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USS William Badger (1861)
Encyclopedia
USS William Badger (1861) was a whaler
acquired by the Union Navy
during the American Civil War
. She was used by the Union Navy as a supply ship
and ship’s tender in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate
waterways.
. Built in 1829, it was the 100th vessel constructed by master shipbuilder William Badger
of Badger's Island
in Kittery
, Maine
, so it received the name reserved for that honor.
-- was towed by the steamer State of Georgia
to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron base at Beaufort, North Carolina
.
She remained there as a supply hulk for the remainder of the Civil War and, on occasion, served as an accommodations vessel
.
Whaler
A whaler is a specialized ship, designed for whaling, the catching and/or processing of whales. The former included the whale catcher, a steam or diesel-driven vessel with a harpoon gun mounted at its bows. The latter included such vessels as the sail or steam-driven whaleship of the 16th to early...
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...
. She was used by the Union Navy as a supply ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
and ship’s tender 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.
Whaling ship converted to Navy use as a supply ship
William Badger -- a wooden-hulled whaling ship -- was purchased by the Union Navy on 18 May 1861 from Henry F. Thomas, at New Bedford, MassachusettsNew Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
. Built in 1829, it was the 100th vessel constructed by master shipbuilder William Badger
William Badger (shipbuilder)
William Badger was a master shipbuilder operating in Kittery, Maine, United States who built more than 100 vessels.-Life and career:...
of Badger's Island
Badger's Island
Badger's Island is located in the Piscataqua River at Kittery, Maine, directly opposite Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It carries U.S. Route 1 between the states, connecting to the Kittery mainland by the Badger's Island Bridge, and to New Hampshire by the Memorial Bridge...
in Kittery
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, so it received the name reserved for that honor.
Assigned to support the North Atlantic Blockade
Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, William Badger served as a stationary supply ship at Hampton Roads, Virginia, into the summer of 1862.Towed to Beaufort, North Carolina
Late in July, William Badger -- laden with a "goodly supply of provisions, clothing, and stores" for the ships of the Union Navy maintaining the blockade off Confederate-held 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...
-- was towed by the steamer State of Georgia
USS State of Georgia (1851)
USS State of Georgia was a large steamer with powerful guns acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. State of Georgia, with her crew of 113 sailors and officers, was used by the Union Navy as a gunship in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.The ship—a side...
to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron base 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...
.
She remained there as a supply hulk for the remainder of the Civil War and, on occasion, served as an accommodations vessel
Barracks ship
Barracks ship or barracks barge are terms used to indicate a ship or a non-self-propelled barge containing a superstructure of a type suitable for use as a temporary barracks for sailors. A barracks ship may also be used as a "Receiving Unit" for sailors who need temporary residence prior to being...
.