USS Albany (1846)
Encyclopedia
USS Albany, the first ship with this name, was laid down at the New York Navy Yard sometime in 1843; launched on 27 June 1846; and commissioned on 6 November 1846, Captain
Samuel Livingston Breese
in command.
— then engaged in operations against Mexican forces—on 8 January 1847 at Anton Lizardo
. Soon thereafter, however, she departed the Mexican coast for an independent cruise to the vicinity of the Azores
. Upon her return to the east coast of Mexico early in March Albany guarded the transport anchorage at Isla Verde
in preparation for General
Winfield Scott
's operations against Veracruz
. During the 9 March amphibious action, Albany carried and landed the reserve elements under Brigadier General David E. Twiggs
. Since the Mexican leaders chose not to oppose the landings, Albany saw no combat. Later, on 22 March, the sloop of war sent one of her 8 in (203.2 mm) shell guns and its support personnel ashore to help in the siege of Veracruz
.
Veracruz surrendered formally on 29 March, and Albany then moved to the next objective — Alvarado
. The Mexican forces, however, had already abandoned that port; and Lieutenant
Charles G. Hunter, commanding , arrived first and took possession of the town. Albany, therefore, soon headed for another target — Tuxpan
. She and the other ships of the squadron arrived at the mouth of the Tuxpan River
on the morning of 17 April. Capt. Breese—commanding Albany — then formed his landing party of over 1,500 sailors and marines drawn from all ships in the squadron. They embarked in the barges and the six ships chosen to ascend the river and capture Tuxpan
. Albany herself did not participate in the action though her captain and some of her crewmen did. From 18–22 April, the force moved up the river, engaged and captured two artillery batteries, destroyed fortifications and military equipment at Tuxpan, and then retired down the river to rejoin the squadron. When the American warships dispersed to various blockade stations along the eastern coast of Mexico, Albany and remained off the mouth of the Tuxpan River.
Then, after service on the blockade at various other points, Albany arrived off the mouth of the Tabasco River by 13 June. Once again, her deep draft precluded the ship's actual participation in the ascent of the river. However, as in the Tuxpan operation, members of her crew joined the expedition. The movement upriver began late in the first dog watch
on 14 June. In two days, the American force ascended the river, disembarked the landing force, routed the defenders on the approaches to Tabasco
, and captured the town
. The Americans remained there until 22 July, when yellow fever
and ever braver Mexican troops forced the evacuation of the town.
In the meantime, Albany headed home for repairs. She departed the Mexican coast on 11 July and arrived in Hampton Roads, Virginia on 6 August. From there, she soon moved north to Boston where she completed her repairs on 27 September. On 10 October, the sloop of war put to sea to return to the Gulf of Mexico
and served along the Mexican coast on blockade duty again until March 1848, when she was detached and sent to Venezuela
to protect American citizens there during a highly volatile constitutional crisis
in that country. With the Mexican-American War at an end, Albany began cruising the Caribbean-West Indies region. That duty lasted until 12 September 1848, when she returned to Norfolk.
Between 15 November 1848 and the latter part of 1853, the sloop of war made three more extended deployments in the Caribbean-West Indies area as a unit of the Home Squadron. On 12 December 1853, Albany set sail from Boston, Massachusetts, on the final mission of her career. After several months sailing among the islands of the West Indies and along the coast of Central America, she departed Aspinwall, Colombia
(now Colón, Panama
) on 29 September 1854. She was never heard from again and was listed as lost at sea with all hands.
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Samuel Livingston Breese
Samuel Livingston Breese
Samuel Livingston Breese was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. His active-duty career included service in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, and the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
in command.
Service history
The sloop of war put to sea on her first cruise on 26 November 1846 and joined the Home SquadronHome Squadron
The Home Squadron was part of the United States Navy in the mid-19th century. Organized as early as 1838, ships were assigned to protect coastal commerce, aid ships in distress, suppress piracy and the slave trade, make coastal surveys, and train ships to relieve others on distant stations...
— then engaged in operations against Mexican forces—on 8 January 1847 at Anton Lizardo
Antón Lizardo
Antón Lizardo is a fishing town located 23 km in the Mexican state of Veracruz.It is located south of the port city of Veracruz, near Boca del Río, in the municipality of Alvarado....
. Soon thereafter, however, she departed the Mexican coast for an independent cruise to the vicinity of the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. Upon her return to the east coast of Mexico early in March Albany guarded the transport anchorage at Isla Verde
Isla Verde
Isla Verde can refer to:*Isla Verde, Puerto Rico*Isla Verde Passage, Batangas, Philippines...
in preparation for General
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
's operations against Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
. During the 9 March amphibious action, Albany carried and landed the reserve elements under Brigadier General David E. Twiggs
David E. Twiggs
David Emanuel Twiggs was a United States soldier during the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War and a general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
. Since the Mexican leaders chose not to oppose the landings, Albany saw no combat. Later, on 22 March, the sloop of war sent one of her 8 in (203.2 mm) shell guns and its support personnel ashore to help in the siege of Veracruz
Siege of Veracruz
The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican beachhead seaport of Veracruz, during the Mexican-American War. Lasting from 9-29 March 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces, and ended with the surrender and occupation...
.
Veracruz surrendered formally on 29 March, and Albany then moved to the next objective — Alvarado
Alvarado, Veracruz
Alvarado is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city also serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. It is located 64 km from the city of Veracruz, Veracruz, on Federal Highways 180 and 125...
. The Mexican forces, however, had already abandoned that port; and Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Charles G. Hunter, commanding , arrived first and took possession of the town. Albany, therefore, soon headed for another target — Tuxpan
Tuxpan
Tuxpan is both a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The population of the city was 78,523 and of the municipality was 134,394 inhabitants, according to the INEGI census of 2005, residing in a total area of 1,051.89 km²...
. She and the other ships of the squadron arrived at the mouth of the Tuxpan River
Tuxpan River
The Tuxpan River in Mexico flows into the Gulf of Mexico near the city and port of Tuxpan de Rodríguez Cano in the state of Veracruz. Its principal sources are the Vinazco, which rises in Hidalgo, and the Pantepec, which rises in Puebla, both of which enter the territory of Veracruz before the city...
on the morning of 17 April. Capt. Breese—commanding Albany — then formed his landing party of over 1,500 sailors and marines drawn from all ships in the squadron. They embarked in the barges and the six ships chosen to ascend the river and capture Tuxpan
Battle of Tuxpan
The First Battle of Tuxpan was the first of three small battles fought during the Mexican-American War at Tuxpan, Mexico. Part of the American's Mosquito Fleet Campaign.-Background:...
. Albany herself did not participate in the action though her captain and some of her crewmen did. From 18–22 April, the force moved up the river, engaged and captured two artillery batteries, destroyed fortifications and military equipment at Tuxpan, and then retired down the river to rejoin the squadron. When the American warships dispersed to various blockade stations along the eastern coast of Mexico, Albany and remained off the mouth of the Tuxpan River.
Then, after service on the blockade at various other points, Albany arrived off the mouth of the Tabasco River by 13 June. Once again, her deep draft precluded the ship's actual participation in the ascent of the river. However, as in the Tuxpan operation, members of her crew joined the expedition. The movement upriver began late in the first dog watch
Dog watch
Dog watch, in marine or naval terminology, is a watch, a period of work duty or a work shift, between 1600 and 2000 . This period is split into two, with the first dog watch from 1600 to 1800 and the second dog watch from 1800 to 2000...
on 14 June. In two days, the American force ascended the river, disembarked the landing force, routed the defenders on the approaches to Tabasco
Tabasco
Tabasco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa....
, and captured the town
Second Battle of Tabasco
The Second Battle of Tabasco, also known as the Battle of Villahermosa, was a battle fought in June 1847 during the Mexican-American War as part of the U.S. blockade of Mexican Gulf ports.-Background:...
. The Americans remained there until 22 July, when yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
and ever braver Mexican troops forced the evacuation of the town.
In the meantime, Albany headed home for repairs. She departed the Mexican coast on 11 July and arrived in Hampton Roads, Virginia on 6 August. From there, she soon moved north to Boston where she completed her repairs on 27 September. On 10 October, the sloop of war put to sea to return to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and served along the Mexican coast on blockade duty again until March 1848, when she was detached and sent to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
to protect American citizens there during a highly volatile constitutional crisis
Constitutional crisis
A constitutional crisis is a situation that the legal system's constitution or other basic principles of operation appear unable to resolve; it often results in a breakdown in the orderly operation of government...
in that country. With the Mexican-American War at an end, Albany began cruising the Caribbean-West Indies region. That duty lasted until 12 September 1848, when she returned to Norfolk.
Between 15 November 1848 and the latter part of 1853, the sloop of war made three more extended deployments in the Caribbean-West Indies area as a unit of the Home Squadron. On 12 December 1853, Albany set sail from Boston, Massachusetts, on the final mission of her career. After several months sailing among the islands of the West Indies and along the coast of Central America, she departed Aspinwall, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
(now Colón, Panama
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
) on 29 September 1854. She was never heard from again and was listed as lost at sea with all hands.