CSS ''Owl'' was a

blockade runner 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 usual ...

in the

Confederate States Navy The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the 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 American ...

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 state ...

. It was built by Jones Quiggen, a ship builder in Liverpool, England and launched on June 21, 1864. ''Owl'', sister to CSS ''Bat'', was more fortunate than her twin which followed her closely. ''Owl'' succeeded in running into Wilmington,

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sometime in September 1864, although

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Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states th ...

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telegraphed

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, ...

that ''Owl'' had "a large, valuable cargo" cleared August 31—officially for

Nassau, Bahamas Nassau ( ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the Bahamas. With a population of 274,400 as of 2016, or just over 70% of the entire population of the Bahamas, Nassau is commonly defined as a primate city, dwarfing all other towns in ...

. She escaped to sea from Wilmington on October 3; her masts were visible all the while she lay in port loading. 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 ar ...

rs wounded her captain and several crewmen, but 9 shots failed to stop ''Owl''. She was now commanded by

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain ...

John Newland Maffitt, CSN—the "Prince of Privateers"—detached from CSS ''Albemarle'' at

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 ...

on or about September 9. Confederate Navy Secretary

Stephen Mallory Stephen Russell Mallory (1812 – November 9, 1873) was a Democratic senator from Florida from 1851 to the secession of his home state and the outbreak of the American Civil War. For much of that period, he was chairman of the Committee on Nav ...

, telegraphing on September 19, warned Maffitt: "It is of the first importance that our steamers should not fall into the enemy's hands… these vessels, lightly armed, now constitute the fleetest and most efficient part of his blockading force off Wilmington." Maffitt was to take no passengers, as a rule, and Assistant Paymaster

Adam Tredwell Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as ...

, CSN, would deliver "5,000 pounds in sterling bills before sailing," Mallory concluded. ''Owl'' was at

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with cotton October 24–29, as the U.S. Consul faithfully reported. On December 5, Mallory instructed Maffitt to pick up CSS ''Florida'''s men in Bermuda. A letter to Mallory captured, along with Assistant Paymaster Talley, CSN, by USS ''Forest Rose'' on May 7, 1865 bears an endorsement by her commander,

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 ...

A. N. Gould A is the first letter of the Latin and English alphabet. A may also refer to: Science and technology Quantities and units * ''a'', a measure for the attraction between particles in the Van der Waals equation * ''A'' value, a measure o ...

USN 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 o ...

: "It shows that Maffitt has been landing on the Florida coast with the ''Owl''." U.S. Consul

William Thomas Minor William Thomas Minor (October 3, 1815 – October 13, 1889) was an American judge and politician from Connecticut. He served as the 39th Governor of Connecticut, Consul-General to Havana, Cuba and judge on the Connecticut Superior Court. Bio ...

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

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reported on May 20 that Maffitt was to leave there in a day or two for

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. On this last trip ''Owl'' was almost captured at Wilmington by a Federal cruiser and had to jettison valuable mail as well as sustain 12 casualties. Maffitt then tried Galveston, and grounded on Bird Island Shoals at the entrance within range of 16 enemy cruisers.

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

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, CSN, in little CSS ''Diana'' got ''Owl'' off barely in time; she not only ran into port but ran out safely too. There is some evidence ''Owls last two runs through the blockade were made under the name of ''Foam''. ''Owl'' was delivered to Fraser, Trenholm & Co. in

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

after war's end, and Maffitt took the

Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for International Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...

examinations to command

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merchant ships to

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References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Owl Blockade runners of the Confederate States Navy Ships built on the River Mersey 1864 ships