USS Morse was a ferryboat 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...

. Ferryboats were of great value, since, because of their flat bottom and shallow draft, they could navigate streams and shallow waters that other ships could not.

Construction and design

Morse, originally named Marion, was a sidewheel ferryboat built at New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 in 1859 by Roosevelt, Joyce & Co. She was 142 in 6 in (43.43 m) in length, with a beam

Beam (nautical)

The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...

 of 33 feet (10.1 m), draft

Draft (hull)

The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...

 of 8 in 6 in (2.59 m) and hold depth of 12 in 4 in (3.76 m). Marion was powered by a 500 hp

Horsepower

Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...

 single-cylinder

Cylinder (engine)

A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...

 vertical beam steam engine

Steam engine

A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...

 with 38 inch (0.9652 m) bore and 9 feet (2.7 m) stroke, built by the Novelty Iron Works of New York.

Service history

Marion was purchased by the Navy on 7 November 1861, renamed Morse, and armed with two 9 in (228.6 mm) guns. She was commissioned 9 November 1861, Acting Master Peter Hays in command.

Morse arrived at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 20 November 1861 to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She lay off Newport News, Virginia

Newport News, Virginia

Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...

, until 29 December when she steamed across Hampton Roads in an attempt to capture the CSS Sea Bird

CSS Sea Bird

CSS Sea Bird was a sidewheel steamer in the Confederate States Navy.Sea Bird was built at Keyport, New Jersey in 1854, was purchased by North Carolina at Norfolk, Virginia in 1861 and fitted for service with the Confederate States Navy. She was assigned to duty along the Virginia and North Carolina...

; Morse’s shelling drove the steamer to the protection of three batteries at Sewell’s Point.

Heated action began for Morse in January 1862 when she joined the 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....

 expedition with 16 additional shallow draft gunboats. The expedition departed Hampton Roads 11 January and began bombarding the fortifications 7 February. The campaign resulted in Union capture of the island 8 February, threatening Confederate communications and opening the rear defenses to Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....

.

On 9 February, Morse and steamed up Croatan Sound

Croatan Sound

Croatan Sound is an inlet in Dare County, North Carolina. It connects Pamlico Sound with Albemarle Sound, and is bordered to the east by Roanoke Island; Roanoke Sound is on the other side of the island. Its name comes from the Croatan Indians who once inhabited the area.The Croatan Sound is crossed...

 for Elizabeth City, North Carolina

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....

, to destroy Confederate gunboats and break up canal communications. Crossing Dismal Swamp Canal

Dismal Swamp Canal

The Dismal Swamp Canal is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina in the United States. It is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the United States, opened in 1805...

, the gunboats spotted Confederate ships and shore batteries. Firing from the ships drove the southerners from their guns and scattered the Confederate vessels. The Union squadron captured or destroyed Confederate ships Sea Bird, Fanny, Ellie, Forrest, and Black Warrior, permitting capture of the town 10 February.

Morse and five additional gunboats departed 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 :...

 23 February to reconnoiter Croatan Sound. Strong Confederate forces at Winton, North Carolina

Winton, North Carolina

Winton is a town in Hertford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 956 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hertford County.-Geography:Winton is located at ....

, opened heavy fire on , the lead ship, with artillery and musketry. The ships returned the attack, firing on the battery and landing the 9th New York Zouaves

9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment

The 9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an Infantry Regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was also known as the "Hawkins' Zouaves" or "New York Zouaves."-Military Service, 1861:...

, who entered Winton, destroying military stores, tents, arms, and gear.

Morse departed Hatteras Inlet with 12 other ships 12 March for Brant Island, Neuse River

Neuse River

The Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,...

 to cover the disembarkation of troops in the New Berne

New Bern, North Carolina

New Bern is a city in Craven County, North Carolina with a population of 29,524 as of the 2010 census.. It is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse rivers...

 campaign. The joint Army Navy expedition captured the town 14 March and the last of the batteries the 16th.

Morse spent the remainder of the spring and summer scouting and patrolling the York River

York River (Virginia)

The York River is a navigable estuary, approximately long, in eastern Virginia in the United States. It ranges in width from at its head to near its mouth on the west side of Chesapeake Bay. Its watershed drains an area including portions of 17 counties of the coastal plain of Virginia north...

, protecting transports and aiding operations of the Army on Pamunkey River

Pamunkey River

The Pamunkey River is a tributary of the York River, about long, in eastern Virginia in the United States. Via the York River it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay.-Course:...

 in June. Joining the James River Flotilla in July, she captured supplies on Mattapony River the following May, scouting the river to Frazier’s Ferry and silencing Confederate guns above West Point, Virginia

West Point, Virginia

West Point is an incorporated town in King William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,867 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Point is located at...

. Morse joined seven others in capturing Fort Powhatan, James River 14 July 1863.

In November, Morse joined the expedition to Mathews County, Virginia

Mathews County, Virginia

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,978 people, 3,932 households, and 2,823 families residing in the county. The population density was 108 people per square mile . There were 5,333 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...

, a peninsula

Peninsula

A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....

 between Mobjack Bay

Mobjack Bay

Mobjack Bay is a bay on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay in Virginia in the United States. It lies between the York River on the south and the Rappahannock River on the north....

 and Piankatank River

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....

 and a base for Confederate raiders. Information from captured guerrillas on plans to capture a schooner

Schooner

A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....

 and to destroy the lights on Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...

 sent Morse up East River

East River (Virginia)

The East River is an , primarily tidal river located in Mathews County in the Middle Peninsula region of Virginia. It flows into Mobjack Bay, which in turn empties into the Chesapeake Bay....

 to throttle these efforts.

After searching out torpedoes (mines) on Purtan Bay in February 1864, Morse joined General Wister’s campaign on the Mattapony River, attacking King and Queen Courthouse. One thousand infantry went ashore from the Union ships at Sheppard’s Landing 13 March. After a feint attack on West Point, Virginia

West Point, Virginia

West Point is an incorporated town in King William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,867 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Point is located at...

, in May, Morse evacuated troops from that point. After scouting duty throughout the spring and summer, Morse joined 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...

 later in the winter.

Morse relieved Delaware on the Rappahannock River

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...

 in March 1865, aiding the Army in its efforts to take Fort Lowry. She decommissioned and went to the Washington Navy Yard

Washington 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...

 21 May.
Morse was sold there at public auction

Public auction

A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....

to the East Boston Ferry Co., 20 July. Redocumented Lincoln 12 December, she continued to serve American commerce until abandoned in 1885.