USS Preston (1864)

History
United States
Ordered	as Annie
Laid down	date unknown
Launched	date unknown
Acquired	December 1864
Commissioned	6 February 1865
Decommissioned	8 August 1865
Stricken	1865 (est.)
Captured	by Union Navy forces 31 October 1864
Fate	sold, 30 August 1865
General characteristics
Displacement	428 tons
Length	170'
Beam	23' 1"
Draught	depth of hold 13' 4"
Propulsion	steam engine screw-propelled
Speed	not known
Complement	not known
Armament	not known

USS Preston (1864) was a blockade-running steamer captured by the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

She was placed in service on the Gulf of Mexico by the Union Navy as a gunboat during blockade operations against the Confederate States of America.

Captured by the Union Navy[]

Preston, a twin screw British blockade runner named Annie, was captured off New Inlet, North Carolina, 31 October 1864 by USS Wilderness and USS Niphon; purchased by the Navy from the New York City Prize Court in December 1864; renamed Preston 2 February 1865; and commissioned 6 February 1865, Acting Volunteer Lt. J. R. Wheeler in command.

Civil War service[]

Assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, Preston departed New York City 16 February and arrived at New Orleans, Louisiana, 9 March.

She operated along the Texas coast into July and on the 25th was ordered to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Decommissioning[]

Decommissioned in Philadelphia 8 August 1865, she was sent to New York City in November and sold at auction on the 30th.

See also[]

• Blockade runners of the American Civil War
• Blockade mail of the Confederacy
• United States Navy
• List of United States Navy ships

References[]

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.