55:
62:
33:
979:, although again assigned to the reserve division, helped to land troops on the 13th and, once they were ashore, supported the troops for the next two days. The defenders finally capitulated on the 15th, shutting off the South from all foreign aid. The Confederacy was now doomed. After supporting mopping up operations in the vicinity of Wilmington for the remainder of January and all of February,
389:, Acting Master Edward F. Devens, saw that his quarry had run ashore on the south end of Petrel Bank. He immediately lowered two boats, and, "...taking command in person... went on board and took possession of her as a prize to the U.S. Government." Since the blockade runner was aground astern, Devens had her cargo shifted forward; and the stranded steamer floated free with the rising tide.
957:
1047:
930:
Years of labor and the endurance of tedium by the sailors who manned the Union warships on blockade duty were finally strangling the
Confederacy. Not only were more and more blockade runners being destroyed and captured, but joint Army-Navy operations were snatching one seaport after another from the
691:
The night before she had been taking the part of the mouse as she ran aground while attempting to slip into the Cape Fear River with a cargo consisting primarily of potable spirits. After brief efforts to pull free proved futile, Capt. W. F. Adair, the commander of the steamer, ordered his crew to
605:
Upon boarding the prize, the boat parties set to work with fire buckets trying to quench the flames and stuck to the task despite fire from
Southern batteries ashore. Meanwhile, the officers in charge of the boats broke into the captain's cabin and found a number of papers which contained highly
738:
immediately got underway to join in the pursuit and gained on the stranger. Weather was bad and, about 8:20 a.m., thick fog settled and hid the fleeing steamer. When it lifted a bit over an hour later, the chase was considerably closer than she had been when last seen.
511:
After delivering these replacements at Port Royal, she embarked some 100 passengersโmostly either sailors who were too ill to remain in a fighting zone or men whose periods of enlistment had expired. However, during her voyage north, she encountered a fearful storm off
943:
was in the reserve division of a vast task force which departed
Beaufort on 18 December and headed for the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Troops went ashore on Christmas Eve and seriously threatened Fort Fisher; but the Army commander, Major General
751:
came to anchor to avoid being stranded herself and "...immediately sent two armed boats to board the steamer and get her off." High surf thwarted their efforts to refloat the prize, so the boats' crews set the vessel afire and returned to
708:, for the next few days laboring in vain to refloat the prize. When rising water in the grounded and damaged steamer's hull made it clear that the effort could not possibly succeed, the Federal sailors finally left the ship on
850:
prevented Union parties from boarding the steamer, extinguishing the flames, and taking possession of the prize. The next day, after the riflemen had withdrawn, Devens did manage to board the ship and learned that she was
869:
drove a large, long, and low side-wheel steamer ashore on the west point of Oak Island, near the
Western Bar, off Wilmington. Their approach to the unidentified potential prize โ which resembled the recently captured
653:
returned to blockade duty off
Wilmington. At dawn on 20 December, men on board the ship sighted steam rising from a strange vessel, some four miles away to the east, southeast. Shortly thereafter, Union blockader
324:
in the hope that she would be purchased by persons planning to break the Union blockade of the South, this iron-hulled, screw steamer was completed in 1862 and sold later that year to
Frederic Peter Obicino of
526:
on 1 September โ described the weather as worse "... than I ever recollect to have seen it in the course of my sea service of more than twenty-one years." The commanding officer of another Union warship,
1106:
905:"...discovered a strange steamer ...", immediately gave chase, opened fire on the stranger, and threw rockets to the eastward, indicating his course. Nevertheless, despite assistance in the pursuit by
404:
stated that she "...is the most perfect example of a blockade runner we have yet seen โ her masts lower in a peculiar way, invented for this very purpose." He ordered her north for adjudication in
975:โ the commander of the naval forces in the operation โ pressed Washington, D.C., for a renewed attack. Early in January 1865, a mighty force was assembled for a new effort against Fort Fisher.
842:, which had been withdrawn from her station in that quarter the previous night, was sent to investigate. She soon came across "... a fine-looking double propeller blockade runner, resembling
743:
opened fire, and her shot fell close to the target. This accuracy prompted the blockade runner to haul "... to the westward..." However, the steamer ran aground close to North Inlet, near
760:. Unfortunately, Aries second cutter swamped in the surf during the expedition resulting in the capture of two of its officers and seven enlisted men by Confederate forces. A boat from
610:, the flames were gaining on the bucket handlers โ the boat parties withdrew from the British blockade runner and returned to their own ship. That night, the rising tide refloated
668:
anchored in four fathoms of water and sent an armed boat bearing a boarding party to the blockade runner. They learned that the stranger was the
Confederate blockade runner
449:
shoreline in which he terrorized Union shipping and frightened
Northern coastal cities. To still the clamor of frightened citizens for protection from this "rebel pirate,"
1101:
913:
and the blockade runner's being briefly stranded, a rising tide and clever seamanship enabled the steamer to escape to safety in
Wilmington. On 3 December,
299:โ the first ship to bear that name for the U.S. Navy โ continued her work in the merchant service for nearly half a century, before being scrapped in 1908.
1091:
1057:
927:
had forced aground on
Marshall Shoal, Smith's Island, North Carolina, "... placing her in a condition which rendered it impossible to get her off..."
948:, feared that his troops could not cope with the Southern forces that defended the Confederate works. As a result, he ordered his men to re-embark.
1012:
returned to Key West. On 1 June, she was ordered to Boston where she was decommissioned at the Boston Navy Yard on the 14th of that month. Sold at
692:
abandon their ship and to head for the nearest land in boats, hoping to reach shore before daylight. However, they were spotted by Union blockader
582:
got underway immediately and headed for the stranded blockade runner which soon proved to be the new British, iron-hulled, screw-propelled steamer
995:
waters, her machinery necessitated her remaining in port undergoing repairs into May. She was then sent to sea to cruise off Havana to intercept
574:. Her first action in this new assignment began at daybreak on 6 December when one of her lookouts spotted a steamer aground on Western Bar near
516:, on 27 August and suffered engine failure while fighting its waves. The wind was so severe that Comdr. John J. Almy โ the commanding officer of
1111:
723:
next adventure came at the end of the first week of 1864. Shortly after daybreak on 7 January, while his ship was lying within the entrance of
570:
was approaching completion, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles ordered Devens to proceed in her to the waters off Wilmington, for duty in the
935:
had served almost exclusively since entering the Union Navy. And, at that time, plans were well advanced for an amphibious attack against
571:
505:
476:
in command. On the day of her commissioning, the screw steamer sailed for Port Royal, carrying 200 men: marines to help Rear Admiral
353:. The number of her voyages to the South is unknown; and, in any case, her efforts to supply the Confederacy ended on 28 March 1863.
575:
859:. However, serious damage to her hull made it impossible to refloat the blockade runner, and her two anchors were his only booty.
1096:
819:, England. The Northern ships drove the steamer aground where she was abandoned by her crew. However, their efforts to refloat
988:
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was out of action undergoing repairs; but she returned to duty off Wilmington in September. On 28 October, she assisted
513:
492:, carrying word that Dahlgren's coal had been exhausted and that "... a supply can not be forwarded too soon." From
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614:; and, early the following morning, observers on the blockaders could see her drifting seaward. A boat's crew from
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which guarded the seaward approaches to Charleston. After disembarking her passengers, she got underway again for
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South. As the year 1864 drew to a close, only one major port remained in Confederate hands, Wilmington, where
638:
then towed the erstwhile blockade runner to Beaufort, the prize's first stop on a voyage via Hampton Roads to
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688:
cargo into Southern ports and escaped to sea, laden each time with between 1,000 and 1,200 bales of cotton.
655:
493:
1016:
at Boston on 1 August 1865 to Sprague, Soule & Co., the steamer was documented on 12 August 1865 as SS
517:
345:
exports between 1 November 1862 and 31 May 1863 states that she carried 740 tons of cotton out of either
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73:
1020:. She retained her original name throughout a long career in merchant service carrying freight between
374:. The Union screw gunboat immediately weighed anchor and gave chase. When the runner was within range,
795:โ received the officers and men of the doomed Union screw steamer. The following morning, 11 January,
473:
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should that Confederate raider attempt to escape to sea. After Stonewall's commanding officer, Capt.
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was ready for sea, other Union warships closed in on Read and compelled him to surrender his force.
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valuable intelligence. Finally โ after realizing that, despite the diligent efforts of the Union
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549:, to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where they arrived on the 6th. Two days later, the screw steamer
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which had run aground that morning while attempting to refloat the stranded blockade runner
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stated that "... had the hurricane ... continued with unabated force much longer this ship (
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as a prize were stopped by Southern sharpshooters "...whose fire completely commanded her (
437:
was being fitted out for service in the Union Navy, Lt. Charles W. Read, CSN, in the prize
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362:โ herself an erstwhile blockade runner now, following capture, turned blockader โ spotted
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329:. She has resold, apparently sometime in 1863, to the Cuban firm, V. Malga & Cie, of
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846:, beached and on fire between Tubb's and Little River Inlets ..." Once more Southern
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On the evening of 10 January, orders reached Lt. Devens to send his boats to assist
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While these actions were taking place, black smoke was spotted in the direction of
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445:; shifted his crew to her as a better vessel; and began a cruise north and off the
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also capsized with the loss of two officers and fourteen men who were imprisoned.
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sent out a number of warships in pursuit of the commerce raider and promised that
1006:, learned of the end of the war and turned his ship over to Spanish authorities,
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and continued the pursuit until shoal water forced her to anchor. At daybreak,
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727:, Devens "...discovered a strange steamer standing to the E.S.E., with the
420:, where she was condemned and purchased there by the Navy on 20 May 1863.
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to heave to, Devens launched two boats which continued on to the blazing
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sometime on the night of the 5th and 6th. When shoal water compelled
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which was attempting to enter the Cape Fear River with a cargo from
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boarded the prize, anchored her in safe water, and โ with men from
955:
590:
on the 3d and had struck bottom while attempting to slip into the
983:
departed Hampton Roads on the morning of 5 March and headed for
863:
next lively action came two months later. On 14 March, she and
756:
with word that the blockade runner was the Confederate steamer
939:
which guarded that last center of Southern maritime activity.
1024:, and New England ports. She was sold in 1908 for scrapping.
917:
joined five other ships in shelling blockade running steamer
672:
which previously had won considerable renown under the names
971:
Dissatisfied with Butler's lack of resolution, Rear Admiral
341:
did enter that chancy business, for a Confederate report on
370:, attempting to slip through the blockade with a cargo of
256:, England, during 1861โ1862, intended for employment as a
827:) decks." Since it was impossible to take possession of
878:โ was ended by shelling from Southern shore batteries.
1107:
American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States
704:
and from several other Union ships remained on board
504:
where she took on board two hundred more men for the
781:. About midnight, her boats โ along with some from
664:joined in the pursuit. As she neared shoal waters,
320:, by James Laing's Deptford yard. Built during the
356:Shortly after midnight, lookouts on screw steamer
696:and captured by that steamer and the Federal tug
747:; and her crew escaped to shore. Closing fast,
660:, appeared, closing the potential prize while
408:and, since Devens was ill, detached him from
8:
480:build up his forces for a renewed attack on
1058:Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
252:was an 820-ton iron screw steamer built at
229:4 ร 8 in (203 mm) smoothbore guns
312:The first U.S. Navy ship to bear the name
1052:This article incorporates text from the
337:seem to have survived, but we know that
19:For other ships with the same name, see
684:with Federal blockaders as she carried
566:Early in November, as the yard work on
333:. Almost no records of her career as a
145:Sold 1 August 1865 and Scrapped in 1908
460:would soon join them. However, before
27:
51:
7:
1102:Steamships of the United States Navy
901:. Again on the night of 6 November,
129:14 June 1865 at the Boston Navy Yard
137:by Union Navy forces, 28 March 1863
1092:Gunboats of the United States Navy
572:North Atlantic Blockading Squadron
508:, before heading south once more.
506:South Atlantic Blockading Squadron
276:, and was commissioned as a Union
14:
897:in capturing the English steamer
537:) could not have outlived it..."
472:on 25 July 1863, Acting Vol. Lt.
16:Gunboat of the United States Navy
1045:
831:, the Union sailors burned her.
522:which chanced upon the disabled
468:was placed in commission at the
412:and placed him in charge of the
60:
53:
31:
881:Much of the spring and summer,
811:in chasing the blockade runner
634:โ put out the remaining fires.
316:, she was laid down in 1861 at
576:Smith's Island, North Carolina
1:
1112:Ships built on the River Wear
1061:. The entry can be found
989:East Gulf Blockading Squadron
274:Confederate States of America
83:James Laing's Deptford yard,
991:. However, when she reached
725:Little River, North Carolina
514:Cape Lookout, North Carolina
308:Initial service and capture
211:(22 km/h; 14 mph)
1133:
1022:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
745:Georgetown, South Carolina
398:Port Royal, South Carolina
351:Charleston, South Carolina
347:Wilmington, North Carolina
18:
545:in tow and proceeded via
182:15.7 ft (4.8 m)
174:27.8 ft (8.5 m)
149:
46:
30:
547:Beaufort, North Carolina
1097:Ships of the Union Navy
1034:Confederate States Navy
494:Hampton Roads, Virginia
166:201 ft (61 m)
150:General characteristics
41:, civil war era sketch.
968:
921:which Union blockader
779:Lockwood's Folly Inlet
264:. She was captured by
1077:USS Aries (1863-1865)
1004:Thomas Jefferson Page
959:
451:Secretary of the Navy
424:Union Navy operations
402:Samuel Francis DuPont
400:, where Rear Admiral
291:Although sold by the
74:Aries (constellation)
734:in chase of her..."
441:, captured the bark
238:1 ร 12-pounder rifle
118:25 July 1863 at the
855:, a sister ship of
817:Newcastle upon Tyne
809:Governor Buckingham
793:Governor Buckingham
694:Governor Buckingham
657:Governor Buckingham
586:which had departed
561:Baltimore, Maryland
318:Sunderland, England
85:Sunderland, England
973:David Dixon Porter
969:
966:American Civil War
946:Benjamin F. Butler
682:cat-and-mouse game
642:for adjudication.
555:arrived and towed
416:for the voyage to
396:via Charleston to
387:commanding officer
322:American Civil War
295:post-war in 1865,
293:United States Navy
268:forces during the
262:American Civil War
985:Key West, Florida
645:After delivering
286:the constellation
244:
243:
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874:blockade runner
866:State of Georgia
640:Washington, D.C.
478:John A. Dahlgren
474:Edward F. Devens
470:Boston Navy Yard
366:off Bull's Bay,
120:Boston Navy Yard
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486:Fortress Monroe
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406:admiralty court
378:opened fire on
335:blockade runner
327:London, England
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303:Service history
258:blockade runner
232:1 ร 30-pounder
197:Screw-propelled
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193:Steam engine
155:Displacement
115:Commissioned
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937:Fort Fisher
876:A. D. Vance
700:. Men from
632:Connecticut
608:bluejackets
539:Connecticut
519:Connecticut
482:Fort Wagner
447:New England
260:during the
110:20 May 1863
1117:1862 ships
1086:Categories
1040:References
964:after the
762:Montgomery
730:Montgomery
686:contraband
680:playing a
535:Pocahontas
530:Pocahontas
414:prize crew
266:Union Navy
254:Sunderland
216:Complement
187:Propulsion
999:Stonewall
997:CSS
907:Maratanza
801:Minnesota
784:Minnesota
617:Maratanza
384:Stettin's
91:Laid down
21:USS Aries
1028:See also
825:Ranger's
805:Daylight
789:Daylight
770:Iron Age
552:Daylight
490:Virginia
439:Clarence
224:Armament
158:820 tons
134:Captured
107:Acquired
99:Launched
70:Namesake
993:Florida
894:Calypso
799:joined
775:Bendigo
706:Antonio
670:Antonio
588:Bermuda
410:Stettin
376:Stettin
359:Stettin
278:gunboat
272:of the
80:Builder
47:History
1050:
861:Aries'
829:Ranger
821:Ranger
813:Ranger
807:, and
791:, and
721:Aries'
698:Violet
678:Herald
630:, and
627:Violet
443:Tacony
433:While
418:Boston
372:liquor
343:cotton
163:Length
1018:Aries
1010:Aries
981:Aries
977:Aries
962:Aries
941:Aries
933:Aries
915:Aries
911:Eolus
903:Aries
888:Eolus
883:Aries
857:Ceres
853:Vesta
844:Ceres
840:Aries
797:Aries
777:near
754:Aries
749:Aries
741:Aries
736:Aries
702:Aries
674:Lamar
666:Aries
662:Aries
651:Aries
647:Ceres
636:Aries
622:Aries
612:Ceres
600:Ceres
596:Aries
584:Ceres
580:Aries
568:Aries
557:Aries
543:Aries
541:took
524:Aries
498:Aries
466:Aries
462:Aries
458:Aries
435:Aries
394:Aries
380:Aries
364:Aries
349:, or
339:Aries
314:Aries
297:Aries
282:Aries
249:Aries
209:knots
204:Speed
179:Draft
39:Aries
1063:here
960:USS
952:1865
924:Emma
919:Ella
909:and
891:and
758:Dare
716:1864
676:and
429:1863
247:USS
171:Beam
142:Fate
102:1862
94:1861
37:USS
559:to
207:12
1088::
838:.
803:,
787:,
712:.
624:,
602:.
578:.
496:,
488:,
288:.
280:.
219:90
1065:.
23:.
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