USS Fernandina (1861)
Encyclopedia
USS Fernandina (1861) was a bark
purchased by the Union Navy
during the American Civil War
. She was used by the Union Navy as a patrol vessel, operating in Confederate
waterways.
Fernandina, a bark, was purchased 29 July 1861 at New York City
as Florida; and renamed and commissioned 16 November 1861, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant G.W Browne in command.
. On 13 December, she scattered a Confederate encampment on the beach near Little River Inlet, North Carolina, and 12 days later she took prize William H. Northrop, running the blockade with a cargo of drugs and coffee.
The bark discovered the schooner
Kate out of Nassau, Bahamas
, run aground on 2 April 1862, and after taking her papers off, burned the schooner, since both Fernandina and her party boarding the blockade runner
were under Confederate fire from the shore.
. Aside from the summer of 1863, when she sailed north for repairs, the bark blockaded at St. Simons, Georgia
and at St. Catherine's, Georgia
, and in Ossabaw Sound
. She captured the sloop Annie Thompson 16 January 1864, after the blockade runner had grounded.
, 29 April 1866, and sold 2 June 1865.
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
purchased by the Union Navy
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 patrol vessel, operating in 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.
Fernandina, a bark, was purchased 29 July 1861 at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as Florida; and renamed and commissioned 16 November 1861, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant G.W Browne in command.
Operating with the North Atlantic Blockade
Fernandina reported for duty in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron at Hampton Roads, Virginia, 2 December 1861, and was ordered south to duty on the blockade of Wilmington, North CarolinaWilmington, 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...
. On 13 December, she scattered a Confederate encampment on the beach near Little River Inlet, North Carolina, and 12 days later she took prize William H. Northrop, running the blockade with a cargo of drugs and coffee.
The bark discovered the 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....
Kate out of Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, run aground on 2 April 1862, and after taking her papers off, burned the schooner, since both Fernandina and her party boarding the blockade runner
Blockade runner
A blockade runner is usually a lighter weight ship used for evading a naval blockade of a port or strait, as opposed to confronting the blockaders to break the blockade. Very often blockade running is done in order to transport cargo, for example to bring food or arms to a blockaded city...
were under Confederate fire from the shore.
Reassigned to the South Atlantic Blockade
On 11 June, Fernandina was reassigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron which she joined off Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. Aside from the summer of 1863, when she sailed north for repairs, the bark blockaded at St. Simons, Georgia
St. Simons, Georgia
St. Simons is a census-designated place located on St. Simons Island in Glynn County, Georgia, United States. Both the community and the island are commonly considered to be one location, known simply as "St. Simons Island", or locally as "The Island". St...
and at St. Catherine's, Georgia
St. Catherines Island
St. Catherines Island, also known as Santa Catalina, is one of the Sea Islands or Golden Isles on the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, 50 miles south of Savannah in Liberty County. The island is ten miles long and from one to three miles wide, located between St. Catherine's Sound and Sapelo...
, and in Ossabaw Sound
Ossabaw Island
Ossabaw Island is one of the Sea Islands located on the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia approximately twenty miles by water south from the historic downtown of the city of Savannah. One of the largest of Georgia's barrier islands, Ossabaw contains of wooded uplands with...
. She captured the sloop Annie Thompson 16 January 1864, after the blockade runner had grounded.
End-of-war decommissioning and sale
Detached from her squadron 3 April 1865, Fernandina was decommissioned 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,...
, 29 April 1866, and sold 2 June 1865.