USS Chatham (1836)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Chatham.

Career (US)
Name:	USS Chatham
Laid down:	date unknown
Launched:	1836
Commissioned:	22 June 1864
Decommissioned:	April 1865
Struck:	1865 (est.)
Homeport:	Port Royal, South Carolina
Captured:	by Union Navy forces 16 December 1863
Fate:	sold, 2 September 1865
General characteristics
Type:	Steamer
Displacement:	198 long tons (201 t)
Length:	120 ft (37 m)
Beam:	26 ft (7.9 m)
Draft:	7 ft 7 in (2.31 m)
Propulsion:	steam engine side wheel-propelled
Speed:	Unknown
Complement:	Unknown
Armament:	Unknown
Armor:	Iron

USS Chatham (1836) was a Confederate side-wheel steamer captured by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

She was used by the Union Navy as a harbor ship, used to transport military personnel, dispatches, and supplies to and from ships anchored in the harbor.

Chatham, a blockade runner, captured by the Union Navy

Chatham — an iron side-wheel steamer — was built in 1836 by John Laird, Birkenhead, England for export to Savannah, Georgia, knocked-down. Assembled in Savannah, she was used as a river steamer until the Civil War when she became a blockade runner. She was captured by Huron while attempting to run the blockade on 16 December 1863.

Commissioned and assigned to the South Atlantic Blockade

Chatham was turned over to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and commissioned on 22 June 1864, Acting Master E. L. Smith in command.

Assigned as harbor ship at Port Royal, South Carolina, Chatham transported men and supplies in the harbor throughout the remainder of the war, providing essential support to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron as it carried out its decisive mission of cutting the Confederacy off from overseas sources of supply.

Post-war decommissioning and sale

Chatham was decommissioned in April 1865 and sold on 2 September.

See also

• United States Navy
• American Civil War

References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

External links

• USS Chatham