- USS Shawmut (1863)
USS "Shawmut" (1863) was a 593-ton steamer acquired by the U.S. Navy and put to use by the Union during the
American Civil War ."Shawmut" served the
Union Navy primarily as agunboat withhowitzers for bombardment, and various other rifles and cannon for use at sea in apprehendingblockade runners attempting to “run” the Union blockade of theConfederate States of America .Built in Maine in 1863
Shamut -- a screw gunboat begun on
2 February 1863 by thePortsmouth Navy Yard (Kittery, Maine ) -- was launched on17 April 1863 ; sponsored by Miss Lucy Hall; departedPortsmouth, New Hampshire , on20 October 1863 ; was towed toNew York City where her engine and machinery were installed by the South Brooklyn Works; was delivered to the Union Navy on16 October 1864 ; and commissioned at theNew York Navy Yard on1 November 1864 , Lt. Comdr. George U. Morris in command.Civil War service
Searching for CSS "Tallahassee"
Two days later, "Shamut" got underway to search for Confederate Navy commerce raider, CSS "Tallahassee" (renamed "Olustee"), which had recently preyed upon Northern shipping off the
Delaware capes . After cruising inNova Scotia n waters without seeing or hearing of her quarry, "Shawmut" returned to thePortsmouth Navy Yard on the 20th. On9 January 1865 , the gunboat was ordered to proceed toWilmington, North Carolina , to join theNorth Atlantic Blockading Squadron . She participated in the attack on and capture ofFort Anderson ,North Carolina , from 18 to20 February . On the latter day, a boat from "Shawmut" was destroyed by a torpedo (the Civil War term for a mine) as it swept waters in the area.Supporting Grant on the York River
In March, as General
Ulysses S. Grant 's operations aroundRichmond, Virginia , approached their climax, "Shawmut" was called back toHampton Roads, Virginia , and stationed in the York River "to keep open free navigation between White House and the mouth of the York River." With the fall of Richmond and GeneralRobert E. Lee 's surrender, "Shawmut" was ordered north and decomissioned at theNew York Navy Yard on17 April 1865 .Post-Civil War service
Assigned to the Brazil station
Refitted for foreign service, the gunboat was recommissioned on
15 June 1865 and soon sailed forBahia, Brazil . Following over a year's service on the Brazil Station protecting “our flag from insult and the property of our citizens from unlawful seizure,” "Shawmut" returned home and was decommissioned at the New York Navy Yard on8 December 1866 . Recommissioned on12 August 1867 , "Shawmut" served in theNorth Atlantic Blockading Squadron until she was laid up again atNew York City on7 July 1868 . Reactivated once more on18 March 1871 , the ship resumed service in the North Atlantic and served along the Atlantic seaboard until finally laid up at theNorfolk Navy Yard on22 January 1877 .Final decommissioning and sale
She was sold on
27 September to E. Stannard & Co.,Westbrook, Connecticut .References
See also
*
American Civil War
*Union Navy
*Confederate States Navy External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s11/shawmut-i.htm USS Shawmut]
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