USS ''James L. Davis'' was a

bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...

acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

Service history

''James L. Davis'' (also called ''J. L. Davis''), a wooden sailing vessel, was purchased at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 29 September 1861; and commissioned 30 December, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Joseph Winn in command. ''James L. Davis'' departed Philadelphia 2 January 1862 for the Gulf of Mexico. She joined Flag Officer David Farragut's West Gulf Blockading Squadron off Pass a l'Outre 5 February but was soon transferred to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron in exchange for . ''James L. Davis'' arrived Cedar Keys, Florida, 2 March and 8 days later captured

schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...

''Florida'' attempting to slip in through the blockade with a cargo of coffee, soda ash, and other supplies already in short supply in the South. After 6 months of blockade duty on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida, the bark took English schooner ''Isabel'' attempting to dash out of

St. Mark's, Florida St. Marks is a city in Wakulla County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Tallahassee metropolitan area. The population was 293 at the 2010 census. As of 2018, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 319. Geography St. Marks ...

, with a cargo of cotton in late September. On 2 October ''James L. Davis'' interrupted her blockade duty to serve as a supply ship, carrying stores and provisions to other vessels of the squadron. The bark continued this essential work until ordered to relieve at St. Joseph's Bay, Florida, in March 1863. She remained at this station until ordered to

Key West, Florida Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Isla ...

, for repairs 15 November. At the beginning of 1864 ''James L. Davis'' was ordered to Tampa Bay where she served until fall. On 4 May 1864 she joined and in landing Union Army troops at Tampa, Florida, and in providing men for a naval, landing party which helped to capture the town 6 May. During the operation the three ships cooperated in capturing blockade-running sloop ''Neptune'' with a cargo of cotton. In July and August, ''James L. Davis'' participated in a series of successful boat expeditions which destroyed salt works, a large saw and grist mill, and a

sugar mill A sugar cane mill is a factory that processes sugar cane to produce raw or white sugar. The term is also used to refer to the equipment that crushes the sticks of sugar cane to extract the juice. Processing There are a number of steps in pro ...

belonging to

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...

. ''James L. Davis'' was ordered to St. Joseph's Bay 1 September and served there until ordered to Key West for repairs 1 April 1865. The war ended while the bark was at Key West. She was ordered to Philadelphia 21 April where she was sold at public auction 20 June 1865.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:James L. Davis Ships of the Union Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy Barques of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States Stores ships of the United States Navy