SS Georgiana destroyed running the blockade into Charleston (1863)

The SS Georgiana was destroyed on 19 March 1863 while attempting to run the Union blockade into Charleston, South Carolina. The vessel was a fast steamer built in Britain for Confederate privateering. Its loss was significant to the Confederacy, as it was considered superior to existing cruisers. The event occurred during the active blockade enforced by the Union Navy.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. President Lincoln proclaimed a blockade against Southern ports on 19 April 1861. After 1862, only three ports east of the Mississippi—Wilmington, Charleston, and Mobile—remained open for the 75–100 blockade runners then in business. By 1864, one in every three ships attempting to run the blockade was being intercepted. Charleston thus remained a target for runners such as the Georgiana.

The Vessel. The SS Georgiana was described as a splendid craft, peculiarly fitted for privateering. A United States consular dispatch noted her arrival in Liverpool from the Clyde. Reports described her as faster and stronger than Confederate cruisers like the Alabama. The New York Times cited a spy's description of her as a superior vessel built for the rebel navy.

Destruction. The Georgiana was lost on the night of 19 March 1863, while attempting to run past the Federal Blockading Squadron into Charleston. The United States Secretary of the Navy noted that the destruction touched Confederate hopes. The loss was considered serious because the ship was faster and stronger than any Confederate cruiser afloat.

People involved

Sources

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