Deck of Gun Boat, probably "Mendota"

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Description

An integrated crew served on this U.S. gunboat, probably the Mendota. During the Civil War, 18,000 black men–and more than a dozen women–served in the U.S. Navy. However, black sailors served only in the lowest ranks. On the Mendota, many of the black crew members were recently freed slaves.

Citation

This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer.

National Archives Identifier: 524548

Full Citation: Deck of Gun Boat, probably ‘Mendota’; ca. 1860 – 1865; Mathew Brady Photographs of Civil War-Era Personalities and Scenes, 1921 – 1940; Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Record Group 111. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/document/deck-of-gun-boat-probably-mendota/, December 26, 2025]

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