CSS ''Raleigh'' was originally a small, iron-hulled, propeller-driven towing steamer operating on the

Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal was built by a corporation in 1856–1860 to afford inland navigation between the Chesapeake Bay and the Albemarle Sound. It comprises two canals that are apart, one long between the Elizabeth River and the ...

. She was taken over by the State of

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 ...

in May 1861, and transferred to the

Confederate States The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States from 1861 to 1865. It comprised eleven U.S. states th ...

the following July. Her commanding officer during 1861–1862 was Lieutenant

Joseph W. Alexander Dr. Joseph W. Alexander, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, DVM, (1947) is an American educator from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He served as the Oklahoma State Cabinet, Oklahoma Secretary of Science and Technology under Governor of Oklahoma Brad He ...

. Her entire service was in coastal waters of

and

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 in the James River as part of the

James River Squadron The James River Squadron was formed shortly after the secession of Virginia during the American Civil War. The squadron was part of the Virginia Navy before being transferred to the Confederate States Navy. The squadron is most notable for its ...

. ''Raleigh'' supported Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark on August 28–29, 1861; took part in an expedition on October 1 to capture

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

steamer '' Fanny'' with valuable stores on board; and accompanied CSS ''Sea Bird'' when she reconnoitered

Pamlico Sound Pamlico Sound ( ) is a large estuarine lagoon in North Carolina. The largest lagoon along the North American East Coast, it extends long and wide. It is part of a large, interconnected network of similar lagoons that includes Albemarle Sou ...

on January 20, 1862. She was also active in defense of

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 ...

against an amphibious assault by overwhelming Federal forces on February 7–8, 1862, and at

Elizabeth City, North Carolina Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, Pasquotank county, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 18,629. Elizabeth City is the county seat and most populous city of Pasqu ...

2 days later. Thence ''Raleigh'' escaped through

Dismal Swamp Canal The Dismal Swamp Canal is a canal located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina in the United States. Opened in 1805, it is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the United States. It is p ...

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 ...

. On March 8–9, 1862, ''Raleigh'' was tender to CSS ''Virginia'' during the historic

Battle of Hampton Roads The Battle of Hampton Roads, also referred to as the Battle of the ''Monitor'' and ''Merrimack'' or the Battle of Ironclads, was a naval battle during the American Civil War. The battle was fought over two days, March 8 and 9, 1862, in Hampton ...

, for which she received the thanks of the

Confederate Congress The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and permanent legislative assembly/legislature of the Confederate States of America that existed from February 1861 to April/June 1865, during the American Civil War. Its actions were, ...

. With the Federal recapture of

Norfolk Navy Yard The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a United States Navy, U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest ...

in May 1862, ''Raleigh'' steamed up the James River, but thereafter a shortage of crew members restricted her to flag-of-truce or patrol service. ''Raleigh'', renamed ''Roanoke'' near the end of the war, was destroyed by the Confederates on April 4, 1865 upon the evacuation of

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. ...

Commanders

The commanders of the CSS ''Raleigh'' were:Coski (1996), John M. ''Capital Navy: The Men, Ships and Operations of the James River Squadron'', Campbell, CA: Savas Woodbury Publishers. . * Lieutenant Joseph W. Alexander (1861–1862) * Lieutenant Maxwell T. Clarke (1863-June 1864) * Lieutenant Mortimer Murray Benton (during June 1864) *

Master's Mate Master's mate is an obsolete rating which was used by the British Royal Navy, Royal Navy, United States Navy and merchant services in both countries for a senior petty officer who assisted the sailing master, master. Master's mates evolved into th ...

A.E. Albertson (July 31, 1864-) * Acting Master W. Frank Shippey (October–December 1864) * Lieutenant William Wonder Pollock (January 1865-end of war)

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Raleigh CSS (1861) Raleigh (1861) Shipwrecks of the American Civil War Shipwrecks in rivers Ship fires 1860s ships Maritime incidents in April 1865 Scuttled vessels