USS Osage: Монитор Гражданской войны в США

Neosho class monitor

USS Osage was a single turreted built for the Union Navy during the American Civil War. After completion in mid 1863 by Edward Hartt, the ship patrolled the Mississippi River against Confederate raids and ambushes as part of Rear Admiral David Porter's Mississippi Squadron. Osage participated in the Red River Campaign in March–May 1864, during which she supported the capture of Fort DeRussy in March and participated in the Battle of Blair's Landing in April. The ship was grounded on a sandbar for six months after the end of the campaign and badly damaged. Osage, after being refloated and repaired, was transferred to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron in early 1865 for the campaign against Mobile, Alabama. During the Battle of Spanish Fort in March 1865 she struck a mine and rapidly sank. The ship was later salvaged and sold in 1867.

The steam powered gun turret of the Osage was at the bow and she had a deckhouse between the funnel and the sternwheel, although another was later added between the turret and the funnel. Her pilothouse was positioned above the rear deckhouse, next to the forward face of the sternwheel. The ship was 180 feet (55 m) long overall and had a beam of 45 feet (14 m). When launched she proved to have a draft 1 feet (0 m) deeper than planned and she measured 523 tons burthen. Osage had four steam boilers powering a two cylinder, western steamboat type engine that drove the sternwheel. The ship had a maximum speed of in service and she carried of coal. Her crew numbered 100 officers and enlisted men. that had an arc of fire of 300°. Firing the guns tended to jam the turret until modifications were made to the guns' recoil system. The turret was protected by of wrought iron while the hull had of armor. The armor plates of the deck and paddle housing were thick. After the end of the campaign in May she was assigned to patrol the Mississippi River. During that month she grounded on a sandbar near Helena, Arkansas and could not be refloated due to the rapidly falling water level even when some of her armor was removed. As the water receded Osage began to hog at the ends because only her middle was supported by the sand. This caused her longitudinal bulkheads to split and broke many rivets in her hull and on her deck. She was repaired in place before being refloated at the end of November. After being towed to Mound City for more permanent repairs, Osage was transferred to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron on 1 February 1865 for the attack on Mobile, Alabama. She participated in the Battle of Spanish Fort, defending Mobile from the east, but struck a mine in a previously swept channel and sank rapidly on 29 March. Two crewmen were killed and some others wounded. along with three ex Confederate ships, for $20,467.