AN HISTORICAL RECORD OF THOSE NOW IN SERVICE AND OF THEIR PREDECESSORS OF THE SAME NAME
1776-1915
IDAHO
IDAHO.—One of the United States in the Northwest, acquired in the Louisiana Purchase, and admitted to the Union in 1890. The new super-dreadnought Idaho is the 42d battleship to be constructed for the United States Navy. This was made possible last year by the sale to Greece, of the old battleships Idaho and Mississippi, the receipts from which are being used to defray the cost of the present ship.
The contract for the ship was awarded to the New York Shipbuilding Company, of Camden, N. J., which presented a bid for $7,250,000. The principal features and dimensions of the Idaho are: displacement, 32,000 tons; length, 624 feet; breadth, 97 feet 4 1/2 inches; draft, 30 feet. Her armament is to consist of twelve 14-inch B. L. R.'s, twenty-two 5-inch R. F.'s, and four submerged torpedo tubes. She is to be heavily armored, and is to have turbines capable of driving her at a speed of 21 knots: She is also to have oil-burning boilers.
Her predecessor, the battleship Idaho, was the second ship to bear the name. She was authorized by Congress on March 3, 1903, and was launched on December 9, 1905. She was a battleship of 13,000 tons displacement and was built by contract at the yard of William Cramp & Sons, in Philadelphia, Pa. Her dimensions were: length, 375 feet; breadth, 77 feet; draft, 24 feet 8 inches. She was a twin screw vessel with vertical triple-expansion engines of 10,000 H. P. for which steam was supplied by eight Babcock and Wilcox boilers, and with these she achieved a speed, on trial, of 17.12 knots.
Her main battery, in 1908, consisted of four 12-inch B. L. R.'s, eight 8-inch B. L. R.'s, and eight 7-inch B. L. R.'s, while in her secondary battery there were twelve 3-inch R.F.'s, six 3-pounders, two 1-pounders, and two 3-inch field guns. She had, also, two 21-inch submerged torpedo tubes. Her armor comprised a waterline belt 9 inches in thickness and a 3-inch protective deck, while on her 12-inch turrets she had 8 inches of steel, over barbettes of 10 inches of metal. Her contract price was $2,999,500, and her complement included 34 officers and 749 men.
On April 1, 1908, the Idaho went into commission at the League Island navy yard, under the command of Captain Samuel W. B. Diehl. Two weeks later she sailed on her "shaking down" cruise, returning in time to transport a marine detachment to the Canal Zone in June, after which she held her final acceptance trials. On November 1, 194,8, Captain James M. Helm relieved Captain Diehl in command, but it was not until February 9, 1909, that the Idaho again left her home yard, when she joined the Atlantic fleet for the review held by the President at Hampton Roads on February 22, 1909, previous to joining the special service squadron. On May 6, 1909, the ship returned to Philadelphia for repairs, but she was able to complete these in time to rejoin the Atlantic fleet in its summer maneuvers and exercises which preceded the Hudson-Fulton celebration in the Hudson River.
Under Captain Herbert 0. Dunn, who took command of the Idaho on October 16, 1909, the ship continued in the second division of the Atlantic fleet, except during the months of May and June, 1911, when she made a cruise in the Mississippi River for the purpose of visiting various cities of Louisiana and Mississippi. On November 3, 1911, she returned from this cruise to the Philadelphia navy yard. Then, on November 11, 1911, Captain William L. Howard assumed command. On December 16, the Idaho began her next cruise with the Atlantic fleet, to which she remained assigned until she was placed in reserve at Philadelphia on October 27, 1913. The only incidents worthy of mention in those two years; are her visit to the Panama Canal in February, 1913, her service in Mexican waters during April, May, and June, 1913, for the protection of American interests, and her winning of the Battle Efficiency Trophy for the year 1912-13. Commander John F. Hines then relieved Captain Howard in command.
On March 16, 1914, the Idaho again went into full commission. Shortly after, she was ordered to the Mediterranean with the midshipmen's practice squadron, and while in those waters she was sold, a few months later, to Greece.
The first Idaho was a wooden screw sloop of the first rate. She was built by contract by H. Steers & Company of Brooklyn, for $550,000 and launched on October 8, 1864. She was a twin screw vessel of 3241 tons displacement, with the following dimensions length, 298 feet; breadth, 44 feet 6 inches; depth of hold, 22 feet; draft, 16 feet. Her armament in October, 1867, included six 32-pounders and one 30-pounder Parrott rifle. Her designed speed was 15 knots, but on her trial trip she barely covered 9 miles an hour.
On first going into commission, under Captain John L. Worden (April 2, 1866), the Idaho made only a short trial trip, from May 19 to 25, after which she returned to the Brooklyn navy yard and was placed in ordinary. This was her only cruise under steam. In October, 1867, when she was again put in service for duty with the Asiatic squadron, under the command of Acting Volunteer Lieut. Commander E. Hooker, her engines had been removed. The Idaho was now merely a sailing vessel, and under sail alone she proceeded to Nagasaki, Japan, where she was converted into a storeship. On July 6, 1869, Commander B. B. Taylor took command of the ship, and, in his charge, the Idaho, in September, 1869, started from Hong Kong for San Francisco. But during the passage, which was made under sail, she was overtaken by a severe typhoon and made such heavy weather, that she was forced to seek port, and finally found refuge in the harbor of Yokohama. She never got any further. So much had already been spent on her in repairs ($147,504.78 from April i, 1866 to October 27, 1867) that the now unseaworthy wreck was not considered worthy of further expenditures. She was, therefore, ordered to remain at Yokohama as permanent storeship for the Asiatic fleet, where she did duty until July 25, 1872, when she was towed by the Yantic to Yokosuka, Japan, for similar duty. During this period her commanders were: Lieut. Commander H. E. Mullan (February 4, 1870), Lieut. Commander J. C. Watson (May 22,1871), Lieut. Commander R. R. Wallace (October 1, 1871), Lieut. Commander T. Nelson (April 22, I873.), Lieutenant H. E. Nichols (1874), and Lieutenant J. Marthon (1874). In 1874, the Idaho was sold, in the East Indies, for $18,642.05.
CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA.—One of the United States on the Pacific coast, said to be named after an imaginary island abounding in gold, described in a Spanish romance published in 151o. The territory was settled by Spanish missionaries in the 17th century, and formed part of Mexico, until conquered by the United States in 1846-47. In 1848 gold was discovered. Two years later California was admitted to the Union.
The new battleship California, authorized by the act of Congress approved June 30, 1914, is a super-dreadnought of 32,000 tons displacement, carrying twelve 14-inch B. L. R.'s, twenty-two 5-inch R. F.'s, and four submerged torpedo tubes. She will have the following dimensions: length, 624 feet, breadth, 97 feet 47, inches; draft, 30 feet. She is to be heavily armored, and is to be propelled by turbines, and fitted with oil-burning boilers of the water-tube type. Her speed is to be 21 knots.
As soon as the. Arizona, now under construction at the New York navy yard, is launched, the keel of the California will be laid on the same ways, the yard having presented an estimate for her construction for $7,155,300.
The armored cruiser San Diego, which, until recently, was known as the California, was the second ship in our navy to bear the name of that state. She is a ship of the first rate, of 13,680 tons, and was built at the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, Cal., under authority of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1899. She is a twin screw steel vessel, and of the following dimensions: length, 502 feet; breadth, 69 feet 6Y2 inches; draft, 24 feet 1 inch. Her engines are of the vertical 4-cylinder triple expansion type, and she has 16 Babcock and Wilcox boilers. Her speed is 22.20 knots.
When placed in commission, her armament consisted of four 8-inch B. L. R.'s, fourteen 6-inch R. F.'s, eighteen 3-inch R. F.'s, twelve 3-pounders, two I-pounders, two 3-inch field pieces, two .30-cal. automatics, and two i8-inch submerged torpedo tubes. For defence she was given a 6-inch water-line belt of steel, and a 4-inch protective deck, while on her turrets and barbettes there are 6-inch steel plates. Her contract price was $3,800,000, and her complement includes 41 officers and 791 men.
On August 1, 1907, the California was placed in commission at the Mare Island navy yard. Her, first commanding officer was Captain Thomas S. Phelps. On October 12, 1907, Lieut. Commander Newton A. McCully temporarily assumed command, until the arrival of Captain V. L. Coffman (November 18, 1907) under whom the ship made her first cruise. Sailing from Puget Sound, Wash., on December 4, 1907, the California joined the second division of the Pacific fleet, visiting various ports for exhibition purposes, and participating in the usual fleet exercises until August, 1908, when she accompanied the armored cruiser squadron on a cruise across the Pacific to Samoa, and then along the western coast of South America.
Returning to San Francisco on September 1, 1909, Captain Cottman was relieved by Captain Henry T. Mayo (September 3, 1909). The California then was assigned to the first division of the Pacific fleet. On January 16, 1911, Captain Charles H. Harlow succeeded Captain Mayo in command of the ship, and he in turn was succeeded by Captain Charles M. Fahs (April 18, 1912), Captain Alexander S. Halstead, and Captain Newton A. McCully (August 21, 1913), under whom the ship made two cruises in 1913 and 1914, for the purpose of "observing conditions" along the western coast of Mexico. In the summer of 1914, the name of the California was changed to San Diego, in order that the name of the state might be assigned to one of the new dreadnoughts recently authorized by Congress.
The first California was a wooden screw sloop built by the government at the Portsmouth, N. H., navy yard in 1863. She was a second rate ship of 3,953 tons displacement, and 313 feet 6 inches long, 46 feet wide, and 17 feet 13/4 inches draft. She had two horizontal back-action engines, of 29 inches stroke, and four main and two superheating boilers. Her bunker capacity was 693 tons. In August, 1870, her battery consisted of one 60-pounder Dahlgren rifle, two 100-pounder riffles, eighteen 9-inch smoothbores, two bronze 20-pounders, one rifled howitzer, and five 12-pounder smoothbores. Her original cost of construction was $1,223,246.97.
When first authorized the ship was borne on the navy register as the Minnetonka, but on May 15, 1869, her name was changed to California. She made only two cruises. Her first was under Captain J. M. B. Clitz (December 12, 1870), when she sailed from New York on March 13, 1871, and proceeded around Cape Horn to become the flagship of Rear Admiral John A. Winslow on the Pacific Station. Arriving at San Francisco, Cal., on July 30, 1871, she spent several months refitting at the navy yard, after which she sailed, on December I, 1871, for the Hawaiian Islands and South America, returning in November of the year following, when Admiral Winslow was detached from the fleet. On November 27, 1872, Commander J. C. P. De Krafft relieved Captain Clitz in command, and on December 30, the California left on her second and last cruise as the flagship of Rear Admiral A. M. Pennock. Returning from this cruise on June 25, 1873, the ship was placed in ordinary on July 3, and remained in this condition until she was sold for $23,650 in May, 1875.
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi.—One of the United States on the Gulf of Mexico. It was visited by De Soto in 1540 and settled by the French in 1716 at Natchez. Ceded by France to Great Britain in 1763, it was ceded by her in turn to the United States in 1783, excepting a small part which was acquired later, in 1811. It was admitted to the Union in 1817. The state received its name from the river which forms its western boundary. This river, the "Great River" (from the Indian, Miche Sepe), is the principal river of North America, and, in connection with its largest tributary, the Missouri, the longest river in the world, except perhaps the Nile.
The Mississippi is the second dreadnought authorized by Congress in 1914, and is to be constructed at the yards of the Newport News Shipbuilding Company from the same plans as the Idaho and the California. Like her sister ships, the Mississippi will have a displacement of 32,000 tons, a length over all of 624 feet, an extreme breadth of 97 feet 472 inches, a draft of 30 feet, and a speed of 21 knots. She is to be heavily armored, and is to be fitted with oil-burning boilers of the water-tube type. Her main battery is to consist of twelve 14-inch B. L. R.'s, and four submerged torpedo tubes; her torpedo defence battery, will include twenty-two 5-inch R. F.'s. The Newport News Shipbuilding Company was awarded the contract for the Mississippi on a bid, as per the Navy Department's specifications, of $7,195,000.00.
The battleship Mississippi, which was sold to Greece last summer, was the second ship to bear the name. She was, however,
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U. S. S. Mississippi," 1839-1863
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U. S. S. "Mississippi," 1908-1914
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THE SCREW SLOOP "IDAHO," 1866-1874.
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U. S. S. "SAN DIEGO" ("CALIFORNIA")
only the first ship named after the state of Mississippi, as the old side-wheel steamer Mississippi, of Civil War fame, bore the name of Great River. The Mississippi was authorized by act of Congress approved March 3, 1903. She was a sister ship of the battleship Idaho authorized by the same act, and was, like her, a small edition of the Louisiana and Connecticut classes, the difference being that she was of 3,000 tons less displacement and of one knot less speed, that her armor was lighter, and that her broadside secondary battery was weaker by the omission of four 7-inch rifles.
She was a steel armored ship of 13,000 tons displacement, and was launched at the Cramp shipyard at Philadelphia, Pa., on September 30, 1905. Her dimensions were: length, 375 feet; breadth, 77 feet; draft, 24 feet 8 inches. For water-line protection she had a 9-inch armor belt, in addition to which she had a protective deck of 3 inches of steel. On her turrets she had 12-inch and 62-inch steel plates.
Like the Louisiana, her main battery was grouped; the 12-inch and 8-inch B. L. R.'s being mounted in pairs in turrets, while the 7-inch rifles were placed in broadside. Her secondary battery consisted of twelve 3-inch R. F.'s, six 3-pounders, two 1-pounders two 3-inch field pieces, and six .30-cal. automatics. She had also two 21-inch submerged torpedo tubes. She was fitted with vertical triple expansion engines, of 13607 H. P., and with Babcock and Wilcox boilers. Her speed was 17.11 knots; her complement comprised 34 officers and 749 men; her contract price was $2,999,-500.
After going into commission at the Philadelphia navy yard, on February 1, 1908, the Mississippi proceeded on her "shaking down" cruise under Captkin John Fremont. Returning in September, she remained at the yard, undergoing repairs, until February 22, 1909, when she participated in the review by the President of the returning battleship fleet. After this the Mississippi was attached to the special service squadron for two months. In May, 1909, she proceeded up the Mississippi River for exhibition purposes, after which she was ordered to the Atlantic fleet.
On November 7, 1909, ,the ship returned to the Philadelphia navy yard, and on December 19, 1909, Captain Fremont was relieved by Lieut. Commander Sumner E. W. Kittelle, who in turn turned the command of the ship over to Captain William F. Fullam (December 30, 1909). Sailing from Philadelphia on January 5, 1910, the Mississippi cruised with the Atlantic fleet until November 8, 1911. Under Captain William J. Maxwell (November 10, 1910, she left Hampton Roads, Va., on November 12, 1911, continuing on the same service, except during May, 1912, when she was engaged in transporting an expeditionary force of marines to Cuba for the protection of American interests.
Under Lieut. Commander Walter G. Roper, the Mississippi went into first reserve on August 1, 1912, at the Philadelphia navy yard, for the purpose of undergoing repairs. In January, 1914 the ship again put to sea, in command of Lieut. Commander Henry C. Mustin, and proceeded to Pensacola, Fla., where she became the aeronautic station ship of the navy, which duty she performed without interruption—except from April 24 to June 12, when she was at Vera Cruz, Mexico—until her sale to the Grecian Government on July 8, 1914.
The first Mississippi was a side-wheel steam frigate built by the government at the Philadelphia navy yard in 1839. She was a ship of the second rate, and consequently named for the river Mississippi, in accordance with the act of Congress of March 3, 1819, which prescribed the mode of naming all ships of the United States Navy
The Mississippi, and her sister ship, the Missouri, were splendid steamers, the equal of any in the world, and the pride of the country. They were built under the personal supervision of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, who has so often been referred to as the "father of the steam navy." They were laid down in 1839, and completed two years later, the Mississippi at Philadelphia and the Missouri at New York.
The former proved to be a most useful vessel. She made six cruises in all, circled the globe twice, and was finally burnt to prevent capture in the river whose name she bore. She was a wooden barque-rigged vessel of 3-220 tons displacement. Her dimensions were: tonnage (old measurement), 1692 tons; length,
220 feet; breadth, 40 feet; depth of hold, 23 feet 6 inches; draft, 19 feet. Her engines were of the side-lever type, with a stroke of 7 feet, and a maximum H. P. of 650, while her four boilers were of the double-return ascending-flue variety. Both were built at the Iron Works of Merrick & Towne, Philadelphia, Pa. The cost of construction of the ship's hull was $238,963.00; that of her machinery, $243,571.00. Her crew numbered 268 men.
The armament of the Mississippi was changed three times. In October, 1845, she carried two 10-inch Paixhans on pivots, and eight 8-inch Paixhan guns mounted in broadside. In October, 1857, her battery was changed to one 10-inch smoothbore and ten 8-inch smoothbores. This, on the outbreak of the Civil War (May 27, 1861) was increased by the addition of one light 12-pounder, while in the year following (November 21, 1862) the broadside battery was increased by the addition of nine 8-inch smoothbores of 63 cwt.
The Mississippi was fitted out at the Philadelphia navy yard, and was placed in commission on December 22, 1841, by Captain William D. Salter. On February 20, 1842, she went to sea on her maiden cruise and was attached to the home squadron on the eastern coast of the United States. But it was soon discovered the ship was unsuited for this service. Her engines consumed so much fuel that the cost of keeping her in commission was enormous, and she ran out of supplies so rapidly that no one dared send her on any distant mission. In fact such was the alarm of the Navy Department, that Secretary Upshur declared that the Mississippi "would be useful in time of war only as a guard to our coast and harbors, and as an auxiliary to our fleets; but she cannot be relied on as a cruiser, and she is entirely too expensive for service in time of peace." The ship was in consequence ordered back to port, and on November 21, 1842, placed out of commission at the Philadelphia navy yard.
For over two years the Mississippi remained in ordinary. Then on June 27, 1845, she was again put into active service under command of Captain Andrew Fitzhugh, and on August 6th, she left her moorings, flying the broad pennant of Commodore Matthew C. Perry as flagship of the West India squadron. The outbreak of the Mexican War saw the ship in Commodore Conner's home squadron, and as part of this force she took an active part in the naval operations on the eastern coast of Mexico. Owing to her great draft, the Mississippi was unable to participate in the inshore expeditions, but she nevertheless accompanied the smaller vessels and covered their work with her powerful broadside battery. This was the service she performed in the expeditions against Alvarado, in August and October, 1846, and again at Frontera and Tobasco in October, at Tampico in November, and Laguna de los Terminos in December of that year.
On October 9, 1846, Captain Henry A. Adams relieved Captain Fitzhugh in command of the Mississippi, which continued as the flagship of Commodore Perry, who flew a vice commodore's red pennant in Mexican waters until he succeeded Commodore Conner as commander-in-chief of the fleet in the Gulf on March 21, 1847.
Through the winter months the wearisome blockade of the Mexican coast was maintained. But the Mississippi escaped part of that tedious duty by having to return to the United States for repairs (on or about December 29, 1846). Her stay in home waters, however, was not protracted any longer than absolutely necessary, and on March 6, 1847, she again put to sea from Norfolk, Va., under Captain Isaac Mayo, and arrived on the coast of the angry "Northers" on March 20. A few weeks before Commodore Perry's return to Mexican waters, the investment of Vera Cruz was begun by Commodore Conner and General Scott. This work Commodore Perry actively prosecuted on assuming command of the fleet (March 21, 1847). A naval battery of three 8-inch Paixhans and three long 32-pounders was landed and opened the city on March 25. This battery was, for a time, in charge of Captain Mayo, and rendered efficient service during the bombardment which finally compelled the capitulation of the city.
As the fall of Vera Cruz completely established the command of our naval forces on Mexico's gulf coast, the fleet thenceforth had only the regular blockade routine to attend to. The Mississippi's active participation in hostilities therefore ceased, and the only incidents of her service during the continuation of the war to mention are, therefore, that on July ii, 1847, Lieutenant Sydney S. Lee assumed temporary command of the ship until relieved by Captain Alexander S. Mackenzie (September 25,
1847) at Pensacola, whence the ship sailed on October 17 for Norfolk, Va., where she was placed in ordinary on March 12, 1848.
Apparently the Mississippi established a reputation as a seagoing vessel during the Mexican War, for, in 1849, 1850, and 1851, we find her cruising in the Mediterranean under Captain J. C. Long (May 31, 1849), and performing duties customary on the foreign stations of that period.
In 1852, on her return to the United States, she paid a visit to the British coast provinces in the interests of the American fisheries, and then completed the preparations for her historic cruise to the East Indies for which her commander, Captain William J. McCluney (May II, 1852), had already received his orders.
On November 24, 1852, the Mississippi, Commander Sydney S. Lee, flying the broad pennant of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, got under way in Hampton Roads for the Far East. On the outward passage Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, Mauritius, and Singapore were visited for supplies, and on April 7, 1853, Hong Kong was reached. Here the commodore found the Susquehanna, Plymouth, Saratoga, and Supply awaiting him, and shortly after the remaining vessels of the squadron arrived at the rendezvous. Here the final preparations were completed. A tract of land was purchased on Peel Island for a coaling depot and the friendship of the natives of Napa, on Great-Lucho Island, was cultivated so that that harbor might be used as a port of refuge.
On the morning of July 2, the squadron, consisting of the steamers Mississippi and Susquehanna and the sloops-of-war Saratoga and Plymouth, set sail for the bay of Yedo, 100 miles ENE of Napa. Six days later the ships approached the harbor, their decks cleared for action, their crews at quarters, and every gun double-shotted, and thus prepared, came to anchor off the town of Uraga, 27 miles from the capital. But there was no hostile sign shown by the Japanese. The natives were too much impressed with the Mississippi and the wonder of her funnels spouting smoke to make her big wheels move. This was a most auspicious beginning, and, once negotiations begun, nothing occurred to interrupt their favorable progress, except the usual Eastern policy of procrastination. But this Commander Perry understood perfectly, and, most diplomatically, anticipated. After presenting the President's letter and obtaining an Imperial receipt therefor, he sailed, after nine days (July 17), with the squadron to Napa, to refit.
In the fall of the year following, France and Russia attempted to open negotiations with the Emperor of Japan. This aroused Perry's suspicions, and, fearing interference with his plans, he decided on instant action. In January, 1854, all the vessels of the squadron that could be spared from the Chinese coast were assembled at Napa. On February 13 the entire force anchored at the "American Anchorage," ten miles above Uraga. The Japanese immediately received the Americans in a most friendly manner. Yokohama was finally agreed upon as the place for carrying on the negotiations, and here the preliminaries were begun early in March. On March 31, the treaty that opened up Japan to Western progress was signed, and the American fleet, at its anchorage in Mississippi Bay," displayed the Japanese flag—the first time this emblem ever floated from the masthead of foreign ships of war.
After this successful conclusion of Perry's diplomatic mission, the Mississippi returned home by way of the west coast of South America and reached New York on April 22. On the next day the commodore, who had returned to the 'United States in another ship, visited his flagship. As he left her to go ashore, his broad pennant was hauled down, and Perry thus formally terminated his connection with the East India squadron.
Owing to the disturbed conditions in China in 1857, it became necessary in that year to increase the force of our squadron in those waters. Accordingly the Mississippi was placed in commission for this service, and, on August 19, 1857, sailed on her second cruise to the Far East under Captain William C. Nicholson, to join the naval forces under Flag Officer Josiah Tattnall in those waters. Her presence had a most salutary effect. The intercourse of our officers with the authorities and inhabitants was most friendly and there occurred no instance of molestation to American citizens in China, and but a single one in Japan. In February, 1859, the Mississippi made a short visit to that country, but returned again to Shanghai, where she was, most fortunately, in August, 1859, during the disturbances among the native population growing out of the alleged kidnapping of coolies for a French merchant vessel. The American consul called upon Captain Nicholson for assistance, and the latter promptly moored his ship before the town, and landed a portion of her crew. But quiet was soon restored and no collision occurred. Shortly after this the Mississippi was recalled home, and these orders she immediately complied with, arriving at Boston, Mass., in 1860, where she was placed in ordinary.
On the outbreak of the Civil War, the Mississippi was one of the few vessels of war in home waters immediately available for active service. In consequence she was promptly placed in commission and sailed on May 27, 1861, under Captain Thomas O. Selfridge for the Gulf of Mexico where she became the flagship of Flag Officer William Mervine, commanding the squadron on that station. First off Key West, in June, and later off Mobile Bay, in August the Mississippi cruised to maintain the blockade. But she made only two prizes, the schooner Forest King, which she captured on June 13, and the bark Empress, which was brought to on November 26. Later Captain Selfridge was ordered to proceed to the mouth of the Mississippi River, and here she arrived in time to participate in the quasi-engagement with the Confederate ram Manassas, an incident of the war known as "Pope's Run," from the name of the Federal commander, which did much to spread the terrors of the rebel ironclad fleet.
The dreary monotony of blockading without any fighting continued all through Flag Officer Mervine's command of the Gulf squadron. But with the arrival of Flag Officer David G. Farragut off Ship Island in February, 1862, there began immediate preparations for, active service. On March 10, 1862, Captain Melancthon Smith was ordered to relieve Captain Selfridge in command of the Mississippi. Then the real work commenced. The shallow waters of the Southwest Pass blocked the way. But with a will every man went at the work, and finally on April 8, Farragut had the satisfaction of being able to report that the ship had worked her way through the mud on the bar and that his entire force (with the exception of the 44-gun frigate Colorado) was ready to take part in the forthcoming battle of New Orleans.
About midnight on April 23 came the signal for which all had been waiting. The Mississippi's position in the line was directly astern of the Pensacola, in the first division under Captain Theodorus Bailey, while Farragut, in the Hartford, led the second division. As soon as the leading ships drew abreast of the forts, the enemy opened with every gun that could bear. The Pensacola stopped her engines and discharged both her broadsides. It seemed as if she could not resist the temptation of testing the power of her heavy battery. And the Mississippi, which followed in her wake, likewise had to stop and engage the enemy's works.
Then, out of the darkness and confusion, appeared a "queer-looking customer." It was the ram Manassas, coming downstream under a full head of steam to crush the Wooden craft that her iron stem had already once before scattered in flight. The Mississippi's helm was immediately put hard over, but not soon enough to evade her mobile antagonist. Abaft the port paddlewheel-box the ram's prow struck. The ship trembled and listed, then slowly righted herself. But the impact, fortunately, had been only a glancing one. The solid construction of the ship had been her salvation.
This danger past, Captain Smith continued his engagement with the forts. Grape and five-second shell were fired from alternate guns. And in return the ship received some damage, but it was trifling—two killed and six wounded—considering the noise, the flashes of the mortars in flight, and the heavy guns of the forts.
By this time dawn was breaking. The Union fleet had run past the forts successfully and was assembled off the quarantine station. Suddenly the Manassas was sighted coming up astern in an effort to attack the ships a second time. "Run down the ram" was the hail received by Captain Smith from the flagship. But the order had already been anticipated. Quickly the Mississippi was turned in the narrow stream. Then the 630 H. P. of her engines was brought into play and drove her 1692-ton mass towards the persistent ram. But Captain Warley of the Manassas saw his danger. Yet he had but one other alternative: to run his ship aground. But this was preferable to being run down by the heavy Union ship, and, as the Mississippi rushed down upon him, he dodged the blow and drove the nose of his small craft deep into the river bank. Two broadsides from the Mississippi's 8-inch Paixhans completed the wreck.
For nearly a year the Mississippi remained off New Orleans as guardship, because she was thought to be of too heavy draft to proceed up the river with the other ships when Farragut made his first run past Vicksburg in the summer of 1862.
In the spring of 1863, however, the batteries of Port Hudson presented a far more serious undertaking. This Farragut fully appreciated. But, at the same time, he also realized the necessity of getting his fleet above that city in order to cooperate with General Grant's army and thus shut off Vicksburg from all supplies on the river side. For this purpose, every available ship was needed, and the Mississippi was called upon with the rest when the moment for action came. On March 14, 1863, Captain Smith came to anchor off Profit's Island, seven miles below Port Hudson where the Confederates had mounted 19 of their heaviest guns on the high bluffs that commanded the sharp bend of the river at that point. About 10 o'clock that night the ships got under way, each large vessel (except the Mississippi) having a gunboat made fast to her port side to assist her in case she should become disabled in running past the batteries. The Mississippi had to make the passage without a consort on account of her being a sidewheeler.
The Hartford, attended by the Albatross, led the attack and opened upon the water batteries with double-shotted broadsides. The Confederates were completely taken by surprise. In fact, the flagship was already past the first of the enemy's works, before the signal rocket was thrown up. Then the whole crest of the bluff broke into flashes. Piles of cord-wood soaked with pitch were lighted on the shore opposite the batteries' in order to outline the ships to the Confederate gunners. The air became heavy and misty, and a pall of smoke settled over the river and hung there.
Through this impenetrable shroud the Mississippi's pilot groped his way, running past the grounded Monongahela without either seeing or being seen by her, while the men at the guns fired back at the flashes on the bluffs and trusted to the accuracy of their pieces. Slowly the ship felt her way as she approached the shoal point at the bend. "Starboard your helm! Full speed ahead!" came the order from the pilot. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief at being past the dangerous point. But, as it turned out, the Mississippi was anything but past it. The helm was starboarded straight into the shallow water and the cutwater struck just as the ship was gathering momentum.
"We were hard aground and listing," relates Admiral Dewey, who was her executive officer on that cruise, "and backed with all" the capacity of the engines immediately. In order to bring the ship on an even keel, we ran in the port battery, which, as it faced away from the bluffs', was not engaged. Every precaution to meet the emergency was taken promptly; and there was remarkably little confusion, thanks to the long drills which we had had off New Orleans, and to the fact that all but a few of the crew had already been under fire in passing Forts Jackson and St. Philip. "But no amount of training could altogether prepare men for such a situation as we were in. With our own guns barking, and the engines pounding, and the paddle-wheels making more noise than usual, because we were aground, it was difficult to make commands heard. In half an hour the engines never budged ifs, while steadfastly and even unconcernedly the engine-room force stuck to their duties. We were being more frequently hit; the toll of our dead and wounded was increasing. Naturally, too, the gunners of the enemy, who could see the ship outlined by the bonfires on the bank on the opposite side of us from the batteries, had not failed to note that we were aground. They made the most of our distress, while the flashes of our own guns and the bursting of the enemy's shells only made the intervals of darkness more baffling to the eyes.
"I remember hunting about the deck for Captain Smith and finding him lighting another cigar with a flint quite as coolly as if he were doing it when we lay anchored off New Orleans. "Well," he said "it doesn't look as if we could get her off." "No, it doesn't," I had to tell him.
"Then came the report that we were on fire forward in the storeroom. Investigation proved that this was true." A hot shot from the enemy's batteries had plunged through the deck and ignited some inflammable stores.
There remained no alternative now, but to give up the ship. There was no time to lose. Delay meant only more wounded to move, with the danger of the fire reaching the magazine before the vessel could be abandoned. Yet all the time the guns were being fought, "the gaps among the guns' crews being filled in a fashion that was a credit to our morale." Only three boats could be floated. These were filled with wounded and told to make a landing near-by on the bank. Returning, they made another trip from the burning ship, and yet another. Then the ship was fired, and the last boat shoved off.
The Mississippi was soon in a blaze. As she burned, she became relieved of so great a weight, that she floated off and drifted down the stream a mass of flame, passing the Union ships that had failed in their attempt to follow the flagship around the bend, until 5:30, when, the flames reaching her magazines, she blew up and sank below the surface of the waves.