USS Columbine (1862)
Encyclopedia
USS Columbine (1862) was a side-wheel steamer originally built as a tugboat. The vessel was built in New York City in 1850 as A. H. Schultz, purchased by the Navy on 12 December 1862, outfitted by Howe & Cope-\land, New York City, and placed under the command of Acting
Master
J. S. Dennis.
, from 6 January 1863-14 February 1864, when she arrived at Jacksonville, Florida
. From 9–12 March, she participated in an expedition up the St. Johns River
and Ocklawaha River
s during which she took one prize.
, that on May 21, the Union forces planned a surprise attack on the Confederates while they slept and with the intention of proceeding towards St. Augustine to "liberate" supplies for the Union army. Captain John Jackson Dickison
, commander of Confederate forces of the 2nd Florida Cavalry, and his men crossed the St. Johns River that night and set a trap with an artillery piece from the Milton Light Artillery.
Frank Sandborn went ashore and surrendered the ship to Captain John Jackson Dickison
. One landsman on the Columbine and three Negro seamen jumped off the boat, swam ashore, and marched some five days finally arriving at St. Augustine, Florida
. Columbine was subsequently burned so that she would not be re-captured by , which was only about five miles upstream.
More than half of Columbines crew were wounded in the fighting. Official records of Columbine indicate that only one seaman was killed. The remaining seamen were eventually transferred to Andersonville, Georgia
Prison; the officers being sent to Macon, Georgia
.
was destroyed by land-based forces during the Civil War
in Florida. During the spring of 1864, the Confederates managed to sink four other Union ships in the St. Johns River
with the use of a new weapon: the underwater mine.
The wreck has only recently been discovered and a marker was placed on the site where Dickison and his men captured the "USS Columbine by the Florida Confederation For The Preservation Of Historic Sites, Inc.
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
Master
Master (naval)
The master, or sailing master, was a historic term for a naval officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing vessel...
J. S. Dennis.
Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockade
Columbine patrolled with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron off Port Royal, South CarolinaPort Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Largely because of annexation of surrounding areas , the population of Port Royal rose from 3,950 in 2000 to 10,678 in 2010, a 170% increase. As defined by the U.S...
, from 6 January 1863-14 February 1864, when she arrived at Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. From 9–12 March, she participated in an expedition up the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
and Ocklawaha River
Ocklawaha River
The Ocklawaha River flows north from central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka. Its name is a corruption of ak-lowahe, Creek for "muddy"....
s during which she took one prize.
"The Battle of Horse Landing"
After learning from Confederate spy Lola SánchezLola Sánchez (Confederate spy)
Lola Sánchez was one of three Cuban born sisters who became spies for the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Sánchez became upset when their father was falsely accused of being a Confederate spy by the members of the Union Army and imprisoned. Officers of the Union Army then occupied...
, that on May 21, the Union forces planned a surprise attack on the Confederates while they slept and with the intention of proceeding towards St. Augustine to "liberate" supplies for the Union army. Captain John Jackson Dickison
John Jackson Dickison
Colonel John Jackson Dickison , known as "The Swamp Fox", was an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Dickison is remembered as being the person who led the attack which resulted in the capture of the USS Columbine, Union warship in the "Battle of Horse Landing"...
, commander of Confederate forces of the 2nd Florida Cavalry, and his men crossed the St. Johns River that night and set a trap with an artillery piece from the Milton Light Artillery.
Columbine captured by Confederate cavalry and burned
On the morning of May 22, the Union forces plans were foiled when they were ambushed upon their arrival. The skirmish which followed, officially known as the "Battle of Horse Landing", occurred south of St. Augustine. Union Colonel William H. Nobles, commander of the 17th Connecticut Infantry, was wounded in the ambush and taken prisoner. After the rudder was damaged and a steam pipe wrecked, Columbine could no longer be steered. She ran aground after 45 minutes of fighting, and Acting EnsignEnsign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
Frank Sandborn went ashore and surrendered the ship to Captain John Jackson Dickison
John Jackson Dickison
Colonel John Jackson Dickison , known as "The Swamp Fox", was an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Dickison is remembered as being the person who led the attack which resulted in the capture of the USS Columbine, Union warship in the "Battle of Horse Landing"...
. One landsman on the Columbine and three Negro seamen jumped off the boat, swam ashore, and marched some five days finally arriving at St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
. Columbine was subsequently burned so that she would not be re-captured by , which was only about five miles upstream.
More than half of Columbines crew were wounded in the fighting. Official records of Columbine indicate that only one seaman was killed. The remaining seamen were eventually transferred to Andersonville, Georgia
Andersonville, Georgia
Andersonville is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The population was 331 at the 2000 census . It is located in the southwest part of the state, about southwest of Macon, Georgia on the Central of Georgia railroad...
Prison; the officers being sent to Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
.
Aftermath
The destruction of Columbine was one of the few instances in which a Union warshipWarship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
was destroyed by land-based forces during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
in Florida. During the spring of 1864, the Confederates managed to sink four other Union ships in the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
with the use of a new weapon: the underwater mine.
The wreck has only recently been discovered and a marker was placed on the site where Dickison and his men captured the "USS Columbine by the Florida Confederation For The Preservation Of Historic Sites, Inc.