USS Ohio (1820) facts for kids
USS Ohio
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | USS Ohio |
| Namesake | Ohio |
| Builder | Henry Eckford (naval architect) |
| Laid down | 1817 |
| Launched | 30 May 1820 |
| Commissioned | before 16 October 1838 |
| Recommissioned | 7 December 1846, needed for the Mexican-American War |
| Decommissioned | 1875 |
| Fate | Sold 1883, burned 1884 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ship of the line |
| Displacement | 2724 |
| Length | 197 ft (60 m) |
| Beam | 53 ft (16 m) |
| Draft | 22.2 ft (6.8 m) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Speed | 12 kn (14 mph; 22 km/h) |
| Complement | 840 officers and men |
| Armament |
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The second USS Ohio was a very large sailing warship called a ship of the line in the United States Navy. It was designed to carry 74 guns, but it actually had 104 guns! This powerful ship was built by Henry Eckford, a famous ship designer. Construction began in 1817 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the ship was launched on May 30, 1820.
After being launched, Ohio was put into storage and started to decay. But in 1838, it was fixed up and made ready for duty. On October 16, 1838, Ohio sailed to join the Mediterranean Squadron. This group of ships was led by Commodore Isaac Hull. For two years, Ohio was the main ship of the squadron, protecting trade ships and helping to stop the illegal slave trade off the coast of Africa.
Ohio was known for being an excellent sailing ship. It could often travel faster than 12 kn (14 mph; 22 km/h). One officer even said, "I never supposed such a ship could be built—a ship possessing in so great a degree all the qualifications of a perfect vessel." In 1840, Ohio returned to Boston and was put back into storage. From 1841 to 1846, it served as a "receiving ship," which means it was used as a floating barracks or training ship for new sailors.
Contents
Serving in the Mexican-American War
Why Was Ohio Needed for War?
The Mexican–American War began in 1846. To help with the war effort, Ohio was brought back into service on December 7, 1846. It sailed on January 4, 1847, heading for the Gulf of Mexico. The ship arrived off the coast of Veracruz on March 22.
How Did Ohio Help at Veracruz?
On March 27, Ohio helped by landing 10 of its large guns on shore. These guns were used to help in the attack on Veracruz. However, the city surrendered soon after, so the guns weren't needed for long.
What Was the Tuxpan River Expedition?
Ohio was too big to operate close to the coast in the Gulf of Mexico because it needed deep water. But 336 of its crew members took part in the Tuxpan River Expedition. In 1847, the area around the Tuxpan River was covered in thick jungle. The enemy had built three strong forts on hills overlooking the river.
On April 18, Commodore Matthew C. Perry arrived with 15 ships. Smaller, light-weight ships like the steamers Scourge, Spitfire, and Vixen led the way up the river. They were followed by special bomb ships and 30 small boats carrying 1,500 men. As they got close to the town, the ships came under heavy fire from Fort LaPena.
Commodore Perry ordered Commander Franklin Buchanan to take the men from the small boats and attack the fort. As the landing party rushed ashore, the Mexican soldiers left their positions. The other two forts also fell easily, and the American forces had only a few injuries. Men from Ohio also recovered guns from another ship, the brig Truxtun, which had sunk in a storm. The town was taken over, and all military supplies were destroyed.
Protecting Commerce in the Pacific
Ohio's Journey to the Pacific
After the Tuxpan expedition, Ohio sailed from Veracruz and arrived in New York on May 9. On June 26, it sailed again to join the Pacific Squadron. First, it carried the U.S. ambassador to Brazil and operated off the east coast of South America until December.
On January 21, 1848, in Valparaíso, Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones made Ohio his main ship for the Pacific Squadron. He planned to block the ports on the western coast of Mexico. Ohio arrived at Mazatlán on May 6, just after the Mexican–American War ended.
Helping After the War and During the Gold Rush
Commodore Jones used the fleet to help transport people who had helped the United States during the war to Monterey, California. They arrived there on October 9. Ohio then sailed to Sausalito, in San Francisco Bay.
For the next two years, Ohio stayed in the Pacific. Its job was to protect trade and keep order in the newly acquired California Territory. This was a very busy and sometimes wild time because of the gold rush. In the spring of 1849, many sailors on Ohio got Scurvy in San Francisco Bay. So, Commodore Jones sent Ohio to the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) to get fresh food for the crew.
Final Years and Fate
In 1850, Ohio returned to Boston and was again put into storage. In 1851, it became a receiving ship once more, serving in this role until 1875.
Ohio was sold in Boston to J. L. Snow on September 27, 1883. The ship was burned the next year, in 1884, in Greenport Harbor, New York. The remains of the wreck are still there and can be explored by scuba divers. The wreck is off Fanning Point, in about 20 ft (6.1 m) of water.
