Civil War Service
Canonicus sailed from Boston 22 April 1864 and arrived at Newport News, Virginia, 3 May for service with the James River Flotilla. Her heavy guns pounded Confederate batteries at strong points along the James on 21 June, 16 August, and 5 December–6 December.
Reassigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, the monitor arrived at Beaufort, North Carolina, 15 December 1864, and took part in the heated attacks on Fort Fisher, North Carolina. In the first engagement on 24 December and 25 December, Canonicus was hit four times, but suffered no casualties and only minor damage while her own fire put two guns of Fort Fisher's battery out of action. On 13 January 1865, during the second attack, Canonicus received thirty six hits. Twice her flag was shot away, twice replaced. None of her men was killed, and only three wounded. Again, she dismounted two of the Fort's guns. Quartermaster Daniel D. Stevens (1839–1916) was awarded the Medal of Honor for replacing the ship's flag under fire.
In February 1865, Canonicus joined the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron off Charleston, South Carolina, and during the closing months of the war aided in the capture of several blockade runners off the South Carolina coast, as well as voyaging to Havana, Cuba, in search of CSS Stonewall.
Read more about this topic: USS Canonicus (1863)
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