The capture of the British blockade runner, Columbia

[5fish]

The capture of the British blockade runner, Columbia, by the Federal steamer, Santiago de Cuba, off the Bahamas.

Here the... The ship had several Medal of Honor winners...

USS Santiago de Cuba - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Santiago de Cuba scored next on 26 April 1862 when she took schooner, Mersey, of Charleston, South Carolina; and she captured schooner, Maria, on the 30th off Port Royal, South Carolina. Schooner, Lucy C. Holmes, laden with cotton, fell into her clutches on 27 May, and the Union side wheeler seized blockade runners, Columbia on 3 August and Lavinia on the 27th—both off Abaco in the Bahamas.

Here a update...

Apopka Historical Society and Museum of Apopkans

Information about the history of Apopka and North Orange County and the Apopka Historical Society

sites.rootsweb.com

AUGUST 6, 1862 The blockade runner Columbia arrived in Key West under guard by the U.S.S. Santiago de Cuba. The blockade runner Columbia’s cargo was all war materiel, including rifles, powder, cartridges, blankets, and cannons. Although the ship’s master claims to be a British vessel, Federal naval authorities do not accept this as being true.

Here some last detail it was a seven hour chase... link opens to the page...

Civil War Day by Day

“In all the vast collection of books on the American Civil War there is no book like this one,” says Bruce Catton. Never before has such a stunning body of facts dealing with the war been gathered together in one place and presented in a coherent, useful, day-by-day narrative. And never before...

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[5fish]

I found a Navy OR on the event...

Report of Commodore D.B. Ridgely

[Report of Commodore D.B. Ridgely, commanding officer of side wheel steamer USS Santiago de Cuba, concerning the capture of Confederate blockade runner Columbia on 3 August 1862] U.S.S. SANTIAGO DE CUBA Key West, August 6, 1862 Sir: I have the honor to report the capture of the Steamer...

www.history.navy.mil

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Report of Commodore D.B. Ridgely


[Report of Commodore D.B. Ridgely, commanding officer of side wheel steamer USS Santiago de Cuba, concerning the capture of Confederate blockade runner Columbia on 3 August 1862]

U.S.S. SANTIAGO DE CUBA Key West, August 6, 1862

Sir: I have the honor to report the capture of the Steamer Columbia, on the 3d of August, by the Santiago de Cuba, cruising off the N.E. Providence Channel. The Columbia was captured after a chase of six hours, in latitude 28[degrees] N., longitude 76 [degrees] 35" W., the N.E. end of Abaco bearing south, distant 75 miles. She had left Nassau the day previous, ostensibly bound for St. Johns; was under British colors, but had no register whatever. She was loaded with contraband and munitions of war, cannon rifles, powder, shell, cartridges, army blankets, and iron plates. She is a new, fast propeller, of iron, provided with ports, and probably intended for a Confederate gunboat. This is her first attempt at run- ning the blockade, and she had on board Charleston, Savannah, and Bahama pilots. Her captain, officers, and passengers claim generally to be British subjects. Thinking these facts justified a seizure, I took possession of and sent her into this port for adjudication, under charge of a prize master and crew. I send herewith a list of officers and men belonging to the Santiago de Cuba at the time of the capture, no other vessel of war being in sight.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, D.B. Ridgely, Commander, U.S. Navy

Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C.

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