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USS Crusader

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Crusader Type: Screw Steamer Tonnage: 545
Length: 169’ Beam: 28’ Draught: 12’6”
Speed: Max: 8 knots, Avg.: 5 knots Complement: 92 men Class: Not Listed.
Armament: September 22, 1862: 4 32-pdr. 33 cwt., 2 20-pdr. Parrott rifles, 1 12-pdr. rifle (Note: No armament listed for 1864-65.)
Namesake: One pursuing a goal with great dedication.

Images:

NH 66399: USS Crusader (1858-1865)3

 

Captain(s):
Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Peter Hays
Captain Image

Captain 2
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864): York and Pamunkey Rivers and Chesapeake Bay | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (at least June 14 and 17, 1864)4,5

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Second Offensive Order of Battle (June 19-30, 1864):

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Third Offensive Order of Battle (July 1-31, 1864): York River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (July 31, 1864)6

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle (August 1-31, 1864): York River, Va.  | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (August 17, 1864)7

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle (September 1-October 13, 1864):

York River and Chesapeake Bay | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (September 1 & 16, 1864)8,9

Second Division (Hampton Roads and James River) | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (October 1, 1864)10

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
  • Note: On October 1, 1864, this ship is noted as on “York River.”11

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle (October 14-31, 1864):

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle (November 1-December 31, 1864): York River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)12,13,14

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Peter Hays (November 1 and December 5 & 15, 1864)15,16,17
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 7 x “guns” (December 15, 1864)18
  • Note: On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.19

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle (January 1-February 28, 1865): York River, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (January 1 & 15 and February 1, 15 & 25, 1865)20,21,22,23,24

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Peter Hays (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)25,26,27,28
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 7 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)29,30,31,32
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.33,34,35,36

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle (March 1-April 2, 1865): Detached [Where?] | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)37

  • Captain: Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Peter Hays (March 18, 1865)38
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 7 x “guns” (March 18, 1865)39
  • Notes:
    • On March 18, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Screw Class” vessel.40
    • The Crusader is not listed on the April 1 and April 15, 1865 lists of vessels belonging to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.  I am not sure where she went, but it appears she never returned to the Siege of Petersburg during the Ninth Offensive. More research is needed.41,42

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:43

Southern Star, a screw steamer, was chartered by the Navy in October 1858 to accompany a military-diplomatic expedition to Paraguay to settle grievances growing out of an unprovoked attack on Water Witch by Paraguayan forts in 1855. Commissioned 27 October 1858, Commander A. M. Pennock in command, Southern Star sailed 2 November for Asuncion, Paraguay, arriving 25 January 1859. Her mission accomplished, she departed from Montevideo, Uraguay, 22 March to return to Norfolk. Here she was purchased by the Navy and renamed Crusader. She was sent to Philadelphia Navy Yard to be outfitted for naval service under the command of Lieutenant J. N. Maffitt.

After repairs at New York, Crusader put to sea 22 September 1862 to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She was diverted to duty in the Chesapeake and inland waters of Virginia and served in this area until the end of the war. She captured five vessels with valuable cargoes and destroyed four others. Crusader was decommissioned at Washington Navy Yard 13 June 1865 and sold there 20 July 1865.

 

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. “DANFS.” Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs.html. ↩
    2. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 68 ↩
    3. “NH 66399 USS Crusader.” Naval History and Heritage Command, www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-66000/NH-66399.html. USS Crusader (1858-1865) In a harbor, during the Civil War era. Donation of Mrs. George W.S. Musgrave, 1968. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Catalog #: NH 66399Catalog #: NH 66399 ↩
    4. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
    5. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume X, p. 148 ↩
    6. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
    7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
    8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
    9. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
    10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    11. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 514–515 ↩
    12. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    13. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    14. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    15. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 39–40 ↩
    16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 140–142 ↩
    17. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    18. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    19. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
    20. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    21. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
    25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    29. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    30. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    31. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    32. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    33. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
    34. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
    35. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
    36. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
    37. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    39. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    40. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
    41. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
    42. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
    43. “Crusader I (Screw Steamer).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/crusader-i.html. ↩

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