USS Commodore Jones

USS Commodore Jones was a ferryboat acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Ferryboats were of great value, since, because of their flat bottom and shallow draft, they could navigate streams and shallow waters that other ships could not.

For ships with similar names, see USS Jones.
History
United States
Name: USS Commodore Jones
Acquired: 1863
Commissioned: 1 May 1863
Stricken: 1864
Fate: Sunk by electric mine 6 May 1864
General characteristics
Type: Gunboat
Displacement: 542 long tons (551 t)
Length: 154 ft (47 m)
Beam: 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m)
Draft: 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 12 kn (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Complement: 88
Armament: 4 × 9 in (230 mm) smoothbore guns, 1 × 50-pounder rifle, 2 × 30-pounder rifles, 4 × 24-pounder guns

She was outfitted by the Union Navy as a heavily armed gunboat and assigned to the blockade of the waterways of the Confederate States of America.

Purchased in New York City in 1863

Commodore Jones — an armed, side-wheel ferry — was purchased at New York City in 1863 and commissioned on 1 May 1863, Lieutenant Commander J. G. Mitchell in command.

Civil War operations

Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockade

Serving with the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Commodore Jones operated in Virginia's rivers and on her coast from 11 May 1863. She performed picket and patrol duty, dragged for torpedoes (mines), skirmished with enemy cavalry, shelled shore installations, and captured contraband goods with her shore parties.

She joined in the evacuation of West Point, Virginia from 31 May-1 June, in the expedition up the Mattapony River from 3–7 June, in the Chickahominy River demonstration of 10–13 June, and put to sea in search of CSS Tacony from 13–19 June.

Commodore Jones strikes a mine and sinks

She patrolled the James River frequently in the course of her service, and there on 6 May 1864, she was destroyed by an electrically-fired mine.[1]

See also

References
  1. Naval Historical Center

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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