USS ''Nipsic'' was a gunboat in the Union Navy. The ship was laid down on 24 December 1862 by Portsmouth Navy Yard; launched on 15 June 1863; sponsored by Miss Rebecca Scott; and commissioned on 2 September 1863,

Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...

George Bacon in command. In 1874 she was rebuilt as a new, and substantially larger, Adams/Enterprise-class gunboat. The Navy rebuilt some ships to new, when they could not get budget authorization for a new ship, but had significant funding for repairs. She would also be completely rebuilt in 1890 her length and beam extended and her tonnage increased.

Service history

1863–1873

''Nipsic'' arrived off Morris Island, South Carolina, on 5 November 1863 to join in the blockade of

Charleston Charleston most commonly refers to: * Charleston, South Carolina * Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital * Charleston (dance) Charleston may also refer to: Places Australia * Charleston, South Australia Canada * Charleston, Newfoundlan ...

, where she served until the end of 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 th ...

. On 27 June 1864, she took

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 ...

''Julia'' as the blockade-runner attempted to enter port. On 26 June 1865, three sailors deserted from the ''Nipsic''. They were Henry May, Ordinary Seaman; Julius Bergan, Seaman; and John Partington, Seaman. The three had served together on three vessels: ''Allegheny'', ''Mahaska'', ''Nipsic''. ''Nipsic'' served primarily with the South Atlantic Squadron off the coast of

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, and in the

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, protecting American commerce and interests until 1873 when she was decommissioned and subsequently broken up.

1879–1889

Rebuilt as a new, and substantially larger, '' Adams/Enterprise''-class gunboat, ''Nipsic'' recommissioned on 11 October 1879. She served again in the

until March 1880 when she sailed for the

European Station The European Squadron, also known as the European Station, was a part of the United States Navy in the late 19th century and the early 1900s. The squadron was originally named the Mediterranean Squadron and renamed following the American Civil Wa ...

. After three years service in the

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and along the north and west coasts of

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, ''Nipsic'' returned to the South Atlantic Squadron in June 1883. She served there until March 1886 when she sailed to the

Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy. The Yard currently serves as a ceremonial and administrativ ...

for overhaul. In January 1888 she sailed for

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and

Callao Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and Regions of Peru, region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists o ...

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, whence she departed on 23 September for duty as station ship in

Apia Harbour Apia () is the capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō'') of Tuamasaga. T ...

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...

On 15 March 1889, ''Nipsic'' rode at anchor in Apia Harbour with , , , and three

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naval vessels, SMS ''Adler'', SMS ''Olga'', and SMS ''Eber'', along with six merchantmen. Gale-force winds arose, and preparations for leaving harbor were begun, but departure was delayed in the hope that conditions next morning would be more favorable for the sortie. However, by early morning on 16 March the harbor was a mass of foam and spray as

hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

-force winds battered the ships in the

1889 Apia cyclone The 1889 Apia cyclone was a tropical cyclone in the South Pacific Ocean, which swept across Apia, Samoa on March 15, 1889, during the Samoan crisis. The effect on shipping in the harbour was devastating, largely because of what has been described ...

. Only ''Calliope'', larger and more strongly powered than the others, was able to leave the harbor. ''Vandalia'', ''Trenton'', ''Adler'' and ''Eber'', and the merchantmen were all sunk; ''Nipsic's'' captain, Cmdr. D. W. Mullin, was able by superb seamanship to beach his ship. While severely damaged by the pounding she received on the beach, ''Nipsic's'' hull was intact, although much of her topside structure was battered, all of her propeller blades damaged, two boilers spread and useless, and eight of her crew lost. Refloated and her engines repaired, ''Nipsic'' cleared Apia on 9 May for

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, but was turned back by heavy seas. On 15 May she again sailed, for

Pago Pago Pago Pago ( ; Samoan: )Harris, Ann G. and Esther Tuttle (2004). ''Geology of National Parks''. Kendall Hunt. Page 604. . is the territorial capital of American Samoa. It is in Maoputasi County on Tutuila, which is American Samoa's main island. ...

Fanning Island Tabuaeran, also known as Fanning Island, is an atoll that is part of the Line Islands of the central Pacific Ocean and part of Kiribati. The land area is , and the population in 2015 was 2,315. The maximum elevation is about 3 m (10 f ...

, and

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, arriving on 2 August. Samoan crisis propeller

1890–1913

''Nipsic'' was completely rebuilt in

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, her length and beam extended and her tonnage increased. From 3 January 1890 she cruised in the Hawaiian Islands guarding American interests. She arrived in

San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay is a large tidal estuary in the U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the big cities of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. San Francisco Bay drains water from a ...

on 30 September, and decommissioned at Mare Island Navy Yard on 2 October 1890. In 1892 she sailed to Puget Sound Navy Yard to serve as

receiving ship A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Hulk may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or to refer to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipmen ...

and

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. On 13 February 1913 she was sold. ''Nipsic'' was burned for her estimated salvage value of $15,000 on the shores of

Lummi Island Lummi Island lies at the southwest corner of Whatcom County, Washington, United States, between the mainland part of the county and offshore San Juan County. The Lummi Indian Reservation is situated on a peninsula east of the island, but it d ...

, Bellingham Bay,

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, in late 1915."Old Frigate Passes"
''The Marine Review''. November 1915. P. 411. Cleveland, Ohio: The Penton Publishing Company..

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Nipsic Ships of the Union Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States Ships built in Kittery, Maine 1863 ships Shipwrecks of Samoa Maritime incidents in March 1889

Service history

1863–1873

1879–1889

1890–1913

See also

References