USS Lilian (1863)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

USS ''Lilian'' was a large steamer captured by the Union Navy during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the
Confederacy A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...
to prevent the South from trading with other countries.


Captured by the Union and commissioned as a Union Navy vessel

''Lilian'', an iron wide-wheel steamer built on the Clyde River,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, in 1863, was captured some 100 miles east of
Cape Fear Cape Fear may refer to: Film and television * ''Cape Fear'' (1962 film), a film by J. Lee Thompson starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum * ''Cape Fear'' (1991 film), a remake by Martin Scorsese starring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte * "Cape ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, 24 August 1864 by and other Union ships. Among the prisoners were five
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...
, pilots being carried to
Bermuda Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. Bermuda is an ...
to guide Confederate ships through 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 ...
. Purchased by the Navy from the
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
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 ...
6 September 1864, she was commissioned 6 October at the
Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy shipyard and was historically important for nearly two centuries. Construction of the original Philadelphia Naval Shipyard began during the American Revolution in 1776 at Front ...
, Acting Volunteer Lt. T. A. Harris in command.


Assigned to join the Union fleet attacking Fort Fisher

''Lilian'' joined the fleet attacking
Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear Riv ...
,
Cape Fear River The Cape Fear River is a blackwater river in east-central North Carolina. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The river is formed at the confluence of the Haw River and the Deep River in the town of ...
, 23 to 24 December 1864 and 13 to 14 January 1865. She landed troops above the fort on the 13th, and then bombarded it. After this attack, she patrolled the inlet, and with captured the British steamer ''Blenheim'' 25 January.


Post-war decommissioning, sale, and civilian career

She decommissioned 5 April 1865 and was sold at
public auction A government auction or a public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a governmen ...
at
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
30 November 1865. Documented 8 October 1866, ''Lilian'' operated in merchant service until 1868.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lilian Ships of the Union Navy Steamships of the United States Navy Ships built on the River Clyde Gunboats of the United States Navy 1863 ships