USS Ellen Civil War Union Navy Gunboat

USS Ellen
Civil War Union Naval Gunboat

USS Ellen (1861-1865)

USS Ellen , a 341-ton (burden) light-draft gunboat, was built at New York City in 1853 as the civilian ferryboat Ellen . The Navy purchased her in October 1861 and soon placed her in commission for Civil War combat employment. The gunboat arrived at Port Royal, South Carolina, in November to begin a year of active service against the Confederacy. She took part in a skirmish at Tybee Island on 24 December 1861 and participated in several expeditions into enemy waters over the next six months. Among these were operations against Port Royal Ferry in late December 1861 and early January 1862; Wassaw Sound and other locations on the Georgia and northern Florida coasts in January-March; and South Carolina coastal rivers during May and June 1862.

Ellen was decommissioned at the end of October 1862, and converted to a floating carpenter shop at Port Royal, which was an important base for the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. For the rest of the Civil War she performed valuable service maintaining U.S. warships operating along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Ellen was sold in early September 1865 and probably broken up soon afterwards.

Line engraving published during the 19th Century, depicting the ship in 1861-1862, while she was serving as a gunboat.

The Expedition in Warsaw Sound
Line engraving, probably published in "Harper's Weekly", January-June 1862
It depicts USS Seminole and USS Ellen with several transports, and probably represents the expedition to Wassau Sound, Georgia, in late January 1862. Transports (all steamships) present are (from left to right): Belvidere , McClellan , Boston , Delaware , and Cosmopolitan .

Life in Mr. Lincoln's Navy
A tantalizing glimpse into the hardships endured by the naval leadership to build and recruit a fighting force. The seaman endured periods of boredom, punctuated by happy social times and terrifying bouts of battle horror

Confederate Phoenix: The CSS Virginia
The CSS Virginia of the Confederate States Navy destroyed two of the most formidable warships in the U.S. Navy. Suddenly, with this event, every wooden warship in every navy in the world became totally obsolete

Confederate Submarines and Torpedo Vessels 1861-65
Interesting information and many excellent illustrations. It addresses the CSA David class torpedo boats and the Hunley (and its predecessors), as well as Union examples such as the Alligator and the Spuyten Duyvil

American Civil War Naval Book Titles
Ironclad Down: USS Merrimack-CSS Virginia from Design to Destruction A treasure trove of detailed information about one of history s most famous vessels. Describing Stephen Russell Mallory, John Mercer Brooke, John Luke Porter, et al.--who conceived, designed and built one of the world's first ironclads	The Civil War on Hatteras Island North Carolina New light on the experiences of Civil War soldiers stationed on the Outer Banks. It follows the crucial maritime battles along the Outer Banks and the famous Burnsides Expedition. Aa fascinating history of how one of America's most treasured islands played a significant part in the Civil War	Year on a Monitor and the Destruction of Fort Sumter Personal view of the Civil War Navy. The monitor saw action in several significant naval assaults by the Union's Squadron. It took part in the failed Federal attack on Sumter in April 1863. The "Nahant" also participated in the capture of the Confederate Ram "Atlanta," and in the assault on Fort Wagner	Blockaders, Refugees, and Contrabands: Civil War on Florida'S Gulf Coast, 1861-1865 Coastal Florida had a refugee crisis as the war progressed. Escaped slaves ("contrabands") sought out the blockaders. Some joined the U.S. Navy. White men and their families sought to avoid conscription or vengeful neighbors/regulators and eventually sought refuge with the blockaders

Civil War History Documentary DVD Movie Titles
Halls of Honor The U.S. Navy Museum takes you on an informed and entertaining romp through one of North America s oldest and finest military museums. The museum has been in continuous operation at the Washington Navy Yard since the American Civil War	Raise The Alabama She was known as "the ghost ship." During the Civil War, the CSS Alabama sailed over 75,000 miles and captured more than 60 Union vessels. But her career came to an end in June of 1864 when she was sunk by the USS Kearsarge off the coast of Northern France	The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns Here is the saga of celebrated generals and ordinary soldiers, a heroic and transcendent president and a country that had to divide itself in two in order to become one	Civil War Combat: America's Bloodiest Battles The violent mayhem of the hornet's nest at Shiloh, the valiant charge on the sunken road at Antietam, the carnage in the wheat field at Gettysburg, and the brutal fighting at Cold Harbor

Sources:
U.S. National Park Service
U.S. Library of Congress
US Naval Archives

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USS Ellen Civil War Union Naval Gunboat

USS Ellen (1861-1865)

USS Ellen
Civil War Union Naval Gunboat