USS Colorado (1856)

{{Short description|Three-masted steam screw frigate of the United States Navy}} {{other ships|USS Colorado}} {{Use American English|date=April 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox ship |infobox_caption=nodab |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=USS Colorado, 1871.jpg |image_caption=USS ''Colorado'' }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header= |country= United States |flag= {{USN flag|1861}} |name= ''Colorado'' |namesake= [[Colorado River]] |sponsor=Miss N. S. Dornin |ordered= |builder=[[Norfolk Naval Shipyard|Norfolk Navy Yard]], [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]], [[Virginia]] |laid_down=1856 |launched=19 June 1856 |acquired= |commissioned=13 March 1858 |decommissioned=6 August 1858 }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header=yes |recommissioned=3 June 1861 |decommissioned=28 June 1862 }}

|section4={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header=yes |recommissioned=10 November 1862 |decommissioned=18 February 1864 }}

|section5={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header=yes |recommissioned=1 September 1864 |decommissioned=3 February 1865 }}

|section6={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header=yes |recommissioned=25 May 1865 |decommissioned=7 September 1867 }}

|section7={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header=yes |recommissioned=15 February 1870 |decommissioned=8 June 1876 |in_service= |out_of_service= |struck= |homeport= |motto= |nickname= |honors= |fate=*Sold 18 February 1885 *Burned and sank August 1885 |notes= }}

|section8={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption= |class=none |type=[[Screw frigate]] |displacement={{convert|3425|LT|t|abbr=on}} |length={{convert|263|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}} |beam={{convert|52|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} |draft={{convert|22|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}} |propulsion=[[Steam engine]] |sail_plan=Three masts |speed={{convert|9|kn|mph km/h|lk=in|abbr=on}} |range= |complement=674 officers and men<ref name="Silverstone, Warships, p. 29">Silverstone, ''Warships'', p. 29.</ref> |armament=*2 × {{convert|10|in|mm|abbr=on}} guns *28 × {{convert|9|in|mm|abbr=on}} guns *14 × {{convert|8|in|mm|abbr=on}} guns |notes= }}

|section9={{Infobox ship/characteristics |class=none |hide_header= |header_caption=1864 |type= |tonnage= |displacement= |length= |beam= |draft= |hold_depth= |propulsion= |speed= |range= |complement= |armament=*1 × 150–pounder rifle *1 × {{convert|11|in|mm|abbr=on}} smoothbore guns *46 × {{convert|9|in|mm|abbr=on}} smoothbore guns *4 × 12–pounder howitzers<ref name="Silverstone, Warships, p. 29" /> |armor= |notes= }}

|section10={{Infobox ship/characteristics |class=none |hide_header= |header_caption=1871 |type= |tonnage= |displacement= |length= |beam= |draft= |hold_depth= |propulsion= |speed= |range= |complement= |armament=*2 × 100–pounder rifles * 1 × {{convert|11|in|mm|abbr=on}} smoothbore guns * 42 × {{convert|9|in|mm|abbr=on}} smoothbore guns * 2 × 20–pounder howitzers * 6 × 12–pounder howitzers<ref name="Silverstone, Warships, p. 29" /> |armor= |notes= }} }}

The first '''USS ''Colorado''''', a {{convert|3400|LT|t|adj=on}}, three-masted<ref name="USSCOLO">{{cite web |url=http://usscolorado.org/History/first%20colos.htm |title=USS Colorado Early History |access-date=6 April 2009 |archive-date=23 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223034217/http://usscolorado.org/History/first%20colos.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Steam engine|steam]] [[screw frigate]] of the [[United States Navy]] in commission at various times between 1858 and 1876. She saw combat during the [[American Civil War]] (1861–1865) and the [[United States expedition to Korea]] in 1871. She was the fifth of the [[List of steam frigates of the United States Navy|''Franklin''-class]] frigates — all of which except for {{USS|Franklin|1864|2}} were named after [[List of longest rivers in the United States by state|rivers in the United States]] — and was named after the [[Colorado River]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Ken |last=Chamberlain |url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/03/17/taking-a-look-at-the-uss-colorado-all-of-them/ |title= Taking a look at the USS Colorado – All of them |work= Navy Times |date= 17 March 2018 |access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref>

==Construction and commissioning== ''Colorado'' was [[Ceremonial ship lanching|launched]] on 19 June 1856, by the [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard|Norfolk Navy Yard]] in [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]], [[Virginia]], [[ship sponsor|sponsored]] by Miss N. S. Dornin. ''Colorado'' was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 13 March 1858 with [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]] W. H. Gardner [[Commanding officer|in command]].

== 1858–1860 == Putting to sea from the [[Boston Navy Yard]] in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], on 12 May 1858, ''Colorado'' cruised in [[Cuba]]n waters to deter the practice of search by [[United Kingdom|British]] [[cruiser]]s until 6 August 1858, when she returned to Boston and was placed [[in ordinary]].

=== American Civil War === ''Colorado'' was recommissioned on 3 June 1861 for service in the [[American Civil War]] and got underway from Boston on 18 June 1861 to join the U.S. Navy's [[Gulf Blockading Squadron]] in the [[Union blockade]] of the [[Confederate States of America]]. She served as the [[flagship]] of the [[Squadron (naval)|squadron]] commander, [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] William Marvine.<ref name="USSCOLO" /> On 14 September 1861, an expedition from ''Colorado'' under [[Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant]] J. H. Russell [[Naval boarding|cut out]] the [[schooner]] ''Judah'', believed to be preparing for service as a [[privateer]], and spiked one gun of an [[artillery battery]] at the [[Pensacola Navy Yard]] in [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]], [[Florida]], losing three men in the raid. On 11 December 1861, an expedition from ''Colorado'' captured a small schooner and two men at [[Pilottown, Louisiana|Pilottown]], [[Louisiana]]. ''Colorado'' assisted in the capture of the [[Steamship|steamer]] ''Calhoun'' (or ''Cuba'') on 23 January 1862, off [[South West Pass]], at the mouth of the [[Mississippi River]], and on 30 January 1862 engaged four [[Confederate States Navy]] steamers.

In April 1862, ''Colorado'' was prevented from participating in the [[capture of New Orleans]] by her [[Draft (hull)|draft]], which was too deep to cross the [[Mississippi River]] [[Bar (river morphology)|bar]]. However, nineteen of her guns and one of her [[howitzer]]s were removed and distributed across the fleet for use in the fighting.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Miller|first1=Francis Trevelyan|title=The Photographic History of the Civil War, Volume 6, The Navies|date=1912|publisher=Review of Reviews Company|access-date=28 January 2015|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DKYrAQAAMAAJ}}</ref> She returned to Boston on 21 June 1862 and was decommissioned on 28 June 1862.

Recommissioned on 10 November 1862, ''Colorado'' departed [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard|Portsmouth Navy Yard]] in [[Kittery, Maine|Kittery]], [[Maine]], on 9 December 1862 and rejoined the [[Blockade|blockading]] force off [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], [[Alabama]], on 13 March 1863. She shared in the capture of the schooner ''Hunter'' on 17 May 1863. Returning to Portsmouth Navy Yard on 4 February 1864, she again was placed out of commission on 18 February 1864.

Recommissioned on 1 September 1864, ''Colorado'' cleared Portsmouth Navy Yard on 6 October 1864. She joined the [[North Atlantic Blockading Squadron]], with which she cruised off the coast of [[North Carolina]] until 26 January 1865.

''Colorado'' participated in the bombardment and capture of [[Fort Fisher]] in the [[Second Battle of Fort Fisher]] from 13 to 15 January 1865. Being a wooden ship, she was placed in the line in a more protected position outside the line of [[Monitor (warship)|monitors]] and other armored ships, but Confederate fire nonetheless struck her six times, killing one man and wounding two. Toward the end of the engagement, [[Rear Admiral (United States)|Rear Admiral]] [[David Dixon Porter]] signaled [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] [[Henry Thatcher]] to close in and silence a certain part of the Confederate defensive works. As ''Colorado'' had already received considerable damage, her [[Officer (armed forces)|officers]] remonstrated, but Lieutenant [[George Dewey]], displaying a marked tactical ability, quickly saw the advantage to be gained by the move and under his orders the Confederate work was taken in 15 minutes. ''[[The New York Times]]'', commenting upon this part of the action, spoke of it as "the most beautiful duel of the war." Porter came to congratulate Thatcher, Thatcher said generously: "You must thank Lieutenant Dewey, sir. It was his move." Dewey was promoted to [[Lieutenant commander (United States)|lieutenant commander]]. In 1898, as a commodore, he achieved fame in command of the U.S. Navy's [[Asiatic Squadron]] in the [[Battle of Manila Bay]] during the [[Spanish-American War]].

On 3 February 1865, ''Colorado'' was placed out of commission at the [[New York Navy Yard]] in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]]. She was there when the American Civil War ended in April 1865.

== Post-Civil War == [[File:Council of War USS Colorado June 1871.jpg|thumb|{{center|A posed photograph of U.S. Navy officers holding a council of war aboard ''Colorado'' off [[Korea]], in June 1871, prior to the [[United States expedition to Korea|Korean Expedition]]. The ship's [[commanding officer]], [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]] [[George H. Cooper]], is seated at center, and the [[Asiatic Squadron]]'s commander, [[Rear Admiral (United States)|Rear Admiral]] [[John Rodgers (American Civil War naval officer)|John Rodgers]], leans over the table at right.}}]]

=== European Squadron === On 25 May 1865, ''Colorado'' was recommissioned at the New York Navy Yard. Ordered to the [[European Squadron]] as flagship, she got underway on 11 June 1865 and cruised off [[England]], [[Portugal]], and [[Spain]] and in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] and [[Adriatic Sea]]s until she departed [[Cherbourg, France|Cherbourg]], [[France]], on 23 July 1867 bound for the New York Navy Yard, where she was placed in ordinary on 7 September 1867. While she was in ordinary, Lieutenant Commander Dewey served another tour of duty aboard her from 1867 to 1868 as her [[executive officer]].

=== Asiatic Squadron === ''Colorado'' returned to active service on 15 February 1870 and joined the [[Asiatic Squadron]] on 9 April 1870, becoming the flagship of the squadron commander, Rear Admiral [[John Rodgers (American Civil War naval officer)|John Rodgers]]. The squadron operated in support of an American goal of rivaling [[France]], the [[Russian Empire]], and the [[United Kingdom]] in their efforts to establish trade and spheres of influence in [[China]], [[Japan]], and [[Korea]]. She carried the U.S. [[Ambassadors of the United States|minister]] to China and Korea on a diplomatic mission in April 1871.

On 1 June 1871, [[Coastal artillery|shore batteries]] from two Korean forts on the [[Salee River (Korea)|Salee River]] made an unprovoked attack on two Asiatic Squadron ships. When the Koreans offered no explanation for the attack, the Asiatic Squadron mounted [[United States expedition to Korea|an operation]] — a [[punitive expedition]] known in Korean as the ''Sinmiyangyo'' — that destroyed the forts in the [[Battle of Ganghwa]] and inflicted heavy casualties on the Koreans.

Clearing [[Hong Kong]] on 21 November 1872, ''Colorado'' proceeded by way of [[Singapore]] and [[Cape Town]] to the New York Navy Yard, where she arrived on 11 March 1873.

=== North Atlantic Squadron === ''Colorado'' departed from New York on 12 December 1873 to operate with the [[North Atlantic Squadron]]. She became flagship of the squadron on 27 August 1874. She returned to New York on 30 May 1876.

== Decommissioning and disposal == ''Colorado'' was placed out of commission on 8 June 1876. From 1876 to 1884, she served as a [[Receiving ship#Receiving hulk|receiving ship]] at the New York Navy Yard. She was sold to a private company on 14 February 1885 so that she could be burned for her [[copper]] fastenings and [[Ship breaking|scrapped]].<ref name="USSCOLO" /> While ''Colorado'' was being broken up off Plum Beach near [[Port Washington, New York|Port Washington]], [[Long Island]], New York, a fire broke out on the evening of 21 August 1885 on her forward deck, where salvors were burning boards to recover [[iron]] spikes from them. The fire spread from ''Colorado'' to several other former U.S. Navy ships — the decommissioned [[steam frigate]]s {{USS|Ammonoosuc|1864|2}} and {{USS|Susquehanna|1850|2}}, [[screw sloop]] {{USS|Congress|1868|2}}, and unidentified ships described by the press as "{{USS|Minnesota||2}}" and "{{USS|South Carolina||2}}" — and the ships ''Fairplay'' and ''Lotta Grant'', all of which were undergoing or awaiting scrapping nearby. ''Colorado'' and the other ships burned to the [[waterline]] and sank. The company that had been breaking the ships up, Stannard & Co., claimed at the time that the fire may have caused a loss of more than [[United States dollar|US$]]100,000.<ref>{{Cite news|author= |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1885/08/22/103633148.pdf|title=OLD GOVERNMENT SHIPS BURNED.; THEY CATCH FIRE WHILE THE WORKMEN ARE BREAKING THEM UP.|work=[[The New York Times]] |location=[[New York City|New York]], [[New York (state)|New York]]|date=August 22, 1885|access-date=June 21, 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author= |url=http://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=GB18850827-01.1.7|title=News of the Week|work=[[Greencastle Banner]] |location=[[Greencastle, Indiana]] |date=August 27, 1885| access-date=November 11, 2025|language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==  {{Portal|American Civil War}} *[[List of steam frigates of the United States Navy]] *[[Bibliography of early American naval history]] *[[Union Navy]]

== References == {{Commons category|USS Colorado (ship, 1856)}} {{reflist}} *{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c11/colorado-i.htm}} * Silverstone, Paul H. ''Warships of the Civil War Navies'' Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 1989, {{ISBN|0-87021-783-6}}.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colorado (1856)}} [[Category:Steamships of the United States Navy]] [[Category:Ships of the Union navy]] [[Category:American Civil War patrol boats of the United States]] [[Category:1856 ships]] [[Category:Ships built in Portsmouth, Virginia]] [[Category:Ship fires]] [[Category:Maritime incidents in 1885]] [[Category:Shipwrecks of the New York (state) coast]]