USS Sumpter
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small}  United States | |
| Name | USS Sumpter |
| Builder |
|
| Launched | 1853 |
| Acquired | by purchase, 26 May 1859 |
| Fate | Sank following collision, 24 June 1863 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Steamship |
| Displacement | 464 long tons (471 t) |
| Length | 163 ft (50 m) |
| Beam | 24 ft 4 in (7.42 m) |
| Draft | 11 ft 9 in (3.58 m) |
| Propulsion | Steam engine |
| Complement | 64 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
|
USS Sumpter was a steamship in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.
Sumpter or Sumter, ex-Atlanta, ex-Parker Vein, was built in 1853 by
Service history
Under the command of Commander Daniel R. Ridgely, Atlanta and 18 other warships arrived at Asunción, on 25 January 1859, to take action against that country for firing on USS Water Witch in 1855. However, the government of Paraguay offered an apology and paid an indemnity which settled the affair without resorting to violence.
When the squadron returned to the United States, the ship was purchased outright and renamed Sumpter. Sumpter and four other screw steamers were assigned to cruise the coasts of Cuba and Africa to suppress the slave trade. Sumpter sailed from the west coast of Africa, on 10 August 1861, and returned to the United States on 15 September.
On 6 January 1862, Sumpter was ordered to report to
Sumpter rejoined the blockade off Charleston in early May and remained there until August. In mid-May, she sent a boat to
As of 2005, no other ship in the United States Navy has borne the name Sumpter, although there was a
See also
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.