USS Fuchsia (1863)
Encyclopedia
USS Fuchsia (1863) was a steamer
acquired by the Union Navy
during the American Civil War
. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy
to prevent the South from trading with other countries.
Fuchsia, a steam tug, was built in 1863 by Fincourt, New York City
; purchased by the Navy 16 June 1863; and commissioned in August 1863, Acting Master W. T. Street in command.
8 August 1863 to join the Potomac Flotilla
in patrol duty on the Potomac
, Rappahannock
, Piankatank
, Tappahannock, Curitoman, and St. Mary's Rivers. On 21 October, sailing with Currituck
, Fuchsia apprehended the steamer Three Brothers, sailing unladen without proper papers. Nine days later, as she cruised in the Rappahannock, she sent a landing party ashore to arrest two men known to be blockade runners, and the next day she took a Virginia
soldier prisoner.
s, preventing their future use by the Confederates. Similar reconnaissance and patrol duty, in the course of which she often fired on Confederate detachments ashore and in turn came under fire, continued throughout the war.
, 5 August 1865. She was sold 23 September 1865.
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...
acquired by the Union Navy
Union Navy
The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...
during the American 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...
. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
to prevent the South from trading with other countries.
Fuchsia, a steam tug, was built in 1863 by Fincourt, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; purchased by the Navy 16 June 1863; and commissioned in August 1863, Acting Master W. T. Street in command.
Assigned to the Potomac River Flotilla
Fuchsia reached Washington Navy YardWashington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...
8 August 1863 to join the Potomac Flotilla
Potomac Flotilla
The Potomac Flotilla, or the Potomac Squadron was a unit of the United States Navy created in the early days of the American Civil War to secure Union communications in the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River and their tributaries, and to disrupt Confederate communications and shipping in the...
in patrol duty on the Potomac
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, Rappahannock
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, Piankatank
Piankatank River
The Piankatank River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. Located on the Middle Peninsula, between the Rappahannock and York rivers, it was the site of numerous actions during the American Civil War....
, Tappahannock, Curitoman, and St. Mary's Rivers. On 21 October, sailing with Currituck
USS Currituck (1861)
USS Currituck was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy for use during the American Civil War.Her duties as a gunboat included river patrols, guard duty, and other duties as assigned.- Purchased at New York City in 1861 :...
, Fuchsia apprehended the steamer Three Brothers, sailing unladen without proper papers. Nine days later, as she cruised in the Rappahannock, she sent a landing party ashore to arrest two men known to be blockade runners, and the next day she took a Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
soldier prisoner.
Search and destroy missions
On 7 March 1864, Fuchsia made a foray up the Piankatank, searching for the Army tug Titan previously taken by the Confederates. Finding the tug burned to the water's edge, she sent men to disable the tug's boilerBoiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
s, preventing their future use by the Confederates. Similar reconnaissance and patrol duty, in the course of which she often fired on Confederate detachments ashore and in turn came under fire, continued throughout the war.
End-of-war decommissioning and sale
Fuchsia cruised the same waters until decommissioned at Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, 5 August 1865. She was sold 23 September 1865.