USS Clifton (1861)

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USS Clifton (1861) - Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

History
USS Clifton playing a fire hose on a Confederate fire raft on the lower Mississippi River, 17 April 1862
Operator	Union Navy Texas Marine Department (1863)
Launched	1861
Acquired	1861
Commissioned	1862
Fate	Burned to prevent capture, 1864
General characteristics
Displacement	892 tons
Propulsion	Walking beam steam engine side paddle wheels

USS Clifton was a shallow-draft side-wheel paddle steamer, built in 1861 at Brooklyn, as a civilian ferry. The Union Navy bought her early that December, and commissioned her after having her converted into a gunboat. In 1863 she ran aground, was captured and commissioned into the Texas Marine Department. Her career ended in 1864 when she ran aground and her Confederate crew burned her to prevent her recapture.

US Navy service

Clifton steamed from New York to the Gulf of Mexico in February–March 1862. In April she towed mortar schooners into the Mississippi River and supported them as they bombarded the Confederate fortifications below New Orleans. Following the fall of the forts and city later in the month, she operated with Rear Admiral David Farragut's squadron during its drive up the river to Vicksburg, Mississippi. There, on 28 June 1862 Clifton was damaged by enemy gunfire.

Clifton participated in the Battle of Baton Rouge on 5 August 1862.

In October 1862, Clifton took part in the capture of Galveston, Texas. She helped seize Fort Burton, at Butte La Rose, Louisiana, in April 1863. In mid-July, her crew assisted in capturing the sailing bark H. McGuin. Later in the month she fired on Confederate batteries on the Atchafalaya River, Louisiana.

Capture and Confederate service

On 8 September 1863, during a Union attack on Sabine Pass, Texas, Clifton grounded while under intense cannon fire and was captured.

Entering Confederate service with the Texas Marine Department, Clifton was employed as a gunboat. According to a report made by Colonel S.P. Bankhead, Chief of Artillery for the Department of Texas in mid-December 1863, she was armed with 3 – 9-inch Dahlgren Cannon, 1- 30 pdr Rifle, and 3 – 32 pdr Guns. On 21 March 1864 she ran aground off Sabine Pass while attempting to run the blockade. After attempts to refloat the ship failed, Clifton was burned by her crew to prevent capture by Union warships.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entries can be found Union service here and Confederate service here.

External links

USS Clifton (1862–1863), CSS Clifton (1863–1864)
Daniel D. T. Nestell Papers (Acting Assistant Surgeon on the Clifton)

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1864
Shipwrecks	3 Jan: Grafton 10 Jan: USS Iron Age 15 Jan: Lottie Sleigh 1 Feb: USS Smith-Briggs 2 Feb: USS Underwriter 17 Feb: USS Housatonic 17 Feb: H. L. Hunley 22 Feb: USS Linden 27 Feb: Westward Ho! 6 Mar: USS Peterhoff 21 Mar: USS Clifton 28 Mar: USS Kingfisher 1 Apr: Maple Leaf 15 Apr: USS Eastport 15 Apr: Emma 18 Apr: Bombshell 19 Apr: USS Southfield 22 Apr: USS Petrel 26 Apr: Homer 30 Apr: Grecian 5 May: USS Covington 5 May: USS Signal 6 May: USS Commodore Jones 7 May: CSS Roanoke 7 May: USS Shawsheen 10 May: Invercauld 16 May: John Williams 17 May: Marchioness 22 May: USS Columbine 1 Jun: Daring 12 Jun: USS Lavender 14 Jun: USS Courier 19 Jun: CSS Alabama 19 Jun: Alvin Clark 24 Jun: USS Queen City 27 Jun: Mary Robinson 25 Jul: USS Undine 5 Aug: CSS Gaines 5 Aug: USS Philippi 5 Aug: USS Tecumseh 7 Aug: CSS Phoenix 8 Aug: USS Violet 11 Aug: James Funk 11 Aug: William Bell 12 Aug: Adriatic 31 Aug: Mary Bowers c. Aug: Houqua 3 Sep: USS Brandywine 23 Sep: USS Antelope 27 Sep: CSS North Carolina 7 Oct: USS Aster 27 Oct: CSS Albemarle 4 Nov: USS Elfin 4 Nov: USS Key West 4 Nov: USS Tawah 4 Nov: USS Undine 5 Nov: CSS Spray 11 Nov: USS Tulip 28 Nov: CSS Florida 7 Dec: USS Narcissus 9 Dec: USS Bazely 9 Dec: USS Otsego 12 Dec: CSS Resolute 14 Dec: HMS Bombay 19 Dec: CSS Water Witch 21 Dec: CSS Georgia 21 Dec: CSS Isondiga 21 Dec: CSS Savannah 24 Dec: USS Louisiana 30 Dec: USS Annie 30 Dec: USS Rattler c. Dec: J. M. Chapman c. Dec: USS Monarch Unkn: Carolina Unkn: Duke of Roxburgh
Other incidents	17 Feb: USS St. Clair 10 May: USS Mound City 9 Jun: John Bowes Jun: HMS Liverpool 14 Jul: HDMS Dannebrog 13 Aug: HMS Enterprise 24 Aug: SMS Grille Aug: HMS Urgent 1 Sep: Avalon 1 Sep: HMS Eclipse 5 Oct: Nubia 7 Oct: CSS Florida (Bahia incident) 20 Oct: HMS Eclipse 20 Oct: Snaefell Unkn: Kingfisher
← 1863 1865 →

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