- USS Young America (1855)
USS "Young America" (1855) was a Confederate steamer captured by the
Union Navy ’sblockade vessels, and subsequently placed in-service in the Union Navy during theAmerican Civil War .Capture and conversion
On
24 April 1861 , Unionsloop-of-war USS|Cumberland|1842 captured "Young America" inHampton Roads, Virginia , as that Confederate tug attempted to help blockade-runningschooner "George M. Smith" enter the James River laden with munitions for the Confederacy. "Cumberland" armed the prize -- a screw steamer built in1855 atNew York City -- and used her as a tender.However, early in June, "Young America" was ordered to the
Washington Navy Yard for repairs to her machinery. She broke down while en route and was towed up thePotomac River by Union steamer USS|Resolute|1860.Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockade
Repairs completed, the tug departed
Washington, D.C. , late in July, bound for Hampton Roads and duty with theNorth Atlantic Blockading Squadron . After patrol andreconnaissance assignments, "Young America" proceeded to theBaltimore Navy Yard on13 October 1861 for further repairs and returned to duty in Hampton Roads late in November. On26 February 1862 , the vessel briefly left theVirginia Capes area for Currituck Inlet,North Carolina , to rescue crewmen and stores threatened with capture when Union screw steamer USS|R. B. Forbes|1845 grounded on25 February . "Young America" performed invaluable service to the squadron during engagements withCSS Virginia (the former Federal screw frigate Merrimack) on 8 and9 March 1862 . On8 March , "Young America" towed USS|Roanoke|1855 to an anchorage offSewell's Point, Virginia , enabling thefrigate to bombard Confederate batteries ashore. On9 March , she refloated the grounded Union frigate, USS|St. Lawrence|1826, and jockeyed the vessel into firing position against "Virginia". Later, "Young America" rescued the crew of Union gunboat USS|Whitehall|1850 when fire destroyed that vessel on10 March 1862 . She also rescued personnel on board "Henry Adams", grounded atNag's Head, North Carolina , on26 August 1862 . "Young America" left for repairs at the Baltimore Navy Yard in September. "Young America" returned to Hampton Roads in mid-October1862 , resuming duties as an armed guard tug. On30 November 1862 , USS|Zouave|1861 and "Young America" towed monitor USS|Passaic|1862 to theWashington Navy Yard for repairs but returned toNewport News, Virginia , early in December and, but for occasional runs north, operated in the vicinity of Hampton Roads and the James River through the end of the Civil War. On7 January 1864 , the tug was finally purchased by the Navy from the Bostonprize court .Final operations of the war
"Young America" was assigned to captured Confederate ram
CSS Atlanta for use as a tug on9 April 1864 and assisted troops under General Wild in repulsing a Confederate attack uponWilson's Wharf ,James River, Virginia , on24 May 1864 . She remained with theJames River Squadron , Fourth Division, until the end of the war.Decommissioning
"Young America" was decommissioned on
9 June 1865 at theNorfolk Navy Yard and was sold at public auction atNew York City on12 July 1865 to Camden & Amboy Railroad Co.References
See also
*
United States Navy
*American Civil War External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/y1/young_america.htm USS Young America]
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