USS R. R. Cuyler (1860)

USS "R. R. Cuyler" (1860) was a steamer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was outfitted by the Union Navy as a gunboat and was assigned to the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America.

She was named for the president of the Central Georgia Railroad.

Built in New York in 1860

"R. R. Cuyler" was built in 1860 by Samuel Sneeden of New York for H. B. Cromwell & Company, served on that company's New York, Havana, and New Orleans line until laid up in March 1861 at the start of the American Civil War.

Then chartered by the War Department, she transported New York State militiamen to Washington, D. C. and returned to New York where she was acquired by the Navy in May 1861, although not formally purchased until August.

Civil War service

Assigned to the Gulf blockade

In early June, "R. R. Cuyler" departed New York City under the command of Captain Francis B. Ellison. On the 9th, she arrived at Key West, Florida, whence she proceeded north for blockade duty off Tampa, Florida. Although plagued by the presence of small pox among her crew,

"R. R. Cuyler" participated in the capture and burning of "Finland" in Apalachicola Bay on 26 August. On 22 November, while operating near and in the Mississippi River, she intercepted and assisted in the capture of the steamers "A. J. View" and "Henry Lewis". In December, the sloops "Advocate", "Express", and "Osceola" and the schooners "Delight" and "Olive" met a similar fate. On 20 January 1863, off Mobile Bar, "R. R. Cuyler" seized the schooner "J. W. Wilder". Two months later, she captured the schooner "Grace E. Baker" off Cuba, and on 3 May, the schooner "Jane" at sea.

Stationed off Mobile Bay during May, "R. R. Cuyler" captured the steamer "Eugenie" and the schooners "Hunter" and "Isabel". On 14 July, the steamer "Kate Dale" joined her list of prizes. After that capture, the gunboat was ordered to join in the search for the Confederate raider "Tallahassee". While proceeding on that mission on 4 December, she stopped the steamer "Armstrong" and after a search revealed contraband cargo, seized the vessel.

Reassigned to the North Atlantic blockade

"R. R. Cuyler" joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron off Wilmington, North Carolina, for duty through the close of the Civil War. She joined in attacks on Fort Fisher in the Cape Fear River 24 and 25 December 1864, and participated in the capture of Fort Anderson nearby 18 and 19 February 1865.

Post-war sale and subsequent career

Following the end of the Civil War, "R. R. Cuyler" returned to New York City where she was decommissioned on 1 July 1865 and sold at auction on 15 August to Russel Sturgis of New York.

In December 1866, she was purchased by the Republic of Colombia and, after arrival at Cartagena, renamed "El Rayo". She remained in Cartagena Harbor, the subject of a diplomatic dispute following a change of government, from February to September 1867. In mid-September, she was blown from her moorings during a storm and grounded on a coral reef where she was abandoned.

References

ee also

* American Civil War
* Union Navy
* Confederate States Navy