

Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron operating along the Virginia coast

Louisiana and USS Savannah engaged CSS Patrick Henry, 13 September 1861, off Newport News without conclusive results

Two of Louisiana's boats destroyed a Confederate privateer at Chincoteague Inlet 5 October

On 7 October she captured schooner S. T. Carrison with a cargo of wood near Wallops Island

Louisiana boats, led by Lt. Alfred Hopkins, surprised and burned three Confederate vessels at Chincoteague Inlet 28 and 29 October

Louisiana was reassigned to Hatteras Inlet, 2 January 1862, to prepare for the invasion of the Carolina Sounds

For the next 3 years, she patrolled, supported Army troops and made raids throughout the intricate water system

On 6 September 1862, Louisiana provided fire power for Union troops repelling Confederate attacks on Washington, N.C.

She captured schooner Alice L. Webb at Rose Bay, N.C., 5 November 1862

Participated in the Army-Navy expedition which captured Greenville, N.C., 4 days later

On 20 May 1863, one of her boat crews captured a still unrigged schooner in the Tar River north of Washington, N.C.

In early December in an attempt to destroy the fortifications at Fort Fisher, guarding Wilmington, N.C., Louisiana was partially stripped and laden with explosives

She left Hampton Roads 13 December in tow of Sassacus for Beaufort, N.C., where the loading of powder was completed

She arrived at Fort Fisher, 5 days, here Wilderness took up the tow with a volunteer crew

Wilderness and Louisiana departed Beaufort, 23 December, Wilderness positioned Louisiana under Fort Fisher

Louisiana was blown up as planned, but with little effect

Several weeks later, the massed gunfire of the fleet and amphibious assault reduced the last great bastion of the Carolina Sounds

Specifications:
Displacement 295 t.
Length 143' 2"
Beam 27' 3"
Depth of Hold 8' 1"
Draft 8' 6"
Speed unknown
Complement 83

Armament

one 8" Dalghren smoothbore

one 32-pdr

one 12-pdr Dalghren rifle

Propulsion steam

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
	134k	Naval Skirmish between the Rebel Iron-plated War Steamer CSS Patrick Henry), and a portion of the Federal Fleet anchored in James River, Va., off Newport News. Line engraving published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated, 1861. It probably depicts the action of 13 September 1861. Ships shown are (from left to right): USS Louisiana, CSS Patrick Henry, USS Savannah and USS Cumberland. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 59210	Robert Hurst
	16k	Drawing broadside view of Gunboat USS Louisiana by Waud, Alfred R. (Alfred Rudolph), 1828-1891. J.P. Morgan, 1919 (DLC/PP-1919:R1.2.456), Morgan collection of Civil War drawings, Library of Congress.	Tommy Trampp
098665502	286k	Diagram of powder stowage aboard USS Louisiana by a volunteer crew from USS Agawam under the direction of *Agawam*'s commanding officer CDR. Alexander C. Rhind Civil War Sea Battles, Chapter XV, Page 197	Tommy Trampp

USS Louisiana (II)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Last Updated 13 November 2020