CSS ''Junaluska'', also known as ''Younalaska'', was a

screw steamer A screw steamer or screw steamship (abbreviated "SS") is an old term for a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine, using one or more propellers (also known as ''screws'') to propel it through the water. Such a ship was also known as an " ...

tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...

that saw service with the

Confederate States Navy The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the Navy, naval branch of the Confederate States Armed Forces, established by an act of the Confederate States Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the Amer ...

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 ...

. Built in

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 ...

, in 1860, she was purchased by the Confederates at

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...

, in 1861. Serving off of the coasts of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

and

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 ...

, she participated in the capture of the

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-steam ...

USS ''Fanny'' on October 1, 1861, and later in a raid on a Union campsite. She continued to serve along the North Carolina coast until August 1862, when she was sold and

broken up Ship breaking (also known as ship recycling, ship demolition, ship scrapping, ship dismantling, or ship cracking) is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships either as a source of Interchangeable parts, parts, which can be sol ...

Service history

''Junaluska'' was built in

in 1860. The ''

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 ...

'' states that ''Younalaska'' was an alternate name of the vessel, while naval historian Paul Silverstone states that it was her original name. Her namesake was

Junaluska Junaluska (Cherokee: ''Tsunu’lahun’ski'') (c.1775 – November 20, 1858), was a leader of Cherokee who resided in towns in western North Carolina in the early 19th century. He fought alongside Andrew Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend d ...

, a

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

who allegedly saved the life of

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...

. A

, she was built as a canal

and had a

tonnage Tonnage is a measure of the capacity of a ship, and is commonly used to assess fees on commercial shipping. The term derives from the taxation paid on '' tuns'' or casks of wine. In modern maritime usage, "tonnage" specifically refers to a cal ...

of 79 tons. She had an iron

hull Hull may refer to: Structures * The hull of an armored fighting vehicle, housing the chassis * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a sea-going craft * Submarine hull Ma ...

. The

purchased her in 1861 for service in the

while ''Junaluska'' was at

. She then served along the coasts of

and

. Her crew was composed of infantrymen who had little training for naval warfare. On August 30, 1861, ''Junaluska'' ferried part of the 3rd Georgia Infantry Regiment to

Roanoke Island Roanoke Island () is an island in Dare County, bordered by the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was named after the historical Roanoke, a Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English colonizat ...

, and on September 1 made a trip to Fort Hatteras and Fort Oregon on the

Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separatin ...

. She was unarmed until September 30, when she was armed with a single 6-pounder cannon, a piece so light that historian William R. Trotter referred to it metaphorically as a popgun. As part of the North Carolina Squadron commanded by Flag Officer William F. Lynch, along with the

s CSS ''Raleigh'' and CSS ''Curlew'', ''Junaluska'' participated in a naval expedition against the gunboat USS ''Fanny'' the next day. At this time, ''Junaluska'' was commanded by

Midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...

William H. Vernon. ''Fanny'' arrived off of Chicamacomico, North Carolina, early in the afternoon. While some of the Union ship's crew were off the vessel on a

launch Launch or launched may refer to: Involving vehicles * Launch (boat), one of several different sorts of boat ** Motor launch (naval), a small military vessel used by the Royal Navy * Air launch, the practice of dropping an aircraft, rocket, or ...

, the three Confederate vessels approached ''Fanny'' at about 4:00 pm. ''Junaluska'' was the trailing vessel and was unable to get within range of the Union Navy ship. ''Fanny''s path of retreat was cut off, and she surrendered after a fight of about 35 minutes. ''Junaluska'' ferried the 3rd Georgia from Roanoke Island for a raid on the Union Chicamacomico camp during the night and morning of October 3/4, and bore the body of a Confederate soldier who had died of exhaustion during the raid back to the mainland. During this raid, ''Junaluska'' was commanded by a Captain Slacum. While the ship was transferred away from the North Carolina Squadron, ''Junaluska'' continued to serve off the North Carolina coast, although an official Confederate naval report dated May 2, 1862, placed her in the

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

, area. Both Silverstone and the ''Naval History and Heritage Command'' state that she was eventually armed with two cannons. In August 1862, she was sold and

References

Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Junaluska Ships of the Confederate States Navy Ships built in Philadelphia 1860 ships Steam tugs