Back on August 17th, I was writing about the USS Penguin (kind of an unlikely name for a naval warship if you ask me) which had been responsible for destroying the first blockade-runner off the Cape Fear/Wilmington area in 1861.
Later in the war, it captured a Confederate blockade-runner called the Granite City off Texas. It seemed to me that I had heard of a USS Granite City, maybe even written about it, so it was to good old Wiki I went.
This blockade-runner had a very interesting career, and, I had been right, at one time it was the USS Granite City.
It had started out as a blockade-runner and had been captured. After condemnation in prize court, the US Navy bought it and turned it into a warship.
Later, the Confederates captured the ship and it was converted into a blockade-runner and then run ashore by the Penguin.
Not Your Usual Ship's History. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Showing posts with label USS Penguin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Penguin. Show all posts
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
USS Penguin-- Part 2
The Penguin then joined the Potomac Flotilla August 14, 1861 before being ordered to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in October, 1861, where it participated in the capture of Port Royal, S.C..
In late November, it captured a blockade-runner.
March 4, 1862, the Penguin assisted in the capture of Fernandino, Florida. Eighteen days later, boat crews from the Penguin and the Henry Andrew were attacked in Mosquito Inlet, south of Daytona Beach, and Acting Lt. Thomas Budd was killed along with four others.
Later, the well-traveled Penguin was ordered to the Gulf Blockade, where, on July 8, 1864, it assisted in the destruction of the blockade-runner Matagorda. On January 21, 1865, it forced another runner, the Granite City, ashore at Velasco, Texas.
It was decommissioned in August, 1865 and sold where it entered commercial service as the Florida before being converted to a sailing schooner in 1884.
Prize money to be made from captures, not destruction of blockade-runners.
The Story of a Blockader. --Old B-Runner
In late November, it captured a blockade-runner.
March 4, 1862, the Penguin assisted in the capture of Fernandino, Florida. Eighteen days later, boat crews from the Penguin and the Henry Andrew were attacked in Mosquito Inlet, south of Daytona Beach, and Acting Lt. Thomas Budd was killed along with four others.
Later, the well-traveled Penguin was ordered to the Gulf Blockade, where, on July 8, 1864, it assisted in the destruction of the blockade-runner Matagorda. On January 21, 1865, it forced another runner, the Granite City, ashore at Velasco, Texas.
It was decommissioned in August, 1865 and sold where it entered commercial service as the Florida before being converted to a sailing schooner in 1884.
Prize money to be made from captures, not destruction of blockade-runners.
The Story of a Blockader. --Old B-Runner
Monday, August 15, 2011
USS Penguin
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
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
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