- USS Underwriter (1852)
USS "Underwriter" (1852) was a 341-ton steamer acquired by the
Union Navy during theAmerican Civil War ."Underwriter's" was outfitted as a gunboat, whose primary task was to prevent ships from penetrating the Union
blockade of Southern ports.Built in Brooklyn, New York, in 1852
"Underwriter" -- a side-wheel steamer built in
1852 atBrooklyn, New York -- was purchased by the Navy atNew York City on23 August 1861 ; and commissioned there on22 August , Lt. James M. Prichett in command.Civil War operations
Assigned to the Potomac River Flotilla
Assigned to the
Potomac Flotilla , "Underwriter" arrived in thePotomac River offAquia Creek ,Virginia , ill prepared for active duty, and proceeded to theWashington Navy Yard on28 August for extensive repairs and alterations. While laid up, she was transferred to theNorth Atlantic Blockading Squadron .The vessel sailed for
Hampton Roads, Virginia , on3 October and joined theblockade offHatteras Inlet ,North Carolina , on9 October .Transferred to the North Atlantic Blockade
"Underwriter", USS|General Putnam|1857, and USS|Ceres|1856 left
Hatteras Inlet on14 November and proceeded southwest toOcracoke Inlet . There, they scuttled three stone-filled hulks, effectively closing the inlet to Confederate shipping.The three vessels also participated in the capture of Confederate works on
Roanoke Island ,North Carolina , on 7 and8 February 1862 , and saw action during the capture ofElizabeth City, North Carolina , on10 February . On13 February , "Underwriter", USS|John L. Lockwood|1854, USS|Shawsheen|1855, and USS|Whitehead|1861 proceeded up the North River,North Carolina , and placed obstructions at the mouth of the Albemarle andChesapeake Canal ."Underwriter" also assisted in the capture of New Berne, North Carolina, on 13 and
14 March , knocking out a Confederate battery along theNeuse River during the attack. After additional support duties in both Albemarle and Albemarle Sounds, the vessel returned toBaltimore, Maryland , on1 June for repairs.North Carolina operations
"Underwriter" left Baltimore in late July
1862 and returned to New Berne. She remained in the Neuse River off New Berne performing various reconnaissance and dispatch assignments -- occasionally moving to different points in the North Carolina sounds.Underwriter sailed to
Plymouth, North Carolina , in August and towed the prizeschooner "Young Rover" to New Berne on13 August . She was ordered to report to Plymouth for reconnaissance duty on4 December and sailed from there toHatteras Inlet on17 December . On4 January 1863 , she sailed down theChowan River 15 miles beyondWinfield, North Carolina , and destroyed Confederate supplies. "Underwriter" evacuated Union forces from Winfield during the siege and threatened capture of Plymouth in April. She was stationed in Albemarle Sound later that month and returned to Plymouth in May. "Underwriter" stood down the Neuse River in June and was ordered to report to the blockade offHatteras Inlet on16 December . She returned to New Berne on10 January 1864 .Captured by Southern forces during a surprise attack
While lying at anchor off New Berne, "Underwriter" was captured by a Confederate boat crew early on the morning of
2 February . The Southerners were led by CommanderJohn Taylor Wood , grandson of PresidentZachary Taylor and nephew of PresidentJefferson Davis .Wood and his men caught "Underwriter" by surprise and took her in hand-to-hand combat, killing Acting Master Jacob Westervelt and capturing most of the vessel's officers and crew. The gunboat did not have steam up, forcing the Confederates to burn her as they were under heavy fire from surrounding Union batteries. "Underwriter" burned to the waters' edge. However, her boilers and engines survived relatively unscathed and were later salvaged.
References
See also
*
United States Navy
*American Civil War External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/u1/underwriter-i.htm USS Underwriter]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.