- USS Yankee (1861)
USS "Yankee" (1861) was a steam powered side-wheel
tugboat acquired by theUnion Navy just prior to the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War .Provisioning Fort Sumter, evacuating Norfolk
The "Yankee" -- a side-wheel steamer built in
1860 atNew York City -- was one of three steam tugs chartered early in April1861 atNew York City for use on the expedition to provisionFort Sumter ,South Carolina . She departed New York on8 April and arrived off Charleston Bar on the 15th, a few hours after Major Robert Anderson's command had evacuated the fort and embarked in Federal transport "Baltic". On the 20th, "Yankee" assisted in the evacuation of theNorfolk Navy Yard ,Norfolk, Virginia , towing USS|Cumberland|1842 to safety. She then returned to theNew York Navy Yard .Performing reconnaissance duty
"Yankee" left the navy yard on the 26th for duty as a dispatch and escort vessel between
Annapolis, Maryland , andHavre de Grace, Maryland . On30 April 1861 , she received orders toHampton Roads for reconnaissance duty between theRip Raps andCape Henry, Virginia . Confederate batteries atGloucester Point, Virginia , fired upon "Yankee" on8 May 1861 , doing little damage. After further reconnaissance duty along the eastern shore ofVirginia and the James River, "Yankee" proceeded to theWashington Navy Yard on the 25th to deliver prize schooners "General Knox" and "Georgeanna". She sailed for Hampton Roads on the last day of May and arrived on2 June but was sent north a week later for major repairs at thePhiladelphia Navy Yard . On2 July 1861 , "Yankee" departedPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania , bound via the Washington Navy Yard for Hampton Roads. However, Confederate activity along thePotomac River necessitated that the vessel remain at Washington; and she was formally attached to the Potomac Flotilla on the 9th.Operating in the Virginia area
In ensuing months, "Yankee" was busy operating against Confederate vessels in the Potomac and Southern forces along its banks. On
18 July 1861 , she captured the Confederate schooner "Favorite" in theYeocomico River ,Virginia . On29 July , she and USS|Reliance|1860 engaged a Confederate battery atMarlborough Point, Virginia . "Yankee" destroyed the sloops "T. W. Riley" and "Jane Wright" nearSmith's Island, Virginia , on16 August 1861 and captured the schooner "Remittance" nearPiney Point, Maryland , on28 August . A landing party from USS|Anacostia|1856 and "Yankee" destroyed abandoned Confederate entrenchments and batteries at Cockpit Point andEvansport, Virginia , on9 March 1862 , the day of the engagement between the Union ironcladUSS Monitor and the Confederate armored ramCSS Virginia . During brief service with theJames River Flotilla supporting GeneralGeorge B. McClellan 's beleaguered army atHarrison's Landing in July and August1862 , "Yankee" assisted in the capture on27 July of "J. W. Sturges" inChippoak Creek , Virginia. She returned to the Potomac Flotilla on30 August 1862 and guarded the water approaches to the Federal capital until the following spring.Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron
USS|Coeur de Lion|1861, USS|Primrose|1863, USS|Teaser|1861, and "Yankee" left the Potomac Flotilla for
Hampton Roads and duty with theNorth Atlantic Blockading Squadron in April1863 . "Yankee" participated in the capture of the strong Confederate position atHill's Point, Virginia , on theNansemond River on20 April , even though the armed tug's length and draft impaired her maneuverability. She returned to theRappahannock River on1 May 1863 . During duty on the Rappahannock, "Yankee" captured the schooner "Cassandra" and her cargo ofwhiskey and soda on11 July 1863 . She took the schooner "Nanjemoy" in theCoan River , Virginia, on15 July ; and captured the sloop "Clara Ann" on1 August 1863 . "Yankee" assisted in landing Union cavalry and infantry under GeneralGilman Marston on the Potomac-Rappahannockpeninsula on12 January 1864 and helped destroy a Confederate encampment under construction atCarter's Creek , Virginia, on29 April 1864 .Raiding Hamilton’s Crossing
"Yankee's" last major operation of the war occurred on
7 March 1865 , when the tug joined USS|Commodore Read|1857, USS|Delaware|1861, USS|Heliotrope|1863 and Army troops in a raid uponHamilton's Crossing nearFredericksburg, Virginia . The force destroyed a train depot, a railroad bridge, 28 loaded freight cars, and a Confederate army wagon train. Moreover, she made prisoners of 30 Confederates as well.Decommissioning
On
5 May 1865 , "Yankee" sailed to theWashington Navy Yard . "Yankee" was decommissioned there on16 May 1865 and was sold at public auction on15 September 1865 to George B. Collier.References
See also
*
List of United States Navy ships
*American Civil War External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/y1/yankee-i.htm USS Yankee]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.