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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Pembina (I)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal

Unadilla Class Screw Gunboat:

Laid down, date unknown, by Thomas Stack, New York, engines by Novelty Iron Works, New York

Launched, 28 August 1861

Commissioned, 16 October 1861, LT. John P. Bankhead in command

During the Civil War USS Pembina was assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron

Participated in the bombardment of Forts Beauregard and Walker, 7 November 1861

Supported the occupation of Beaufort, S.C., 9 November 1861

Assisted on closing off Savannah in early December 1861

Engaged Confederate positions at Port Royal Ferry in December 1861 and January 1862

Assisted in clearing the Coosaw River, 17 January 1862 and 18 February

Operated in the Wright’s and Mud rivers area

Cleared mines from the Savannah River above the mouth of Wright’s River 13 to 15 February 1862

Escorted transports and covered troops as they assaulted Confederate positions

Seized schooner Rowena, 6 June 1862, on the Stono River North Carolina

Reassigned to the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron in 1863

Captured sloop Elias Beckwith near Mobile, 23 April 1863

Seized the blockade running Dutch brig Geziena Hilligonda, 4 December 1864, off Brazos Santiago, TX.

Decommissioned, 22 September, 1865, at the Washington Navy Yard

Sold, at New York, 30 November 1865

Final Disposition, fate unknown

Specifications:
Displacement 507 t.
Length 171'
Beam 31' 6"
Depth 15' 9"
Draft 10'
Speed 10 kts
Complement unknown

Armament

one 11" Dahlgren smoothbore

one 20-pdr Parrott Rifle

two 24-pdrs

Propulsion steam

Size	Image Description
198k	Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861, depicting *Pembina* under construction at the Thomas Stack shipyard, New York City. *Pembina* was launched on 28 August 1861. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 59373	US Naval History and Heritage Command
82k	Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly, July-December 1861 volume. depicting the ten "90-Day Gunboats" constructed for the U.S. Navy in 1861-62. Ships, as identified in the image are from left to right; USS Chippewa USS Sciota USS Itasca USS Winona USS Huron USS Ottawa USS Pembina USS Seneca USS Unadilla and USS Sagamore. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Photo #: NH 59367	Robert Hurst
170k	"Portion of the Naval Expedition, as it appeared on the night of October 16, sailing to Hampton Roads. -- Sketched by an Officer on Board. 1861". Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861 volume, pages 712. It depicts Flag Officer DuPont's squadron en route to capture Port Royal, South Carolina. Ships, all U.S. Navy, as identified below the image bottom, are (from left): USS Wabash, USS Florida, USS Augusta,, USS Alabama,, USS Ottawa,, USS Seneca, and USS Pembina. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 59316	Robert Hurst
100k	"The Great Naval Expedition" to capture Port Royal, South Carolina, November 1861. Engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861 volume, pages 696-697, depicts Federal warships and transports, under Flag Officer Samuel F. DuPont, USN, departing Hampton Roads, Virginia, en route to Port Royal. Ships, as identified below the image bottom, are (from left): (illegible), *Oriental, Baltic, USS O.M. Pettit, USS Gem of the Sea, Great Republic, USS Wabash* (DuPont's flagship), USS Seneca, USS Pembina, USS Connecticut, USS Mercury, USS Unadilla, USS Augusta, USS Alabama and (illegible). US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo #: NH 59315	Robert Hurst
105k	"Reconnaissance of Vernon River, Ossabaw Sound, Georgia, Discovery of a Rebel Battery and Camp, 11 December 1861". Line engraving published in Harper's Weekly, January 1862. It depicts Federal warships engaging the Confederate battery, shown in the far left distance. Ships, as identified below the image bottom, are (from left): USS Seneca, USS Pembina, USS Ottawa and Steamer *Mary Andrew. For the original sketch from which this engraving was made, see Photo # NH 59310. US Naval Historical Center Photo #: NH 59309*	Robert Hurst
96k	"Discovery of a Rebel Battery and Camp on Vernon River, Georgia, 11 December 1861". Sketch by William Crane, artist for Harper's Weekly, presented by the artist to LT, Thomas H. Stevens, Commanding Officer of USS Ottawa. It depicts the US Navy gunboats USS Seneca, USS Pembina, USS Ottawa and steamer *Mary Andrew, at the time of Rebel Battery opening fire. The Federal ships were under the command of CDR. C.R.P. Rodgers of USS Wabash. This sketch apparently served as the basis for the engraving seen in Photo # NH 59309. US Naval Historical Center Photo #: NH 59310*	Robert Hurst
78k	"Army & Navy Reconnaissance. Tuesday Morning Nov. 5" 1861 Line engraving published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume I, page 189, depicting Federal ships investigating Port Royal Sound, South Carolina, prior to their successful attack on Confederate fortifications there. Ships and other items identified across the bottom of the print include (from left to right): USS Mercury, with Generals Sherman and Stevens & staff on board; USS Penguin, with Hilton Head Battery beyond; USS Pawnee; Broad River (in distance); CSS Huntress (distance); USS Seneca; Steamer *Screamer* (distance); USS Ottawa with Capt. Rogers & General Wright on board; Steamer *Everglades* (distance, beyond *Ottawa; USS Pembina; CSS Lady Davis* (distance); Beaufort River (distance); Bay Point Battery (distance); USS Curlew; (probably misidentified as no record exists that USS Curlew served with South Atlantic Blockading Squadron) Confederate camp (distance); USS Isaac Smith. US Navy photo # NH 59319	Tommy Trampp
75k	"Bombardment and Capture of Port Royal, South Carolina, 7 November 1861" Engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861 volume, pages 760-761. It depicts Federal warships, under Flag Officer Samuel F. DuPont, USN, bombarding Fort Beauregard (at right) and Fort Walker (at left). The Confederate squadron commanded by Commodore Josiah Tattnall is in the left center distance. Subjects identified below the image bottom are (from left): tug *Mercury, Fort Walker, USS Wabash* (DuPont's flagship), steamer *Screamer (?), USS Susquehanna, CSS Huntsville, Commo. Tattnall, (probably misidentified as no record exists that CSS Huntsville served in the defenses of Port Royal, S.C. USS Bienville, USS Pembina, USS Seneca, USS Ottawa, USS Unadilla, USS Pawnee, USS Mohican, USS Isaac Smith, USS Curlew; (probably misidentified as no record exists that USS Curlew served with South Atlantic Blockading Squadron), USS Vandalia, USS Penguin, USS Pocahontas, USS Seminole, Fort Beauregard, USS R.B. Forbes* and "Rebel Camp". US Navy photo # NH 59256	US Naval History and Heritage Command
116k	"Gun-Boats Entering Savannah River above Fort Pulaski." Engraving published in Harper's Weekly, January-June 1862 volume, page 132. It depicts USS Pembina (left center) and USS Unadilla (right) engaging Confederate gunboats under Commodore Josiah Tattnall while entering the Savannah River, Georgia, to cut off Fort Pulaski, 22 February 1862. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 59284	US Naval History and Heritage Command

USS Pembina (I)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Last Updated 17 March 2017