U.S. Navy Gunboats at Deep Bottom, James River, 1864

This is an Alfred Waud sketch of the Deep Bottom/Jones Neck section of the James River during the 1864 Bermuda Hundred Campaign. The sketch is currently in the collection of the Library of Congress. We are currently working on a major article about the U.S. Navy's role in the campaign for the next issue of the Daybook.

Shown in this sketch is one of the pontoon bridges constructed across the James River, set up to establish a communications and supply link between the Army of the Potomac, approaching from the north, and the Army of the James, which was approaching from the east. Soldiers forming the 2nd Division of the 10th Corps are crossing the bridge. In the center of the image stands Major General Robert Sandford Foster. At the time (the Army gave him many roles throughout the war), Foster was the 2nd Division's commanding officer.

In the upper right corner are USS Mendota and Mackinaw, two of the U.S. Navy's "double-ender" gunboats. The two ships are at anchor where Fourmile Creek (correctly spelled as one word) empties into the James, and they are keeping watch to the north for Confederate ground forces. The ships' presence in many ways represents the U.S. Navy's role in the campaign. While General Grant and his lieutenants tried to figure out how to defeat Robert E. Lee's ground forces, Acting Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee's units stood on alert ready to assist Union ground forces (in many cases, bailing them out of a tough fight). Lee wanted to use his ships more aggressively, but Grant worried about Confederate naval forces severing the Army's bridges and requested that the Navy play a more defensive role.

Did you notice that, on the left side of this sketch, Waud has drawn a man fishing near the gunboat? Even with all the activity going on, and both U.S. Naval and Army forces preparing for battle, one man apparently made his decision about he was going to spend the day. As Waud's sketches are considered to accurate and reliable depictions, there is no reason to think that the artist made up the subject.

1864 Lithograph, Ironclad USS Onondaga

This is a lithograph entitled U.S. Iron Clad Battery Onondaga with 2 Ericsson Turrets.  Endicott and Company published the print in 1864, shortly after the Continental Iron Works launched the actual ship.  The print can be seen in the museum's gallery behind a ship model of the ironclad.  The Naval Museum has a few other Endicott prints on display, including one of the steam frigate USS Minnesota.

The print shows the double-turreted ironclad underway in brisk seas, water washing over the decks.  One officer and two sailors boldly stand against the wind outside the pilot house.  The enlisted sailor raises up four signal flags, which look like a "cornet" flag, followed by the numbers "6" and "9."  The forth flag is obstructed.  These flags may depict the Onondaga's ship number.  It is also entirely possible that the artist added random flags simply for the effect and was ignorant to any real message or meaning.  Any help in interpreting this would be most appreciated!

The depiction of the water gives the print action and motion, thus making it more appealing to a potential buyer.  Still photographs of Onondaga showed her in calm, flat water, which would probably not sell as well. The publisher also included the ship's vital statistics to add commercial appeal to the print.  The left side reads: "Hull-228 feet, Breadth, 30 feet, Depth - 13 feet." The right side reads: "4 propeller engines, 2 revolving turrets."

Wartime sketch of Onondaga by Alfred Waud

Onondaga was one of the largest "monitor"-type ironclads built for the U.S. Navy during the Civil War.  She was a late-war monitor and carried a powerful battery of two XV-inch Dahlgren smoothbores and two 150-pounder Parrot Rifles.  Though the print makes reference to "Ericson Turrets," John Ericsson (designer of the original USS Monitor) did not design Onondaga.  Ericsson rejected the idea of adding a second turret to his monitor design.  Other designers disagreed, believing the monitors needed more firepower. 

Named for the Onondaga Nation in New York, Onondaga served her entire Civil War career in the James River, protecting the Army of the Potomac's supply lines. During an 1865 Confederate attempt to raid these lines, Onondaga went into battle near Trent's Reach. The Navy eventually sold the ship to France after the war. 

USS Onondaga Ship Model

This is a model of the double-turreted, monitor-type ironclad USS Onondaga that is currently on display in the museum's gallery. Built by the master ship model builders at the U.S. Navy's Naval Sea System Command's David Taylor Research Center, the model is a popular attraction at the museum.

The model is also an excellent teaching tool, as its builders incorporated several details that make it easy to interpret. Of particular note are the everyday activities of the ship's company (note the white box on the bow of the ship).

The real Onondaga was a late-war ironclad that incorporated many "lessons learned" from earlier monitor-type warships. Named after a Native American nation in upstate New York that is a member of the Iroquois Confederation, the ship maintained an extremely low free board that is characteristic of all monitors. However, Naval architects gave Onondaga a second turret equipped with the new XV-inch Dahlgrens for increase firepower, a better power plant with two screw propellers for increased mobility, a pilot house placed on top of turret one for better protection from enemy shots, and an expanded lower hull for better sea-keeping traits.

The ironclad served mainly on the James River in 1864 and 1865. She served as the Union's guard ship for the river and kept the supply lines open for Grant's Overland Campaign against Richmond. She did battle with Confederate ironclads at the Battle of Trent's Reach.

Alfred Waud's sketch of USS Onondaga, 1864

Alfred Waud's Hampton Roads Civil War Sketches, Part 2

The Library of Congress is the caretaker of a large portion of Alfred Waud's drawings and has digitized several hundred sketches.

Waud visited Hampton Roads in late 1861 to cover the Hatteras Expedition. Here is part 2 of some of his sketches:

Sloop-of-War USS Cumberland in Hampton Roads



Steam frigate USS Wabash in Hampton Roads

Steam gunboat USS Louisana and paddle steam gunboat CSS Yorktown. 
The two ships exchanged shots in Hampton Roads, 1861.

Fort Hatteras after its capture in August 1861

USS Monticello exchanging shots with Confederate infantry, Cape Hatteras, 1861

Destruction of Norfolk Navy Yard, 1862



Alfred Waud's Hampton Roads Civil War Sketches, Part 1

One of the most accomplished battlefield artist of the American Civil War was Alfred Waud. Working under a contract to provide rough sketches for Harper's Weekly, (that were later turned into the paper's famous woodcut engravings), Waud was present for almost every major ground action in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The Library of Congress is the caretaker of a large portion of Waud's drawings and has digitized several hundred sketches. 

Waud visited Hampton Roads in late 1861 to cover the Hatteras Expedition.  Here are a few examples of what he saw:

Gunboat USS Whitehall

Various ships anchored next to Fort Monroe

Steam frigate USS Minnesota, Fort Monroe, and the Rip Raps

Sloop-of-war USS Cumberland

USS Cumberland, USS Savannah, and shore batteries exchanging shots with CSS Yorktown