USS Magnolia (1857)

USS "Magnolia" (1857) was a steamer captured by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was planned to be used by the Union Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

"Magnolia" under service with the Confederate Navy

"Magnolia", a wooden, seagoing, sidewheel steamer built at Greenpoint, New York, in 1857 by Charles Morgan’s Southern SS Co., was impressed as a public vessel in New Orleans, Louisiana, 15 January 1862, by Maj. Gen. Mansfield Lovell, CSA, acting for the Confederacy’s Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin. The South’s original plan to arm her as a ram was dropped in favor of turning her into a blockade runner.

"Magnolia" captured by the Union Navy

"Magnolia" made at least two successful runs to nearby British islands in 1861 carrying large cargoes. On 19 February 1862, while trying to escape from Pass a’ l’Outre in the Gulf of Mexico with a large cargo of cotton and rosin, in a very dense fog, she was captured by Union ships "Brooklyn" and "South Carolina".

Placed into service with the Gulf Blockade

After her capture, "Magnolia" was sent to Key West, Florida, where she was evaluated and condemned. She was purchased 9 April 1862 at New York City, New York, by the Navy Department from the Key West Prize Court. After repairs, she commissioned at New York City 22 July 1862, Lt. William Budd in command.

The sidewheel steamer departed New York 26 July 1862 to take station near Key West as part of the Union blockade. En route on the 31st, she captured British steamer "Memphis" near Cape Romain, South Carolina, bound ostensibly from Nassau, Bahamas, to Liverpool, England. Search produced papers revealing that she had actually departed Charleston, South Carolina, the previous night with a cargo of cotton and rosin. Aided by "South Carolina", "Magnolia" convoyed her prize to New York City, arriving 3 August. After repairs, she sailed again for Key West. Operating off the coast of Florida with the Eastern Gulf Blockading Squadron, "Magnolia" took British schooner "Carmita" 27 December, and 2 days later seized a second blockade runner, British sloop "Flying Fish", off Tortugas. By mid January 1863, repeated boiler problems slowed down "Magnolia’s" activities on blockade, and 15 July she sailed for New York for extensive repairs.

Reassigned to the Eastern Gulf Blockade

"Magnolia" sailed to rejoin the Eastern Gulf Blockading Squadron 25 April 1864, and patrolled off the Bahama Banks. On 10 September, she captured steamer "Matagorda" with a load of cotton, carrying no papers and flying no colors. She remained on blockade in these waters until February 1865, when she shifted to Apalachee Bay to blockade St. Marks, Florida. "Magnolia" put into Key West 15 March, and spent her last war days ferrying supplies to the ships maintaining the blockade.

Post-war decommissioning and civilian career

"Magnolia" decommissioned at New York 10 June 1865 and was sold at public auction to N. L. & G. Griswold 12 July 1865. Redocumented 23 August 1865, "Magnolia" served briefly as a merchantman and was abandoned in 1866.

References

See also

* United States Navy
* American Civil War

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m2/magnolia-i.htm USS Magnolia]