USS Nansemond-- Part 2

Just ten days after destroying the Douro, this time for good, the Nansemond forced the blockade-runner Venus ashore after hitting it with four shots on October 21, 1863, . It was found that she couldn't be floated and the ship was burned.

Of course, the problem with destroying a blockade-runner is that you don't get the prize money. OK, the ship did its duty, but that extra money is real nice. And, that's two runners in ten days that brought no prize money. I imagine their was a lot of grumbling among the crew.

On November 4, 1863, the USS Howquah, on Wilmington station, sighted the blockade-runner Margaret and Jessie and pursued it through the night. It was joined by the Nansemond and Army transport Fulton and the notorious blockade-runner was captured at sea just east of Mrytle Beach, SC. The Margaret and Jessie had run the blockade 15 times.

--Old B-Runner

USS Nansemond-- Part 1: A Fast Ship

From Wikipedia.

Yesterday, I wrote about this Union ship chasing the blockade-runner Venus ashore and later burning it. So, I looked it up to find out more about the ship.

The Nansemond was a sidewheel steamer built in 1862 in Williamsburg, New York as the James F. Freeborn, but purchased by the U.S. Navy on 18 August 1863, and commissioned in Baltimore 19 August under Lt. Roswell H. Lamson.

It was a fast ship, able to go 15 knots, 146 feet long with a 63-man crew and mounting one 30-pdr. Parrot rifle and two 24-pdr. guns.

It joined the North Atlantic Blockading Fleet 24 August 1863 and chased the Douro ashore near New Inlet 11 October and destroyed the blockade-runner with a cargo of cotton, turpentine, tobacco and rosin. The Douro, as I previously mentioned earlier this month, had been captured earlier by the USS Quaker City and had been condemned and sold and found itself back in the blockade running business.

Two Times Not the Charm. --Old B-Runner