American monitor (temporarily named Erebus in 1869) USS Squando 1863-1874

As part of the light draft Casco-class monitors ordered to be build at the yard of McKay&Aldus, East Boston, Massachusetts in April 1863, launched ion 6 January 1865, completed on 30 March, handed over to the navy at the Boston Navy Yard on 5 April, commissioned on 6 June and on 6 May a year later already decommissioned and laid in reserve at Leaugue Island, Penssylvania, there she was rebaptized Erebus on 15 June 1869 but on 10 August already given her original name back (2) and finally broken up in August 1874. (1)

During the launching of her sister ship Chimo on 5 May 1864 it became clear that this ship had a too small freeboard caused by a miscalculated displacement and so no usable for sea duties. McKay&Aldus were ordered to lift her deck with another 22” to increase her freeboard.(3) The gun turret and pilothouse were installed conform the original design.

With a displacement of 1,175 long tons/1,194 tons were her dimensions 69 x 14 x 2,7 metres or 225’x 45’x 9. She reached a speed of 9 knots. Her crew numbered 60 men. The armament consisted of 2-11” Dahlgren smoothbore guns while the hull deck was protected by 3” armour, the turret by 8” and the conning tower by 10” and she had a 3” thick armoured deck.

Sources
http://www.historycentral.com/navy/Monitor/squando.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Squando_(1865)
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-s/squando.htm
http://www.oldnavalhospital.org/fpt_uss_squando.html
http://www.enotes.com/topic/USS_Squando_(1865)

Notes
1. The Army and Navy Journal dated 28 October 1865 wrote that she was hauled up alongside the wharf at the Boston Navy Yard for the coming winter.
2. The website http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-s/squando.htm said that she was renamed in June 1869 Erebus and months later Algoma and not that she resumed her original name.
3. Report of the Joint Committee of the conduct of the war at the second session thirty-eighth congress, published Washington, 1865. John Lenthall of the bureau of construction and repair wrote on 26 January 1865 that the Chimo had been proven to be defective and that a committee which inspected the vessels of this class reported on 9 July 1864 their results. The costs of raising with 22” were estimated to be 90.000 dollars. In the same publication is also an extensive interview with Nathaniel McKay published (page 25-32) dealing with this problem. He received the contract for the Squadron on 4 may 1863 and the pans and specifications 20 days later from mr. Stimers. The contract price was 395,000 dollars and she was to be build within 6 months with the dimensions 225’ x 45’ x 6,5’ and a hold of 9’1”. Later he supplied more specific details 225’4½”x 45’1 7/8”x 7’9” (when ready for sea) and a depth amidships pf 11’5/8”.