In yesterday's post, I wrote about the Battle of Washington, N.C., where Union forces came under a surprise attack by Confederates on September 6, 1862. I have written about the ship before. Just hit the label for Picket (t) US Army gunboat.
From the Encyclopedia North Carolina.
ARMY GUNBOAT PICKET
The ship fought in the sounds and rivers of North Carolina until it sank in the Tar River off the town of Washington on September 6, 1862. It was originally a civilian ship purchased by the Union to assist in General Burnside's Expedition against Roanoke Island.
There was a larger side-wheel steamer named Picket which often gets confused for this one.
It was oine of seven vessels described as a motley fleet in the expedition. Burnside's officers and men even had some concerns as to these ships' seaworthiness. To show his confidence in then, Gen. Burnside used the Picket, which was the smallest ship, as his flagship.
The Picket proved a great choice because of its shallow draft and did a fine job covering troop landings at Roanoke, New Bern and Fort Macon.On 6 September 1862, the Picket and gunboat USS Louisiana were in the Tar River off Washington, N.C., when Confederates launched a surprise attack on the town. Both ships went into action.
The Picket got off one shot before it exploded and sank in the river, killing its captain, Sylvester D. Nicholl, along with 18 crewmen and 6 wounded.
--Old B-Runner
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