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Bark. 2nd Largest Wooden Ship built in the United States.
The first Roanoke was launched on 13 December 1855 at Norfolk Navy Yard; and
commissioned 4 May1857, Capt. John B. Montgomery in command.
Assigned to the Home Squadron as flagship, Roanoke’s first duty was to return
the American filibuster and former president of Nicaragua, William Walker,
and 205 of his men to the United States. Sailing for Aspinwall, Columbia, on 30 May 1857, Roanoke returned on 4 August with Walker and his followers.
Subsequently, Roanoke was sent to Boston Navy Yard where she decommissioned
on 24 September 1857.
Recommissioned on 18 August 1858, Roanoke resumed her duties as flagship of
the Home Squadron. Roanoke devoted the following months to cruising in the
West Indies, carrying the U.S. Minister at Bogota, George W. Jones, to
Aspinwall and Cartagena. For over a year she was stationed at Aspinwall
awaiting the arrival of a special Japanese embassy to the United States. The Japanese delegation, traveling to Washington to exchange ratifications
of the 1858 treaty, departed Yokohama on 13 February 1860 in the frigate
Powhatan and reached Aspinwall by a train across the isthmus on 25 April
1860. The Roanoke embarked the delegation and reached Hampton Roads on 12 May
1860 and was decommissioned.
Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Roanoke recommissioned on 20 June
1861. Attached to the North Atlantic Squadron, she destroyed the schooner
Mary off Lockwood’s Inlet, N.C., on 13 July 1861. The screw frigate
subsequently took part in the capture of the schooners Albion and Alert and
helped take the ship Thomas Watson off Charleston, S.C., on 15 October 1861.
During the C.S.S. Virginia’s (the former USS Merrimack), attack on Union
warships in Hampton Roads, 8 March 1862, Roanoke’s deep draft prevented her
from engaging the Confederate casement ram and kept her out of action the
next day when the Virginia engaged the Union turreted ironclad, Monitor. Roanoke embarked 268 men from the Congress and Cumberland which Virginia had sunk,
transported them North, and arrived at New York on 25 March, and
decommissioned the same day.
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NO PICTURE
AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME
Model
Length Overall 50in.
1/96 SCALE
3 SHEET PLAN
TPSEH-9406-1
PRICE: $ 50.00
While
being extensively modified by Novelty Iron Works, N.Y., Roanoke was cut down
to a low-freeboard ship and given three revolving centerline turrets. She
kept her single funnel but landed her full ship rig, and in her new
configuration was accepted by the Navy at New York Navy Yard on 16 April
1863. An ordnance report, dated 31 August 1863, listed her battery as
follows: fore turret 1 15", 1 150-pdr.; middle turret 1 15", 1
11"; after turret, 1 11", 1 150-pdr.
Sea trials indicated that her heavy turrets caused her to roll dangerously in
a seaway, and that her hull was not sufficiently strong to bear their weight
and the concussion of the continuous firing. Re-commissioned on 29 June 1863,
Roanoke was assigned as harbor defense ship at Hampton Roads, Va., a duty she performed through the end of the Civil War.
Roanoke was decommissioned on 20 June 1865 at New York Navy Yard. Retained
in reserve, Roanoke’s only postwar service was as flagship of the Port
Admiral at New York. Roanoke was re-commissioned on 13 January 1874 and
remained in reduced commission until again placed in reserve on 12 June 1875.
Struck from the list on 5 August 1882, Roanoke was sold for scrapping on 27
September 1883 at Chester, Pa., to E. Stannard & Co., Westbrook, Conn.
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