USS Harcourt (1864)

History
United States
Acquired	14 June 1864
Out of service	20 November 1865
Fate	Sold, 16 April 1867
General characteristics
Length	66 ft (20 m)
Beam	16 ft 3 in (4.95 m)
Depth of hold	7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
Propulsion	steam engine ; screw-propelled;
Speed	13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Armament	not known

Last updated November 19, 2022

USS Harcourt was a small steamship acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was placed into service as a tugboat and assigned to the blockade of ports of the Confederate States of America.

While on blockade duty, she performed other services, as required, such as patrolling and carrying personnel back and forth between ships and shore and providing the services of a dispatch boat.

Service history

Harcourt, a screw tug, was purchased by the Navy at New York City from a private owner 14 June 1864. Her first commanding officer was Acting Ensign J. A. Chadwick. After a brief period as dispatch boat at Hampton Roads, Virginia, Harcourt was ordered 31 July 1864 to Beaufort, North Carolina, to serve the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron as a pilot tug. She remained at Beaufort carrying pilots to and from ships in the harbor until returning to Norfolk, Virginia, for repairs in November 1864. She later spent a brief period as a patrol boat on the James River in March 1865, and in April assisted in towing the hulk of former CSS Albemarle, the formidable ram sunk in Albemarle Sound 27 October 1864 by Lt. W. B. Gushing, to Norfolk Navy Yard, where she arrived 27 April. Harcourt performed various tug duties in Hampton Roads until placed in ordinary 20 November 1865. She was sold at Norfolk on 16 April 1867.

Related Research Articles

USS Alert was a 90 long tons (91 t) steamship named A. C. Powell purchased by the Union Navy during the first year of the American Civil War.

CSS Teaser had been the aging Georgetown, D.C. tugboat York River until the beginning of the American Civil War, when she was taken into the Confederate States Navy and took part in the famous Battle of Hampton Roads. Later, she was captured by the United States Navy and became the first USS Teaser.

USS Tacony was a double-ended, side-wheel steamboat acquired by the Union Navy during the third year of the American Civil War. She was outfitted as a heavy gunboat with powerful guns and used in the Union blockade of the waterways of the Confederate States of America.

USS <i>Whitehead</i> Gunboat of the United States Navy

USSWhitehead, a screw steamer built in 1861 at New Brunswick, New Jersey, served as a gunboat in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.

USS Heliotrope was a wooden steamer originally named Maggie Baker, which was acquired by the Union Navy for use during the American Civil War. In addition to patrol duty, Heliotrope performed other services, such as towing and dispatch running.

USS Young America was a Confederate steamer captured by the Union Navy’s blockade vessels, and subsequently placed in-service in the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

USS Zouave was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was needed by the Navy to be part of the fleet of ships to prevent blockade runners from entering ports in the Confederacy.

USS General Putnam – also known as the USS William G. Putnam – was acquired by the Union Navy during the first year of the American Civil War and outfitted as a gunboat and assigned to the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America. She also served as a tugboat and as a ship's tender when so required.

USS Shawsheen was a steam operated tugboat acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

USS Berberry was a steam-powered tugboat acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

The USS Daylight was a steamship acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

USS Western World was a ship acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

USS Lilac was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy as a tugboat and in other minor roles.

USS Cohasset was a tugboat acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy for various purposes: as a tugboat, dispatch vessel, escort vessel, and even as a gunboat.

USS Belle was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

USS Juniper was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy as a tugboat in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.

USS Rose was a screw steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

USS Althea was a screw steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. The Union Navy used her as a tugboat, a torpedo boat, and as a ship's tender in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways.

USS Henry Brinker was a small steamship acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was placed into service as a gunboat and assigned to the blockade of ports of the Confederate States of America.

USS Violet was a 166-ton steamer acquired by the U.S. Navy for use during the American Civil War.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.