Girish Mahajan (Editor)

USS Fort Morgan (1863)

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Laid down
  
date unknown

Commissioned
  
5 February 1864

Struck
  
1865 (est.)

Launched
  
1863

Weight
  
1,269 tons

Acquired
  
8 January 1864

Decommissioned
  
22 August 1865

Fate
  
sold, 5 September 1865

Length
  
67 m

Draft
  
3.1 m

USS Fort Morgan (1863) was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Navy as a storeship and in other minor roles.

Contents

Fort Morgan, a screw steamer, was built in 1863 by S. H. Pook, Fair Haven, Connecticut, as Admiral; purchased 8 January 1864; and commissioned as Admiral 5 February 1864, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant W. B. Eaton in command. She was renamed Fort Morgan 1 September 1864.

Assigned as storeship to the Gulf Blockade

As storeship for the ships of the Gulf Blockading Squadrons, the steamer sailed from New York City and other east coast ports with provisions, munitions, passengers, and general stores for ships on station between Key West, Florida, and Galveston, Texas.

Catching blockade runners on her own

Several times while making passage from one port to another on this duty she gave chase to blockade runners, capturing steamer Ysabel out of Havana, Cuba, 28 May 1864, and two small schooners in November.

Post-war decommissioning and sale

She was decommissioned at New York City 22 August 1865, and sold 5 September 1865.

References

USS Fort Morgan (1863) Wikipedia