On Tuesday, I wrote about the skirmish at St. Andrews, Florida, near present-day Panama City, between Confederates and a boat party from the USS Roebuck. I had never heardof this ship, so good old Wikipedia to the rescue.
The ship was a sailing bark, launched in 1856 and acquired by the US Navy in 1861, serving throughout the war, decommissioned in 1865 and sold in July of that year. The 455 tons ship was 135 feet long, had a 27-foot beam, 69 crew members and mounted four 32-pounders.
It first served in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and in September 1862 moved to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron and was stationed off St. Martin, Florida, where it captured a blockade-runner.
On Feb. 1, 1863, it relieved the USS Ethan Allen on blockade station at St. Andrews Bay, Florida, where it had the skirmish on land. In May, it captured the British schooner Emma Amelia. Then it was duty off Indian River, Florida where it hit pay dirt, capturing none blockade-runners.
With weakened rigging from service, in July 1864 it reported to Tampa Bay where it acted as a store ship. Yellow fever hit the crew and the ship was ordered north where it remained until the end of the war.
The Story of a Little-Known Ship. --Old B-R'er
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