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in this mission. The heat was reportedly 107 degrees
Fahrenheit (42 °C) in the shade and the ship made difficult passage up the river. A number of cases of heat stroke, some of them fatal occurred. At 1:45 am on August 15, 1866, Robert Townsend died of heat stroke. The executive officer
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bombarded the area daily and helped bring about the surrender of the city. The Union's success in this battle gave
Northern forces effective control of the Mississippi River and effectively cut the states of Arkansas and Texas off from the rest of the confederacy.
229:(October 21, 1819 – August 15, 1866) was a Civil War-era ship captain in the United States Navy. He served twice, once before the war then again during the war. He saw active combat while serving aboard three ships, most notably as commander of the USS
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as part of the Mortar
Flotilla in neutralizing Confederate forts below New Orleans. Eliminating the forts permitted the Union ships to move upriver and eventually take New Orleans. Townsend became Commander of the
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At the beginning of the civil war
Townsend re-entered the service on 17 September 1861 as acting-lieutenant, receiving a promotion to commander a few months later, and served on a number of fighting ships.
365:. The couple had three children; a son, Robert Townsend, Jr., born October 4, 1854, and daughters Mary Walker Townsend, born December 23, 1858, and Elizabeth Munroe Townsend, born July 19, 1860.
524:, and although damaged in the battle, carried out her patrol duty at this point through March 6, 1864 when she sailed with the fleet into the mouth of the Red River and assisted in the
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which occurred from May 21 to July 9, 1863, when Union Army troops assaulted and then captured the
Mississippi River town of Port Hudson, Louisiana. Along with the Mortar Flotilla, the
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While in China the ship was engaged in efforts to track down outlaws and pirates who were harming
American interests. In mid-August the ship sailed up the
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and prevented the
British Royal Navy from threatening that important American base and potentially controlling the river. His grandfather was Captain
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and sailed it downriver with the goal of making it to Japan for the health of the crew. That evening the ship anchored by the consulate in
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was a wooden steam frigate with a detachable propeller, carrying nine guns and a complement of 170 men. She was a large (1,032-ton) steam
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Robert
Townsend was born on October 21, 1819, in Albany, New York, to Isaiah and Hannah Townsend. His father was an executive of the
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He served in the
Mexican–American War from 1846 to 1847, where he was engaged in the capture of Vera Cruz. He was promoted to
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Register of
Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and Reserve Officers on Active Duty
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Robert Townsend's body was returned to America and is interred at the Albany Rural Cemetery in New York.
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On June 19, 1850, Townsend married Harriet Munro, the daughter of Nathan Munro and Cynthia Champlin, of
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769:. Washington, DC: United States Bureau of Naval Personnel, United States Navy Dept. 1852. p. 117.
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from 1863 to 1864, an ironclad gunship on the Mississippi River. Captain Townsend died of
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was a side-wheel, double-ender gunboat with a crew of 134 and armament of one 80-pounder
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793:. Washington, DC: By United States Naval War Records Office. 1914. pp. 700, 709.
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Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion
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Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion
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785:. Washington, DC: By United States Naval War Records Office. 1912. p. 767.
493:. She had a crew of 134, armament consisting of one 32-pounder, three 11-inch
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Townsend entered the United States Navy on August 4, 1837, serving first as a
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777:. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society. 1867. p. 724.
752:. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society. 1867. p. 724.
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Memorial Biographies of the New England Historic Genealogical Society
603:. On February 17, 1865, the ship was given orders to proceed to the
703:. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society. 1905. p.
501:, with armor consisting of 1Âľ inch forward casemate, Âľ-inch sides.
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The Life and Adventures of "Jack" Philip, Rear Admiral, U. S. N.
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In 1863, he was promoted to commander and given command of the
761:. New York: Published by D. Appleton and company. p. 724.
256:, which under his great-grandfather Peter Townsend forged
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American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
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in 1850, and resigned from the navy on April 7, 1851.
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in China in 1866, and is buried in Albany, New York.
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The New England Historical and Genealogical Register
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The New England Historical and Genealogical Register
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by way of the Cape of Good Hope. There, she joined
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759:Appleton's Cyclopædia of American Biography
737:Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
619:in an effort to track down the Confederate
317:. In 1838 he was ordered to the battleship
284:Townsend received his primary education at
641:, (later Admiral), assumed command of the
587:that served the United States Navy in the
535:on November 3, 1864, to Commander Bryson.
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848:Military personnel from Albany, New York
731:This article incorporates text from the
649:and held a funeral for their commander.
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481:was originally constructed in 1856 at
16:United States Navy Captain (1819–1866)
803:New York: The Illustrated navy. 1903.
531:Townsend relinquished command of the
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595:and used by the Navy as part of the
573:, Townsend was given command of the
520:On July 9, she engaged the enemy at
569:After relinquishing command of the
280:Early life and pre-Civil War career
35:Captain Robert Townsend circa 1865
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838:Burials at Albany Rural Cemetery
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345:, then a year later on the brig
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561:Robert Townsend's grave at the
292:. After graduating he attended
302:Utica and Schenectady Railroad
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740:. The entry can be found
674:American Civil War portal
601:Confederate States of America
504:Under Townsend's command the
335:. In 1843 he was promoted to
757:Wilson, James Grant (1889).
260:which was strung across the
639:John Woodward (Jack) Philip
475:Essex County, Massachusetts
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591:. She was outfitted as a
339:and served on the frigate
858:The Albany Academy alumni
522:Donaldsonville, Louisiana
416:by October of that year.
290:Pittsfield, Massachusetts
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843:Deaths from hyperthermia
709:uss wachusett townsend.
526:capture of Fort DeRussy
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89:Albany Rural Cemetery
528:on March 15 and 16.
510:Siege of Port Hudson
508:participated in the
447:Mississippi Squadron
211:Siege of Port Hudson
194:Mexican–American War
853:Union Navy officers
483:New Albany, Indiana
473:. It was named for
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463:United States Army
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469:during the
298:Schenectady
812:Categories
680:References
626:Shenandoah
465:and later
314:John Adams
309:midshipman
266:West Point
235:heatstroke
96:Allegiance
47:1819-10-21
643:Wachusett
624:CSS
581:Wachusett
576:Wachusett
552:Wachusett
541:Wachusett
431:USS Essex
389:USS Miami
304:Company.
241:Wachusett
180:Wachusett
178:USS
170:USS
162:USS
135:1861–1866
133:1837–1851
661:See also
647:Shanghai
616:Iroquois
499:howitzer
455:ironclad
348:Porpoise
332:Missouri
326:Falmouth
248:Ancestry
225:Captain
155:Commands
118:Service/
58:New York
610:Wyoming
599:of the
593:gunboat
491:New Era
485:, as a
461:of the
459:gunboat
342:Raritan
149:Captain
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579:. The
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449:. The
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84:Buried
54:Albany
685:Notes
571:Essex
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414:Miami
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396:Miami
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172:Essex
164:Miami
112:Union
78:China
742:here
613:and
550:USS
539:USS
420:USS
378:USS
320:Ohio
239:USS
140:Rank
64:Died
41:Born
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