USS Michigan (1843)

The USS "Michigan" was the United States Navy's first iron-hulled warship and served during the American Civil War. She was renamed the USS "Wolverine" in 1905 to free up the name for use on the battleship USS "Michigan"

Early career

The USS "Michigan" was designed by naval constructor Samuel Hart. She was fabricated in parts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in late 1842 and carried overland to Erie, Pennsylvania, where she was assembled. When Hart attempted to launch the ship 5 December 1843, she slipped down the ways about convert|50|ft|m|0 and got stuck before reaching the water. Any attempt to free the ship failed. When work was going to resume on freeing the "Michigan", the ship was found floating in Lake Erie, (apparently launching herself in the night). She was commissioned on 29 September 1844 with Commander William Inman in command.

The USS "Michigan" was built by the Navy for defense of Lake Erie after the British Government had armed two steamers there during the Canadian rebellion. Secretary of the Navy Abel P. Upshur had selected iron for her hull “to use the immense resource of our country in that most valuable metal” and “to ascertain the practicability and utility of building vessels, at least for harbor defense, of so cheap and indestructible a material." She was capable of carrying both bow and stern pivot guns and twelve broadside guns. But because of the Rush-Bagot Treaty, she was restricted only one 18 pounder cannon, which was placed on her forward pivot.

The USS "Michigan" operated on the Great Lakes out of Erie, Pennsylvania, throughout her career. In May 1851, she assisted in the arrest of Mr. James Jesse Strang, known as “King James I,” who headed a dissident Mormon colony on Beaver Island at the head of Lake Michigan, some convert|37|mi|km|0|lk=on from the Straits of Mackinac. Strang was soon freed, but 5 years later was assassinated by two of his followers on 19 June 1856. The assassins fled to the "Michigan" for sanctuary and were taken to Mackinac and released.

American Civil War

During the Civil War, the "Michigan" was armed with a 30 pounder Parrott rifle, five 20 pounder Parrott rifles, six 24 pounder smoothbores, and two 12 pounder boat howitzers. Confederacy considered launching attacks against the North from Canada. Early in 1863, Lt. William Henry Murdaugh, CSN, planned to lead a group of Confederate naval officers to Canada where they would purchase a small steamer, man her with Canadians and steam to Erie to board the "Michigan" and use her against locks and shipping on the Great Lakes. However, Confederate President Jefferson Davis didn't approve the plan.

The USS "Michigan" cruised on the lakes during most of the war providing an element of stability and security. On 28 July, a short time after New York City had been seriously shaken by riots, Commander John C. Carter commanding "Michigan" reported from Detroit, “I found the people suffering under serious apprehensions of a riot....The presence of the ships perhaps did something toward overawing the refractory, and certainly did much to allay the apprehensions of the excited, doubting people.” During August the "Michigan" was called on for similar service in Buffalo, New York.

During 1864, rumors of Confederate conspiracies in Canada were heard again. In March, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles ordered the "Michigan" to be “prepared for active service as soon as the ice will permit.” In the fall, the Confederates finally struck. Led by Acting Master John Yates Beall, 20 Confederates embarked on the "Philo Parsons" as passengers and soon seized the steamer. They next captured and burned the steamer "Island Queen".

Meanwhile Captain Charles H. Cole, CSA, a Confederate agent in the Lake Erie region, was attempting to gain the trust the "Michigan"'s officers as the Union steamer lay off Johnson's Island helping to guard Confederate prisoners. However, Commander Carter discovered Cole's and had him arrested before Beall reached Johnson's Island on the "Philo Parsons". When the prearranged signals from shore were not made, Beall reluctantly abandoned his plan and retired to Sandwich (now Windsor, Ontario) where he stripped and burned his prize.

Post-War

After the war, "Michigan" continued her service, and was the ship which intercepted and interned the army of the Fenian Brotherhood as it returned from its invasion of Canada near Buffalo, New York in 1866. The USS "Michigan" was renamed the USS "Wolverine" on 17 June 1905 and decommissioned 6 May 1912. She was turned over to the Pennsylvania Naval Militia which she served for 11 years, making training cruises in the summer for the U.S. Naval Reserve. For the centennial of the Battle of Lake Erie, the "Wolverine" towed the original Brig "Niagara" from port to port as part of the celebrations. On 12 August 1923, a connecting rod of her port cylinder broke, ending her active career. In 1927, she was pushed up on a sandbank in Presque Isle Bay and loaned to the city of Erie as a relic. She was sold to the "Foundation for the Preservation of the Original USS "Michigan", Inc.", on 19 July 1948. But when fundraising efforts failed to acquire sufficient money for her restoration and preservation, she was cut up and sold for scrap in 1949. The next year her prow were erected as a monument, in Wolverine Park near the shipyard where she had been built. On 22 February 1988, the prow was restored and moved to the Erie Maritime Museum

References

*DANFS
*NVR

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m10/michigan-i.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Michigan"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/09905d.htm navsource.org: USS "Michigan"]