USS New Berne (1862)
| Career (US) | Union Navy Jack 100x35px |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | as United States |
| Laid down: | date unknown |
| Launched: | 1862 |
| Acquired: | 27 June 1863 at New York City |
| Commissioned: | 15 August 1863 at New York City |
| Decommissioned: | 29 March 1868 |
| Fate: | transferred to the U.S. War Department 1 December 1868 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 948 tons |
| Length: | 195’ |
| Beam: | 32’ |
| Draught: |
depth of hold 12’ draft 13’ 6” |
| Propulsion: |
steam engine screw-propelled |
| Speed: | 13 knots |
| Complement: | 92 |
| Armament: |
two 24-pounder guns two 12-pounder guns |
USS New Berne (1862) was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.
She served the Navy primarily as a supply ship but, as a Union ship of the blockade of the waterways of the Confederate States of American, she was also responsible to take on the role of a gunship when the opportunity presented itself.
Contents
Built as a steamer at New York City in 1862
Screw steamer, United States, built at New York City in 1862 was purchased by the Navy at New York City 27 June 1863 from Wakeman, Dimon & Co.; and commissioned at New York Navy Yard 15 August 1863, Acting Vol. Lt. Thomas A. Harris in command.
Civil War service
Assigned to the North Atlantic blockade
Designated a supply ship, New Berne departed New York 1 September 1863 to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. For the remainder of the war, she carried mail, supplies, officers, and seamen from Northern ports to and from the ships and stations of her squadron.
In pursuit of Confederate blockade runners
From time to time her performance of this vital but unspectacular duty was enlivened by pursuit of a blockade runner. She departed Newport News, Virginia, before dawn 11 December hunting a “steamer burning soft coal” reportedly attempting to run the blockade near the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.
She did not catch this elusive steamer but had better luck the following spring when she chased steamer Pevensey aground near Beaufort, North Carolina, 9 June 1864. Shortly thereafter the blockade runner, carrying arms, lead, bacon, and uniforms for Robert E. Lee’s army, exploded.
She scored again 16 December 1864 when, with Mount Vernon, she captured and burned schooner G. O. Bigelow in ballast at Bear Inlet, North Carolina.
Post-war service and decommissioning
After the war, New Berne continued service as a supply ship, but for two periods in ordinary, 5 December 1866 to 8 February 1867 and 5 April to 26 November 1867, until decommissioning 29 March 1868.
She was transferred to the U.S. War Department at Washington, D.C. 1 December 1868.
References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
See also
External links
- Ship infoboxes without an image
- Pages with broken file links
- Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- Ships of the Union Navy
- Ships built in New York
- United States Navy steamships
- Gunboats of the United States Navy
- American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States
- American Civil War auxiliary ships of the United States
- United States Navy North Carolina-related ships
- 1862 ships
- Unique stores ships of the United States Navy
