CSS Curlew
Encyclopedia
CSS Curlew was an iron-hull North Carolina Sounds paddlewheel steamboat
that was taken into the Confederate Navy in 1861. It was run aground at Fort Forrest (35.88565°N 75.76131°W) and burned in the battle for Roanoke Island
on February 8, 1862. Its wreck was discovered in 1988 and archaeologically investigated in 1994.
. It was 135 feet (41.1 m) long, 23 feet (7 m) wide, 8 feet (2.4 m) depth of hold, and listed at 236 tons. Its average draft was 5 feet (1.5 m), which suited the shallow waters of the North Carolina sounds. The steamboat had side paddle wheels that were 18 feet (5.5 m) in diameter by 8 feet (2.4 m) wide. The Curlew had no figurehead, a round stern, and no mast. A walking beam engine with a 29 inches (736.6 mm) diameter cylinder and a 9 feet (2.7 m) stroke powered the new steamer. This type of engine had a distinctive trapezoid-shaped rocker arm mounted between the paddle wheels, which transmitted power from the piston rod to the crank on the paddle wheel shaft. For improved efficiency, the Curlew's engine was equipped with Sickle's patented cutoff valve. Steam was provided by a two furnace return-flue boiler 18 feet (5.5 m) long, 7 feet (2.1 m) high, and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide, and rated at 30 lbf/in² (210 kPa) of pressure. It started operating in North Carolina in July 1856. (Olson 1997:30ff)
. It was operated for passenger and cargo transportation in the Albemarle Sound
region, running between Edenton, Hertford, Elizabeth City
and Nag's Head. It also made trips up the Chowan River
to Franklin, Virginia
. Its first captain was Richard Halsey, who was later replaced by Thomas Burbage in 1858.(Olson 1997:34ff)
The Curlew made many trips to the Nag's Head Hotel, which in those days was a popular tourist destination. In 1859 Edward Bruce, an artist and reporter, rode the ship on a trip to Nag's Head and afterwards wrote about it for Harper's New Monthly Magazine. He singled out the Curlew and its crew for special praise:
After the Civil War broke out, the Curlew was initially used as a troop transport, ferrying troops and supplies to various defensive works along the North Carolina coast. The Curlew was acquired by the Confederate Navy after Hatteras Inlet
fell to Union forces in August 1861. It was outfitted with one rifled 32-pound cannon in the bow and one 12-pound smoothbore cannon in the stern. Under the command of Thomas T. Hunter (also known as Tornado Hunter) it was involved in the capture of the U.S. Army supply boat Fanny
at Chicamacomico on October 1, 1861.
Between October 1861 and February 1862 the Curlew alternately patrolled Pamlico Sound
and harassed Union shipping at Hatteras Inlet. On February 7 the Curlew and eight other Confederate gunboats attempted to repel the Union invasion of Roanoke Island
. During this battle the Curlew was holed by a shell and run aground to keep from sinking. The next day it was set on fire when the Confederate forces on Roanoke Island surrendered. The remaining Confederate gunboats withdrew to Elizabeth City, where all but 2 were destroyed or captured on February 10. (Olson 1997:118ff)
Afterwards, Captain Hunter commented to another gunboat captain that during the battle he suddenly realized that his pants were gone, even though he knew he put on a pair that morning. (Parker 1985:248f)
The Curlew's engine was salvaged in 1863, after which the wreck was allowed to decay. It was located in 1988 by a group of international divers working for the state of North Carolina's Underwater Archaeological Unit. Its identity was confirmed when one of the divers, Takafumi Yamaguchi, recovered the builders plate. In 1994 the wreck was documented by state divers and students from East Carolina University
. (Olson 1997:150ff)
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
that was taken into the Confederate Navy in 1861. It was run aground at Fort Forrest (35.88565°N 75.76131°W) and burned in the battle for Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
on February 8, 1862. Its wreck was discovered in 1988 and archaeologically investigated in 1994.
The steamboat
The Curlew was built in 1856 by the Harlan & Hollingsworth Iron Shipbuilding Company of Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. It was 135 feet (41.1 m) long, 23 feet (7 m) wide, 8 feet (2.4 m) depth of hold, and listed at 236 tons. Its average draft was 5 feet (1.5 m), which suited the shallow waters of the North Carolina sounds. The steamboat had side paddle wheels that were 18 feet (5.5 m) in diameter by 8 feet (2.4 m) wide. The Curlew had no figurehead, a round stern, and no mast. A walking beam engine with a 29 inches (736.6 mm) diameter cylinder and a 9 feet (2.7 m) stroke powered the new steamer. This type of engine had a distinctive trapezoid-shaped rocker arm mounted between the paddle wheels, which transmitted power from the piston rod to the crank on the paddle wheel shaft. For improved efficiency, the Curlew's engine was equipped with Sickle's patented cutoff valve. Steam was provided by a two furnace return-flue boiler 18 feet (5.5 m) long, 7 feet (2.1 m) high, and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide, and rated at 30 lbf/in² (210 kPa) of pressure. It started operating in North Carolina in July 1856. (Olson 1997:30ff)
History
The Curlew was built for Thomas D. Warren, a doctor and plantation owner from Edenton, North CarolinaEdenton, North Carolina
Edenton is a town in Chowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,966 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Chowan County. Edenton is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. In recent years Edenton has become a popular retirement location and a destination for...
. It was operated for passenger and cargo transportation in the Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located,...
region, running between Edenton, Hertford, Elizabeth City
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County and Camden County in the State of North Carolina. With a population of 18,683 at the 2010 census, Elizabeth City is the county seat of Pasquotank County....
and Nag's Head. It also made trips up the Chowan River
Chowan River
The Chowan River is a blackwater river formed with the merging of Virginia's Blackwater and Nottoway rivers near the stateline between Virginia and North Carolina. According to the USGS a variant name is Choan River....
to Franklin, Virginia
Franklin, Virginia
Franklin is an independent city in Virginia. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Franklin with Southampton county for statistical purposes. The population was 8,582 in 2010.-History:...
. Its first captain was Richard Halsey, who was later replaced by Thomas Burbage in 1858.(Olson 1997:34ff)
The Curlew made many trips to the Nag's Head Hotel, which in those days was a popular tourist destination. In 1859 Edward Bruce, an artist and reporter, rode the ship on a trip to Nag's Head and afterwards wrote about it for Harper's New Monthly Magazine. He singled out the Curlew and its crew for special praise:
We never saw him (Captain Burbage) rave. Always at his post, and always quiet, everything
went on like clockwork. No traveler accustomed to the privileged usage
on many similar craft would have imagined that one of them could be
so well managed with so little damage to the Third Commandment. (Bruce 1859:726f)
After the Civil War broke out, the Curlew was initially used as a troop transport, ferrying troops and supplies to various defensive works along the North Carolina coast. The Curlew was acquired by the Confederate Navy after Hatteras Inlet
Hatteras Inlet
Hatteras Inlet is a estuary in North Carolina, located along the Outer Banks, separating Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pamlico Sound. Hatteras Inlet is located entirely within Hyde County.- History :...
fell to Union forces in August 1861. It was outfitted with one rifled 32-pound cannon in the bow and one 12-pound smoothbore cannon in the stern. Under the command of Thomas T. Hunter (also known as Tornado Hunter) it was involved in the capture of the U.S. Army supply boat Fanny
CSS Fanny
CSS Fanny was a small propellor-driven steamer used by the Confederate Navy to defend the sounds of northeastern North Carolina. Originally operated by the Union, she was captured early in the war by the Confederate Navy, and later lost at the battle for Elizabeth City...
at Chicamacomico on October 1, 1861.
Between October 1861 and February 1862 the Curlew alternately patrolled Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound in North Carolina, is the largest lagoon along the U.S. East Coast, being long and 24 to 48 km wide. It is a body of water separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a row of low, sandy barrier islands, including Cape Hatteras. The Neuse and Pamlico rivers flow in...
and harassed Union shipping at Hatteras Inlet. On February 7 the Curlew and eight other Confederate gunboats attempted to repel the Union invasion of Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
. During this battle the Curlew was holed by a shell and run aground to keep from sinking. The next day it was set on fire when the Confederate forces on Roanoke Island surrendered. The remaining Confederate gunboats withdrew to Elizabeth City, where all but 2 were destroyed or captured on February 10. (Olson 1997:118ff)
Afterwards, Captain Hunter commented to another gunboat captain that during the battle he suddenly realized that his pants were gone, even though he knew he put on a pair that morning. (Parker 1985:248f)
The Curlew's engine was salvaged in 1863, after which the wreck was allowed to decay. It was located in 1988 by a group of international divers working for the state of North Carolina's Underwater Archaeological Unit. Its identity was confirmed when one of the divers, Takafumi Yamaguchi, recovered the builders plate. In 1994 the wreck was documented by state divers and students from East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. (Olson 1997:150ff)
External links
- North Carolina Squadron - Curlew