USS Galatea (1862)
| Career (US) | Union Navy Jack |
|---|---|
| Name: | USS Galatea |
| Laid down: | date unknown |
| Launched: | 1862 |
| Acquired: | 31 July 1863 |
| Commissioned: | 29 January 1864 |
| Decommissioned: | 12 July 1865 |
| Struck: | 1865 (est.) |
| Homeport: | Cap-Haitien, Haiti |
| Fate: | sold, 15 August 1865 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 1,244 tons |
| Length: | 209' 6" |
| Beam: | 35' 6" |
| Draught: | depth of hold 20' 8" |
| Propulsion: |
steam engine screw-propelled |
| Speed: | 10 knots |
| Complement: | not known |
| Armament: |
eight 32-pounder guns one 100-poudner gun two 30-pounder guns |
USS Galatea (1862) was a large steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.
She was used by the Union Navy as an escort gunboat in support of the Union Navy, mostly in various parts of the Caribbean Sea, such as in Haiti, where her role was to protect American citizens. She was sold to the Haitian government in 1865 after becoming unseaworthy because of leaks.
Contents
Constructed in New York City, commissioned in 1864
Galatea was built at New York City in 1862 under the direction of J. B. and J. D. Van Dusen, Master Builders; purchased by the Navy 31 July 1863 from the Neptune Steamship Co.; and commissioned 29 January 1864, Comdr. John Guest in command.
Galatea departed New York 21 February 1864 for service as a unit of the West India Squadron. Based at Cap-Haitien in Haiti, where she arrived 29 February, she provided convoy protection in the West Indies to California mail steamers plying between New York City and Aspinwall (Colon, Panama).
She had twice returned to New York City for repairs by 10 November 1864 when she was assigned with two other ships to convoy California mail streamers from Cap Haitien through the Windward Passage, between the islands of Nacassa and Mariguana.
Developing seawater leaks in her structure
During this cruise leaks developed which made Galatea unfit for arduous convoy duty. Remaining on station at Cape Haitien, she cruised to Key West, Florida, for provisions and dispatches and afforded protection to American citizens in Haiti until convoy service was discontinued in June 1865.
End-of-war decommissioning and sale to Haiti
Galatea arrived New York City from Cap-Haitien 1 July 1865; decommissioned 12 July; and was sold to the Haitian government 15 August.
References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
See also
External links
- Ship infoboxes without an image
- Pages with broken file links
- Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- Ships of the Union Navy
- Ships built in New York
- United States Navy steamships
- Gunboats of the United States Navy
- American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States
- 1862 ships
