Steamer (USS) Daylight

[Story]

New mystery, did a cursory search which yielded no hits.

Pretty sure this is the vessel I'm curious about -
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-d/daylight.htm

What do *we* know about a steamship named Daylight moving @ two companies of the 7th NY (State) Militia Regiment to Washington DC in late April 1861?

 

[Carronade]

Here's part of the DANFS entry for USS Daylight, but it does not say anything about April 1861. Perhaps she was chartered by the Army or the state of New York? And then came to the attention of the Navy?

"Daylight a screw steamer, was built in 1859 by Samuel Sneden of New York; chartered by the Navy 10 May 1861; purchased 12 October 1861; outfitted at New York Navy Yard; and commissioned 7 June 1861, Commander S. Lockwood in command.

Daylight put to sea 7 June 1861 for duty in the waters of Virginia and along the Atlantic coast as far south as Wilmington, N.C., where she assisted in the establishment of the blockade"

Interesting note, she apparently was chartered by the Navy, commissioned, and only later purchased.

 

[Story]

Here's part of the DANFS entry for USS Daylight, but it does not say anything about April 1861. Perhaps she was chartered by the Army or the state of New York? And then came to the attention of the Navy?.

That's the story I'm getting, just curious if it's come to anyone else's attention before I go tumbling down Alice's rabbit hole of research.

 

[IroncladFan]

Just found your query and thought I would add a comment.
The Daylight's steam engine, was built by John Ericsson at the Delameter Works in New York city.
When John started work on his greatest creation, The USS Monitor Ironclad, he considered using the engine design he used for the Daylight, which was called a "Vibrating Lever -Back Acting "Engine. However it would not fit within the confines of the smaller Monitor hull.
He then redesigned the engine and that was called a "Vibrating Lever-Half Trunk-Back Acting "engine.
Stevens Institute in Hoboken New Jersey, has an original drawing that shows Ericsson's consideration of the Daylights engine and design.
It was posted here on what is called New Jersey's Digital Highway :
https://njdigitalhighway.org/portal...c[0]=rucore00000002228&c[1]=rucore00000002229

 

[Story]

Thanks and welcome to this forum.