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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive
USS Iris (II)
Sidewheel Steamer:
Built in 1863 as wood steamer Willet Rowe at Brooklyn, N.Y.
Launched, date unknown
Purchased for the Navy by RADM H. Paulding at New York City from C. W. Copeland 16 October 1863 for 32,500
Outfitted as an armed tug and commissioned USS Iris, date unknown, at New York Navy Yard.
USS Iris sailed from New York, 2 November, to join the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron off Charleston 6 November
She took station inside the bar at Charleston where she served faithfully during most of the remainder of the war
Iris steamed with Nipsic to the North Edisto River 8 February 1864 to support a
reconnaissance in force undertaken by the Army as a diversion to prevent Southern troops in the Charleston area from moving to Florida for action against Brigadier General Truman
Seymour
A week later she was back at her old station inside the bar
On 12 December Iris moved to the Savannah River to be on hand to support General W. T. Sherman at the end of his march through Georgia to the sea where he was assured
of supplies and a secure operating base behind the big guns of the Navy
From Savannah she sailed to Port Royal for repairs, arriving 1 January 1865
Iris returned to service early in February in time to participate in the expedition to Bull's Bay which diverted Confederate troops from General Sherman's path as he
marched north close to the sea ever ready to retire to the coast under Naval protection if necessary
The combined forces departed Charleston Roads on the night of 11 February and entered Bull's Bay before daybreak the next morning
The Union ships engaged enemy forts at Andersonville 13 February but found the Confederate positions too strong to carry
The next 2 days were spent exploring the marshlands in the area seeking a route which would enable the Northern vessels to approach Andersonville from the rear
A passage was found on the night of 15 February enabling Iris and other ships to land troops behind the fortress which soon fell
This diversionary movement was one of the factors which compelled the Confederacy to evacuate Charleston where the war had begun four long years earlier, with the firing on Fort
Sumter.
Iris remained in Charleston until 28 April when she sailed with eight other ships to the coast of Florida to intercept Jefferson Davis and his cabinet in their
flight toward political asylum in Cuba
Upon learning of Davis' capture at Irwinville, Ga., she returned to Charleston where she remained until sailing north with Rear Admiral Dahlgren in Pawnee 17 June
Decommissioned at Washington Navy Yard, 15 July 1865
Transferred to the Treasury Department for the Lighthouse Service 18 October 1865
Specifications:
Displacement 159 t.
Length 87'
Beam 19'
Depth of Hold unknown
Draft 10'6"
Speed 12mph
Complement unknown
Armament
two 20-pdr Parrott rifles
Propulsion
one overhead cylinder, condensing, independent slide valve steam engine; cylinder dimension 28", stroke 28"
one flue water leg boiler
two paddlewheels
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Iris (II)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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Last Updated 1 July 2022