USS ''Cowslip'' was a steamer acquired 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 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-steam ...

by the Union 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. She was also used in other operational roles, such as an

ammunition ship An ammunition ship is an auxiliary ship specially configured to carry ammunition, usually for naval ships and aircraft. An ammunition ship's cargo handling systems, designed with extreme safety in mind, include ammunition hoists with airlocks bet ...

, a

dispatch boat Dispatch boats were small boats, and sometimes large ships, tasked to carry military dispatches from ship to ship or from ship to shore or, in some cases from shore to shore. Dispatch boats were employed when other means of transmitting a message w ...

, and a rescue and salvage vessel.

Built in New York in 1863

''Cowslip'', a side wheel steamer, was built in 1863 at

Newburgh, New York Newburgh is a City (New York), city in Orange County, New York, United States. With a population of 28,856 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is a principal city of the Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metropolitan area. ...

, as ''Meteor''; purchased 21 December 1863 from James How and C. W. Copeland; outfitted at

New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York, U.S. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a semicircular bend ...

; and commissioned 27 January 1864, Acting Ensign R. Canfield in command.

Civil War operations

Assigned to the West Gulf Blockade

Assigned to the

West Gulf 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 ...

, ''Cowslip'' departed

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 ...

2 February 1864 and arrived at

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

, 26 February. Constantly active, she carried officers and men and delivered mail, stores, guns, and ammunition for her squadron and provisions for refugees. She was used as a tow and

convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

steamer, performed rescue and salvage work, and served as a picket and patrol vessel.

Combat action during blockade duty

Her actions against the Confederates included the capture of a sailboat with five men on board off

Pascagoula, Mississippi Pascagoula ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula metropolitan area, and is part of the Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi, Biloxi–Pascag ...

, 15 April 1864; the sloop ''Last Push'', 29 May; and a raid up Biloxi Bay, Mississippi, on which she captured five sloops and a small steamer, and destroyed six large boats, three flat boats, and four

salt works A salt evaporation pond is a shallow artificial salt pan designed to extract salts from sea water or other brines. The salt pans are shallow and expansive, allowing sunlight to penetrate and reach the seawater. Natural salt pans are formed throu ...

. During July and August 1864 she operated off

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...

, participating in the preparations for the

Battle of Mobile Bay The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was a naval and land engagement of the American Civil War in which a Union fleet commanded by Rear Admiral David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fle ...

5 August and in Admiral David G. Farragut's brilliant action on that day which culminated in victory for the Union Navy.

''Cowslip'' active in at-sea rescue work

''Cowslip'' was also active in rescue work. She saved the crew of 8 December 1864 after their ship had been blown up by a torpedo (mine) at Edgemont Key,

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, and salvaged USS ''Narcissus’'' guns and ammunition. ''Cowslip'' rescued six wounded survivors from , after ''Sciota'' was

torpedoed A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...

14 April 1865.

Rescuing three ships when Marshall’s warehouse exploded

''Cowslip'' rendered efficient and valuable assistance by towing three ships out of the danger zone when Marshall's warehouse in

, was wrecked by an explosion 25 May 1865.

Post-war decommissioning and sale

Her service complete, ''Cowslip'' was sold 28 August 1866 at

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowslip Ships of the Union Navy Ships built in Newburgh, New York Steamships of the United States Navy Gunboats of the United States Navy Ammunition ships of the United States Navy Dispatch boats of the United States Navy American Civil War patrol vessels of the United States 1863 ships