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U.S. NAVY TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS, 1861-1865

Civil War Era Large Tugs
During the Civil War the Union Navy acquired many hundreds of civilian vessels for temporary use during the war. Most were acquired for part- or full-time use as combatant warships, and except for some sailing ships these combatants are listed on pages 86-97 of Bauer and Roberts, Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990, Major Combatants (1991). Some vessels, however, were acquired primarily for use as support vessels, and lists of these are presented here in the sections for AF (storeships, supply ships, and related types), AG (miscellaneous auxiliaries), and AT (large tugs, many harbor-size tugs being omitted). With the rapid demobilization after the Civil War, nearly all of these temporary ships were disposed of before the end of 1865 and the last were decommissioned in 1868.


ASTER (ex ALICE). Screw tug, 285t, 122.5' x 23'. Built 1864, purch. 25 Jul 64, commiss. 12 Aug 64. Ran aground at Fort Fisher and destroyed 8 Oct 64. “New tug, well built.”

BIGNONIA (ex MARY GRANDY). Screw tug, 321t, 130.8' x 21.2'. Built at Cleveland 1863, purch. 2 Aug 64, commiss. 14 Sep 64. Decomm. ca. 27 May 65, sold 12 Jul 65.

CLEMATIS (ex MARIA LOVE). Screw tug, 296t, 127' x 22'. Built at Cleveland 1863, purch. 2 Aug 64, commiss. 14 Sep 64. Retained in the Gulf Squadron 1866. Decomm. 6 Jun 66, sold 26 Nov 66.

GERANIUM (ex JOHN A. DIX). Side-wheel tug, 224t, 128.5' x 23.25'. Built at Newburgh, N.Y., 1863, purch. 5 Sep 63, commiss. 15 Oct 63. Decomm. 15 Jul 65, to Lighthouse Board 18 Oct 65, sold 1910.

HELIOTROPE (ex MAGGIE BAKER). Side-wheel tug, 238t, 134' x 24.5'. Builder and date unknown. Purch. 16 Dec 63, commiss. 24 Apr 64. Tug and ordnance boat. Decomm. ca. 12 Jun 65, to Lighthouse Board 17 Jun 65, was merchant barge by 1893.

HOLLYHOCK (ex Confederate RELIANCE). Side-wheel tug, 352t, 135' x 26.75'. Builder and date unknown. Captured 21 Jul 62, purch. 5 Mar 63. Tender and supply ship at New Orleans. Sold 5 Oct 65.

HONEYSUCKLE (ex WILLIAM G. FARGO). Screw tug, 241t, 123' x 20.2'. Built at Buffalo, N.Y., 1862, purch. 19 Aug 63, commiss. 3 Dec 63. Dispatch and supply vessel. Decomm. 30 Jun 65, sold 15 Aug 65.

HYDRANGEA (ex HIPPODROME). Screw tug, 215t, 120' x 20.25'. Built at Buffalo, N.Y., 1862, purch. 16 Oct 63, commiss. 18 Apr 64. Decomm. 1 Sep 65, sold 25 Oct 65.

OLEANDER. Side-wheel tug, 263t, 144.8' x 22.5'. Built by B. C. Terry, Keyport, N.J., 1863, purch. 28 Mar 63. Decomm. 18 Aug 65, sold 5 Sep 65.

PERIWINKLE (ex AMERICA). Screw tug, 387t, 140' x 28'. Built by Neafie & Levy, Philadelphia, 1864, purch. 9 Dec 64. Became Arctic exploration ship POLARIS in 1871 (see full listing under AG).

R. B. FORBES. Wrecking tug. 329t, 121' x 25.5'. Built by Otis Tufts, Boston, 1845 for the underwriters of Boston, had an iron hull and twin Ericsson screw propellers. Acquired at Boston 17 Aug 61, underway for Washington, D.C., 25 Aug 61, purch. 20 Sep 61, commiss. ca. 9 Oct 61 for the assault on Port Royal, S.C. Out of commission December 1861-February 1862 for repairs to her port shaft and propeller. Driven ashore in a gale and wrecked south of Currituck Inlet, Va., 25 Feb 62.

SWEET BRIER (ex DICTATOR). Screw tug, 243t, 120' x 21.25'. Built at Buffalo, N.Y., 1862. Purch. 22 Sep 63, commiss. 25 Jan 64. Decom 13 Jul 65, sold 25 Oct 65.

YANKEE. Side-wheel tug, 329t, 146' x 25.6'. Built at New York 1860, chartered and commiss. Apr 61, purch. 1 Jun 61. Decomm. 16 May 65, sold 15 Sep 65.