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

The following images depict USS Niagara's activities prior to the Civil War:

Photo #: NH 65735 USS Niagara (1857-1885) Line engraving published in the "Illustrated Times of London", 15 August 1857, depicting activity on board during the first attempt to lay a trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 174KB; 740 x 530 pixels
Photo #: NH 1589 "Atlantic Telegraph Polka" Lithographic cover for a musical composition by A. Talexy, commemorating the successful laying of the first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. Published in Boston, Massachusetts, 1858 Its illustrations include a view of USS Niagara (left) and HMS Agamemnon beginning to lay the cable, a chart of the cable route, a depiction of the cable, and scenes of the U.S. Capitol Building and Windsor Castle. The cable's first message, from Queen Victoria to President James Buchanan, was sent in August 1858, but it failed after a few weeks of operation. Courtesy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1936. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 104KB; 510 x 765 pixels
Photo #: NH 65487 "Atlantic Cable Half a Century Old" Pen & ink drawing by Samuel Wart Stanton, circa 1908, prepared in honor of the 50th anniversary of the 1858 laying of the first successful trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. The artwork features a depiction of USS Niagara (right) and HMS Agamemnon beginning to lay the cable in late July 1858. Its first message, from Queen Victoria to President James Buchanan, was sent on 16 August, but the cable operated for only three weeks before it failed. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 310 pixels
Photo #: NH 59571 USS Niagara (1857-1885) Arriving at Yeddo, Japan, with the Japanese Ambassador to the United States on board, 10 November 1860. Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 1861. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 150KB; 740 x 615 pixels

The following images depict USS Niagara's actions during the Civil War:

Photo #: NH 59145 "Cutting Out of the Southern Schooner 'Aid,' off Mobile, by the Boats of the U.S. Steam Frigate Niagara, assisted by the U.S. Steamer Mount Vernon, June 5, 1861." Line engraving published in "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper", 1861. USS Mount Vernon is shown at right. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 129KB; 740 x 600 pixels
Photo #: NH 58783 Cutter of USS Niagara Is hit by a shell from CSS Ivy, near the mouth of the Mississippi River on 3 November 1861. Line engraving published in "The Soldier in our Civil War", Volume I, page 126. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 165KB; 740 x 610 pixels
Photo #: NH 59009 "View of Ship Island, Louisiana. -- By our Special Artist on Board the 'Sagamore'" Line engraving, published in "Harper's Weekly", 1862, depicting several U.S. Navy ships anchored off the Federal base at Ship Island in early 1862. Ships are (from left to right) Winona, New London, Niagara, Sagamore, Wissahickon, and Massachusetts. Other features identified, in the center and right background, are Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island, the 9th Connecticut and 22nd Massachusetts Regiments and a military camp. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 128KB; 740 x 520 pixels
Photo #: NH 59345 The Tower of Belem, Lisbon Harbor, Portugal Firing on USS Niagara and USS Sacramento, 28 March 1865. Line engraving published in "Harper's Weekly", 13 May 1865, page 301. This incident resulted when Niagara was shifting her berth in the harbor and was briefly fired upon by the harbor fortification, on the presumption that she was trying to follow CSS Stonewall to sea before expiration of the 24-hour waiting period mandated by international law. Portugal later apologized for the incident. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 134KB; 740 x 460 pixels

For other images of this ship, see:

USS Niagara (1857-1885).

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

Page made 9 February 2003