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USS Shawsheen (1855)
Encyclopedia
USS Shawsheen (1855) was a steam operated tugboat
acquired by the Union Navy
during the American Civil War
.
In addition to her tugboat duties, she was used by the Navy as a gunboat
to patrol and blockade navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.
in 1855 -- was purchased by the Union Navy at New York City as Young America on 21 September 1861. No record of her commissioning has been found, but Acting Lieutenant Edmund R. Calhoun was apparently the tug's first commanding officer.
early in November badly damaged and unable to proceed further south under her own power. Nevertheless, the need for blockading vessels was so great off the coast of South Carolina
that, on the 12th, she and -- towed by -- got underway to join Flag Officer DuPont. However, their conditions worsened soon after their departure, forcing them both to return to Newport News, Virginia
.
to investigate a report that Southern forces were gathering in preparation for an attack. After finding no evidence to support the report, she returned to Newport News and remained there to help guard and .
On 23 November shortly after midnight, Shawsheen and bombarded a Confederate camp above Newport News on the Yorktown Road. On the morning of 2 December, Confederate steamer, CSS Patrick Henry
, attacked the Union warships. Shawsheen engaged the Southern ship for over an hour and claimed to have scored two hits. In any case, the Patrick Henry was damaged and retired toward Norfolk, Virginia
.
, North Carolina
, where a task force was assembling to attempt to capture Roanoke Island
, the key to Albemarle Sound
.
On 5 February, the ships sortied from Hatteras Inlet and began a bombardment of Roanoke Island on the morning of the 7th. By the end of the next day, the conquest of the island was complete providing the Union Navy with a base which proved invaluable throughout the remainder of the war.
. The Union ships destroyed the fort and batteries, captured CSS Ellis
, sank CSS Seabird, and forced the burning of three other Southern ships to keep them from falling into Union hands.
Shawsheen remained in the North Carolina sounds for over a year and one-half, helping to keep those waters under Union control. On 18 May 1862, she and USS Hunchback captured schooner
, G. H. Smoot, in Potecase Creek, North Carolina.
On 9 July, she joined and in an expedition up the Roanoke River
to Hamilton, North Carolina
. Despite small arms fire from the banks, they proceeded upstream to land their troops at Hamilton where steamer, Wilson, was captured.
On 12 December, Shawsheen and three other Union ships began an expedition up the Nuese River to support a Union Army thrust up that stream to destroy railroad bridges and track near Goldsboro, North Carolina
, but low water prevented their getting more than 15 miles up stream and they returned four days later.
on the Nuese River. On 26 May, Shawsheen joined Ceres and Brinker in an expedition up the Nuese during which they captured a number of small schooners and boats. They then covered the landing of Union troops and remained on station until the Army was solidly entrenched.
On 22 June, during a reconnaissance in Bay River
, Shawsheen captured schooner, Henry Clay, up Spring Creek
. She then sent an armed boat up Dimbargon Creek to capture a small unnamed schooner carrying turpentine
.
Perhaps her most productive day came on 20 July when she took five schooners -- Sally, Helen Jane, Elizabeth, Dolphin
, and James Brice
-- near Cedar Island, in the Nuese River. Nine days later, she captured schooner, Telegraph, in Rose Bay, North Carolina.
and York rivers and their tributaries supporting ground operations.
On 1 May 1864, she and operated in the Pamunkey River
protecting Union troops who had earlier in the day occupied West Point, Virginia
. She later returned to Hampton Roads.
On the 6th, with Rear Admiral S. P. Lee embarked, she ascended the James River. Near James Neck, he shifted his flag to . The next day, 7 May 1864, the tug was ordered to drag the river above Chaffin's Bluff
.
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
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...
.
In addition to her tugboat duties, she was used by the Navy as a gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
to patrol and blockade navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.
Built in New York City in 1855
Shawsheen -- a side wheel tug built at New York CityNew 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...
in 1855 -- was purchased by the Union Navy at New York City as Young America on 21 September 1861. No record of her commissioning has been found, but Acting Lieutenant Edmund R. Calhoun was apparently the tug's first commanding officer.
Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockade
Originally assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Shawsheen arrived in Hampton RoadsHampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
early in November badly damaged and unable to proceed further south under her own power. Nevertheless, the need for blockading vessels was so great off the coast of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
that, on the 12th, she and -- towed by -- got underway to join Flag Officer DuPont. However, their conditions worsened soon after their departure, forcing them both to return to 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...
.
Shawsheen duels with CSS Patrick Henry
Although it seemed desirable to send Shawsheen north for repairs, the tactical situation in the vicinity of Hampton Roads required her to remain there. On the 14th, she ascended the York RiverYork 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...
to investigate a report that Southern forces were gathering in preparation for an attack. After finding no evidence to support the report, she returned to Newport News and remained there to help guard and .
On 23 November shortly after midnight, Shawsheen and bombarded a Confederate camp above Newport News on the Yorktown Road. On the morning of 2 December, Confederate steamer, CSS Patrick Henry
CSS Patrick Henry
CSS Patrick Henry was built in New York City in 1859 by the renowned William H. Webb for the Old Dominion Steam Ship Line as the civilian steamer Yorktown, a brigantine-rigged side-wheel steamer. She carried passengers and freight between Richmond, Virginia and New York City...
, attacked the Union warships. Shawsheen engaged the Southern ship for over an hour and claimed to have scored two hits. In any case, the Patrick Henry was damaged and retired toward 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....
.
Bombarding and capturing Roanoke Island
On 2 January 1862, Shawsheen was ordered to Hatteras InletHatteras 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 :...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, where a task force was assembling to attempt to capture 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....
, the key to 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,...
.
On 5 February, the ships sortied from Hatteras Inlet and began a bombardment of Roanoke Island on the morning of the 7th. By the end of the next day, the conquest of the island was complete providing the Union Navy with a base which proved invaluable throughout the remainder of the war.
North Carolina operations
On the 10th, Shawsheen was part of the Union naval force which engaged Southern batteries and a Confederate naval force near Elizabeth City, North CarolinaElizabeth 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....
. The Union ships destroyed the fort and batteries, captured CSS Ellis
CSS Ellis
CSS Ellis was a gunboat in the Confederate States Navy and the United States Navy during the American Civil War. It was lost during a raid while under command of famed Navy officer Lieutenant William B...
, sank CSS Seabird, and forced the burning of three other Southern ships to keep them from falling into Union hands.
Shawsheen remained in the North Carolina sounds for over a year and one-half, helping to keep those waters under Union control. On 18 May 1862, she and USS Hunchback captured 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....
, G. H. Smoot, in Potecase Creek, North Carolina.
On 9 July, she joined and in an expedition up the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
to Hamilton, North Carolina
Hamilton, North Carolina
Hamilton is a town in Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 516 at the 2000 census. The current mayor is Gil Matthews.-Geography:Hamilton is located at ....
. Despite small arms fire from the banks, they proceeded upstream to land their troops at Hamilton where steamer, Wilson, was captured.
On 12 December, Shawsheen and three other Union ships began an expedition up the Nuese River to support a Union Army thrust up that stream to destroy railroad bridges and track near Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
, but low water prevented their getting more than 15 miles up stream and they returned four days later.
Beating off a surprise attack on Fort Anderson
On the night of 13 and 14 March 1863, Shawsheen, with Hunchback, , and Ceres, beat off a surprise attack on Fort AndersonFort Anderson
Fort Anderson can refer to:*Fort Anderson — A Union fort used in the American Civil War and site of the Battle of Paducah, Kentucky*Fort Anderson — A Confederate fort used in the American Civil War...
on the Nuese River. On 26 May, Shawsheen joined Ceres and Brinker in an expedition up the Nuese during which they captured a number of small schooners and boats. They then covered the landing of Union troops and remained on station until the Army was solidly entrenched.
On 22 June, during a reconnaissance in Bay River
Bay River
The Bay River , also known as the Sapang River or the San Nicolas River, is a river system in Bay, Laguna. It is one of 21 major tributaries of Laguna de Bay and is the more southern of two small rivers that hem the town proper of Bay.The other is the Calo River , another Laguna de Bay tributary,...
, Shawsheen captured schooner, Henry Clay, up Spring Creek
Spring Creek
A spring creek is a stream that flows from a spring. Spring Creek may also refer to any of the following specific places:- United States :*Spring Creek Correctional Center, a state prison in Seward, Alaska...
. She then sent an armed boat up Dimbargon Creek to capture a small unnamed schooner carrying turpentine
Turpentine
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. It is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene...
.
Perhaps her most productive day came on 20 July when she took five schooners -- Sally, Helen Jane, Elizabeth, Dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
, and James Brice
James Brice
James Brice was an American planter, lawyer, and politician from Annapolis, Maryland. He was Governor of Maryland in 1792, and one of the largest land owners on the east coast....
-- near Cedar Island, in the Nuese River. Nine days later, she captured schooner, Telegraph, in Rose Bay, North Carolina.
Overhauled at Hampton Roads
But wear and tear was beginning to catch up with the tug. On 3 September, she was ordered to Hampton Roads; and she subsequently was given a thorough overhaul at the Norfolk Navy Yard and at Baltimore, Maryland. When she was ready for service again, the tug was based at Newport News from which she operated on the JamesJames River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
and York rivers and their tributaries supporting ground operations.
On 1 May 1864, she and operated in the 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:...
protecting Union troops who had earlier in the day occupied 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...
. She later returned to Hampton Roads.
On the 6th, with Rear Admiral S. P. Lee embarked, she ascended the James River. Near James Neck, he shifted his flag to . The next day, 7 May 1864, the tug was ordered to drag the river above Chaffin's Bluff
Chaffin's Bluff
Chaffin's Bluff is located in Henrico County, Virginia, United States, along the James River. Chaffin's Bluff on the north side of the river opposite Drewry's Bluff, long-considered a major defense point of the river below Richmond...
.