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USS Nansemond (1862)
Encyclopedia
The first USS Nansemond, a side wheel steamer built at Williamsburg, N.Y. in 1862, as James F. Freeborn, was purchased by the United States Navy
at New York City on 18 August 1863 from Richard Squires; it was renamed Nansemond and commissioned at Baltimore on 19 August, with Lieutenant
Roswell H. Lamson in command.
Douro ashore near New Inlet, North Carolina on 11 October, and destroyed her and her cargo of cotton
, tobacco
, turpentine
, and rosin
. had previously captured the steamer, but, after being condemned and sold, Douro had reverted to running Confederate contraband. However, after her encounter with Nansemond, Douro was "...a perfect wreck...and past ever being bought and sold again." Squadron Commander Rear Admiral
Samuel Phillips Lee
reported, "Nansemond has done well off Wilmington. She discovered followed and destroyed (sic.) the Douro at night, the first instance of the kind, I believe." Ten days later four shots from Nansemond caused blockade running steamer Venus to take on water, forcing her ashore near the mouth of the Cape Fear River
. After vainly trying to refloat her the next morning, Lt. Lamson set fire to the hulk.
On the evening of 4 November, sighted blockade runner Margaret and Jessie and pursued her through the night. The next morning, Nansemond and Army transport Fulton — who had joined in the chase — captured the notorious runner at sea, east of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
. Margaret and Jessie had previously succeeded in running the blockade 15 times.
On the evening of 6 May 1864, steamed over the bar at New Inlet
and attacked blockaders and Nansemond while a Confederate steamer raced to sea. The following morning, Nansemond, Howquah, , and repulsed a renewed attack by the Southern ram. Raleigh, while attempting to withdraw over the bar at the mouth of Cape Fear River, grounded, suffered severe damage and was destroyed by her Commander, Flag Officer William F. Lynch
, to prevent her falling into Union hands.
On 20 June, Nansemond and embarked Army troops for an expedition to New River, N.C.
to cut the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
. However, word of the raid reached Confederate ears, and strong Southern defensive forces compelled the Union troops to withdraw under cover of the ships' guns.
The Union was determined, however, to have Wilmington. A joint Army-Navy attack on Fort Fisher
— which protected the vital Southern port — was launched on Christmas Eve, only to be repulsed the next day by determined defenders. The Union struck again on 13 January 1865 and finally conquered the bitterly contested Confederate stronghold three days later.
After supporting the Union's final drive on Richmond, Nansemond decommissioned at Washington Navy Yard
on 8 August. She was transferred to the US Treasury Department on 22 August and served the Revenue Cutter Service
as W. H. Crawford, operating primarily along the Atlantic coast from Baltimore to Key West. She was sold at Baltimore to Edward D. Booz on 24 April 1897.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
at New York City on 18 August 1863 from Richard Squires; it was renamed Nansemond and commissioned at Baltimore on 19 August, with Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Roswell H. Lamson in command.
Civil War service
After joining the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron off Wilmington on 24 August 1863, the sidewheeler chased blockade runnerBlockade 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...
Douro ashore near New Inlet, North Carolina on 11 October, and destroyed her and her cargo of cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, turpentine
Turpentine
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. It is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene...
, and rosin
Rosin
.Rosin, also called colophony or Greek pitch , is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile liquid terpene components. It is semi-transparent and varies in color from yellow to black...
. had previously captured the steamer, but, after being condemned and sold, Douro had reverted to running Confederate contraband. However, after her encounter with Nansemond, Douro was "...a perfect wreck...and past ever being bought and sold again." Squadron Commander Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
Samuel Phillips Lee
Samuel 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:...
reported, "Nansemond has done well off Wilmington. She discovered followed and destroyed (sic.) the Douro at night, the first instance of the kind, I believe." Ten days later four shots from Nansemond caused blockade running steamer Venus to take on water, forcing her ashore near the mouth of the Cape Fear River
Cape Fear River
The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The overall water quality of the river is continuously measured and monitored by and conducted by the , , and the...
. After vainly trying to refloat her the next morning, Lt. Lamson set fire to the hulk.
On the evening of 4 November, sighted blockade runner Margaret and Jessie and pursued her through the night. The next morning, Nansemond and Army transport Fulton — who had joined in the chase — captured the notorious runner at sea, east of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
. Margaret and Jessie had previously succeeded in running the blockade 15 times.
On the evening of 6 May 1864, steamed over the bar at New Inlet
New Inlet
New Inlet was an inlet along the Outer Banks of North Carolina joining the Pamlico Sound with the Atlantic Ocean. It has not existed since 1933.-History:...
and attacked blockaders and Nansemond while a Confederate steamer raced to sea. The following morning, Nansemond, Howquah, , and repulsed a renewed attack by the Southern ram. Raleigh, while attempting to withdraw over the bar at the mouth of Cape Fear River, grounded, suffered severe damage and was destroyed by her Commander, Flag Officer William F. Lynch
William F. Lynch
William Francis Lynch , was an American naval officer.-Personal life:On June 2, 1828 Lieutenant William Francis Lynch, USN, married Virginia Shaw, the youngest daughter of a senior navy officer and sister-in-law of another. They were married in New Haven, Connecticut...
, to prevent her falling into Union hands.
On 20 June, Nansemond and embarked Army troops for an expedition to New River, N.C.
New River (North Carolina)
The New River is a 50-mile long river in southeastern North Carolina in the United States. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean.It rises in northwestern Onslow County and flows east-southeast past Jacksonville, where it widens into a tidal estuary approximately two miles wide...
to cut the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
Originally chartered in 1835 as the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad, the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad name began use in 1855. At the time of its 1840 completion, the line was the longest railroad in the world with 161.5 miles of track...
. However, word of the raid reached Confederate ears, and strong Southern defensive forces compelled the Union troops to withdraw under cover of the ships' guns.
The Union was determined, however, to have Wilmington. A joint Army-Navy attack on Fort Fisher
Fort 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....
— which protected the vital Southern port — was launched on Christmas Eve, only to be repulsed the next day by determined defenders. The Union struck again on 13 January 1865 and finally conquered the bitterly contested Confederate stronghold three days later.
After supporting the Union's final drive on Richmond, Nansemond decommissioned at Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...
on 8 August. She was transferred to the US Treasury Department on 22 August and served the Revenue Cutter Service
United States Revenue Cutter Service
The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 as an armed maritime law enforcement service. Throughout its entire existence the Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury...
as W. H. Crawford, operating primarily along the Atlantic coast from Baltimore to Key West. She was sold at Baltimore to Edward D. Booz on 24 April 1897.