- USS Rachel Seaman (1861)
USS "Rachel Seaman" was a wooden
schooner purchased by theUnion Navy during theAmerican Civil War ."Rachel Seaman" was armed as a
gunboat and assigned to the Union blockade of the ports and waterways of theConfederate States of America . She also served as astoreship as the war came to an end.Purchased in Philadelphia in 1861
"Rachel Seaman" was purchased by the
Union Navy atPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania ,21 September 1861 , and was commissioned atPhiladelphia Navy Yard 16 November 1861 , Acting Master Quincey A. Hooper in command.Blockade operations
The
schooner sailed for theGulf of Mexico between 4 and10 November and reported to Flag Officer McKean offFort Pickens ,Florida on the 29th for duty in theGulf Blockading Squadron . After briefly serving inMississippi River Sound and the Mississippi passes, "Rachel Seaman" arrived offGalveston, Texas on30 December and patrolled theTexas coast. On11 January 1862 , with gunboat "Midnight", the schooner shelled Confederate batteries at Pass Cavallo and a week later engaged Confederate cannon atVelasco, Texas .In the summer she performed blockade duty off
Mobile Bay ,Alabama , but in September returned to theTexas coast. On the 25th, with the "Kensington" and "Henry Janes", she bombardedSabine Pass, Texas , forcing the Confederate garrison to spike their guns and abandon the works there. The next day, landing parties took possession of the fort.Captured Prizes
However, want of occupation troops prevented the
Union Navy from holding the area. On6 October , "Rachel Seaman" captured Britishschooner "Dart" attempting to run the blockade at Sabine Pass. On15 October boat crews from "Rachel Seaman" and "Kensington" destroyed a railroad bridge at Taylor's Bayou, Texas, preventing Confederate reinforcement of Sabine Pass with heavy guns. They also burned schooners "Stonewall" and "Lone Star" and Southern barracks. "Rachel Seaman" took schooner "Nymph" off Pass Cavallo, Texas,21 April 1863 . Almost a year later, while steaming east en route north, on13 April 1864 , she captured her last prize Britishschooner "Maria Alfred" offMermentau River ,Louisiana . The schooner arrived atNew York City 21 May and for the remainder of the Civil War served as a supply ship along the Atlantic coast.Decommissioning
She decommissioned at
New York City 22 May 1865 and was sold at public auction there30 May 1865 to a Mr. Wiggins.References
ee also
*
American Civil War
*Union Navy
*Confederate Navy External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
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