USS ''Wabash'' was a steam screw

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

that served during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. She was based on the same plans as . Post-war she continued to serve her country in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

an operations and eventually served as a

barracks ship A barracks ship or barracks barge or berthing barge, or in civilian use accommodation vessel or accommodation ship, is a ship or a non-self-propelled barge containing a superstructure of a type suitable for use as a temporary barracks for sai ...

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, and was sold in 1912.

Pre-Civil War service

''Wabash''—the first U.S. Navy ship to bear that name—was laid down on May 16, 1854 by the

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy shipyard and was historically important for nearly two centuries. Construction of the original Philadelphia Naval Shipyard began during the American Revolution in 1776 at Front ...

; launched on October 24, 1855, sponsored by Miss Pennsylvania Grice; and commissioned there on August 18, 1856, Captain

Frederick K. Engle Frederick K. Engle (October 24, 1797 – February 12, 1868) was a Rear admiral (United States), rear admiral of the United States Navy. Early life and career Engle was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He enter ...

in command. ''Wabash'' departed

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

on September 7, 1856, stopping at

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on ...

, to embark

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. A northern Democratic Party (United States), Democrat who believed that the Abolitionism in the United States, abolitio ...

for passage to

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...

. She arrived at

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

on October 23, 1856, sailing on November 28, 1856 to become

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

of Commodore

Hiram Paulding Hiram Paulding (December 11, 1797 – October 20, 1878) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy, who served from the War of 1812 until after the Civil War. Naval career The son of John Paulding, Paulding was born in Cortlandt, New York. He ...

Home Squadron The Home Squadron was part of the United States Navy in the mid-19th century. Organized as early as 1838, ships were assigned to protect coastal commerce, aid ships in distress, suppress piracy and the Atlantic slave trade, make coastal surveys ...

. The squadron was instrumental in foiling the expedition against

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

underway by American

filibuster A filibuster is a political procedure in which one or more members of a legislative body prolong debate on proposed legislation so as to delay or entirely prevent a decision. It is sometimes referred to as "talking a bill to death" or "talking ...

William Walker William Walker may refer to: Arts * William Walker (engraver) (1791–1867), mezzotint engraver of portrait of Robert Burns * William Sidney Walker (1795–1846), English Shakespearean critic * William Walker (composer) (1809–1875), American Bap ...

, who had dreamed of uniting the nations of

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

into a vast military empire led by himself. Through insurrection, he became president of Nicaragua in 1855 only to have

Cornelius Vanderbilt Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 – January 4, 1877), nicknamed "the Commodore", was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. After working with his father's business, Vanderbilt worked his way into lead ...

—who controlled the country's shipping lifelines—shut off supplies and aid. A revolt toppled Walker from power, and he was trying for a military comeback before he was captured in 1857 by the Home Squadron. Stateside controversy over the questionable legality of seizing American nationals in foreign, neutral lands prompted President

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He also served as the United States Secretary of State, secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and represented Pennsylvan ...

to relieve Commodore Paulding of his command. ''Wabash'' was decommissioned on March 1, 1858 at the

New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York, U.S. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a semicircular bend ...

First recommissioning, 1858–1859

''Wabash'' was recommissioned on May 25, 1858, Captain Samuel Barron in command, and became the flagship of Commodore Elie A. F. La Vallette's Mediterranean Squadron. The future naval hero of the

Battle of Manila Bay The Battle of Manila Bay (; ), also known as the Battle of Cavite, took place on May 1, 1898, during the Spanish–American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squad ...

during the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

George Dewey George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, wi ...

—then a

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...

—served aboard the ''Wabash'' when she touched at her first port of call,

Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...

, on August 17, 1858. Dewey would later write in his autobiography that "The Wabash was quite the finest ship of the foreign fleet and also the largest." In April 1859, ''Wabash'' ran aground at

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...

Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (; ) was an Italian monarchy located in Central Italy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1860, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In the 19th century the population ...

. She was refloated with the assistance of a British steamship having had her cannon taken off. ''Wabash'' returned to the

on December 16, 1859 and decommissioned there on December 20, 1859.

Civil War service, 1861–1865

Early war

With the outbreak of the

, ''Wabash'' was recommissioned on May 16, 1861, Captain

Samuel Mercer Samuel Mercer (1799 – March 6, 1862) was an American officer in the United States Navy who commanded the during the Mexican–American War and the and the during the American Civil War. Early life Mercer was born in 1799 in Maryland. On Mar ...

in command and

Thomas G. Corbin Thomas Grosvenor Corbin (13 August 1820 – December 17, 1901) was a career United States Navy officer descended from the First Families of Virginia who remained loyal to the Union during the American Civil War. During the war, he served as the co ...

(descended from a prominent Virginia family but also a career naval office loyal to the Union) as his executive officer. ''Wabash'' departed New York on May 30, 1861 as flagship of the

Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Atlantic Blockading Squadron was a unit of the United States Navy created in the early days of the American Civil War to enforce the Union blockade of the ports of the Confederate States. It was formed in 1861 and split up the same year for t ...

under Rear Admiral Silas H. Stringham. ''Wabash'' captured the

brigantine A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts. Ol ...

''Sarah Starr'' off

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

, on August 3, 1861, and recaptured the American

schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...

''Mary Alice'', taken earlier by . By this date, she had also captured the brigantines ''Hannah'', ''Balch'', and ''Solferino'', along with 22

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

prisoners from the four vessels. On August 26, 1861, ''Wabash'' departed

Hampton Roads Hampton Roads is a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond, and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's Point near whe ...

, bound for

Hatteras Inlet Hatteras Inlet is an estuary in North Carolina, located along the Outer Banks, separating Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pamlico Sound. Hatteras Inlet is located entirely within Hyde County, North Car ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, to take part in the first combined amphibious assault of the war. ''Wabash'' accompanied , ,

revenue cutter A cutter is any of various types of watercraft. The term can refer to the rig (sail plan) of a sailing vessel (but with regional differences in definition), to a governmental enforcement agency vessel (such as a coast guard or border force cut ...

, the tug ''Fanny'', and two transports, carrying over 900 troops under Major General

Benjamin Butler Benjamin Franklin Butler (November 5, 1818 – January 11, 1893) was an American major general (United States), major general of the Union Army, politician, lawyer, and businessman from Massachusetts. Born in New Hampshire and raised in Lowell, ...

. Union forces secured Hatteras Inlet with the capture of Forts Hatteras and

Clark Clark is an English language surname with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland, ultimately derived from the Latin ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educated ...

on August 29, 1861. The attacking force suffered no casualties and took over 700 prisoners. Among these was Captain Samuel Barron of the

Confederate Navy The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the Navy, naval branch of the Confederate States Armed Forces, established by an act of the Confederate States Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the Amer ...

, who before his resignation from the United States Navy served on the ''Wabash'' under Rear Admiral La Vallette.

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron

''Wabash'' was later designated the flagship of Flag Officer

Samuel Francis du Pont Samuel Francis Du Pont (September 27, 1803 – June 23, 1865) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy, and a member of the prominent Du Pont family. In the Mexican–American War, Du Pont captured San Diego, and was made commander of the Ca ...

, the new commander of the

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Atlantic Blockading Squadron was a unit of the United States Navy created in the early days of the American Civil War to enforce the Union blockade of the ports of the Confederate States. It was formed in 1861 and split up the same year for th ...

, and was sent to the New York Navy Yard for repairs on September 21, 1861. Union Fleet at Port Royal

After refit, ''Wabash'' departed

Fort Monroe Fort Monroe is a former military installation in Hampton, Virginia, at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula, United States. It is currently managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth o ...

on 29 October 1861 to spearhead the Federal assault on

Port Royal, South Carolina Port Royal is a town on Port Royal Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 14,220 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton metropolitan area. Port Royal is home to Marine Corps R ...

. The assembled invasion fleet was the largest yet organized by the Navy, containing 77 vessels and 16,000 Army troops under Brigadier General

Thomas W. Sherman Thomas West Sherman (March 26, 1813 – December 31, 1879) was a United States Army officer with service during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. While some contemporaries mistakenly identified him as the brother of the more ...

. The fleet ran into a hurricane on 1 November with devastating results. The combined force secured Port Royal Sound on 7 November 1861 after a furious four-hour battle. ''Wabash'' led the battle line in this major strategic Union victory. Executive Officer Corbin remained with the ''Wabash'' following Captain Mercer's retirement, and was promoted to Commander in July 1862, only leaving when assigned as Commandant of Midshipmen at the

U.S. Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is the sec ...

in 1863 (and in 1864 assuming command of the steamer USS Augusta and becoming commander of the West India Squadron enforcing the blockade). Meanwhile, ''Wabash'' now took up permanent station on the Charleston blockade, operating out of Port Royal. On March 11, 1862, a landing party led by ship's commanding officer, Commander C. R. P. Rodgers, occupied

St. Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; ) is a city in and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Jacksonville, the city is on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spani ...

. A detachment of seamen and officers from ''Wabash'' landed and manned a battery which bombarded

Fort Pulaski Fort Pulaski National Monument is located on Cockspur Island between Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia. It preserves Fort Pulaski, the place where the Union Army successfully tested rifled cannons in 1862, the success of which rendered brick ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, on April 10 and April 11, 1862 and was instrumental in forcing that Southern fort to surrender. A naval battery of three 12 pounder howitzers from ''Wabash'' supported Union troops at the Battle of Pocotaligo, on October 22, 1862. Confederate vessels twice harassed ''Wabash'' while on duty in Port Royal Sound. On August 5, 1863, , a small steamer on picket duty below

Fort Sumter Fort Sumter is a historical Coastal defense and fortification#Sea forts, sea fort located near Charleston, South Carolina. Constructed on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor in 1829, the fort was built in response to the W ...

, fired upon and ran down a launch from ''Wabash'', capturing 10 sailors and drowning two. The submarine torpedo boat also attacked ''Wabash'' on April 18, 1864. Ensign Charles H. Craven, officer of the deck, spotted the cigar-shaped vessel in time for ''Wabash'' to get underway. The ''David'' disengaged from the attack in the face of musket fire and round shot discharged from ''Wabash''.

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron

''Wabash'' departed her station on 1 October, bound for the

Norfolk Navy Yard The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a United States Navy, U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest ...

and an overhaul. En route, she grounded briefly on

Frying Pan Shoals The Frying Pan Shoals are a shifting area of shoals off Cape Fear in North Carolina, United States. Formed by silt from the Cape Fear River, the shoals are over 28 miles long and resemble a frying pan in shape. They provide fishing. The shoals a ...

, suffering minor damage to her rudder. Repairs and overhaul were completed by 16 December, in time for ''Wabash'' to join the

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required the monitoring of of Atlantic ...

and to participate in the first attack on

Fort Fisher, North Carolina Fort Fisher was a Confederate States of America, Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union (American Civil War), Un ...

, on December 24 and December 25, 1864. The failure of this initial attempt to take the fort necessitated a second, successful combined operation between January 13 and January 15, 1865. It was during this second attack on

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear Riv ...

, that corporal Andrew J. Tomlin and ordinary seamen Louis C. Shepard earned the Medal of Honor. ''Wabash'' returned to

on January 17, 1865, receiving orders on January 25, 1865 to proceed to the

Boston Navy Yard The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of t ...

. ''Wabash'' was decommissioned at Boston on February 14, 1865.

Prizes

Officers during Fort Fisher siege

* ''

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

'',

Melancton Smith Melancton Smith (May 7, 1744 – July 29, 1798) was a merchant, lawyer and a New York delegate to the Continental Congress. Praised for his intelligence, liberality, and reasonableness, Smith attained considerable respect in the State of New ...

* '' Lieutenant Commander'', C. H. Cushman. * ''

Lieutenants A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, security services and police forces. The rank ...

'', Ellicot C. V. Blake, H. C. Tallman * ''

Surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...

'', H. F. McSherry. * ''Passed Assistant Surgeon'', James H. Tinkham. * ''Acting Assistant Surgeon'', N. L. Campbell. * ''

Paymaster A paymaster is someone appointed by a group of buyers, sellers, investors or lenders to receive, hold, and dispense funds, commissions, fees, salaries (remuneration) or other trade, loan, or sales proceeds within the private sector or public secto ...

'', George Cochran. * ''

Chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intellige ...

'', Charles A. Davis. * '' Marine Second Lieutenant'', L. E. Fagan. * '' Acting Masters'', W. U. Grozier, S. J. White. * '' Acting Ensigns'', George T. Davis, Whitman Chase, E. A. Small, Joseph F. Brown.

Notable crew

* Samuel Barron, ''

'' 1858,

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, and later Confederate naval officer, Confederacy representative to

. *

, ''

Midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...

'' 1858, future

Admiral of the Navy Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navy, navies. In the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general officer, general in the army or the air force. Admiral is r ...

and Presidential candidate 1900. *

Samuel Francis Du Pont Samuel Francis Du Pont (September 27, 1803 – June 23, 1865) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy, and a member of the prominent Du Pont family. In the Mexican–American War, Du Pont captured San Diego, and was made commander of the Ca ...

, ''

flag officer A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which that officer exercises command. Different countries use the term "flag officer" in different ways: * ...

'' 1861–1862 *

, ''

'' 1856, * Oscar Walter Farenholt, ''

Ordinary Seaman __NOTOC__ An ordinary seaman (OS) is a member of the deck department of a ship. The position is an apprenticeship to become an able seaman, and has been for centuries. In modern times, an OS is required to work on a ship for a specific amount ...

'' 1861, first enlisted man in the Navy to reach flag rank *

, ''

'' 1861, * Edward D. Robie, ''

Naval engineer A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations ...

'' 1871, inventor, Union naval officer during the American Civil War and future Rear Admiral. *

Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers Rear Admiral Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers (4 November 1819 – 8 January 1892) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Mexican–American War, the American Civil War, as superintendent of the Naval Academy, president of th ...

, ''

'' 1861,

Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy The superintendent of the United States Naval Academy is its commanding officer. The position is a statutory office (), and is roughly equivalent to the Chancellor (education), chancellor or University president, president of an American civilian ...

, and Commander-in-Chief of the

Pacific Squadron The Pacific Squadron of the United States Navy, established c. 1821 and disbanded in 1907, was a naval squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Developing from a small force protecting United States commerc ...

. *

, ''

'' 1865, Commander during the Siege of Fort Fisher. * John Henry Upshur, ''

Executive officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer ...

'' 1862 during the

Battle of Port Royal The Battle of Port Royal was one of the earliest amphibious operations of the American Civil War, in which a United States Navy fleet and United States Army expeditionary force captured Port Royal Sound, South Carolina, between Savannah, Geo ...

Honored Crew

* Albert Burton, ''

Seaman Seaman may refer to: * Sailor, a member of a marine watercraft's crew * Seaman (rank), a military rank in some navies * Seaman (name) (including a list of people with the name) * ''Seaman'' (video game), a 1999 simulation video game for the Seg ...

'' 1865,

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient from

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

* Edward Ringold, ''

Coxswain The coxswain ( or ) is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from ''cock'', referring to the wiktionary:cockboat, cockboat, a ...

'' 1862,

recipient from

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

* Louis C. Shepard, ''

'' 1865,

recipient from

Ashtabula County Ashtabula County ( ) is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,574. The county seat is Jefferson, while its largest city is Ashtabula. The county was created in 1808 and later organ ...

, buried in Lakeview cemetery, Port Clinton,

Ottawa County, Ohio Ottawa County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,364. Its county seat is Port Clinton. The county is named either for the Ottawa (Odawa) Indigenous peoples w ...

. * Andrew J. Tomlin, ''

Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...

'' 1865,

recipient from

Goshen, New Jersey Goshen is an Local government in New Jersey#Unincorporated communities, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Middle Township, New Jersey, Middle Township, in Cape May County, New Jersey, Cape May County, in t ...

, buried in Goshen Methodist cemetery,

Post–Civil War service, 1866–1912

''Wabash'' was placed in ordinary from 1866 to 1869; overhauled during 1870 to 1871; and recommissioned on October 24, 1871, Captain Robert W. Shufeldt commanding. ''Wabash'' departed the

on November 17, 1871 and served as the flagship of Rear Admiral

James Alden James Alden Jr. (March 31, 1810 – February 6, 1877) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy. In the Mexican–American War he participated in the captures of Veracruz, Tuxpan, and Tabasco. Fighting on the Union side in the Civil War, he took ...

, commanding the Mediterranean Squadron. She arrived at Cadiz, Spain, on December 14, 1871 and cruised throughout the Mediterranean until November 30, 1873 when she departed Gibraltar, bound for

Key West, Florida Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida, at the southern end of the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Islan ...

. ''Wabash'' arrived in Key West on January 3, 1874. She was decommissioned on April 25, 1874 at the

. In 1875, she was placed in ordinary and served as a housed-over

receiving ship A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. 'Hulk' may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or a ship whose propulsion system is no longer maintained or has been r ...

from 1876 to 1912. ''Wabash'' was struck from the Navy list on November 15, 1912 and sold that same day to the Boston Iron and Metal Company,

. The following year, she was burned to facilitate salvage of her metal parts.

Surviving guns

Five IX-inch Dahlgren smooth-bore cannon which served on the ''Wabash'' survived at the

. They were transferred in 2010 to the

National Civil War Naval Museum The National Civil War Naval Museum, located in Columbus, Georgia, United States, is a facility that features remnants of two Confederate States Navy vessels. It also features uniforms, equipment and weapons used by the United States (Union) N ...

in Columbus, Georgia, where they are on display. Four of the guns are

Tredegar Iron Works The Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Virginia, was the biggest ironworks in the Confederacy during the American Civil War, and a significant factor in the decision to make Richmond the Confederate capital. Tredegar supplied about half the art ...

pieces. One is registry #45, one is either #50 or 51, one is probably #34, and the number of the fourth is unknown. All were cast in 1855. The fifth Dahlgren gun was cast by Cyrus Alger & Co., Boston, Massachusetts, in 1864, registry # 852. Additionally, a 6.4-inch (100-pounder)

Parrott rifle The Parrott rifle was a type of muzzle-loading rifled artillery weapon used extensively in the American Civil War. Parrott rifle The gun was invented by Captain Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate. He was an American soldier and inven ...

which served on the ''Wabash'' survives in Danvers, Massachusetts. It is a

West Point Foundry The West Point Foundry was a major American ironworking and machine shop site in Cold Spring, New York, operating from 1818 to about 1911. Initiated after the War of 1812, it became most famous for its production of Parrott rifle artillery and o ...

foundry piece, registry #116, cast in 1863.''The Big Guns: Civil War Siege, Seacoast, and Naval Cannon''. By Edwin Olmstead, Wayne E. Stark & Spencer C. Tucker. Museum Restoration Service, Bloomfield, Canada, 1997.

References

* * Porter, David D. ''The Naval History of the Civil War'' Castle, Secaucus, NJ, 1984, . * Silverstone, Paul H. ''Warships of the Civil War Navies'' Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 1989, .

External links

The Steam Frigate USS ''Wabash''

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20000919043010/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-w/wabash.htm USS ''Wabash'' (1856–1912)
Admiral DuPont and staff Deck of U.S.S. ''Wabash''.

USS ''Wabash'' Musicians

Deck of the USS ''Wabash''

USS ''Wabash'' After pivot gun. X in. Dahlgren

USS ''Wabash'' Forward pivot gun Officers and sailors

USS ''Wabash'' Forward pivot gun. 200 pdr Parrott

''The Egotistigraphy'', by John Sanford Barnes. An autobiography, including his Civil War Union Navy service on USS Wabash, privately printed 1910. Internet edition edited by Susan Bainbridge Hay 2012

Letterbook of the U.S.S. ''Wabash'', 1857, MS 158
held by Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy {{DEFAULTSORT:Wabash (1855) Ships of the Union Navy Ships built in Philadelphia Gunboats of the United States Navy Steamships of the United States Navy Sailing frigates of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States 1855 ships Maritime incidents in April 1859

Pre-Civil War service

First recommissioning, 1858–1859

Civil War service, 1861–1865

Early war

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron

Prizes

Officers during Fort Fisher siege

Notable crew

Honored Crew

Post–Civil War service, 1866–1912

Surviving guns

See also

References

External links