J. M. Chapman (privateer)
Encyclopedia
J. M. Chapman, 90 Ton schooner
, was purchased by in 1863, by Asbury Harpending
and other California members of the Knights of the Golden Circle
in San Francisco to outfit as a Confederate privateer
.
The object of Harpending was to raid Pacific Mail Steamship Company
ships along the Pacific coast carrying gold and silver shipments to Panama
, to capture and carry it back to support the Confederacy. Their attempt was detected and the ship and crew were seized on the night of their intended departure by a boarding party of the USS Cyane
, revenue officers and San Francisco police.
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....
, was purchased by in 1863, by Asbury Harpending
Asbury Harpending
Asbury Harpending , an adventurer and financier in California, Mexico and New York City.Born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, at the age of fifteen he was sent to college but within the year he ran away to join the filibuster of General William Walker, to Nicaragua but his party was intercepted by...
and other California members of the Knights of the Golden Circle
Knights of the Golden Circle
The Knights of the Golden Circle was a secret society. Some researchers believe the objective of the KGC was to prepare the way for annexation of a golden circle of territories in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean for inclusion in the United States as slave states...
in San Francisco to outfit as a Confederate privateer
Confederate privateer
The Confederate privateers were privately owned ships that were authorized by the government of the Confederate States of America to attack the shipping of the United States...
.
The object of Harpending was to raid Pacific Mail Steamship Company
Pacific Mail Steamship Company
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company was founded April 18, 1848 as a joint stock company under the laws of the State of New York by a group of New York City merchants, William H. Aspinwall, Edwin Bartlett, Henry Chauncey, Mr. Alsop, G.G. Howland and S.S. Howland...
ships along the Pacific coast carrying gold and silver shipments to Panama
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, to capture and carry it back to support the Confederacy. Their attempt was detected and the ship and crew were seized on the night of their intended departure by a boarding party of the USS Cyane
USS Cyane (1837)
The second USS Cyane was a sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War.Cyane was launched 2 December 1837 by Boston Navy Yard. She was commissioned in May 1838, Commander John Percival in command....
, revenue officers and San Francisco police.