View source for USS Beauregard

{{short description|Gunboat of the United States Navy}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}
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| Ship country=Confederate States
||Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Confederate States of America|naval}} 
| Ship name=''Beauregard''
| Ship owner=A group headed by A. F. W. Abrams
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| Ship ordered= 
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| Ship launched=1850<ref name= "Warship_1">Silverstone, ''Warships'', p. 144</ref>
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| Ship fate=*Captured by [[Union Navy]] forces,
*{{nowrap|{{dts|1861|Nov|12|format=mdy}}}}
| Ship notes=ex-''Priscilla C. Ferguson''
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Header caption=(Confederate Privateer)
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|Ship type=[[Schooner]]
|Ship tonnage=101<ref name= "Warship_1"/><ref name = "DCS">DANFS (CS)</ref>
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|Ship speed=7 [[knot (unit)|knots]]<ref name = "DCS"/><ref name ="DUS">DANFS (US)</ref>
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|Ship complement=40
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|Ship armament=1 × 24-pdr rifle
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| Ship country=United States
||Ship flag=[[Image:US Naval Jack 36 stars.svg|48px|Union Navy Jack]]  {{USN flag|1861}} 
| Ship name={{USS|Beauregard|1861|6}}
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| Ship namesake=[[P. G. T. Beauregard]]<ref name ="DUS"/>
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(US Navy)
|Ship class=
|Ship type=[[Schooner]]
|Ship tonnage=101<ref name= "Warship_1"/><ref name = "DCS"/>
|Ship tons burthen=
|Ship length=
|Ship beam=
|Ship height=
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|Ship ramps=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=Sail
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship speed=7 [[knot (unit)|knots]]<ref name = "DCS"/><ref name ="DUS"/>
|Ship range=
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
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|Ship armament=*1 × 30-pdr rifle
*2 × 12-pdr howitzers
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The {{USS|Beauregard}} began the war as a Confederate [[privateer]].<ref name = "DCS"/>  The [[Union Navy]] acquired the schooner from the [[prize court]] and outfitted the vessel for [[Union blockade|blockade duty]].

==Privateer==
As one method to counter Union naval power, the Confederacy issued [[Letter of marque|letters of marque]] to facilitate the use of privateers against northern shipping. A group headed by A. F. W. Abrams of Charleston, S.C. acquired the schooner ''Priscilla C. Ferguson'' to arm her as a privateer.<ref name = "DCS"/>  They renamed her vessel ''Beauregard'' and fitted out with a single 24–pounder rifled gun and accommodations for a 40-man crew.<ref name = "DCS"/>  The privateer ''Beauregard'' was commissioned in Charleston, S.C. on October 14, 1861.<ref name = "DCS"/>  The ship's preparations did not go unreported. By October 24, 1861, a northern ship master had notified Secretary of the Navy [[Gideon Welles|Welles]] that both ''Beauregard'' and ''Dixie'' were at Charleston preparing for service as privateers.<ref name = "DCS"/>

Captain Gilbert Hay, with two lieutenants, one purser, and 23 crewmen, succeeded in running the blockade unobserved on November 5, 1861.<ref name = "DCS"/> During the ''Beauregard''{{'}}s time as an active privateer, no captures were reported. On November 12, 1861<ref name ="DUS"/> Lt. William C. Rogers commanding the {{USS|William G. Anderson|1859|6}} spotted ''Beauregard'' in the [[Old Bahama Channel|Bahama Channel]].<ref name = "DCS"/>  Even though ''Beauregard'' sailed with fewer men than originally planned, the "many men on her decks" attracted Lt. Rogers’ attention to the schooner when only 4 miles off."<ref name = "DCS"/>  After a 2-hour chase,<ref name = "DCS"/> ''Anderson'' was able to capture the vessel. When Captain Hay finally surrendered, he presented his letter of marque from Jefferson Davis to his captors.<ref name = "DCS"/>  After taking control of ''Beauregard'' and putting a prize crew on board, Lt. Rogers proceeded to take the prisoners and the prize to Key West for adjudication.<ref name = "DCS"/> ''Anderson'' and its prize arrived in Florida on November 19, 1861.<ref name = "DCS"/>  The prize court condemned the schooner with gross proceeds of $2,146.67 and $1,854.92 for distribution after costs and expenses.<ref>Porter, ''Naval History'', p. 834</ref>

==U. S. Navy==
The U.S. Navy purchased the ''Beauregard'' from the prize court for $1,810 on February 24, 1862<ref name = "DCS"/> and began fitting the schooner for service with the blockading squadrons.  To replace the 24 pound rifled gun that the privateer's crew had spiked,<ref name = "DCS"/> the navy armed the ''Beauregard'' with a single 30 pound rifle and two 12 pound [[howitzers]].<ref name = "DUS"/>  The ship was allocated to the [[East Gulf Blockading Squadron]], then commanded by Flag Officer [[William McKean]]. Flag Officer McKean assigned Acting Master David Stearns to command the ''Beauregard''<ref>ORN I, v. 17, p.193</ref> and the ship was commissioned on March 28, 1862.<ref name = "DUS"/>

During the ''Beauregard''{{'}}s service with the Eastern Gulf squadron, she patrolled the coasts of Florida and was credited with capturing 11 [[blockade runners]].  Like other ships assigned to blockade duty, the ''Beauregard'' was also called upon to participate in attacks against coastal locations.  On April 2, 1863, she supported an attack against [[Tampa, Florida]], and on July 28, 1863, she was in action at [[New Smyrna, Florida]].<ref name = "DUS"/><ref name= "Warship_2">Silverstone, ''Warships'', p. 145</ref>

===Prizes and adjudication===

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Date !! Ship Type !! Prize Name !! Gross Proceeds !! Costs and Expenses !! Amount for Distribution !! Where Adjudicated !! Sent to 4th Auditor for Distribution !! class="unsortable"|Vessels Entitled to Share
|-
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1862|Jun|20|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|
|''Lucy''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
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|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1863|Aug|26|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
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|''Phoebe''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
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|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1863|Oct|6|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
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|''Last Trial''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
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|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1863|Nov|5|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|Schooner<ref name = "Porter_1">Porter, ''Naval History'', p. 842.</ref>
|''Volante''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|$1,355.11<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|$144.20<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|$1,210.91<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|Key West<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|Nov|17|format=mdy}}}}<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|''Beauregard''<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|Jan|15|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|Schooner<ref name = "Porter_2">Porter, ''Naval History'', p. 840.</ref>
|''Minnie''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|$3,362.16<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|$296.76<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|$3,065.40<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|Key West<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1865|Apr|26|format=mdy}}}}}<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|''Beauregard''<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|Jan|28|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|Sloop<ref name = "Porter_3">Porter, ''Naval History'', p. 841.</ref>
|''Racer''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|$6,350.38<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|$741.13<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|$5609.25<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|Key West<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1865|Mar|22|format=mdy}}}}<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|''Beauregard''<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|Mar|11|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|Sloop<ref name = "Porter_4">Porter, ''Naval History'', p. 838.</ref>
|''Hannah''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|$339.50<ref name = "Porter_4"/>
|$123.00<ref name = "Porter_4"/>
|$216.59<ref name = "Porter_4"/>
|Key West<ref name = "Porter_4"/>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1865|Mar|22|format=mdy}}}}<ref name = "Porter_4"/>
|''Beauregard''<ref name = "Porter_4"/>
|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|Mar|11|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|Schooner<ref name = "Porter_5">Porter, ''Naval History'', p. 839.</ref>
|''Linda''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|$1,237.65<ref name = "Porter_5"/>
|$171.50<ref name = "Porter_5"/>
|$1,066.15<ref name = "Porter_5"/>
|Key West<ref name = "Porter_5"/>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1865|Mar|22|format=mdy}}}}<ref name = "Porter_5"/>
|''Beauregard'', {{USS|Norfolk Packet|1848|2}}<ref name = "Porter_5"/>
|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|Apr|7|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|Schooner<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|''Spunky''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|$5,396.81<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|$484.02<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|$4,912.79<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|St. Augustine<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1865|Mar|28|format=mdy}}}}<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|''Beauregard''<ref name = "Porter_1"/>
|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|Apr|18|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|Schooner<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|''Oramoneta''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|$856.20<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|$249.96<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|$606.24<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|St. Augustine<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|Nov|4|format=mdy}}}}<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|''Beauregard''<ref name = "Porter_2"/>
|-

|{{nowrap|{{dts|1864|May|12|format=mdy}}}}<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|Sloop<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|''Resolute''<ref name= "Warship_2"/>
|$563.25<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|$122.53<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|$440.79<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|Key West<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1865|Mar|22|format=mdy}}}}<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|''Beauregard''<ref name = "Porter_3"/>
|-
|}

== Post-war record ==
The schooner was sold at [[Key West, Florida]], June 28, 1865.<ref name = "DUS"/><ref name= "Warship_2"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/beauregard.html Confederate service|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/beauregard-i.html Union service}}
* ''Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion.'' Series I: 27 volumes. Series II: 3 volumes. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1894–1922.
* Porter, David D. ''The Naval History of the Civil War'' Castle, Secaucus, NJ, 1984, {{ISBN|0-89009-575-2}}.
* Silverstone, Paul H. ''Warships of the Civil War Navies'' Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 1989, {{ISBN|0-87021-783-6}}.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beauregard, USS}}
[[Category:Ships of the Union Navy]]
[[Category:Gunboats of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Schooners of the United States Navy]]