U.S.S. Lehigh

Robert Gray

Sergeant Major
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
USS Lehigh (1863-1904). Crew members exercising with a 12-pounder Dahlgren howitzer (on an iron field carriage) on the monitor's deck, probably while she was s
erving on the James River, Virginia, in 1864-65. Probably photographed by the Matthew Brady organization. Note lookout with telescope atop the turret, dents in turret and conning tower from Confederate cannon shot, and the bitt on deck in the foreground. The original negative is # 111-B-612 in the National Archives. NHHC Photograph Collection, NH 59436.

USS Lehigh sailors who received the Medal of Honor for their actions were: Landsman Frank S. Gile, Landsman William Williams, Gunner’s Mate George W. Leland; Coxswain Thomas Irving, and Seaman Horatio N. Young.
4152982487_a97808aeca_b.jpg
 
The round "holes" you see in the deck in the first stereo pair are "decklights," small windows, used to admit natural light below decks (especially in officers country... unusually for the era, officers were housed forward rather than aft, with the crew housed amidships rather than in the forecastle. This also helps place this photo forward, looking aft toward the turret). They were openable for some additional ventilation; when clearing for action, they would have been covered by iron plates placed over top (and presumably secured somehow). The original Monitor had them too, though perhaps not as many; firsthand accounts mention amusement when small fish were washed across the deck into a decklight, to swim around a bit before being washed out again.
 
The round "holes" you see in the deck in the first stereo pair are "decklights," small windows, used to admit natural light below decks (especially in officers country... unusually for the era, officers were housed forward rather than aft, with the crew housed amidships rather than in the forecastle. This also helps place this photo forward, looking aft toward the turret). They were openable for some additional ventilation; when clearing for action, they would have been covered by iron plates placed over top (and presumably secured somehow). The original Monitor had them too, though perhaps not as many; firsthand accounts mention amusement when small fish were washed across the deck into a decklight, to swim around a bit before being washed out again.
Thanks, Mark, I was not aware of this.
 
Hi,

These are great pictures and wonderful information. I am interested in the U.S.S. Lehigh. My Great-Grandfather Landsman Frank S. Gile served on the Lehigh during the war. I have been interested in Genealogy for a while and was recently doing some research when I came across this site.

Kind Regards,

T.J. Gile
 
Hi,

These are great pictures and wonderful information. I am interested in the U.S.S. Lehigh. My Great-Grandfather Landsman Frank S. Gile served on the Lehigh during the war. I have been interested in Genealogy for a while and was recently doing some research when I came across this site.

Kind Regards,

T.J. Gile

Frank S. Gile
Citation
On board the U.S.S. Lehigh, Charleston Harbor, 16 November 1863, during the hazardous task of freeing the Lehigh, which had been grounded, and was under heavy enemy fire from Fort Moultrie. After several previous attempts had been made, Gile succeeded in passing in a small boat from the Lehigh to the Nahant with a line bent on a hawser. This courageous action while under severe enemy fire enabled the Lehigh to be freed from her helpless position.

http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/496/gile-frank-s.php
 
Frank S. Gile, 16, enlisted as Landsman for 1 year, 13 February 1863, credit: Templeton, Mass. He is listed as of USS Ohio (receiving ship), USS Nantucket, and USS Nahant. Discharged from USS Princeton as Seaman, 31 March 1864. The source I found (http://archive.org/details/massachusettssol81931mass) doesn't list service on USS Lehigh, but obviously he was there.

Cheers!

jno
 
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