USS ''Isaac N. Seymour'', also referred to variously as ''Seymour'', ''I. N. Seymour'' and ''J. N. Seymour'', was a steamer 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 ...

for use 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 ...

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 ...

. She was used by the Navy as a littoral ship in fire support, supply and blockading roles.

Construction and design

''Isaac N. Seymour'' was a wooden-hulled sidewheel steamer built by Benjamin C. TerrySilverstone 1989. p. 97. 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,displacement Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and Physics * Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...

of 133 long tons, a length of 100 feet, beam of 19 feet 8 inches and hold depth of 7 feet 6 inches; her draft fully loaded was 6 feet 6 inches, with a light draft of 5 feet 6 inches. ''I. N. Seymour'' was powered by a vertical beam steam engine with a 30-inch bore and 6-foot stroke, built by Fletcher, Harrison & Co. of New York. The vessel had an average speed of 5 knots and a maximum speed of 11 knots.Daniels 1921
p. 106
On 26 October 1861, ''I. N. Seymour'' was purchased from Mr. Schultz by George D. Morgan on behalf of the United States Navy for the sum of $18,000. Renamed USS ''Isaac N. Seymour'', the ship was fitted out with one 30- and one 20-pdr

Parrott rifle The Parrott rifle was a type of muzzle-loading rifled artillery weapon used extensively in the American Civil War. Parrott rifle The gun was invented by Captain Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate. He was an American soldier and inven ...

for use as a

."Isaac N. Seymour"
''

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'' (''DANFS'') is the official reference work for the basic facts about ships used by the United States Navy. When the writing project was developed the parameters for this series were designed to ...

'' online edition, Naval History and Heritage Command website.

Service history

''Isaac N. Seymour'' was assigned 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 ...

20 November and 3 days later was stationed in

Hampton Roads, Virginia Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James, Nansemond and Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's Point where the Chesapeake Bay flows into the Atlantic O ...

. While there she joined three other ships in engaging Confederate steamer ''

CSS Patrick Henry CSS ''Patrick Henry'' was a ship built in New York City in 1859 by the renowned William H. Webb for the Old Dominion Steam Ship Line as the civilian steamer ''Yorktown'', a brigantine-rigged side-wheel steamer. She carried passengers and freight ...

'' and drove her back up stream. A month later Flag Officer

Louis M. Goldsborough Louis Malesherbes Goldsborough (February 18, 1805 – February 20, 1877) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He held several sea commands during the Civil War, including that of the North Atlantic Blockadi ...

ordered ''Isaac N. Seymour'' to

Hatteras Inlet Hatteras Inlet is an estuary in North Carolina, located along the Outer Banks, separating Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pamlico Sound. Hatteras Inlet is located entirely within Hyde County. History ...

for impending operations in the sounds of

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 ...

. She participated in the combined operations which took Roanoke Island 8 February, and at the end of the action she was commended for being "conspicuously in the foreground throughout the bombardment." One of her powdermen was killed and her chief engineer was seriously wounded in the fight. The next day ''Isaac N. Seymour'' steamed up

Pasquotank River The Pasquotank River
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

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 ...

, with Comdr. Rowan's expedition to destroy enemy gunboats and to break up communications between

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 ...

and Norfolk, Virginia. She continued mop-up operations in the sounds until she struck an abandoned anchor in Hatteras Inlet 20 February and sank before she could be run aground. She was raised, repaired, and returned to service in May. She resumed her former duty and continued to give a good account of herself in the sounds until 24 August when she struck a bank and sank in the

Neuse River The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in ...

some 3 miles above New Bern, North Carolina, while steaming upstream to cover a landing of troops. A month later she was reported raised and on the ways being readied for service. Back in fighting trim 23 October, she was ordered to tow schooner ''Minnehaha'' to

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 ...

, to deliver provisions. Five days later she made the return passage towing damaged steamer to New Bern, North Carolina, for repairs. Similar duty maintaining communications and lines of supply between Navy units in the sounds continued until 12 December when ''Isaac N. Seymour'' ascended the Neuse River with four other ships to support an Army expedition to destroy railroad bridges and track near Goldsboro, North Carolina, but the mission was aborted by low water which prevented their advancing more than 15 miles beyond New Bern. Confederate troops attacked the Union garrison at

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 ...

, 31 March 1863 establishing a siege which threatened to starve the Northern troops into surrender. ''Isaac N. Seymour'' departed

, 2 April to play an active role in the naval operations which, despite well-served batteries ashore, brought the beleaguered soldiers food and ammunition. The Southern troops were finally forced to lift the

blockade A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force. A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are leg ...

16 April. Once again the daring and versatility of the Navy had been decisive in holding a hard-pressed position for the North. ''Isaac N. Seymour'' was a part of the task force which started up the James River 11 July to demonstrate against Richmond, Virginia. The high point of the expedition came 14 July when Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee, flying his flag in ''Isaac N. Seymour'', occupied Fort Powhatan, the last Confederate defense on the river below Chaffin's and Drewry's Bluff. ''Isaac N. Seymour'' continued to serve in the

—maintaining Union control of North Carolina's inland waters and supporting Army operations from the James and York Rivers as General

U.S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

supplied and supported by water, relentlessly pressed toward Richmond and victory. ''Isaac N. Seymour'' was detached in March 1865 and decommissioned at

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

16 May. She was transferred to the Lighthouse Board 20 June which she served as ''Tulip'' until sold and redocumented ''Magnolia'' 7 June 1882. ''Magnolia'' was sold to a foreign owner in 1888.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Isaac N. Seymour Ships of the Union Navy Ships built in Keyport, New Jersey Steamships of the United States Navy 1860 ships Ships of the United States Lighthouse Service Lighthouse tenders of the United States Shipwrecks of the American Civil War Shipwrecks of the Carolina coast Shipwrecks in rivers Maritime incidents in February 1862 Maritime incidents in August 1862