USS Shenandoah (1862)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The first USS Shenandoah was a wooden screw sloop in the United States Navy, named after the Shenandoah River. It was built in Philadelphia, launched on December 8, 1862, and commissioned on June 20, 1863 under Captain Daniel B. Ridgely. Shenandoah spent most of the Civil War on blockade duty along the North Carolina coast, hunting Confederate raiders and protecting Union shipping.

Civil War highlights
- Operated with the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, patrolling off Wilmington, NC, and chasing blockade runners on routes between Nassau and Wilmington.
- Took part in the Battle for Fort Fisher, first bombarding the fort on December 24–25, 1864, and aiding in the amphibious assault in January 1865. The fort fell, helping seal off Wilmington as a Union victory.
- After Fort Fisher, Shenandoah supported the siege of Charleston, and then returned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where it was decommissioned on April 15, 1865.

Postwar era and world travels
- Shenandoah was recommissioned on November 20, 1865, and began long voyages abroad. It served with the South American Squadron, then joined the Asiatic Squadron, visiting Brazil, the Indian Ocean, Singapore, Yokohama, and other Asian ports.
- In Japan, the ship helped open trade ports and supported diplomatic missions, including a voyage to Osaka and Yokohama in 1867–1868. It conducted surveys of several harbors in Korea and China and helped counter maritime piracy.
- The vessel returned to the United States, arriving in Boston in 1869, and decommissioned on May 2, 1869.

1869–1874: European and Mediterranean service
- Recommissioned on August 15, 1870, Shenandoah sailed to Europe and the Mediterranean, visiting ports from Portugal to Greece and Egypt, and later to Italy, Turkey, Spain, and France.
- In 1871, Seaman Isaac Sapp of Shenandoah performed a heroic rescue at Ville Franche and received the Medal of Honor.
- The ship continued to cruise the Mediterranean and Caribbean, returning to New York and decommissioning on April 23, 1874.

Late 1870s–1880s: South Atlantic and beyond
- Recommissioned again on September 8, 1879, Shenandoah served as the flagship of the South Atlantic Squadron, patrolling the coasts of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. It protected American interests and collected honors for crews who helped in dangerous situations, including a Medal of Honor awarded to Seaman William Morse and Seaman John Smith in 1880 for rescuing a shipmate at Rio de Janeiro.
- The ship returned to the United States and decommissioned on May 27, 1882.

Final years and sale
- Recommissioned on November 5, 1883, Shenandoah sailed to the Cape Verde Islands and around South America to Valparaíso, Chile, arriving in 1884. It protected American interests along the west coast of South America and took part in events around the Panama region during the 1885 crisis, helping ensure safe transit for trains across the isthmus.
- After cruising the West Coast and Central America, Shenandoah returned to the United States, arriving in New York and decommissioning on October 23, 1886.
- It was sold on July 30, 1887.

Shenandoah’s long career included Civil War battles, global diplomacy, and protection of American commerce around the world, lasting more than two decades of active service before its sale.