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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --
USS Dawn (1861-1865).
Originally the civilian steamship Dawn.
Later civilian steamer Eutaw
USS Dawn, a 399-ton screw steam gunboat, was built in
1856-57 at New York City for commercial use. She was chartered
by the Navy in April 1861 and commissioned for Civil War duty
early in the following month as USS Dawn. During her initial
service, with the Potomac Flotilla from then until early 1862,
Dawn captured three vessels carrying contraband. In October
1861, with the war clearly not going to be short, the Navy purchased
her outright.
After repairs at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., Dawn
was sent to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in late April
1862. While on that station, she operated along the coasts of
South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. In November 1862 and again
in January-March 1863, she took part in operations against Fort
McAllister, Georgia, and assisted in the destruction of the Confederate
privateer Rattlesnake.
Dawn was reassigned to the North Atlantic Blockading
Squadron in December 1863, following five months under repair
at New York. She served in the James River area of Virginia in
1864 and into 1865. Decommissioned in July, USS Dawn was
sold in November 1865. Renamed Eutaw, she operated as a
merchant vessel until wrecked in December 1869.
This page features all the views we have of the Civil War gunboat
Dawn.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 66961
Steamship Dawn (1856)
Watercolor by Erik Heyl, for use in his book "Early American
Steamers", Volume III.
This vessel served as USS Dawn in 1861-1865 and was later
the civilian steamer Eutaw.
Courtesy of Erik Heyl.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 58KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 58899
"The Iron-clad 'Montauk' engaging the Rebel Fort McAllister,
in the Ogeechee River, 28th January 1863. -- Sketched by an Officer
of the 'Dawn.'"
Line engraving, published in "Harper's Weekly", 1863,
depicting USS Montauk in the foreground, firing on the
fort. At left, also bombarding, are the U.S. ships Seneca,
Wissahickon, Dawn and C.P. Williams.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 465 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 59286
Confederate Privateer Rattlesnake
(ex-CSS Nashville, 1861-1862)
Line engraving published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War",
Volume II, page 41, showing Rattlesnake burning after
being shelled by the monitor USS Montauk, commanded by
Captain John L. Worden, USN, in the Ogeechee River, Georgia on
28 February 1863. Fort McAllister is in the right-center background,
and the U.S. Navy gunboats Wissahickon, Seneca
and Dawn are providing supporting fire in the left distance.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 167KB; 740 x 530 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 59288
Bombardment of Fort McAllister, Georgia, 3 March 1863
Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", January-June
1863, page 196, depicting the bombardment of Fort McAllister
by the U.S. Navy monitors Passaic, Patapsco and
Nahant. The engraving is based on a sketch by "an
eye-witness" on board USS Montauk, which is in the
right center foreground. In the left foreground, firing on the
fort, are the mortar schooners C.P. Williams, Norfolk
Packet and Para. Among other U.S. Navy ships involved
were gunboats Wissahickon, Seneca and Dawn
and tug Dandelion.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 295 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 59287
Bombardment of Fort McAllister, Georgia, 3 March 1863
Line engraving, after a sketch by W.T. Crane, published in "The
Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume II, page 39. It depicts
the U.S. Navy monitors Patapsco, Passaic and Nahant
firing on Fort McAllister (at far left) from the Ogeechee River.
Other U.S. Navy ships are in the foreground. Montauk is
the monitor in this group (farthest from the artist). Firing
on the fort from the right foreground are mortar schooners, including
C.P. Williams, Norfolk Packet and Para.
Among other U.S. Navy ships involved were gunboats Wissahickon,
Seneca and Dawn and tug Dandelion, all screw
steamers.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 380 pixels |
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Page made 30 September 2001