| History | |
|---|---|
 Confederate States | |
| Name | Appomattox |
| Launched | 1850, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Commissioned | Norfolk, 1861 |
| Home port | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Fate | Burned on February 10, 1862 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 120 tons |
| Length | 86 ft (26 m) |
| Beam | 20.5 ft (6.2 m) |
| Draft | ? |
| Propulsion | steam engine, 1 propeller |
| Speed | ? |
| Complement | ? |
| Armament | 2 guns: 1 bow 32-pounder gun, 1 stern howitzer. |
CSSAppomattox was a small propeller-driven steamer used early in the war by the Confederate Navy to defend the sounds of northeastern North Carolina. After participating in the battle for Roanoke Island, it was burned to prevent capture on February 10, 1862, nearElizabeth City, North Carolina.
TheAppomattox was originally named theEmpire when launched inPhiladelphia in 1850. Details of her prewar career are unknown. In May 1861, she was chartered by the Virginia State Navy under Captain Milligan, towing blockships into position to obstruct the channels of theElizabeth River around Norfolk.[1] In that same month, she twice sailed as a flag-of-truce boat under Captain Thomas T. Hunter of the Virginia Navy to arrange exchanges of wounded Union prisoners and passage north from Norfolk of certain families wishing to return to their Northern friends. In the latter part of June 1861, she again served as the bearer of a flag-of-truce offFortress Monroe, this time forBrigadier General Huger, CSA.[2]
RenamedAppomattox, she was armed with two guns and assigned to the waters along the North Carolina coast under the command of Lt. C. C. Simms, CSN.Appomattox was used to patrolPamlico Sound in late January 1862. She was also used to obstruct channels in theCroatan Sound area by towing block-ships to strategic points for sinking. (ORN 6: 787f) On February 6, the eve of Burnside's attack, theAppomattox was sent down Croatan Sound to reconnoiter the invasion force. Burnside allowed her to do this unhindered, because he wished for the Confederates to know what they were up against.[2]
TheAppomattox was one of 8 gunboats used to resist the Burnside Expedition's invasion ofRoanoke Island on 7–8 February 1862. However, she missed the actual battle, having been sent toEdenton on an unspecified mission.[3]
She retreated with the surviving gunboats toElizabeth City, N.C. On February 9, theAppomattox and theSea Bird steamed back to Roanoke Island to see if any further assistance could be given to the defenders, and to evacuate the garrison at Fort Forrest on Redstone Point. They encountered the Union gunboats advancing up the sound, and immediately fled back to Elizabeth City to organize a defense there.[2]
The Confederate gunboats were attacked by the Federal gunboat fleet on February 10. TheAppomattox kept up a brisk fire from her bow gun until it was accidentallyspiked. She then retreated to the entrance of theDismal Swamp Canal, using thestern howitzer to fire at pursuers. Upon reaching the first lock it was discovered that herbeam was 2 inches too great to let her into the canal. As a result, Lieutenant Simms had to destroy theAppomattox by setting her on fire.[3]
On November 10, 2009, it was announced by the state Underwater Archaeology Branch that the wreck of theAppomattox had been found. The four-member diving team, comprising Philip Madre, Eddie Congleton, Jason Forbes, and Jason Madre, discovered the shipwreck in August 2007 in thePasquotank River. They had been searching for theAppomattox for more than 10 years. The divers found a silver-plated spoon inscribed with the name of a crew member fromAppomattox, thus confirming the ship's identity.[4]
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
