 A schooner-type vessel similar to theBlack Warrior | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Confederate States | |
| Name | Black Warrior |
| Launched | 1859 asM. C. Etheridge |
| Commissioned | 1861? |
| Fate | Burned at Elizabeth City, North Carolina on February 10, 1862 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 144 tons |
| Length | 92 ft (28 m) |
| Beam | 24 ft (7.3 m) |
| Draft | 7 ft (2.1 m) |
| Propulsion | Schooner rig, two masts. |
| Speed | ? |
| Complement | ? |
| Armament | 2 × 32-pounder guns |
Black Warrior was aConfederate two-mastedschooner that participated in the defense ofRoanoke Island inNorth Carolina during theCivil War. Its brief wartime career ended with its burning atElizabeth City, North Carolina.
TheBlack Warrior was originally named theM.C. Etheridge. Built inPlymouth, North Carolina, in 1859, she was owned and operated by J. Brown. Initially registered for overseas trade, theEtheridge was enrolled for interstate trade in 1860. In October of that year her documentation was changed back for overseas trade. (Enrollment abstracts, NA)
TheBlack Warrior was acquired by the Confederate Navy in 1862 and was armed with two 32-pounder guns.[1] Under the command of Lieutenant F. M. Harris, the schooner was part of a nine-gunboat naval squadron tasked with the defense of the northeastern North Carolina sounds. She was at anchor inCroatan Sound under the guns ofFort Forrest when a Union army/navy force under the command of GeneralAmbrose Burnside arrived on February 6, 1862, to invadeRoanoke Island. Burnside sent his forces to destroy the remains of the SouthernMosquito Fleet still operating in North Carolina's sounds.[2] Because of her limited mobility and the fact that the Union landing site was well to the south of the schooner, she took no action against the invasion force. The other gunboats of the Confederate squadron engaged in a futile attempt to disrupt the landings on February 7. Late in the day theBlack Warrior was detailed to salvage what guns and ammunition she could from the partially sunk gunboatCurlew. That evening the squadron retreated toElizabeth City to obtain more ammunition. One of the gunboats, theEllis, took theBlack Warrior in tow while the remainder of the squadron made their way overnight to Elizabeth City. (Parker 1883: 247ff)
Two of the Confederates' gunboats steamed back to assist the garrison at Roanoke Island but turned around when it became obvious that the island had fallen. However, gunboats were sighted by the Union fleet and pursued back to Elizabeth City. It was decided to anchorBlack Warrior near the fort that guarded the approaches to Elizabeth City while the rest of the gunboat squadron formed a line abreast across the channel opposite the fort on the Pasquotank River. On February 10 the Union gunboat squadron, consisting of 14 vessels, simply bypassed the fort andBlack Warrior to attack the other Confederate gunboats. Two Confederate gunboats escaped; the rest were either captured or sunk in what became known as theBattle of Elizabeth City.(Parker 1883: 258)
TheBlack Warrior was initially ignored by the Union fleet, but when she opened fire the USSWhitehead turned and closed in to attack. The crew abandoned ship, setting fire to theBlack Warrior and escaping ashore to avoid capture. The crew of theWhitehead attempted to extinguish the fire, but found it was too far advanced and had to withdraw. (ORN 1922: 617)
In 2000 the wreck site was mapped and in 2001 agun carriage was retrieved for display at the Museum of the Albemarle.[1][4] The wreck was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 2018.[5]
36°17′15″N76°11′24″W / 36.2875°N 76.1901°W /36.2875; -76.1901
