USS Anemone (1864)
Encyclopedia
The first USS Anemone was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy
during the American Civil War
. She was used by the Union Navy as a tugboat
in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate
waterways.
-- was purchased by the Navy from S. & J. M. Flannagan on 13 August 1864 at Philadelphia prior to her documentation as a merchantman; named Anemone; fitted out by the Philadelphia Navy Yard for naval service; and commissioned there on 14 September 1864, Acting Master Jonathan Baker in command.
at Beaufort, North Carolina
, on 20 September 1864 and received orders to join in the cordon of Union ships guarding the western bar off Wilmington, North Carolina
. She promptly took station, but soon thereafter suffered a rudder casualty and was forced to retire to the Norfolk Navy Yard for repairs.
on Christmas Eve
1864. She then received orders to Beaufort, North Carolina
, where she served through the end of the Civil War and into the ensuing summer.
, Acting Ensign A.O. Kruge, and her executive officer
, Mate George W. Briggs, commanded launches which rescued the crew and passengers—homeward-bound troops—from the doomed Army transport.
Shortly thereafter, Anemone sailed North to serve as a tug at the New York Navy Yard during the partial demobilization of the Union fleet.
on 25 October 1865. Documented Wicaco (after the Philadelphia community of the same name on 1 December 1865, the tug served American shipping until 1896.
Union Navy
The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...
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...
. She was used by the Union Navy as a tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
in support of the Union Navy blockade of 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...
waterways.
Constructed and commissioned at Philadelphia in 1864
Anemone -- a screw tug built in 1864 at Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
-- was purchased by the Navy from S. & J. M. Flannagan on 13 August 1864 at Philadelphia prior to her documentation as a merchantman; named Anemone; fitted out by the Philadelphia Navy Yard for naval service; and commissioned there on 14 September 1864, Acting Master Jonathan Baker in command.
Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockade
Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Anemone reported to Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips LeeSamuel Phillips Lee
Samuel Phillips Lee was a Rear Admiral of the United States Navy. He commanded the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron from 4 September 1862 to 12 October 1864. His flagship was Philadelphia.-Life and career:...
at Beaufort, North Carolina
Beaufort, North Carolina
Beaufort is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. Established in 1709, it is the third-oldest town in North Carolina.The population was 4,189 at the 2008 census and it is the county seat of Carteret County...
, on 20 September 1864 and received orders to join in the cordon of Union ships guarding the western bar off Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. She promptly took station, but soon thereafter suffered a rudder casualty and was forced to retire to the Norfolk Navy Yard for repairs.
Participating in the attack on Fort Fisher
The tug returned to waters off Wilmington early in December and took part in the abortive attack on Fort FisherFort Fisher
Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865....
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
1864. She then received orders to Beaufort, North Carolina
Beaufort, North Carolina
Beaufort is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. Established in 1709, it is the third-oldest town in North Carolina.The population was 4,189 at the 2008 census and it is the county seat of Carteret County...
, where she served through the end of the Civil War and into the ensuing summer.
Assisting in the rescue of the crew of USAT Quinnebaug
On the morning of July 20, after USAT Quinnebaug had been seriously damaged while leaving Beaufort, Anemone's commanding officerCommanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
, Acting Ensign A.O. Kruge, and her executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
, Mate George W. Briggs, commanded launches which rescued the crew and passengers—homeward-bound troops—from the doomed Army transport.
Shortly thereafter, Anemone sailed North to serve as a tug at the New York Navy Yard during the partial demobilization of the Union fleet.
Post-war decommissioning, sale, and subsequent career
She was decommissioned there on 28 September 1865 and was sold at public auctionPublic auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
on 25 October 1865. Documented Wicaco (after the Philadelphia community of the same name on 1 December 1865, the tug served American shipping until 1896.