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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 Itasca (1861-1865)

USS Itasca, a 691-ton Unadilla class screw steam gunboat, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Commissioned in November 1861, she was soon sent to the Gulf coast to enforce the blockade of the Confederacy. In January and February 1862, Itasca captured a schooner and assisted in taking a steamer. After being stationed at the mouth of the Mississippi River, in April she went up the river to take part in bombarding the Confederate fortifications below New Orleans and clearing the obstructions across the river. On 24 April, she was disabled by enemy gunfire as she participated in the Federal squadron's daring ascent of the Mississippi to New Orleans. During the rest of the year, she continued to operate along the great river.

Transferred to the blockade off Galveston, Texas, in January 1863, Itasca took two prizes before she went to Philadelphia for repairs in mid-year. She returned to the Gulf late in 1863 and was stationed off Mobile Bay. The gunboat was one of the squadron that ran past the Bay's defending forts on 5 August 1864, thus closing Mobile to external trade. Somewhat later, Itasca went back to the Texas blockade, where she captured one more sailing vessel and destroyed another late in 1864. She remained in the Gulf until August 1865, when she went north and was decommissioned. USS Itasca was sold to private interests in November and was renamed Aurora for merchant service. She was sold to foreign owners in 1867.

This page features all our views related to USS Itasca (1861-1865).

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 59367 "Our New Gun-boats" Engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", July-December 1861 volume. It depicts ten of the "90-Day Gunboats" constructed for the U.S. Navy in 1861-62. Ships, as identified below the image bottom, are (from left, all USS): Chippewa, Sciota, Itasca, Winona, Huron, Ottawa, Pembina, Seneca, Unadilla and Sagamore. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 310 pixels
Photo #: NH 59066 "Reconnoissance of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on the Mississippi, by Gun-boats from Flag-officer Farragut's Squadron" Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, depicting the attack on the obstructions below the forts, 20 April 1862. U.S. Navy gunboats shown in right center are Itasca and Pinola. Further to the right are Kennebec and Winona. Fort Jackson is shown at far right, with Confederate gunboats beyond. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 116KB; 900 x 335 pixels
Photo #: NH 42244 "Passage of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, April 24, 1862. Order of Attack." Chart showing the positions of U.S. Navy ships during the action (with individual ships identified, with their commanders), and of Confederate defenses ashore and afloat. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 208KB; 795 x 1225 pixels
Photo #: NH 83136 "Entrance of Rear Admiral Farragut in to Mobile Bay. August 5th 1864" Chart of the action, prepared by RAdm. D.G. Farragut, Washington, D.C., March 1st, 1865. See Photo # NH 83136 (complete caption) for further information, as printed on the original chart. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 277KB; 870 x 1200 pixels
Photo #: NH 56579 Battle of Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864 USS Brooklyn inside Mobile Bay after the action, "from a sketch made at the time", showing some of her battle damage. USS Galena is in the left background, and USS Itaska is at right. 19th Century reproduction of a pen and ink drawing by Xanthus Smith. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 167KB; 740 x 520 pixels

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Page made 3 February 2001
New image added 9 September 2001