The History of Enterprise

19th Century Enterprises...

The dawn of the 19th century saw advances in technology for both warships and merchant men. Steam power was slowly replacing wind power. First iron, then steel, began to become the primary construction material. Even air power was beginning to be used in military campaigns. Enterprise was still in both the Royal Navy and the US Navy.

Starting off with the Enterprises in the Royal Navy we have the following.

Enterprise in the Royal Navy include HMS Enterprise was a wood paddle gun vessel purchased in 1824 and in service until 1830.

HMS Enterprise was a survey sloop launched in 1848, used as a coal hulk from 1860 and sold in 1903.

HMS Enterprise was to have been a wood screw sloop. She was laid down in 1861, renamed HMS Circassian in 1862 but cancelled in 1863.

HMS Enterprise was an ironclad sloop ordered as HMS Circassian, but renamed in 1862. She was launched in 1864 and sold in 1884.

There were also two other ships serving in the Royal Navy to carry the name, but they were not given the “HMS” prefix since they were not considered to be commissioned warships.

Enterprise was a British East India Company's armed paddle steamer that served alongside the Fleet in the First China War from 1839 to 1840 and the Second Burmese War in 1852.

Enterprise , was an uncommissioned tugboat that was in service at Portsmouth Dockyard from 1899 to 1919 when she was renamed Emprise, she continued to serve until 1947.

On the American side of the Atlantic there were two ships to carry the name.

USS Enterprise (1831) 10-gun schooner (15 December 1831 – 24 June 1844), the fourth ship to bear this name.

USS Enterprise (1874) barque-rigged screw sloop (16 March 1877 – 1 October 1909), the fifth ship to bear this name.

There was also a Confederate Navy ship named Enterprise. She was the only Enterprise to serve either navy during the American Civil War.

So, where does airpower come in? Simple, during the Civil War the US Army used balloons to spot artillery fire. Enterprise was the second balloon built by Prof. Thaddeus S. C. Lowe. The balloon was made of Indian silk and covered by a special varnish that allowed the balloon to stay gassed for up to two weeks. Lowe had wanted to use his balloon to cross the Atlantic, but his first attempt was stopped due to weather. He made a second demonstration flight starting in Cincinnati and landing in Unionville South Carolina. He was arrested as a spy before being vouched for by a professor who recognized him.

On June 11, 1861, he gave a demonstration to the President in Washington DC. He sent the following message to the ground via telegraph line:

Balloon Enterprise in the Air
To His Excellency, Abraham Lincoln
President of the United States

Dear Sir:

From this point of observation we command an extent of our country nearly fifty miles in diameter. I have the pleasure of sending you this first telegram ever dispatched from an aerial station, and acknowledging indebtedness to your encouragement for the opportunity of demonstrating the availability of the science of aeronautics in the service of the country.

I am, Your Excellency's obedient servant,
T.S.C. Lowe

Lowe took Enterprise to the First battle of Bull Run and after a free flight landed behind enemy lines. Enterprise was damaged, but eventually put back into service by Lowe’s father Clovis Lowe and assistant Capt. John Dickenson, Navy retired. Now we see the Navy tie in.

Also during the Civil War during the Peninsula Campaign balloons were used operating off of barges. It could be argued that these were the first aircraft carriers, but we shall stop the discussion of the 19th century Enterprises here.