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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

CRUISERS

MERRIMACK screw frigates (1856-1858)

Colorado 1874

No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
  Merrimack   Boston N Yd 1854 15.6.1855 20.2.1856 burned 20.4.1861
  Wabash   Philadelphia N Yd 16.5.1854 27.10.1855 18.8.1856 receiving ship 1876
  Minnesota   Washington N Yd 5/1954 1.12.1855 21.5.1857 loaned to Massachusetts Naval Militia 10.1895, sold 8.1901
  Roanoke   Norfolk N Yd 5/1954 13.12.1855 4.5.1857 ironclad, sold 1883
  Colorado   Norfolk N Yd 1956 10.6.1856 13.3.1858 sold 1885
  

Displacement normal, t

Merrimack: 4635

Wabash: 4774

Minnesota: 4833

Roanoke, Colorado: 4772

Displacement full, t

 

Length, m

Merrimack: 78.3 pp

Wabash: 80.0 pp

Minnesota: 80.7 pp

Roanoke, Colorado: 80.4 pp

Breadth, m

Merrimack, Wabash, Minnesota: 15.3

Roanoke, Colorado: 15.6

Draught, m

7.98 (hold depth)

No of shafts

1

Machinery

Merrimack: 1 HRCR, 4 water-tube boilers

Wabash: 1 HS(steeple)E, 4 water-tube boilers

Roanoke, Minnesota, Colorado: 1 HCET, 4 water-tube boilers

Power, h. p.

Merrimack: 972 ihp

Wabash: 1038 ihp

Minnesota: 995 ihp

Roanoke, Colorado: 996 ihp

Max speed, kts

Merrimack, Roanoke, Colorado: 8.8

Wabash: 9.1

Minnesota: 8.9

Fuel, t

coal

Endurance, nm(kts)  

Armament

Merrimack: 2 x 1 - 254/15 Dahlgren SB, 24 x 1 - 229/15 Dahlgren SB, 14 x 1 - 203/14 Dahlgren SB

Wabash, Colorado: 2 x 1 - 254/15 Dahlgren SB, 28 x 1 - 229/15 Dahlgren SB, 14 x 1 - 203/14 Dahlgren SB

Minnesota, Roanoke: 1 x 1 - 254/15 Dahlgren SB, 28 x 1 - 229/15 Dahlgren SB, 14 x 1 - 203/14 Dahlgren SB

Complement

646

Project history: Largest class of US steam frigates.

Modernizations: by 10.1863, Minnesota: was armed with 1 x 1 - 203/18 150pdr Parrott rifled, 4 x 1 - 163/22 100pdr Parrott rifled, 1 x 1 - 278/15 Dahlgren SB, 42 x 1 - 229/15 Dahlgren SB

by 1865, Colorado: 1 x 1 - 278/15 Dahlgren SB, 1 x 1 - 203/18 150pdr Parrott rifled, 46 x 1 - 229/15 Dahlgren SB

Naval service: Merrimack was burned 20.4.1861 before evacuating the Norfolk Navy Yard to avoid capture by Confederates. Later her hull was used for building of first Confederate ironclad Virginia. Wabash served as receiving ship till November, 1912.

© Ivan Gogin, 2014