USS Cowslip-- Part 3: Rescue Work

Now, here's a ship you rarely read about in Civil War history.  But here it is in this little old blog.

After Mobile Bay, the Cowslip was active in at-sea rescue work  She saved the crew of the USS Narcissus 8 December 1864 after that ship had been blown up by a Confederate torpedo at Egmont Key, Florida (by Tampa Bay).  The Cowslip also salvaged the Narcissus' guns and ammunition.

Next, the Cowslip rescued six wounded survivors from the USS Sciota after it hit a torpedo  14 April 1865 in Mobile Bay.

The Cowslip also rendered timely assistance by towing three ships out of danger when Marshall's warehouse in Mobile, Alabama, was wrecked by an explosion 25 May 1865.

The ship was sold on 28 August 1866 at Pensacola, Florida.

--Old B-Runner

USS Cowslip-- Part 2: Assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and At Mobile

The Cowslip was assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and departed N.Y. City 2 February 1864, and arrived at New Orleans Feb. 26.  She was put to work delivering men to their posts, delivering mail, stores, guns and ammunition to the squadron.  Also, she was used to tow steamers, perform rescue and salvage work as well as picket and patrol duty.

The Cowslip captured a sailboat with five men on board off Pascagoula, Mississippi, 15 April 1864; the sloop Last Push 29 May (this was what I wrote about), and a raid up Biloxi Bay, Mississippi, in which she captured five sloops and a small steamer.  That raid, she also destroyed  six large boats, three flat boats and four salt works.

During July and August 1864, the Cowslip was off Mobile Bay helping Admiral Farragut prepare for his attack on it.

--Old B-R'er

USS Cowslip-- Part 1: Built in New York, Acquired By the Navy

On May 29, I wrote about the USS Cowslip capturing a blockade runner.

Here is more information on this ship.

From Wikipedia.

The USS Cowslip was a steamer acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1863 for blockade duty.  It was also used as an ammunition ship, a dispatch boat,  and a rescue and salvage vessel.

It was a sidewheel steamer built in New York as the Meteor and purchased 21 December 1863 and fitted out as a gunboat at the New York Navy Yard, commissioned 27 January 1864, Acting Ensign R. Canfield in command.  It was 123 feet long, had a 24-foot beam and crew of 36. It mounted  one 20-pdr rifled gun and two 24-pdr. smoothbores.

--Old B-Runner

May 29, 1864: Capture of a Blockade Runner Off Mississippi

MAY 29, 1864:  The USS Cowslip, Acting Ensign Richard Canfield, captured sloop Last Push off the coast of Mississippi with a cargo of corn.

--Old B-Runner

Ordnance Explosion in Mobile

MAY 25TH, 1865:  An ordnance explosion and the resulting fire caused extensive damage in Mobile.  The explosion originated in Marshall's warehouse, which contained surrendered Confederate ammunition.  Rear Admiral Thatcher noted that although the explosion occurred three quarters of a mile from his flagship, fragments of shell fell on it.

Commander Edward Simpson was immediately dispatched with a number of sailors to render all possible aid.  He reported: "I visited the scene of the fire, and with a large force of sailors was enabled to do some service, the presence of the sailors in the neighborhood of the exploding shells tended much to restore a partial feeling of confidence to the firemen and others."

He called particular attention to the bravery of Quartermaster John Cooper who "at the risk of being blown to pieces by exploding shells" entered the fire and carried and carried a wounded man to safety on his back.  For this heroic deed, Cooper was awarded the Medal of Honor for a second time -- his first award was for courageous devotion to duty on board the USS Brooklyn at Mobile Bay in 1864.

The tug USS Cowslip towed three vessels to safety.

--Old B-Runner