1841 Built as a whaler in Mattapoisett, Mass. for T & P Macy at Nantucket, Mass.
Launched under the name POTOMAC.
Tonnage 356 ton.
Ship rigged.
Her maiden voyage was under command of Captain Isaac B. Hussy, and she left from Nantucket on 12 November 1841 bound for the whaling grounds in the Pacific.
During this time she must have been visiting Kiribati the year on the stamp gives 1843.
Foreign Ships in Micronesia gives:
20 March 1843 lay off Kosrae for one day. Sent a boat ashore.
22 March 1843 she lay off Pingelap. Saw armed natives on the beach, but none came off to the ship.
23 March stood off Moki while the captain went ashore to trade.
24 March, put in at Ponape. Found seven ships in port. Several more anchored in the following weeks. Many hands deserted on shore. The captain put in irons a beachcomber “suspected of enticing our men to run away”.
26 April 1843 put to sea.
22 August passed Namorik.
26 August came upon a group of small islands at 11 15N 169 34E perhaps Taka. Several canoes came off to trade.
29 August lay off small islands. Boats were sent to shore but found noting of importance.
02 September lay off Ujae for a day, sent boats ashore to gather coconuts.
05 October 1843 returned to Kosrae and anchored in the harbour. Took on wood and water and repaired damage hull of the ship. After four days of liberty, ship’s hands refused duty, but were soon persuaded by the captain to return to work.
Crew performed two theatrical productions for the people of the island.
The POTOMAC returned back in Nantucket on 04 May 1845 with on board cargo of 2,017 barrels sperm-oil and 28 barrels whale-oil.
Her second voyage was under Captain Oliver C Swain, she left from Nantucket on 04 September 1845 and returned 31 May 1849 with on board 2,617 barrels of sperm-oil and 26 barrels of whale oil.
During the voyage first mate T Upham was killed by a whale.
Her third voyage was under command of Captain Charles Grant and sailed from Nantucket on 07 August 1849 for the whaling grounds in the Pacific.
10 May1853 she returned at Nantucket with on board 1,976 barrels sperm-oil and 25 barrels whale oil.
During the voyage she sends home or sold 60 barrels.
Her last voyage was under command of Captain Enoch Ackley, sailed from Nantucket on 27 October 1853 for the whaling grounds in the Pacific.
05 October 1856 was she at Kosrae, and sailed from there on 11 October at that time still under command of Captain Ackley.
Captain Ackley died during the voyage. During the voyage she sent home 300 barrels of oil.
After a voyage of about four years she arrived back in Nantucket on 17 September 1857 with on board only 875 barrels of sperm-oil.
After discharging laid up, whaling was not more economical after oil was discovered in Pennsylvania in 1859.
01 November 1861 sold to the USA Navy between $10 to $20 a ton. She was one of the “Stone Fleet”
Al usable equipment on these ships was removed and sold. A five inch hole was bored in the ship bottom and fitted with a lead pipe and a plug valve to allow water to be let into the hold. Loaded with granite blocks and sand she sailed to Charleston with a crew of 10.
The POTOMAC was sunk on 09 January 1862 in the entrance to Charleston, to block the passage for the Southern blockade breakers. For more info on this ships sunk at Charleston see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Fleet
The blockade of this old whalers was not so successful, within two years the ships by the weight of the stones did sink in the sand of broke up by the strong currents Also not all entrances to the port were closed by the stone fleet.
Kiribati 1996 23c sg 523, scott 687. Marshall Islands 1992 32c sg 685, scott605q. 1992 55c sg501 scott457. and 55c SS sg?, scott466Cf.
Source: History of the American whale fisheries by Alexander Starbuck and some web-sites.