Built as an auxiliary wooden bark by Vaugh & Lynn, Philadelphia (other source gives Reany Neaffie, Philadelphia), for the McConnell’s New Orleans & Havana Line.
Launched under the name HABANA.
Tonnage 437 gross, dim. 56.1 x 9.1 x 3.7m.
One direct acting steam engine ?hp, one screw, speed 10 knots.
1859 Completed.
April 1861 sold to the Confederate Navy in New Orleans and converted in a auxiliary cruiser by Capt. Raphael Semmens
Armament 1 – 8 inch, 4 – 32 pdr. guns.
03 June 1861 commissioned under the name C.S.S. SUMTER, and under command of Capt. Semmens.
30 June she sailed for sea for a raiding voyage against Union shipping.
She escaped the Union sloop-of-war BROOKLYN and sailed across the Caribbean to the south to a position of Maranho, Brazil, during the voyage she captured several prizes.
She returned to the Caribbean and was discovered by USS IROQUOIS when bunkering coal at Martinique in December.
Capt. J.S.Palmer of the IROQUOIS protested by the local authorities, and he took a position off the port, to intercept the SUMTER when she sailed from that port.
The SUMTER escaped by night from St Pierre a few days later, and headed for Cadiz, Spain, where she arrived on 04 January 1962.
By the Spanish government it was allowed that she made only the necessary repairs, without refueling, she was forced to proceed to Gibraltar, due to the blockade of the port she was unable to sail out again, was disarmed and during a auction in December 1862 sold to the Liverpool based Fraser, Trenholm and Company, who served as a financial agent for the Confederacy.
During her career of a raider in the seven months she captured 18 Union merchantmen.
Renamed GIBRALTAR she sailed to Liverpool.
She was bought back by the Confederacy to transport two 12.75 inch Blakely rifled cannon each weighing 27 tons, two iron carriages, cranes for unloading the guns, 150 solid shots, each weighing 650 pounds, and 50 shells weighing 450 pounds. The guns could not be loaded below deck and special harnesses were built to hold them upright in the cargo hatches.
She sailed on 03 July 1863 from Liverpool under command of Capt. E.C.Reid and the same month she arrived in the Cape Fear River via New Inlet. The guns were placed at Charleston, but during the rest of the war she never fired a shot in anger.
11 November 1863 she cleared from North Caroline bound for Bermuda with a full load of cotton.
Her subsequent service record is unknown; by the U.S. Consul at Liverpool she was reported on 10 July 1864 at laid up at Liverpool.
She was managed and maintained by Trendholm’s son-in-law and it is given that she went down during a storm near the spot were the ALABAMA was sunk it is believed in 1867.
Grenada 2002 $1.50 sg?, scott?
Source: http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/csn/s.txt Lifeline of the Confederacy by S R Wise. Ships of the World by L.P.Paine.