The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

USS Santiago de Cuba

While researching events of the Civil War on December 7th for the Pearl Harbor tie-in, I came across the name of the USS Santiago de Cuba and looked it up on wikipedia, a great way to find the history of most US Naval ships. Also pictures.

The Santiago de Cuba was a wooden sidewheel steamer built in 1861 and purchased by the Union Navy in the build-up for the blockade. It was commissioned in November 1861.

It was 1,567 tons, 229 feet long, 38 foot beam, mounted ten cannons, and had a crew of 114 enlisted men and officers.

On December 3, 1861, it captured the British schooner Victoria off Point Isabel, Texas, but released her for want of evidence suggesting a blockade runner.

The USS Santiago de Cuba took part in the efforts against Fort Fisher and took the wounded back to Norfolk, Virginia at the battle's conclusion.

Blockade-Runner

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