Return to Naval Historical
Center home page.
Return to Online
Library listing
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --
USS Calhoun (1862-1864).
Previously CSS Calhoun (1861-1862).
Later U.S. Army steamer General Sedgewick (1864-1865)
USS Calhoun, an 508-ton side-wheel gunboat, was built
in 1851 at New York City as the civilian steamer Calhoun.
She became a Confederate privateer in May 1861 and operated successfully
over the next five months, taking six prizes. The Confederate
Navy took her over later in the year for service as a gunboat
in the lower Mississippi River area. CSS Calhoun took part
in the attack on Federal warships at the Mississippi River's Head
of Passes on 12 October 1861. Three months later, on 23 January
1862, she was captured by USS Samuel Rotan off the river's
Southwest Pass.
The U.S. Navy soon acquired the steamer for its own purposes,
placing her in commission as USS Calhoun in March 1862.
She initially served as a blockader, capturing several vessels
off the Mississippi and in inland waters. Beginning in November
1862, she participated in several engagements with Confederate
warships and forces ashore, helping to destroy the steamer J.A.
Cotton on 14 January 1863 and the ram Queen
of the West on 14 April 1863. She operated in the Mississippi
Sound area from mid-1863 and in February 1864 was Rear Admiral
Farragut's flagship during a series of bombardments of Fort Powell,
at the western entrance of Mobile Bay.
Decommissioned in May 1864, Calhoun was turned over
to the U.S. Army in early June. She served as the Army steamer
General Sedgewick for the rest of the Civil War. Sold in
1865, she regained her old name and had a long subsequent career
as the SS Calhoun.
This page features, or provides links to, all the views
we have related to USS Calhoun.
For a view of Calhoun as a civilian steamer prior
to the Civil War, see:
Steamship
Calhoun (1851-1883).
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 55004-KN (color)
USS Calhoun (1862-1864)
Artwork by Assistant Engineer John Everding, USN, circa 1862-64.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 490 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 66952
USS Calhoun (1862-1864)
Watercolor by Erik Heyl, 1963, prepared for use in his book "Early
American Steamers", Volume III.
Originally built in 1851, Calhoun was a Confederate warship
in 1861-62 and became the the U.S. Army steamer General Sedgewick
in 1864.
Courtesy of Erik Heyl.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 41KB; 740 x 365 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 58767
"The Fight at Corney's Bridge, Bayou Teche, Louisiana, and
Destruction of the Rebel Gun-boat 'Cotton,', January 14, 1863."
Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1863,
showing the Confederate gunboat J.A. Cotton engaging Federal
gunboats, as Confederate troops fire from the shore. U.S. Navy
ships in this engagement were Kinsman, Estrella,
Diana and Calhoun.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 172KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 58759
"Destruction of the 'Queen of the West' by Union Gun-Boats"
Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1863,
depicting CSS Queen of the West being destroyed in Grand
Lake, Louisiana, during an attack by USS Estrella (extreme
left), Calhoun (extreme right) and Arizona (second
from right), 14 April 1863.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 250 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 59095
"Engagement at Butte la Rose"
Line engraving after a sketch by H. Holtz, published in "Harper's
Weekly", 1863, depicting the U.S. Navy gunboats Estrella,
Calhoun, Arizona and Clifton (listed clockwise
from lower right) engaging the Confederate gunboat J.A. Cotton
off Butte a la Rose, Louisiana, on 20 April 1863. Confederate
Fort Burton (shown at left) was captured on the same day.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 305 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 59144
"Bombardment of Fort Powell by Admiral Farragut's Fleet,
on February 24, 1864."
Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1864,
depicting the bombardment of Fort Powell, in Grant's Pass between
Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay, Alabama. The steamer at right
is USS Calhoun, flagship during this operation.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 122KB; 740 x 490 pixels |
 |
For a view of Calhoun as a civilian steamer prior
to the Civil War, see:
Steamship
Calhoun (1851-1883).
Return to Naval
Historical Center home page.
Page made 17 November 2001