 TheTallahassee burning theAdriatic, painting byJulian Oliver Davidson | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Adriatic |
| Owner | Elisha E. Morgan & Wiley, Richard H. Moore |
| Operator | Richard H. Moore |
| Port of registry | 1861–1864 |
| Builder | Curtis & Tilden shipyard inBoston, Massachusetts |
| Cost | $100,000 at the time of capture[1] |
| Launched | 1861 |
| In service | 1861–1864 |
| Out of service | August 12, 1864 |
| Captured | 1864 |
| Fate | Fire, sank at sea |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Wooden hull |
| Tons burthen | 989[2] (bm) |
| Length | 181 ft 3 in (55.25 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft 2 in (10.41 m) |
| Draft | 21 ft 0 in (6.40 m) |
| Depth of hold | 33 ft 5 in (10.19 m) |
| Propulsion | sails |
| Sail plan | full-rigged ship |
Adriatic was athree-masted, two deck,packet ship built in 1861 by Curtis & Tilden,Boston,Massachusetts,United States. On August 12, 1864,Adriatic was embarked fromLondon, England en route toNew York City carrying 163 German immigrants and 100 US citizens. She made it as far as the New Jersey coast before meeting the Confederate raiderCSS Tallahassee, which collided with her. CaptainJohn Taylor Wood ofTallahassee ordered every passenger onAdriatic to be taken prisoner and put onTallahassee. Wood then orderedAdriatic burned.
The Curtis & Tildenshipyard atBoston,Massachusetts builtAdriatic in 1861.[3][4] The firm E. E. Morgan & Son, were owners of a line of packet ships that ran carried passengers and freight between London and New York, andAdriatic joined their line. Elisha E. Morgan was part-owner, along with Captain Richard H. Moore.[1]
TheAdriatic was registered with the ‘’Record of American and Foreign Shipping’’, from 1862 to 1864. Hermaster was R. H. Moore; her owners were E. E. Morgan; built in 1861 at Curtis & TildenEast Boston; and her hailing port was thePort of New York.[2]
On July 7, 1864, during theAmerican Civil War,Adriatic, Captain Richard H. Moore, sailed from London, England to New York City with 163 German immigrants, 100 US citizens, and 100-tons of coal. On August 12, 1864, she had made the New Jersey coast, 35 miles offMontauk, New York, when she metTallahassee, which collided withAdriatic. Captain Wood ordered everyone onAdriatic to be put onTallahassee. Wood then orderedAdriatic burned.[5]
In the bookFrom Sandy Hook to 62,Charles Edward Russell describesTallahassee's chase ofAdriatic. WhenTallahassee ran downAdriatic,Tallahassee lost her mainmast andstanchions.[6]
The next day, Captain Wood captured the barkSuliote, ofBelfast, Maine. He transferred the passengers from thepilot boatWilliam Bell, No. 24 andAdriatic toSuliote. James Callahan was ordered to pilotSuliote into Sandy Hook, New York.[5]
In 2016, a team led by captain John Noonan, of the dive vesselStorm Petrel, first located and dived the wreck. The wreckage lies in 220 feet (67 m) of water 30 miles (48 km) off the eastern edge ofLong Island, New York.Adriatic was positively identified in 2019. The team of divers was able to establish conclusive proof after connecting artifacts recovered with visits to the National Archives.[7]
On February 23, 1883, William D. Morgan, executor for Elisha E. Morgan, part-owner ofAdriatic, successfully petitioned theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New York via theAlabama Claims award, for compensation for the loss ofAdriatic. The case was calledWilliam D. Morgan v. The United States (No. 1058). The total claim was for $109,615.95.[1]
On February 10, 1883, James Callahan was deposed for theAlabama Claims award. In his deposition, Callahan said that he was captain ofWilliam Bell. The court then asked him to recount the capture ofAdriatic by the CSSTallahassee.[8]
