USS J. C. Kuhn (1859)

History

United States
Launched:	1859
Acquired:	6 July 1861
Commissioned:	23 August 1861
Decommissioned:	circa 1869
Struck:	1869 (est.)
Fate:	sold, 7 July 1869
General characteristics
Tonnage:	888
Length:	153 ft (47 m)
Beam:	35 ft (11 m)
Draft:	13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)
Propulsion:	sail
Complement:	61
Armament:	four 32-pounder guns

USS J. C. Kuhn (1859) was a capacious bark acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a stores ship in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.

A wooden bark with two decks and three masts

J. C. Kuhn was a wooden bark of two decks and three masts built at Portland, Connecticut By S. Gildersleeve & Sons, in 1859. She was purchased by the Navy at New York City from J. H. Brower & Co., 6 July 1861; and commissioned at New York Navy Yard 23 August, Acting Master Robert G. Lee in command.

Supporting the Gulf Blockade with supplies

The supply and coal vessel reported to the Gulf Blockading Squadron at Key West, Florida, 11 September bringing a cargo of coal, lumber, and whaleboats. Six days later she delivered coal and provisions to Union vessels off Fort Pickens, Florida, to begin her record of dependable service carrying fuel, food, lumber, and water to Union ships in the Gulf of Mexico and the lower Mississippi River.

Supporting ships at the siege of Vicksburg

She arrived below Vicksburg, Mississippi, 27 June 1862 loaded with coal for Flag Officer David Farragut's ships the day before they daringly steamed under the Southern batteries there to join forces with Flag Officer Davis's Mississippi Flotilla, which had been fighting its way South along the river. She remained below Vicksburg supporting Comdr. David Dixon Porter's Mortar Flotilla while Farragut operated above the Confederate stronghold until his ships had again run the gauntlet to rejoin Porter 15 July.

Continued operations in the Florida area

She then sailed down river with Farragut and resumed her duty of transporting supplies from Pensacola, Florida, to ships stationed along the U.S. Gulf Coast. In the spring of 1864, J. C. Kuhn was ordered to Pensacola for service as ordnance and store ship, and she continued this duty until sailing for New York 20 January 1866. After arriving New York City 14 February and discharging her stores, the veteran bark received badly needed repairs.

Post-war operations as Purveyor

Restored and refurbished, J. C. Kuhn stood down to the Battery 7 April, and 3 days later was renamed Purveyor. As Purveyor, she supplied the European and South Atlantic Squadrons and served as a store ship before being sold at New York to P. H. Fay 7 July 1869.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.