From the April 24, 2013, Civil War Navy Sesquicentennial "U.S.S. America-- The Most Famous Civil War Ship You've never Heard Of" by Gordon Calhoun.
In 1851, the British royalty gave a trophy cup called the 100 Guinea Cup to the Royal Navy Yacht Club for its annual race around the Isle of Wight. The New York Yacht Club in the U.S. commissioned a specially built ship to win it and beat 15 British ships to bring it home where it was renamed America's Cup which it is still known by. Even to this day, there is competition every four years for the honor.
Soon after the race, the owners sold the America to a British lord who sold it to Henry Deice. He then gave it to the Confederacy as a courier ship/blockade-runner out of Jacksonville, Florida. When that city was captured, the America was scuttled in the St. John River.
It was raised by Union forces and sent to the Washington Navy Yard for repairs under John Dahlgren. Three small cannons were mounted on it and it was commissioned the U.S.S. America. Sent to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, it captured or chased ashore several blockade-runners including the schooner David Crocke and steamers Georgina and Stonewall Jackson.
After the war, it was used as a training vessel at the USNA and later sold to General Benjamin Butler. It survived into the 1940s. A replica sails on the West Coast of the United States.
A Mighty Fast Ship. --Old B-Runner
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