USS Powhatan (1850)

The first USS "Powhatan" was a sidewheel steam frigate in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for Powhatan, a Native American chief of eastern Virginia.

She was one of the last, and largest, of the United States Navy's paddle frigates.

"Powhatan"'s keel was laid on 6 August 1847 at Norfolk, Virginia. Her engines were constructed by Mehaffy & Company of Gosport, Virginia. She cost $785,000. She was launched on 14 February 1850 by the Norfolk Navy Yard and commissioned 2 September 1852, Captain William Mervine in command.

After shakedown out of Norfolk, "Powhatan" joined the Home Squadron as flagship of Commodore John T. Newton and sailed for New York where she was visited by the Secretary of the Navy, John P. Kennedy. She departed New York 16 October 1852 for Vera Cruz with the new Minister to Mexico, Judge Alfred Conkling, on board and returned to Norfolk 27 November via Havana and Pensacola.

"Powhatan", under Comdr. William J. McCluney, was next assigned to the East India Squadron and arrived on station via Cape of Good Hope 15 June 1853. Her arrival in Chinese waters coincided with an important phase of Commodore Matthew C. Perry’s negotiations for commercial relations with the Japanese and the opening of two ports. She was Perry’s flagship during his November visit to Whampoa. On 14 February 1854 she entered Yedo (Tokyo) Bay with the rest of the squadron and the Treaty of Kanagawa was signed on her deck on 31 March 1854.

During August 1855 "Powhatan" accompanied HMS "Rattler" in a successful raid against Chinese pirates off Kulan and reached the U.S. 14 February 1856 with the new treaty.

On January 19, 1860, the USS Powhatan accompanied by a Japanese capital ship, Kanrin Maru, left Uraga, Japan, en route to San Francisco as part of the first official embassy of the Empire of Japan to the United States of America. The Japanese embassy was formally composed of three men: Ambassador Shinmi Masaoki (新見豊前守正興), Vice-Ambassador Muragaki Norimasa (村垣淡路守範正), and Observer Oguri Tadamasa (小栗豊後守忠順).

"Powhatan" remained active throughout the Civil War. She served as Flag Officer Garrett J. Pendergrast’s flagship at Vera Cruz during October 1860. In April 1861, while under the command of Lt. David Dixon Porter, she assisted in the relief of Fort Pickens, Florida, and in the establishment of the blockade of Mobile, Alabama 26 May, capturing schooner "Mary Clinton" 29 May. During July and August "Powhatan" joined the blockade of the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, retaking schooner "Abby Bradford" 15 August. From late August to October she pursued CSS "Sumter" throughout much of the West Indies. "Powhatan" operated off Charleston, South Carolina from October 1862 to August 1863, captured schooner "Major E. Willis" 19 April and sloop "C. Routereau" 16 May, and deployed for a second time to the West Indies from November 1863 to September 1864 as flagship of Rear Admiral Lardner. She participated in the successful reduction of Fort Fisher, 24–25 December 1864 and in its capture 13–15 January 1865. In October 1865 she sailed from Boston with "Tuscarora" and "Vanderbilt", escorting monitor "Monadnock" to California via Cape Horn. She arrived at San Francisco, California on 22 June 1866.

n waters to protect American commerce: July–August 1880, February–May 1882, January–May 1883, January–May 1885, and January–February 1886.

"Powhatan" decommissioned 2 June 1886 and was sold 30 July 1886 to Burdette Pond of Meriden, Connecticut, and scrapped 5 August 1887.

See USS "Powhatan" for other ships of this name.