USS ''Nita'' was a captured Confederate steamer acquired by the

Union Navy ), (official) , colors = Blue and gold , colors_label = Colors , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label ...

from the

prize court A prize court is a court (or even a single individual, such as an ambassador or consul) authorized to consider whether prizes have been lawfully captured, typically whether a ship has been lawfully captured or seized in time of war or under the te ...

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 th ...

. She was put into service by the Union Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

Service history

''Nita'', a wooden sidewheel steamer built in 1856 at

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

, was captured while carrying food and medicine from

Havana, Cuba Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

, toward Mobile, Alabama, by Union blockading

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 ...

17 August 1863. Taken 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 ...

, under a

prize crew A prize crew is the selected members of a ship chosen to take over the operations of a captured ship. Prize crews were required to take their prize to appropriate prize courts, which would determine whether the ship's officers and crew had sufficie ...

, ''Nita'' was condemned by a prize court; transferred to the Navy 10 September 1863; and commissioned 8 January 1864, Actg. Vol. Lt. Robert B. Smith in command. Assigned to the

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

, ''Nita'' patrolled the west coast of

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 ...

for the remainder of the Civil War, operating primarily between the mouth of the

Suwannee River The Suwannee River (also spelled Suwanee River) is a river that runs through south Georgia southward into Florida in the southern United States. It is a wild blackwater river, about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset hig ...

and the

Anclote Key Anclote Key is an island off the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida, the largest island in the Anclote Keys, located at near Tarpon Springs. Its name originates from the Spanish term for "anchor." The island is accessible only by boat and is ...

s. On the morning of 24 February, Lt. Smith, alerted by Union intelligence agents in

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, spotted steamer ''Nan Nan'', laden with

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

, attempting to slip to sea through the east pass of the Suwannee River. ''Nita'' at once gave chase. Twice she ran aground in the shallow coastal waters, but forced ''Nan Nan'' to throw her cotton overboard in attempting to escape. The

blockade runner A blockade runner is a merchant vessel used for evading a naval blockade of a port or strait. It is usually light and fast, using stealth and speed rather than confronting the blockaders in order to break the blockade. Blockade runners usuall ...

then stranded on the beach where her crew burned her to prevent capture. Boats from ''Nita'' took her next prize,

''Three Brothers'', 11 April, at the mouth of the

Homosassa River Homosassa River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 18, 2011 river in Citrus County, Florida, in the western part of the state. Its headwaters are the Homosassa ...

after a chase of three hours. The schooner had been attempting to slip into the river laden with supplies from

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

. ''Nita'' took her final ship on the morning of 24 October when two of her boats boarded abandoned and burning schooner ''Unknown'' off Clearwater Harbor. They promptly put out the fire and sent the prize to

, for adjudication. On 12 November ''Nita'' and steamed to

Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...

on a reconnaissance mission and landed a party to destroy Confederate salt works near

Rocky Point, Florida ''Rocky'' is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the Rocky franchise, ''Rocky'' franchise and stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weather ...

. However, the sailors were driven back by Southern cavalry. Early on 3 December, ''Nita'' and four other Union ships returned and destroyed the salt works. The efficiency of the Union Navy throughout the war made prizes scarce during the conflict’s final months. ''Nita'' continued patrolling along the coast until she decommissioned at Key West 3 May 1865, and was sold at public auction the same day.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nita Ships of the Union Navy Ships built in Mobile, Alabama Steamships of the United States Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States

Service history

See also

References