A wooden screw steamer built at Stonington, Connecticut, in 1862, Mary Sanford was purchased by the Navy 13 July 1863 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from William R. Dinsmore, and commissioned 20 August 1863 at the New York Navy Yard, Acting Master's Mate Alfred P. Hich in command.
Civil War service
Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockade
Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Mary Sanford served as a transport during 1863, ferrying sick men to northern ports, towing tug John Adams from Morris Island to Port Royal, South Carolina, 5 September, and carrying out buoys at Hampton Roads the 18th. She arrived Morris Island 1 November with ordnance stores, departing as a gunboat 24 December in the expedition to Murrell's Inlet to destroy a schooner trying to run the blockade and to disperse Confederates that had been harassing Union gunboats there.
Freeing Georgia slaves on the White Oak Creek
After this successful expedition, Mary Sanford was stationed off Charleston, South Carolina, as part of the blockade 4 January 1864, and served in the blockade there until transferring to Big Satilla River in the early autumn. With Braziliera, she freed slaves on a plantation on White Oak Creek, Georgia, 15 October, engaging and driving off Confederate cavalry at Yellow Bluff.
Post-war decommissioning, sale and civilian career
After the end of the conflict, Sanford decommissioned 21 June 1865 at Philadelphia and was sold there at public auction 13 July. Redocumented 16 August 1865, she continued to serve American commerce until 1871.
mary, sanford, steamer, acquired, union, navy, during, american, civil, historyunited, stateslaid, downdate, unknownlaunched1862acquired13, july, 1863commissioned20, august, 1863decommissioned21, june, 1865stricken1865, fatesold, july, 1865general, characteris. USS Mary Sanford was a steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War HistoryUnited StatesLaid downdate unknownLaunched1862Acquired13 July 1863Commissioned20 August 1863Decommissioned21 June 1865Stricken1865 est FateSold 13 July 1865General characteristicsDisplacement457 tonsLength102 ft 31 m Beam31 ft 6 in 9 60 m Draught12 ft 6 in 3 81 m Propulsionsteam engine screw propelledSpeed9 knotsComplementnot knownArmamenttwo 24 pounder gunsArmourwoodShe was used by the Union Navy for various tasks including carrying supplies and acting as a hospital ship a picket ship and as a tugboat Contents 1 Built in Connecticut in 1862 2 Civil War service 2 1 Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockade 2 2 Freeing Georgia slaves on the White Oak Creek 3 Post war decommissioning sale and civilian career 4 ReferencesBuilt in Connecticut in 1862 EditA wooden screw steamer built at Stonington Connecticut in 1862 Mary Sanford was purchased by the Navy 13 July 1863 at Philadelphia Pennsylvania from William R Dinsmore and commissioned 20 August 1863 at the New York Navy Yard Acting Master s Mate Alfred P Hich in command Civil War service EditAssigned to the South Atlantic Blockade Edit Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron Mary Sanford served as a transport during 1863 ferrying sick men to northern ports towing tug John Adams from Morris Island to Port Royal South Carolina 5 September and carrying out buoys at Hampton Roads the 18th She arrived Morris Island 1 November with ordnance stores departing as a gunboat 24 December in the expedition to Murrell s Inlet to destroy a schooner trying to run the blockade and to disperse Confederates that had been harassing Union gunboats there Freeing Georgia slaves on the White Oak Creek Edit After this successful expedition Mary Sanford was stationed off Charleston South Carolina as part of the blockade 4 January 1864 and served in the blockade there until transferring to Big Satilla River in the early autumn With Braziliera she freed slaves on a plantation on White Oak Creek Georgia 15 October engaging and driving off Confederate cavalry at Yellow Bluff Post war decommissioning sale and civilian career EditAfter the end of the conflict Sanford decommissioned 21 June 1865 at Philadelphia and was sold there at public auction 13 July Redocumented 16 August 1865 she continued to serve American commerce until 1871 References EditThis article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Mary Sanford amp oldid 1151513284, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
