USS Nita-- Part 2: Three Prizes and the Salt Works

On the morning of February 24, 1864, Lt. Smith, who had been alerted by Union agents in Cuba, spotted the steamer Nan Nan, loaded with cotton attempting to slip out to sea from the Suwanee River.  The Nita gave immediate chase, running aground twice in the shallow waters, but forced the Nan Nan to throw her cotton overboard.

It ran ashore and was burned by her crew.

The Nita's next prize was on 11 April when she  captured the schooner Three Brothers at the mouth of the Homosassa River after a chase of three hours.  The Three Brothers had been attempting to slip into the river carrying supplies from Havana.

The third and final ship the Nita captured was 24 October when two of her boats boarded the abandoned and burning schooner Unknown in Clearwater Harbor.  They were able to put the fire out and took it to Key West for adjudication.

On 12 November, the Nita and USS Hendrick Hudson steamed into Tampa Bay and made a reconnaissance  and landed a party of sailors at Rocky Point to destroy a Confederate salt works, but were driven off by Southern cavalry.  On 3 December, the Nita and four other Union ships returned and destroyed the salt works.

In 1865, the Nita continued patrolling west Florida's coast  until decommissioned in Key West 3 May 1865 and sold at public auction.

The History of a Lesser-Known Ship.  --Old B-Runner