USRC Kankakee

USRC ''Kankakee'' was a screw steam revenue cutter built for the United States Revenue Marine during the American Civil War.

''Kankakee'' spent most of her brief career with the Revenue Marine operating in and around Charleston, South Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Apart from her normal revenue cutter duties, she was used as a transport for customs officials and later for testing safety apparatus.

After less than three years as a revenue cutter, ''Kankakee'' was sold in 1867 due to dissatisfaction with her machinery. Later voyaging to Japan, where she was renamed ''Kawachi'', she was broken up in or after 1869.

Construction and design

''Kankakee'' was one of six ''Pawtuxet''-class screw schooners ordered by the Treasury Department in 1863 for the United States Revenue Marine. She was built in New York City by J. A. Westervelt for the sum of $103,000 and launched on 15 September 1863."''Kankakee'', 1863"
U.S. Coast Guard website.

''Kankakee'' was long, with a beam of and hold depth of ."The New Revenue Cutters—The Launch of Two of Them"
''The New York Times'', 1863-07-10.
''The New York Times'', 1864-11-02. Draft is uncertain but was probably around .''"Woodbury"''
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Naval History & Heritage Command website. Like the other ships of her class, her contract called for a hull of oak, locust and white oak, strengthened with diagonal iron bracing.

''Kankakee'' was powered by a two-cylinder, geared screw, oscillating engine with 36 inch bore, 30-inch stroke and 10-inch steam cut-off, built by J. & R. I. Gray at their New York facility, the Phoenix Iron Works. Steam, at a pressure of about 22 psi, was supplied by a single tubular boiler. The engine drove a single 8-foot diameter, 12-foot pitch screw propeller geared upward at a ratio of 3:1, delivering a speed of about 12 knots.

A fatal accident involving ''Kankakee'' occurred while her engines were being installed at the foot of Horatio Street, North River on June 1, 1864. While ''Kankakee''s smokestack was being hoisted in, the steamboat ''Mary Powell'' passed by, the wash from which caused the smokestack's supporting guys to slip and send it crashing to the deck of an adjacent schooner. Two men were killed by the falling smokestack, and several other persons injured. A coroner's inquest held a few days later concluded that no fault could be attributed, but recommended that in future installations of the type, six guys be used instead of the usual four."Two Men Instantly Killed on a Schooner"
''The New York Times'', 1864-06-06.

''Kankakee'' was either brig or topsail schooner-rigged for auxiliary sail power. Her armament consisted of a single 30-pounder Parrott rifle, and five 24-pounder Dahlgren guns, including two pivot guns. She had a crew complement of 41 officers and enlisted men.

Service history

Trial trip

''Kankakee'' conducted her trial trip on 1 November 1864, leaving port at 10 Am with a number of officials aboard, including the Superintendent of Repairs and Supplies, Thomas B. Stillman, and several officers of the Revenue Marine. During the trial, ''Kankakee'' attained a speed of 12 knots, with the engine operating at 36 rpm and the propeller at 108, reportedly making her the fastest vessel of the ''Pawtuxet'' class. A New York Times correspondent despatched for the occasion observed that the ship "makes a very fine appearance on the water. She steers beautifully, turning around in a very short space".

After returning to dock at 4 Pm, the vessel was met by Collector of Ports Simeon Draper, and a second trip made for his benefit. Draper declared himself "very much pleased" with ''Kankakee''s performance, while the other officials "pronounced unqualifiedly" in favor of the ship.

Revenue Marine service, 1864–67

Soon thereafter, ''Kankakee'' received her commission, but scarcely had she entered service than tragedy struck again. On December 26, 1864, ''Kankakee''s commander, Captain Richard A. Morsell of Washington D.C., fell overboard from the wharf at Hoboken, N.J., while attempting to signal another vessel. He clung to a "pile" wharf support until he was rescued twenty minutes later and taken to a hotel. All attempts to revive him failed. One of his officers was with him when he slipped into the water. A coroner's inquest was held in Hoboken on December 27, and rendered a verdict that he came to his death from "psychrophobia". Captain Morsell was one of the youngest naval captains."Fatal Occurrence"
''The New York Times'', 1864-12-27."Sad Accident",''New York Evening Express'', 1864-12-27.

In 1865, ''Kankakee'', now under the command of a Captain Baker, voyaged to the Southern States with two agents of the Treasury Department tasked with setting up a system of customs for the ports of the recently vanquished Confederacy. After calling at Mobile, Alabama and Havana, Cuba on 27 July for coaling before returning to New York. The Customs office at Charleston, meanwhile, was said to be "rapidly assuming a prosperous aspect"."From Charleston"
''The New York Times'', 1865-08-03.

By September, ''Kankakee'' was homeported in Norfolk, Virginia."From Fortress Monroe"
''The New York Times'', 1865-09-16. The following month, ''Kankakee'' arrived at Fort Monroe with the schooner ''Hannah Matilda'' under tow, which had lost her sails."From Fortress Monroe"
''The New York Times'', 1865-10-10. On February 9, 1866, ''Kankakee'' spoke the ship ''Grey Eagle'', laden with coffee from Rio Janeiro, and supplied her with provisions."From Fortress Monroe"
''The New York Times'', 1866-02-13. On the 24th, ''Kankakee'', now under the command of Captain George Slicer, was reportedly preparing to transfer to Philadelphia, while the revenue cutter ''Mocassin'' was set to take over ''Kankakee''s duties in Virginia waters."United States Revenue Cutters"
''The New York Times'', 1866-02-27.

In February 1867, the crew of ''Kankakee'' suffered another misfortune when one of the ship's firemen was knocked down by a tender in Grand Street, Manhattan, reportedly suffering serious injuries."Fire in Crosby-Street"
''The New York Times'', 1867-02-27. In April, ''Kankakee'' was utilized by the Commission on Life-Saving Apparatus to test a number of different designs for detaching and lowering lifeboats. "The merits of a fog-horn" were also tested."Commission on Life-Saving Apparatus"
''The New York Times'', 1867-04-20. Captain Slicer of ''Kankakee'' was later thanked for his assistance to the Commission."The Life-Saving Commission"
''The New York Times'', 1867-05-24.

Later service

By this time, the Revenue Marine had decided to rid itself of a number of the ''Pawtuxet''-class cutters on the basis that their engines were too complicated. ''Kankakee'' was consequently laid up, and sold on 28 May 1867. She later voyaged to Japan, whereby February 1869 she had been renamed ''Kawachi''.* Silverstone, Paul H. (1989): ''Warships of the Civil War Navies'', p. 188, Naval Institute Press, Maryland, . ''Kawachi'' was eventually broken up.

Notes

See note ''a'' in the ''Pawtuxet''-class cutter article.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kankakee Usrc
1863 ships
Pawtuxet-class cutters
American Civil War ships of the United States
Ships built in New York City