This past Thursday, I mentioned that that date, August 11, 1861, the USS Penguin, a Union blockader, chased the blockade-runner Louisa ashore near the Cape Fear River by Wilmington, where it sank. This was the first mention I have come across as far as blockade-runners sunk or captured at Wilmington, whose blockade had only just been initiated the previous month.
I could not find out anything about the Louisa and there is not a while lot on the Penguin, but I did find some stuff in Wikipedia and other sources.
The Penguin was acquired by the Navy on May 23, 1861 and commissioned just over a month later under the command of Acting Volunteer Lt. Thomas A. Budd. Usually, it takes a lot longer to commission a ship, but the US Navy was desperate for anything that could mount guns and float to enforce the declared blockade.
It was a steamship of 389 tons, 30 foot beam and 155 feet long, mounting 1 X 12 pdr gun and 4X32-pdrs.
It was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron when it pursued the Louisa.
Other War Service. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
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