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USS Fahkee

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Ship Information (from DANFS)1,2:

Name: USS Fahkee Type: Screw Steamer Tonnage: 660 (or 699)
Length: 163’ Beam: 29’6” Draught: Forward: 12’, Aft: 14’6”
Speed: Max: 11.5 knots, Avg.: 7 knots Complement: 73 men Class: Not Listed.
Armament: May 23, 1864: 1 20-pdr. Dahlgren rifle, 1 10-pdr. rifle

January 10, 1865: 1 2-pdr. Parrott rifle, 4 24-pdr. howitzers
Namesake: Former name retained.

Images:

NH 66968: FAH-KEE (American Merchant and Naval Steamer, 1863-1873).3

 

Captain(s):
Acting Master Francis R. Webb
FrancisRWebbUSNavyv15p7434

Captain 2
Captain Image

Captain 3
Captain Image

 

First Offensive Order of Battle (June 13-18, 1864):

  • Not Present (away in NC and acting as a transport)5
  • Armament: 1 x 20-pdr. Dahlgren rifle, 1 x 10-pdr. rifle (May 23, 1864)6

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

  • Captain:
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:

Third Offensive Order of Battle (July 1-31, 1864):

  • Not Present (away in NC acting as a coal transport)7

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle (August 1-31, 1864):

  • Not Present (away in NC acting as a coal transport)8

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

  • Not Present (away in NC acting as a coal transport) (ordered to NYC to repair a lost propeller on October 1, 1864)9,10,11

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

  • Not Present (source needed)

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle (November 1-December 31, 1864):

Not Present (repairing at NYC) (November 1, 1864)12

Not Present (away in NC) (December 5 & 15, 1864)13,14

  • Captain: Acting Master Francis R. Webb (December 15, 1864)15
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 5 x “guns”16
  • Note: On December 15, 1864, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.17

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle (January 1-February 28, 1865):

Not Present (away in NC) (January 1 and February 1, 1865)18,19

Hampton Roads. Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (January 15 and February 15, 1865)20,21

Dispatch Vessel [Where?] | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (February 25, 1865)22

  • Captain: Acting Master Francis R. Webb (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)23,24,25,26
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament:
    • 5 x “guns” (January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865)27,28,29,30
    • 1 x 2-pdr. Parrott rifle, 4 x 24-pdr. howitzers (January 10, 1865)31
  • Note: On January 1 & 15 and February 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Class 4” vessel.32,33,34,35

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle (March 1-April 2, 1865):

White House, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (March 18, 1865)36

Hampton Roads, Va. | North Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Union Navy (April 1, 1865)37

Ordered to South Atlantic Squadron (on or before April 15, 1865)38

  • Captain: Acting Master Francis R. Webb (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)39,40,41
  • Crew Strength:
  • Armament: 5 x “guns” (March 18 and April 1 & 15, 1865)42,43,44
  • Note: On March 18 and aPril 1 & 15, 1865, this ship is noted as a “Screw Class” vessel.39,40,41

 

Siege of Petersburg Battles:

  • TBD

 

Siege of Petersburg Involvement:48

Fahkee was built in 1862 at Williamsburg, N.Y.; purchased by the Navy 15 July 1863; and commissioned 24 September 1863, Acting Master F. R. Webb in command.

A coal and freight supply ship, Fahkee served the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron from the time of her commissioning through the close of the war. She carried cargo from New York, Norfolk, and Newport News to the fleet on the North Carolina coast, and also gave towing services and patrolled on blockade at frequent intervals. Fahkee first came under fire 3 January 1864 in Lockwood’s Folly Inlet near Beaufort, S.C., when she passed through musket and shell fire from shore to investigate Bendigo, a blockade runner grounded and afire. Fahkee shelled the ship to further her destruction, which was completed the next day by other ships.

While blockading Wilmington, N.C., in the spring and summer of 1864, Fahkee was several times fired upon by Confederate shore batteries, and on 24 August, engaged a blockade runner. Returning to the same area after a voyage to New York and Hampton Roads, in December she twice fired on grounded blockade runners. In January 1865, she carried cargo from Norfolk to Beaufort and to the fleet operating against Fort Fisher.

In April 1865, at the close of the war, Fahkee was assigned to the South Atlantic Squadron, and from Port Royal, provisioned ships at Charleston and those cruising the coast of the Carolinas. She also cruised with the Squadron off Cuba before arriving at Philadelphia 19 June. There she was decommissioned 28 June 1865, and sold 10 August 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. 81 ↩
      3. “NH 66968 FAH-KEE (American Merchant and Naval Steamer, 1863-1873).” 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-66968.html. Built at Greenpoint, New York. Whetmore, Cryder & Co. 1863, 1865-72: S.S. FAH-KEE. 1863-1865: USS FAH-KEE. 1872-1873: S.S. PICTOU. For more data, see: Erik Heyl, “Early American Steamers,” Vol. III. Watercolor by Erik Heyl, 1956. Description: Courtesy of Erik Heyl. Catalog #: NH 66968 ↩
      4. Francis R. Webb image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 15, Page 743.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
      5. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 157–158 ↩
      6. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 81 ↩
      7. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 324–325 ↩
      8. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 370–371 ↩
      9. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 410–412 ↩
      10. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume X, pp. 462–463 ↩
      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. 192–194 ↩
      16. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 192–194 ↩
      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. 398–400 ↩
      19. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      20. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      21. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      22. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 54–55 ↩
      23. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      24. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      25. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      26. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      27. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      28. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      29. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      30. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      31. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 2, Volume 1, p. 81 ↩
      32. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 398–400 ↩
      33. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 597–599 ↩
      34. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XI, pp. 722–724 ↩
      35. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 20–21 ↩
      36. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      37. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      38. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      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. 93–94 ↩
      41. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      42. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      43. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      44. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      45. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 71–73 ↩
      46. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 93–94 ↩
      47. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Volume XII, pp. 116–118 ↩
      48. “Fahkee.” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/f/fahkee.html. ↩

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