Need help finding info about the Confederate Blockade Runner "Enterprise"

[Civilwarfanatic]

Hello everyone, I need help finding info about this blockade runner. From NHHC, she was sister to the Adventure. I do remember finding a website page about her or Adventure with a drawing depicting her as a 1 funneled, 3 masted screw steamer, but I can't find that page anymore. If you guys can find any info or even find that webpage itself, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bil R]

Hello CWFanatic,

Bulloch and Trenholm had planned and financed six twin screw steamers to be delivered to the CSN in early 1865. The first four were built by Denny of Dumbarton and consisted of the 170' pair Ajax and Hercules, and the 250' pair Adventure and Enterprise. The Ajax and Hercules were intended to be used as towboat/gunboats on the Cape Fear to assist grounded blockade runners or those entering or leaving for/from Wilmington.

The next larger pair were to be used as both runners and raiders upon arrival. They were to be armed at sea or upon arrival in Wilmington and used against Northern port cities as raiders. I have seen a photograph of the Ajax, and both photographs and lithographs of the Adventure. I believe the lithographs were in the 'Illustrated London News'. In addition, plans to both classes of vessels are in the 'Denny Collection' of the NMM in Greenwich. Considering the current disruption of research at the US NA, it may be time to focus on UK sources for a bit.

The last pair were also 250' and built by the Dudgeon Bros. in Millwall, London. Before being armed upon arrival. they were named Louisa Ann Fanny and Mary Augusta. The Louisa Ann Fanny was the only one of the six that was actually received by the CSN. They too were to be used as both runners and raiders after being received and armed.

All the best,
Bil

 

[Civilwarfanatic]

Hello CWFanatic,

Bulloch and Trenholm had planned and financed six twin screw steamers to be delivered to the CSN in early 1865. The first four were built by Denny of Dumbarton and consisted of the 170' pair Ajax and Hercules, and the 250' pair Adventure and Enterprise. The Ajax and Hercules were intended to be used as towboat/gunboats on the Cape Fear to assist grounded blockade runners or those entering or leaving for/from Wilmington.

The next larger pair were to be used as both runners and raiders upon arrival. They were to be armed at sea or upon arrival in Wilmington and used against Northern port cities as raiders. I have seen a photograph of the Ajax, and both photographs and lithographs of the Adventure. I believe the lithographs were in the 'Illustrated London News'. In addition, plans to both classes of vessels are in the 'Denny Collection' of the NMM in Greenwich. Considering the current disruption of research at the US NA, it may be time to focus on UK sources for a bit.

The last pair were also 250' and built by the Dudgeon Bros. in Millwall, London. Before being armed upon arrival. they were named Louisa Ann Fanny and Mary Augusta. The Louisa Ann Fanny was the only one of the six that was actually received by the CSN. They too were to be used as both runners and raiders after being received and armed.

All the best,
Bil

Thank you very much, this was very helpful! Do you know of any way to browse the Denny Collection online? I can't seem to find a way to.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

There was an earlier Confederate vessel named 'Enterprise' (a wooden hull sidewheeler) that was used as a towboat at New Orleans but was reportedly sank in a storm about Mar. 15, '62.

Details of the second Confederate vessel named, 'Enterprise' is as follows:-

Builder - Denny and Company, Dumbarton, Scotland, 1865
Dimensions - 250' x 30' x 16'
Tonnage - 776 gross tons, 830 burden tons, 1600 displacement tons
Description - iron hull, twin screw
Owner - Contracted by James Bulloch for the Confederacy for use as a gunboat but unfinished at war's end.
(Apparently, this boat was also referred to as the 'Yangtze' and 'Brasil').

(Source - 'Lifeline of the Confederacy' by Stephen Wise, @ p. 298).

 

[Civilwarfanatic]

Hello everybody, I have made a drawing of the Enterprise based on what I remember of her. Hope this might help in some way.

 

[Bil R]

Thank you very much, this was very helpful! Do you know of any way to browse the Denny Collection online? I can't seem to find a way to.

Hello CWFanatic,

I don't know how to browse the collection on line either. I'm an older 'ink on paper, brick library' kind of researcher. That being said if you go to the NMM website you can enter her name or Denny collection to see what emerges. They have been working hard to digitize their more interesting holdings. If you contact them and arrange it, they will reproduce copies of the plans for you but it will take several weeks. Both classes of vessels had the straight bow as you've depicted. There are also a series of paperback books (4-5 volumes) that describe and have the plans reproduced in small scale. All Denny designs are listed in chronological order. You can probably find them on Abebooks or other used book sources.

All the best,
Bil

 

[Bil R]

Hello CWFanatic,

I don't know how to browse the collection on line either. I'm an older 'ink on paper, brick library' kind of researcher. That being said if you go to the NMM website you can enter her name or Denny collection to see what emerges. They have been working hard to digitize their more interesting holdings. If you contact them and arrange it, they will reproduce copies of the plans for you but it will take several weeks. Both classes of vessels had the straight bow as you've depicted. There are also a series of paperback books (4-5 volumes) that describe and have the plans reproduced in small scale. All Denny designs are listed in chronological order. You can probably find them on Abebooks or other used book sources.

All the best,
Bil

Addendum:

'The Denny List', four volumes with appendices, compiled by David Lyon (1975) as a catalogue for the NMM, multiple copies on Abebooks

 

[Civilwarfanatic]

Addendum:

'The Denny List', four volumes with appendices, compiled by David Lyon (1975) as a catalogue for the NMM, multiple copies on Abebooks

Thank you! I'll make sure to get the volumes when I can

 

[JeffBrooks]

I heard it could achieve speeds up to Warp 9.

 

[rebelatsea]

My apologies for the quality of these copies, they are many years old now, here are the vertical elevation plan for Enterprise & Adventure, and a poor photograph of Hercules. The latter originated with the Huntingdon Library, San Marino, California. Apparently taken alongside in Denny's Yard. the former is fromm the NMM collection.

 

[Civilwarfanatic]

My apologies for the quality of these copies, they are many years old now, here are the vertical elevation plan for Enterprise & Adventure, and a poor photograph of Hercules. The latter originated with the Huntingdon Library, San Marino, California. Apparently taken alongside in Denny's Yard. the former is fromm the NMM collection.View attachment 574831

Thank you so much! They look just like how I remembered them!