CSS Archer was originally a fishing schooner

Schooner

A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....

 captured by the Confederate

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

 cruiser CSS Tacony

CSS Tacony

CSS Tacony was originally a bark captured by the Confederate cruiser CSS Clarence during the American Civil War and converted into a Confederate cruiser for commerce raiding.The CSS Clarence, commanded by Lt. Charles W...

 during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

 and converted into a Confederate cruiser

Cruiser

A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...

 for commerce raiding

Commerce raiding

Commerce raiding or guerre de course is a form of naval warfare used to destroy or disrupt the logistics of an enemy on the open sea by attacking its merchant shipping, rather than engaging the combatants themselves or enforcing a blockade against them.Commerce raiding was heavily criticised by...

.

The CSS Tacony, commanded by Lt. Charles W. Read, captured the Archer on June 25, 1863 off the coast of Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine

Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...

. Knowing that the Union was on a hunt for his ship, he transferred the crew and armaments to it and destroyed the Tacony.

Read decided to try and capture

Battle of Portland Harbor

The Battle of Portland Harbor was a naval battle of the American Civil War, fought in June of 1863, in the waters off Portland, Maine. Two United States Navy warships engaged two vessels under Confederate States Navy employment.-Background:...

 the revenue cutter Caleb Cushing on his way down the coast of New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

. On June 27, 1863, the Archer sailed into Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine

Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...

 harbor

Harbor

A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...

 in Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

 and docked, disguising itself as schooner

Schooner

A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....

. At night, the Cushing was boarded and the crew placed below decks. The Archer and the Caleb Cushing then sailed out of the harbor in the dawn. When the disappearance of the Cushing was noticed, ships were sent in pursuit, and due to the failing wind, were able to catch up and capture the Archer, but not before Read had set the magazine onboard the Cushing on fire.

Officers and crew

• Lt. Charles W. Read, commander
• Billups, Matthewson, and Pride, master's mates
• Brown, engineer
• 16 men