USS ''Huron'' was a built for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

for blockage duty against the ports and rivers of the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

. ''Huron'', a schooner-rigged screw steamer, was launched on 21 September 1861 by Paul Curtis, Boston, Massachusetts, under Navy contract; and commissioned on 8 January 1862 at

Boston Navy Yard The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of t ...

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

John Downes in command.

Service in the American Civil War

''Huron'' joined the

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required the monitoring of of Atlantic ...

in February to take part in Union strangulation of Confederate commerce, and steamed off the coasts of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. In addition to blockading duties, her men often took part in shore expeditions against the Confederates, as on 15 March 1862 on the Georgia coast.

''Huron'' captures blockade runners ''Glide'', ''Albert'', and ''Cumbria''

''Huron'' chased a schooner ashore on 12 April and seven days later captured schooner ''Glide'' off Charleston, South Carolina with 100 bales of cotton and other cargo. She also captured schooner ''Albert'' on 1 May and British blockade runner ''Cumbria'' on 26 May.

Engaging the guns of Fort McAllister

As Union naval power increased the pressure on Charleston in coordination with the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

, ''Huron'' engaged batteries in the Stono River on 30 May and took part in an engagement with

Fort McAllister Fort McAllister was a Confederate earthen-work fort used to defend Savannah, Georgia during the American Civil War. It was the southernmost of the forts defending Savannah and was involved in the most battles. It was located on the Ogeechee Rive ...

on 29 July. Back on regular blockade duty, she captured schooner ''Aquilla'' on 4 August. ''Huron'' continued her patrol and blockading duties off Charleston into 1863. During the ironclad attack on the forts in Charleston Harbor on 7 April 1863, the ship formed part of a reserve squadron outside the bar.

Destroying the blockade runner ''Stonewall Jackson''

Five days later, while patrolling with , she detected blockade runner ''Stonewall Jackson'' attempting to dash into Charleston. The two Union ships opened fire immediately, so damaging the blockade runner that she was forced to run aground and destroy her cargo, which included vitally needed Army artillery and shoes.

Participating in the seize of Fort Fisher

The veteran blockader made two more captures in December 1863-January 1864, and later in 1864 moved north to join the

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required the monitoring of of Atlantic ...

, whose main attention was turned to

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is t ...

, and its powerful defender,

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear Rive ...

. During the first attack on the fort on 24–25 December 1864, ''Huron'' took part in the bombardment which was to cover the storming by Union Army troops. This first assault aborted, but preparations were quickly made for a second joint operation in January 1865.

The capture of Fort Fisher

Again, ''Huron'' provided a part of the devastating naval bombardment; and, with the help of a landing party of 2,000 sailors and marines, the Union Army assault forces captured Fort Fisher on 15 January 1865, effectually closing Wilmington to blockade runners. Then, during the final months of the war, ''Huron'' took part in combined operations against the city itself, bombarding Forts Anderson, and St. Philip in February.

Searching for officials of the Confederacy

After Appomattox, responding to the attempted escape of President Jefferson Davis of the Confederate States, ''Huron'' steamed to Key West, Florida, in an effort to capture Confederate officials bound for Havana, Cuba, or

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

by water. She arrived on 2 May, but Davis was captured near

Irwinville, Georgia Irwinville is an unincorporated community in Irwin County, Georgia, United States. Irwinville was founded as "Irwinsville" in 1831 as the seat for the newly formed Irwin County. The community was named for Georgia governor Jared Irwin. It was ...

on 10 May.

After the war

Following the end of the Civil War, ''Huron'' served on the South American station. Seaman James Carey who while serving on the ''Huron'' in 1868 saved three shipmates from drowning and was awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

. She decommissioned in October 1868 and was sold in June 1869. She subsequently became the merchant vessel ''D.H. Bills''.

References

External links

USS Huron (1862-1869)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huron Ships of the Union Navy Ships built in Boston Steamships of the United States Navy Unadilla-class gunboats American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States 1861 ships