NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



501 



rived at Fortress Monroe from Massachusetts, 

 and others, he reached Norfolk oil the evening 

 of Saturday the 20th, where he found that the 

 powder magazine had already been seized, and 

 that an armed force under (Jen. Taliaferro had 

 commenced throwing up batteries in the vicin- 

 ity of the navy yard. The commandant of the 

 yard, hopeless of extricating the ships, had just 

 ordered them to be scuttled, and they \vt-re 

 sinking on the arrival of Commodore Paulding. 

 To render them useless, Commodore Paulding 

 ordered them to be fired ; and he also destroyed 

 as much public property in the yard as he was 

 able to do with his limited force. The Cumber- 

 laud was then taken in tow, and the vessels re- 

 turned with her down the river, notwithstand- 

 ing the obstructions that had been sunk in the 

 channel for the purpose of preventing her re- 

 moval. By this disaster, the disabled vessels of 

 the navy yard, about 2,000 cannon, 300 of which 

 were of the Dahlgren pattern, together with a 

 great quantity of powder, were left in possession 

 of the Confederates. 



In view of these acts, and of similar hostile 

 demonstrations occurring at the same time in 

 Baltimore, the Government was impelled to 

 hasten at once the completion of all public 

 armed vessels, and, moreover, to issue orders 

 to the commandants of the navy yards in Bos- 

 ton, New York, and Philadelphia, to purchase 

 or charter and arm, equip, and man such steam- 

 ers as might be found suitable for the public 

 service. The whole naval force was required 

 to carry into effect the proclamations declaring 

 an embargo or blockade of the Southern ports 

 which resisted the execution of the national 

 laws ; and on account of the great extent of 

 nearly 3,000 miles of the coast along which 

 these ports were situated, the force was divided 

 into two squadrons, one for the Atlantic and 

 one for the G ulf of Mexico. At Hampton Roads, 

 notice was given of this blockade on the 30th 

 of April by Flag-officer Pendergrast, in com- 

 mand of the home squadron ; and it was soon 

 afterwards made effective by Flag-officer String- 

 ham, who arrived in Hampton Roads on the 

 13th of May, with his flag-ship, the Minnesota. 

 The Niagara arrived at Boston from Japan on 

 the 24th of April, and soon after proceeded off 

 Charleston harbor, and thence to the Gulf of 

 Mexico, to intercept, if possible, large ship- 

 ments of arms and munitions of war from Eu- 

 rope destined for the Gulf States. The Gulf 

 squadron was under the command of Flag- 

 officer William Mervine, who arrived in the 

 Gulf on the 8th of June, in the steamer Missis- 

 sippi, in advance of his flag-ship, the Colorado. 



The Secretary of the Navy, in his report of 

 July 4th, presented the following statement of 

 the vessels at that time in service : 



"Of the 69 vessels, carrying 1,346 guns, 

 mentioned as available for service on the 4th 

 of March last, the sloop Levant has been given 

 up as lost in the Pacific ; the steamer Fulton 

 was seized at Pensacola; -and one frigate, two 

 sloops, and one brig were burnt at Norfolk. 



These vessels carried 172 guns. The other 

 vessels destroyed at Norfolk were considered 

 worthless, and are not included in the list of 

 available vessels. 



" These losses left at the disposal of the de- 

 partment 62 vessels, carrying 1,174 guns, all of 

 which are now, or soon will be in commission, 

 with the exception of the 



Guns. 



Vermont, ship-of-the-line 84 



Brandywine, frigate 50 



Decatur, sloop, at San Francisco lt> 



John Hancock, steam tender, at Sao Francisco .... 3 



"There have been recently added to the navy, 

 by purchase, 12 steamers, carrying from 2 to 9 

 guns each, and 3 sailing vessels. There have 

 been chartered 9 steamers, carrying from 2 to 9 

 guns each. By these additions, the naval force 

 in commission has been increased to 82 vessels, 

 carrying upwards of 1,100 guns, and with a 

 complement of about 13,000 men, exclusive of 

 officers and marines. There are also several 

 steamboats and other small craft which are 

 temporarily in the service of the department. 



" Purchases of sailing ships have been made 

 for transporting coals to the steamers that are 

 performing duty as sentinels before the princi- 

 pal harbors. * * * 



" The squadron on the Atlantic coast, under 

 the command of Flag-officer S. H. Stringham, 

 consists of 22 vessels, 296 guns, and 3,300 men. 



" The squadron in the Gulf, under the com- 

 mand of Flag-officer William Mervine, consists 

 of 21 vessels, 282 guns, and 3,500 men. 



" Additions have been made to each of the 

 squadrons, of 2 or 3 small vessels that have 

 been captured and taken into the service. The 

 steamers Pawnee and Pocahontas, and the 

 flotilla under the late Commander Ward, with 

 several steamboats in charge of naval officers, 

 have been employed on the Potomac River, to 

 prevent communication with that portion of 

 Virginia which is in insurrection. Great ser- 

 vice has been rendered by this armed force, 

 which has been vigilant in intercepting supplies, 

 and in protecting transports and supply-vessels 

 in their passage up and down the Potomac. 



" The flotilla, on the 27th ultimo, met with a 

 serious and sad loss in the death of its gallant 

 commander, James H. Ward, who died at his 

 post, while covering the retreat of his men 

 from the assault of an overpowering number of 

 rebel enemies. In the death of Commander 

 Ward the navy has lost a brave officer, who 

 has enriched it by military and scientific con- 

 tributions, served it faithfully in varied spheres, 

 and promised much for it in the future. 



" The squadron in the Pacific, under the com- 

 mand of Flag-officer John B. Montgomery, con- 

 sists of 6 vessels, 82 guns, and 1,000 men. 



" The West India squadron is under the com- 

 mand of Flag-officer G. J. Pendergrast, who has 

 been temporarily on duty, with his flag-ship, 

 the Cumberland, at Norfolk and Hampton 

 Roads, since the 23d of March. He will, at an 

 early day, transfer his flag to the steam-frigate 



