USS Honeysuckle (1862)

USS "Honeysuckle" (1862) was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

She was used by the Navy as a gunbaot to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries. At war's end, she was converted to a storeship before eventually being decommissioned.

Built in New York in 1862

"Honeysuckle", a wooden screw steamer, was built as "William G. Fargo" in 1862 at Buffalo, New York, and was purchased 19 August 1863 at New York from her owner, Frank Perew. Renamed "Honeysuckle", she commissioned at New York Navy Yard 3 December 1863, Acting Ensign Cyrus Sears commanding.

Civil War operations

Assigned to the blockade of the Florida coast

Intended for use as a tug and offshore blockader, "Honeysuckle" departed New York 24 December 1863 and sailed by way of Hampton Roads, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina, to Key West, Florida, arriving about 8 January 1864.

There she was assigned a blockading station in the Gulf of Mexico west of the Florida coast as part of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. In the next few months the ship was very active, tightening the noose of the blockade. She captured "Fly" 11 January, "Florida" 20 March, and "Miriam" 27 April 1864.

Serving various operational roles in the Florida area

Early in May "Honeysuckle" served as a dispatch vessel at Key West and during the next 2 months was hit by an epidemic of yellow fever among the crew. In August she became a supply vessel, making one notable trip to Indian River with medical supplies for "J. S. Chambers", a ship stricken with fever. "Honeysuckle" continued to act as a supply vessel and tug until December 1864, when she was reassigned to active blockade duty after a repair period at Key West. Taking up station off Cedar Keys, she captured three more blockade runners in early 1865: "Augusta", 17 January; "Sort", 28 February; and "Phantom", 2 March.

Final operations and decommissioning

"Honeysuckle" sailed to Tampa, Florida, at war's end, and thence to New York where she decommissioned 30 June 1865. Sold to a private buyer, she became merchant ship "Honeysuckle" late in 1865 and remained active until 1900.

References

See also

* United States Navy
* American Civil War

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h7/honeysuckle.htm USS Honeysuckle]