USS Marmora (1862)
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| History | |
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| Name: | USS Marmora |
| Namesake: | Variant spelling of Marmara, an island in the Sea of Marmara |
| Laid down: | 1862 |
| Acquired: | 17 September 1862 |
| Commissioned: | 21 October 1862 |
| Decommissioned: | 7 July 1865 |
| Fate: | Sold, 17 August 1865 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 207 long tons (210 t) |
| Length: | 155 ft (47 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft 5 in (10.19 m) |
| Draft: | 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m) |
| Speed: | 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) |
| Armament: |
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The first USS Marmora was a stern wheel paddle steamer in the United States Navy.
Marmora was built at Monongahela, Pennsylvania, in 1862, was purchased by the Navy at St. Louis, Missouri, on 17 September 1862 from Messrs. Brenan, Nelson, and McDonnell; and commissioned at Carondelet, Missouri, on 21 October 1862, Captain Robert Getty in command.
Early the next morning she stood downriver to join the Mississippi Squadron in operations against the Confederate river stronghold at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Marmora's first action occurred when she attacked and destroyed several barges at Lake Providence, captured two skiffs and demolished a flatboat further down stream. On 29 November Marmora discovered heavy enemy fortifications 20 miles from the mouth of the Yazoo River; taking special care to avoid any encounter with them until in company with the fleet.
On 5 December, Marmora helped to refloat the ram Queen of the West, aground on Paw Paw Island. On 11 December she ran 20 miles up the Yazoo River and discovered several suspicious looking objects floating on the river. When she fired into one of them, a tremendous explosion occurred which shook the ship from stem to stern, though at a distance of 50 feet or more. She carefully avoided the others and left final destruction of the remaining mines to riflemen ashore.
The next day, Marmora led Signal, Cairo, and Pittsburg up the Yazoo until the Union ships sighted several torpedoes. Cairo commenced shelling the right bank and sent out a boat to investigate the nearest torpedo. As the boat towed the torpedo alongside, another exploded under Cairo, ripping the bottom entirely out. As she rapidly sank, Marmora and the other Union ships sent boats to the rescue and saved everyone.
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