USS State of Georgia (1851)
Encyclopedia
USS State of Georgia was a large steamer with powerful guns acquired 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...
. State of Georgia, with her crew of 113 sailors and officers, was used by the Union Navy as a gunship
Gunship
The term "gunship" is used in several contexts, all sharing the general idea of a light craft armed with heavy guns.-In Navy:In the Navy, the term originally appeared in the mid-19th century as a less-common synonym for gunboat.-In military aviation:...
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.
The ship—a side wheel steamer built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, in 1851 by Vaughn & Lynn—was purchased by the Union Navy at Philadelphia on 25 September 1861 from the Philadelphia and Savannah Steamship Co.; and was commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 20 November 1861, Comdr. James F. Armstrong in command.
Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockade
The side wheel steamer joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 26 November; and sailed the next day for blockade station off Beaufort, North CarolinaBeaufort, 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...
; and arrived there on the 28th.
Capture of blockade runners Constitution and Nassau
On 22 May off 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...
, she helped and capture the steamer Constitution of Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and sent her to port for adjudication for trading with the enemy. Six days later, she and Victoria captured steamer Nassau—the former notorious 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...
Gordon—near Fort Casswell, North Carolina. The prize—which had been carrying Enfield rifles, ammunition, and military stores for the Southern Army—was sent to 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...
for action by the prize court
Prize court
A prize court is a court authorized to consider whether or not a ship has been lawfully captured or seized in time of war or under the terms of the seizing ship's letters of marque and reprisal...
.
State of Georgia collides with USS Mystic and is damaged
On 26 September, State of Georgia and chased an unidentified schoonerSchooner
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....
ashore at New Inlet, North Carolina., and destroyed her. Two days later, the two blockaders again cooperated in seizing English steamer Sunbeam as it attempted to run the blockade off Wilmington. Unfortunately, the two Union ships were becoming so accustomed to working close together that they collided in the dark; and State of Georgia was forced to sail to the 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...
early in October for repairs which kept her out of action until late in December.
She then towed the monitor from Hampton Roads 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...
, and returned to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, on 3 January 1863 before resuming blockade duty off Wilmington.
Chasing blockade runner Mary Jane ashore
In February, she towed Union ironclad to Port Royal, South CarolinaPort Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Largely because of annexation of surrounding areas , the population of Port Royal rose from 3,950 in 2000 to 10,678 in 2010, a 170% increase. As defined by the U.S...
, but soon returned to New Inlet, North Carolina. There, she took possession of abandoned English schooner Annie of Nassau
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...
, laden with salt and medicine. On 24 March, State of Georgia and Mount Vernon chased schooner Mary Jane ashore where she was abandoned by her crew. Boat parties from the blockaders boarded the schooner and the steamer towed her to deep water.
The next day, the two blockaders seized blockade-running schooner Rising Daunt with a large cargo of salt.
Repaired in Philadelphia, then returned to blockade service
Late in July, State of Georgia returned to Philadelphia for extensive repairs and was decommissioned there on 10 August. Recommissioned on 27 November 1863. the steamer returned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and served on blockade duty primarily off Wilmington until forced to sail north again late in the summer of 1864 for yard work. She was decommissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 10 September 1864.Assigned to the South Atlantic blockade
Recommissioned on 5 January 1865, State of Georgia was assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron for the closing months of the Civil War. She proceeded to the coast of South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
to join in naval operations clearing the way and supporting General William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
's path as he started marching north from Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
.
Bull’s Bay, South Carolina, Operations
On 24 January, she was at Georgetown, South CarolinaGeorgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown is the third oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County, in the Low Country. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River, and Sampit River, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina,...
, to prevent the erection of Southern batteries. In February, she participated in the operations which took Bull's Bay, South Carolina. In March, the ship moved to Port Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Largely because of annexation of surrounding areas , the population of Port Royal rose from 3,950 in 2000 to 10,678 in 2010, a 170% increase. As defined by the U.S...
, and remained in that vicinity through the last days of the Confederacy.
Carrying dispatches to troubled Bogota, Colombia
On 11 April, State of Georgia got underway from Port Royal and proceeded to AspinwallColón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
, New Granada
New Kingdom of Granada
The New Kingdom of Granada was the name given to a group of 16th century Spanish colonial provinces in northern South America governed by the president of the Audiencia of Bogotá, an area corresponding mainly to modern day Colombia and parts of Venezuela. Originally part of the Viceroyalty of...
, to carry dispatches to the American minister at Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
and to learn of conditions on the isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
and to protect the interests of the United States.
Rescuing survivors of the Golden Rule
On 9 June, State of Georgia and departed Aspinwall and proceeded to a position near Roncador ReefRoncador Reef
Roncador Reef is a reef in the Solomon Islands, south of Ontong Java Atoll and north of Santa Isabel Island. Its coordinates are ....
to rescue the survivors of the wrecked Golden Rule.
Post-war decommissioning, sale, and subsequent maritime career
After returning home late in the summer, State of Georgia was decommissioned at New York CityNew 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...
on 9 September 1865. She was sold at public auction
Public 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....
there on 25 October 1865 to a Capt. G. Wright and was redocumented as Andrew Johnson on 9 May 1866. On 5 October 1866, she was driven ashore at Currituck Inlet, North Carolina, during a hurricane, and was a total loss.