USS Dandelion (1862-1865)
USS Dandelion , a 111-ton screw steam tug, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1862 under the name Antietam . The Navy purchased her in November 1862 and placed her in commission in December of that year. Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron soon after, Dandelion operated in the waters of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida during the rest of the Civil War. She was present during the 3 March 1863 bombardment of Fort McAllister, Georgia. A month later, she rescued crewmen from the sinking ironclad Keokuk . In July and August 1863, Dandelion took part in operations against Morris Island, South Carolina. In February 1864, the tug participated in an assault on Jacksonville, Florida. She was sent north and decommissioned in July 1865. USS Dandelion was sold the following month and returned to commercial employment.
Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly" 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 (foreground)
Only known photo of the Tug Dandelion
Confederate Submarines and Torpedo Vessels 1861-65
Interesting information and many excellent illustrations. It addresses the CSA David class torpedo boats and the Hunley (and its predecessors), as well as Union examples such as the Alligator and the Spuyten Duyvil
