USS Tuscumbia (1862) facts for kids

Tuscumbia circa 1863. USS Linden is behind her and a mortar boat is in front
Quick facts for kids History
United States
Name	USS Tuscumbia
Builder	Joseph Brown, Cincinnati, Ohio
Laid down	1862
Launched	2 December 1862
Commissioned	12 March 1863
Decommissioned	February 1865
Fate	Sold, 29 November 1865
General characteristics
Type	Steam gunboat
Displacement	915 long tons (930 t)
Length	178 ft
Beam	75 ft
Draft	7 ft (2.1 m)
Propulsion	1 x shaft, 4 x steam engines
Speed	10 knots
Complement	130 officers & men
Armament	3 × 11 in (280 mm) Dahlgren smoothbores 2 × 9 in (230 mm) Dahlgren smoothbores

The first USS Tuscumbia was a special kind of warship called a gunboat. She served in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. The ship was named after the town of Tuscumbia, Alabama. This town itself was named after a Cherokee chief.

The Tuscumbia was built in 1862 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was launched on December 2, 1862. The ship officially joined the Navy on March 12, 1863, in Cairo, Illinois. Lieutenant Commander James W. Shirk was her first captain. The Tuscumbia was powered by steam. She had two large engines for her two side wheels and two smaller engines for her two propellers (screws).

About the USS Tuscumbia

The USS Tuscumbia was a powerful gunboat. Gunboats were smaller warships that carried cannons. They were often used on rivers and close to shore. The Tuscumbia was important for fighting on the rivers during the American Civil War.

Building the Ship

Building a warship like the Tuscumbia was a big job. She was built by Joseph Brown in Cincinnati, Ohio. This city was a major shipbuilding center at the time. The ship was designed to be strong and carry many guns.

Battles and Missions

The Tuscumbia played a key role in several important battles. She helped the Union forces in their fight against the Confederacy. Her main job was to support ground troops and attack enemy positions from the water.

Helping at Fort Heiman

From March 12 to March 14, 1863, the Tuscumbia helped take back Fort Heiman. This fort was located on the Tennessee River. The ship stopped Confederate boats that were moving troops across the river. She also fired at enemy defenses behind the fort. This helped the Union soldiers on land. By the end of March, the Tuscumbia moved to the Mississippi River.

The Vicksburg Campaign

In the spring and early summer of 1863, the Tuscumbia was very important during the attacks on Vicksburg, Mississippi. Vicksburg was a very important city for the Confederacy. On April 1, the ship carried important leaders like Admiral David D. Porter and Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. They went on a trip up the Yazoo River to see if they could land troops above Vicksburg.

The Tuscumbia had to pull back because of heavy fire from enemy guns on shore. This made the Union leaders decide to attack Vicksburg from a different spot, further down the river at Grand Gulf.

On the night of April 16-17, 1863, the Tuscumbia sailed past the Vicksburg enemy guns. This was a very dangerous mission. She even towed a damaged transport ship called Forest Queen to safety. On April 20, the Tuscumbia and another ship, the USS General Price, explored the Mississippi River. They went from New Carthage to Grand Gulf.

The Tuscumbia also took part in the attack on the Confederate forts at Grand Gulf on April 29. During this attack, the Tuscumbia was hit 81 times! Five crew members were hurt, and the ship was put out of action.

Repairs and Later Duty

The Tuscumbia was quickly repaired. She then fired on the Vicksburg enemy guns again on May 19 and May 22. During the attack on May 22, the Tuscumbia worked with other Union ships like the Benton, Mound City, and Carondelet. Together, they silenced three enemy water batteries and destroyed four guns.

In August, the Tuscumbia went to the naval station in Memphis, Tennessee, for more repairs. She was then put out of service for a while in November. In May 1864, she was repaired again in Memphis. After that, she was given patrol duty. This meant she sailed back and forth between Cairo and the top of the Tennessee River, watching for enemy activity.

After some more repairs in October at Mound City, Illinois, the Tuscumbia was taken out of service for good in February 1865. She was sold at an auction in Mound City to W. K. Adams on November 29, 1865.