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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

Grapeshot

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal
Ordnance Tug:
  • Acquired in January 1877, Grapeshot served as an ordnance tug at New York and at Hampton Roads
  • Placed out of service and sold 1 January 1880
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement unknown
    Length unknown
    Beam unknown
    Depth of Hold unknown
    Draft unknown
    Speed unknown
    Complement unknown
    Armament none
    Propulsionsteam
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source or
    Contributed By
    Grapeshot>
    098672201    		 41k
    Namesake
    Grapeshot - In artillery, a grapeshot is an ammunition that consists of a collection of smaller-caliber round shots packed in tight geometric arrangements into a canvas bag[1] and separated from the gunpowder charge by a metal wadding, rather than being a single solid projectile. When assembled, the shot resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name. Grapeshots were used both in land and naval artilleries. On firing, the canvas wrapping disintegrates and the contained balls scatter out from the muzzle, giving a ballistic effect similar to a giant shotgun. (Wikipedia)
    Photo - Close-up of grapeshot (right) from an American Revolution sketch of artillery devices (Wikipedia)    		 Tommy Trampp
    Narragansett 223k "The Great Expedition -- The Vessels at Anchor at Hampton Roads Previous to the Departure". Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly, July-December 1861 volume, page 725. It consists of two views of Flag Officer DuPont's squadron at Hampton Roads, VA., prior to leaving, 29 October 1861 to capture Port Royal, S.C. Ships and geographical features, as identified below the images, are (upper engraving, from left to right):
    ferry boats,
    store ship,
    steamer SS Marion,
    USS Seminole,
    steamer SS Ben Deford,
    tug Grapeshot,
    Fort Monroe,
    USS Narragansett,
    USS Alabama,
    USS Pawnee, and
    new ("90-Day") gunboats.

    (lower engraving, from left to right):
    store ship,
    SS Vanderbilt,
    steam tug (foreground),
    store ship,
    steamer Winfield Scott,
    steamer Atlantic,
    USS Minnesota,
    steamer SS Baltic,
    USS Relief,
    USS Wabash,
    USS R.B. Forbes,
    steamer SS Oriental,
    steamer SS Matanzas,
    steamer SS Philadelphia,
    and the Rip Raps.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo #: NH 59317
    Grapeshot
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 21 May 2021