USS ALASKA
Captain
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
Savannah Daily Herald March 21, 1865
A despatch from Nassau of Jan 26th says
The following vessels, Flamingo, Falcon, Hansen, Banshee (II), Stag, Emily, Dream, Secret,
Night Hawk, Wild Rover, Susan Bierne, Badger, Star, Rothsay Castle, Ellen Denma, Kenitworth,
Marimon, Mars, Little Hattie, Mory and Ella, Colonel Lamb, Watson, Alice, and General Clinch are all
lying here idle, part of them having never made a run. The Vulture and Evelyn have gone to Havana for repairs, It is reported that Will of The Wisp has been captured off Galveston.
Reading @Republican Blues post #12 from thread https://civilwartalk.com/threads/blockade-runner-mary-celestia.152247/ brought up 2 questions.
First up - what became of the purpose-built blockade running ships after the war? Very fast, lightly built, shallow draft vessels aren't going to be very profitable in a peace-time commercial environment. They could be used as speedy mail / packets / dispatch ships but was there that large of a market for them to all be employed after Appomattox?
Second - What became of all the cargo that couldn't make it through the blockade? Civilian goods can be sold back into the market but what about the military goods? Were there any readily available, (and politically acceptable ), customers who wanted / needed these supplies even if sold at a loss?
Thanks for the help,
USS ALASKA