USS William G. Putnam (1857)
| Career (US) | 100x35px |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | as William G. Putnam |
| Laid down: | date unknown |
| Launched: | 1857 |
| Acquired: | 24 July 1861 |
| Commissioned: | 13 September 1861 |
| Decommissioned: | 2 June 1865 |
| In service: | 1865 |
| Out of service: | 1891 |
| Struck: | 1891 |
| Fate: | sold in 1893 for $1,825. |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 149 tons |
| Length: | 103 ft 6 in (31.55 m) |
| Beam: | 22 ft 0 in (6.71 m) |
| Draught: | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) |
| Propulsion: |
steam engine side-wheel propelled |
| Speed: | 7 knots |
| Complement: | 62 |
| Armament: | 12 September 1861 one 32-pdr.; 14 September 1861 add one 20-pdr. Parrott rifle; 13 May 1863 one 20-pdr. Parrott rifle, two 24-pdr. howitzers; 2 June 1863 add one 12-pdr.) |
USS William G. Putnam (1857) -– also known as the USS General Putnam -- was acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War for the purpose of guarding the shores and waterways of the American coast from smugglers and blockade runners.
Contents
A ship with two names
The Navy purchased William G. Putnam, a wooden-hulled tug built in 1857 at Brooklyn, New York, on 24 July 1861 at New York City and renamed the vessel General Putnam soon thereafter. The vessel's name later returned to William G. Putnam while in the service of the U.S. Navy.
Civil War account of the ship
In Civil War accounts, the ship is mentioned by both names, as well as, simply, "Putnam." For a full account of the activity of William G. Putnam see USS General Putnam (1857).
References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
