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USS Albatross (I)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal
Wooden Three-masted Schooner rigged Screw Steamer:
  • Built in 1858, at Mystic, CT.
  • Purchased by the Federal Navy, 23 May 1861, at Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Commissioned, USS Albatross, 25 June 1861, at New York Navy Yard, CDR. George A. Prentiss in command
  • During the Civil War USS Albatross was assigned to the Atlantic Blockading Squadron, at Hampton Roads and along the North Carolina coast
    Captured the schooner Velasco, of Galveston, TX., 18 July 1861
    Captured the schooner Enchantress, 22 July 1861
    Took the schooner Alabama, 14 September 1861, off the mouth of the Potomac River
    Destroyed the grounded British ship York, 16 January 1862, near Bogue Inlet, N.C.
  • Reassigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in April 1862
    Assigned to blockade Georgetown, S.C. from May to June 1862, during which time on 20 June 1862, two boats from Albatross captured the steam tug Treaty and schooner Louisa
  • Reassigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron in August 1862
    Assigned to blockade the mouth of the Rio Grande River near Brownsville, TX.
    Captured schooner Two Sisters off Galveston, 21 September 1862
    Disabled with a Yellow Fever in late September 1862, Albatross is quarantined at Pensacola, FL., 4 October 1862
    Returned to blockade duty mid-November 1862, along the Florida coast
    Supported the uncontested landing of Gen. Banks troops at Baton Rouge, LA, 17 December 1862
    Lashed to the side of USS Hartford, Adm Farragut's flagship, Albatross ran the gauntlet of Fort Hudson's batteries on the lower Mississippi
    Engaged Confederate batteries at Grand Gulf, MS. in March 1863, suffering one KIA and nine WIA
    Aided in the attacked and capture of Confederate Fort De Russy, 4 May 1863, suffering heavy casualties
    Quarantined at Pensacola, FL. with a second outbreak of Yellow Fever in August 1863
  • Decommissioned, 6 June 1864, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, N.H., for repairs
  • Recommissioned, 25 December 1864, assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron
  • Severely damaged by storm 100 miles south of Cape Cod, proceeded to Philadelphia Navy Yard for repairs
  • When seaworthy Albatross steamed to her new blockading station off Mobile, Al.
  • Decommissioned, 11 August 1865, at Boston Navy Yard
  • Sold at public auction, 8 September 1865, to C. P. Stickney
  • Redocumented, 23 September 1865
  • Operated in merchant service until her engines were removed in 1888
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 378 t.
    Length 150'
    Beam 30'
    Depth 10'
    Draft unknown
    Speed 11 kts
    Complement unknown
    Armament
    one 8" Dahlgren smoothbore
    two 32-pdr smooth bore
    Propulsion steam and sail
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Albatross
    120991216    		 82k
    Namesake
    Albatross - Any of the large, web-footed sea birds related to petrels    		 Tommy Trampp
    Albatross 71k Sketch by William M.C. Philbrick, depicting USS Albatross off Mobile, AL., 25 September 1863. From the Private Papers of William M.C. Philbrick, Carpenter's Mate, USS Portsmouth.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 57264-A    		 Tommy Trampp
    Albatross 182k Line engraving based on a sketch by Mr. Donovan, titled "Recapture of the Schooner 'Enchantress' by the Gunboat 'Albatross'." published in "Harper's Weekly", 1861. The civilian schooner Enchantress was captured by the Confederate privateer Jefferson Davis, 6 July 1861. She was retaken by USS Albatross off Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, 20 July 1861.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 58884    		 Tommy Trampp
    USS Albatross (I)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Prentiss, George A.29 June 1861 - 26 August 1862
    02CDR. French, Henry1 August 1862 - 29 October 1862 (Yellow Fever)
    03LCDR. Hart, John E.30 October 1862 - 13 June 1863
    04Act. Vol. LT. DuBois, Theodore F.13 July 1863 - 15 April 1865
    05LCDR. Norton, Charles S.1 May 1865 - 1 July 1865
    06Act. Vol. LT. Mundy, George H.1 July 1865 - 11 August 1865
    Courtesy Bill Gonyo
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    Last Updated 21 October 2022