USS ''Whitehead'', a screw steamer built in 1861 at

New Brunswick, New Jersey New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.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 ...

in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

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 ...

. ''Whitehead'' was purchased by the Navy on 17 October 1861 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 ...

from D. B. Martin, and commissioned on 19 November 1861, Acting Master Charles A. French in command.

Service history

North Carolina blockade, 1862

The following day, ''Whitehead'' reached

Hampton Roads Hampton Roads is a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond, and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's Point near whe ...

and joined the

North Atlantic 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 ...

. She sailed for the

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 ...

coast on 28 December 1861 and arrived at

Hatteras Inlet Hatteras Inlet is an estuary in North Carolina, located along the Outer Banks, separating Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pamlico Sound. Hatteras Inlet is located entirely within Hyde County, North Car ...

on 4 January 1862. During the next few months, the steamer ''Whitehead'' carried out extensive operations against

Confederate 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 ...

vessels and shore installations in the sounds and rivers of North Carolina. On 7–8 February, she helped to capture

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 ...

. On 10 February, ''Whitehead'' took schooner ''M. C. Etheridge'' on the

Pasquotank River The Pasquotank River
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North ...

. On 10 April, she made prizes of schooners ''Comet'' and ''J. J. Crittendon'' and of sloop ''America'' in Newbegun Creek. Together with the , , and , ''Whitehead'' blocked the mouth of the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal with fill on 23–24 April. She captured schooner ''Eugenia'' in Bennett's Creek on 20 May and took ''Ella D'' off Keel's Creek two days later. Late in September, ''Whitehead'' briefly left North Carolina waters to participate in a Federal assault upon Confederate forces gathered at

Franklin, Virginia Franklin is the southwesternmost independent city in Hampton Roads, Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,180. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Franklin with Southampton County for statist ...

. On 3 October, , and ''Whitehead'' entered the

Blackwater River A blackwater river is a type of River#Classification, river with a slow-moving channel flowing through forested swamps or wetlands. Most major blackwater rivers are in the Amazon Basin and the Southern United States. The term is used in fluvial ...

and fired on Rebel troops for over six hours before a barricade placed across the channel necessitated retreat. One of ''Whitehead'' sailors, Ordinary Seaman Edwin Smith, was awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

for his actions during this engagement. ''Whitehead'' soon returned to

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 ...

but was ordered north on 16 November 1862 for repairs at the

Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is a ceremonial and administrative center for the United States Navy, located in the federal national capital city of Washington, D.C. (federal District of Columbia). It is the oldest shore establishment / base of ...

. At this time, 3-inch iron plate was placed over her guns and around her pilot house. Back in fighting trim, ''Whitehead'' returned to North Carolina late in December 1862.

River campaign, 1863

Her first noteworthy action came early in the spring of 1863 when she helped to lift the Confederate siege of

Washington, North Carolina Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,875 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. It is c ...

, which lasted from 31 March to 16 April. On 6–7 July, ''Whitehead'', ''Commodore Perry'', and bombarded and occupied

Williamston, North Carolina Williamston is a town in and the county seat of Martin County, North Carolina, Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,248 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks re ...

. ''Whitehead'' captured several prisoners during an expedition up the

Pasquotank River The Pasquotank River
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North ...

on 14 August 1863 and destroyed a Confederate corn mill on the Roanoke River on 22 February 1864. On 1–2 March 1864, ''Whitehead'' and ''Southfield'' sailed up the

Chowan River The Chowan River (cho-WAHHN)
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

USS ''Bombshell'' from her encirclement by Confederate shore batteries.

CSS ''Albemarle'', 1864

''Whitehead'' encountered the formidable Confederate ram CSS ''Albemarle'' on three occasions. In the early morning hours of 19 April 1864, , , ''Southfield'' and ''Whitehead'' engaged the ram in the Roanoke River. All received damage, and ''Southfield'' was sunk. Darkness prevented ''Whitehead'' from returning ''Albemarle''s fire. As a result of this costly Union naval defeat,

Plymouth, North Carolina Plymouth is the most populous town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,320 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Washington County. Plymouth is located on the Roanoke River ...

fell to Confederate troops the next day. Union vessels, including ''Whitehead'', again fought ''Albemarle'' on 5 May 1864. This three-hour Battle of Albemarle Sound was inconclusive, and the ram withdrew up the Roanoke. ''Whitehead'' battled ''Albemarle'' a third time on 24 May 1864. A shell from ''Whitehead'' exploded near the ram's stern and caused the dreaded Confederate warship to withdraw.

Continuing the blockade, 1864–1865

''Whitehead'' resumed routine patrol and reconnaissance duty soon after this. On 12 July 1864, she ascended the Scuppernong River to

Columbia, North Carolina Columbia is a town in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 610 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Tyrrell County. Geography The Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula is located in northeastern North Carolina, in ...

, and burned a bridge used to transport supplies to Southern troops at Plymouth. ''Whitehead'' and steamers ''Thomas Colyer'' and ''Massasoit'' joined in an expedition up the Chowan River on 28 July 1864, capturing steamer ''Arrow'' and a large quantity of cotton and tobacco on 29 July at Gatesville, North Carolina. ''Whitehead'' proceeded to the

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 ...

for repairs on 20 August 1864. She completed these in time for her to participate in the recapture of Plymouth on 31 October 1864. For the closing months of the Civil War, ''Whitehead'', but for occasional runs to

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 ...

for supplies, patrolled the inland waters of North Carolina. She was decommissioned 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 ...

on 29 June 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 ...

there on 10 August 1865. Re-documented as ''Nevada'' on 7 October 1865, the steamer remained in mercantile service until she was destroyed by fire on 1 September 1872 at

New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the outlet of the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, which empties into Long Island Sound. The cit ...

References