The first USS ''Courier'' was a

storeship Combat stores ships, or storeships, were originally a designation given to ships in the Age of Sail and immediately afterward that navies used to stow supplies and other goods for naval purposes. Today, the United States Navy and the Royal Nav ...

acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a supply ship to support Union Navy ships engaged in the blockade of

Southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...

ports. Courier also operated as a gunboat when the opportunity presented itself from time to time.

Purchased in New York City in 1861

''Courier'', a storeship, was purchased 7 September 1861 from W. B. Thomas and Co., New York City, and commissioned 17 September 1861, Acting Master W. K. Cressy in command.

Service history

''Courier'' sailed from New York City 17 October 1861 on the first of many voyages to bring supplies to ships at

Port Royal Port Royal is a village located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and co ...

, South Carolina, along the Florida coast, and in the Gulf of Mexico as far west as New Orleans, Louisiana. Participating in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America, ''Courier'' captured three

blockade runners 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 ...

, ''Angelina'' and ''Emeline'' on 16 May 1863 and ''Maria Bishop'' on 17 May 1863. ''Courier'' ran aground in the

Abaco Islands Abaco is a variant Italian form of the Biblical name "Habakkuk" (but normally Abacùc or Abacucco). Abaco may refer to: People *Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco (1675–1742), Italian composer and violinist *Joseph Abaco (1710–1805), Belgian compose ...

in the Bahamas on 14 June 1864 and had to be abandoned, but her officers and men, together with her stores and cargo, were saved and sent to the United States.

References

External links

Guide to the Log of the USS ''Courier'', 1863-1864 MS 76
held by Special Collection & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy {{DEFAULTSORT:Courier Ships of the Union Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy American Civil War auxiliary ships of the United States Stores ships of the United States Navy Shipwrecks of the American Civil War Shipwrecks of the Bahamas Maritime incidents in June 1864