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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Amanda

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal

Bark:

Built in 1858 as the wooden-hulled bark Amanda at New York City

Launched, date unknown

Purchased there by the Navy, 6 August 1861

Commissioned, USS Amanda circa October 1861, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Nathaniel Goodwin in command

Amanda joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, at Wilmington, N.C., 8 November 1861

Departing her station off Wilmington in late February the bark reached Hampton Roads, 26 February for repair and reprovisioning

During a severe storm on 3 March, Amanda dragged anchor and fouled sister blockader USS Braziliera, causing considerable harm to both ships

The need to patch damage caused by this accident delayed Amanda's, return to Wilmington and thus allowed the bark to play a minor, but important, role in the most memorable naval action of the Civil War the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack at Hampton Roads

The initial set backs to the Union fleet during the battle prompted orders to the chartered tug America to go to the assistance of the grounded frigate USS Minnesota; but her master refused to get up steam. Amanda's executive officer, Acting Master Richard J. Hoffner and a crew of 12 from the bark boarded the tug and enabled her to join other Union steamships in labors which enabled USS Roanoke to reach the comparative safety of deeper water. They also refloated USS Minnesota

Meanwhile, on the evening of the 8th, Amanda moved to a position near the inner lightship at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay to await the Union Navy's ironclad USS Monitor.

Amanda's Executive Officer Acting Master Samuel Howard was ordered to pilot Monitor to a position close to Minnesota

When CSS Virginia (Merrimack) reappeared the following morning Monitor intercepted her before she could reach Minnesota and checked her advance in the inconclusive ensuing battle which lasted about four hours before Virginia withdrew

Meanwhile Amanda was towed on the morning of 8 March to Baltimore by USS Currituck in order to complete her repairs

Amanda was reassigned to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron, 27 March 1862, reaching Key West, 18 April

She was detailed to cruising between Tortugas and Cuba in the hope of intercepting vessels operating between Havana and Confederate ports capturing the Confederate steamer Swan in May, and seized an unnamed slave ship northwest of Mariel, Cuba

At the end of June 1862, Amanda took station off the eastern entrance to St. George's Sound, FL., her area of service for the remainder of her career

On 20 March Amanda's launch with 3 officers and 27 men and her tender Brockenborough was sent to reconnoiter the mouth of the Ocklocknee River to investigate a report that a schooner was loading cotton, finding the dismasted schooner Onward, they took control of the schooner, despite strandings in the mud and Confederate riflemen the sailors of Amanda and Brockenborough managed proceed to St. Marks's, FL. where the wounded were embarked in USS Hendrick Hudson

Amanda continued to serve on the blockade of St. George's Sound into the spring, on 27 May 1863 a storm of hurricane intensity drove Amanda ashore on Dog Island

Two days later, her crew destroyed her to prevent her falling into Southern hands

Specifications:
Displacement 368 t.
Length 117'6"
Beam 27'9"
Depth of Hold 12'6"
Draft unknown
Speed unknown
Complement 71

Armament

six 32-pdr smoothbores

Propulsion sail

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
	197k	Preparing Merchant Vessels for the Blockade", Harper's Weekly, September 7, 1861. Merchant ships Arthur, *Braziliera* (sic Brazelero), *Amanda* and *Gem of the Sea* being fitted out for naval service at New York Navy Yard.		Tommy Trampp

USS Amanda
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Last Updated 10 May 2019