USS ''Ceres'' was a small steamboat acquired by the

Union Navy The Union Navy was the United States Navy (USN) during the American Civil War, when it fought the Confederate States Navy (CSN). The term is sometimes used carelessly to include vessels of war used on the rivers of the interior while they were un ...

during the beginning 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 ...

. She was outfitted as a

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-ste ...

and used in the

Union blockade 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 Atlanti ...

of the waterways 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 ...

Service history

''Ceres'', an armed side-wheel merchant steamer, was built at

Keyport, New Jersey Keyport is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 7,240,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 ...

on 11 September 1861, fitted out at the

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

, and commissioned the same month, Acting

Master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

J. L. Elliott in command. Originally assigned to the Potomac Flotilla, ''Ceres'' was ordered on 18 September 1861 to report to 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 ...

, and for the remainder of the war, aside from repair periods at

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, Maryland operated in the rivers and sounds of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

and

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

. Here she maintained the close watch for

Confederate States 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 ...

merchantmen through which the blockading forces provided so important a part of the U.S. Navy's contribution in the

. She was successful in capturing four blockade runners during her service, as well as aiding in the seizure of others. Another crucial assignment carried out by ''Ceres squadron was support for

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 ...

forces holding or attempting to take coastal positions, as well as providing boats and cover for amphibious operations, raids, and reconnaissance. She took part in the capture of Roanoke Island on 7–8 February 1862, during which she was hit while firing on Confederate shore positions. When nearby Confederate naval ships retired up

Albemarle Sound Albemarle Sound () is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Currituck Banks, a bar ...

as Roanoke Island fell, ''Ceres'' joined in following them, and next took part in the naval engagement off

Elizabeth City, North Carolina Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, Pasquotank County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 18,629. Elizabeth City is the county seat and largest city of Pasquotank County. It ...

. During this action, in which one of her men was wounded, she captured CSS ''Ellis''. Continuing her operations in North Carolinian waters, ''Ceres'' took the steamer ''Wilson'' on 9 July 1862 while covering the landing of an Army raiding party near

Hamilton, North Carolina Hamilton is a town in Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 408 at the 2010 census. Geography Hamilton is located at (35.944116, -77.207772). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of ...

. Through most of 1863, she protected the forces holding such posts as Fort Anderson at New Bern, North Carolina and the positions near

Washington, North Carolina Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,744 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. It is commonly known as "Original W ...

, coming under fire from Confederate batteries on several occasions. In the lengthy series of attacks around

Plymouth, North Carolina Plymouth is the largest town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,878 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Washington County. Plymouth is located on the Roanoke River about seven miles (11 km) upr ...

, ''Ceres'' lost two men killed and six wounded when she was taken under heavy fire from Fort Grey, upriver from Plymouth, on 17 April 1864. Two days later, it was ''Ceres'' who gave warning of the approach of the formidable Confederate ram CSS ''Albemarle'', and took part in the first engagement with the ram which followed. On 5 May, her group again was engaged with ''Albemarle'' and two other steamers at the

Battle of Albemarle Sound The Battle of Albemarle Sound was an inconclusive naval battle fought in May 1864 along the coast of North Carolina during the American Civil War. Three Confederate warships, including an ironclad, engaged eight Union gunboats. The action end ...

. Following the dramatic sinking of ''Albemarle'' by

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 ...

William B. Cushing William Barker Cushing (4 November 184217 December 1874) was an officer in the United States Navy, best known for sinking the during a daring nighttime raid on 27 October 1864, for which he received the Thanks of Congress. Cushing was the youn ...

, and later salvage, ''Ceres'' towed ''Albemarle'' north to Norfolk, Virginia at the close of the war. After a final patrol period off

, ''Ceres'' was decommissioned at

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

on 14 July 1865, and sold on 25 October 1865.

References

External links

USS Ceres
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ceres Ships of the Union Navy Ships built in Keyport, New Jersey Steamships of the United States Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States 1856 ships