Thursday, September 4, 2014

Bar Tender USS Violet-- Part 1

From the National Register of Historic Places Nomination for the Cape Fear Civil War Shipwreck District by Mark Wilde-Ramsing and Wilson Angley.

"The [use] of light, speedy vessels was inaugurated with the tug Violet at the Western Bar of the Cape Fear River.  These blockaders, known as bar tenders, proved the most effective in preventing breeches in the blockade.

Usually sea-going tugs, outfitted with light armaments, bar tenders had shallow drafts enabling them to post up at night very near   the inlet mouths.

"They often used the same ploys as their counterparts, such as removing masts and spars and employing light gray hull paint to reduce their profile."

--Old B-Runner

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