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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Fahkee

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Civil War Medal

Screw Steamer:

Built in 1862 of white oak by Whetmore, Cryder & Co., as the passenger-cargo seamer Fah-Kee at Greenpoint, N.Y. intended for the China trade

Launched, 24 November 1862

Completed in February 1863, sold to Adams Express Co. and put into passenger-cargo service between New York, Beaufort, N.C and Port Royal S.C.

Purchased by the US Navy 15 July 1863, for service as a collier/freighter

Commissioned, USS Fahkee, 24 September 1863, Acting Master F. R. Webb in command

USS Fahkee was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron from the time of her commissioning through the close of the war

She carried cargo from New York, Norfolk, and Newport News to the fleet on the North Carolina coast, and also gave towing services and patrolled on blockade at frequent intervals

Fahkee first came under fire, 3 January 1864, in Lockwood's Folly Inlet near Beaufort, S.C., when she passed through musket and shell fire from shore to investigate Bendigo., a blockade runner grounded and afire

Fahkee shelled the ship to further her destruction

While blockading Wilmington, N.C., in the spring and summer of 1864, Fahkee was fired upon several times by Confederate shore batteries

On 24 August, she engaged a blockade runner

In December while returning to the Wilmington blockade area after a voyage to New York and Hampton Roads

And again in December she twice fired on grounded blockade runners

In January 1865, she carried cargo from Norfolk to Beaufort and to the fleet operating against Fort Fisher

In April, at the close of the war, Fahkee was assigned to the South Atlantic Squadron, and from Port Royal, provisioned ships at Charleston and those cruising the coast of the Carolinas

She also cruised with the Squadron off Cuba before arriving at Philadelphia 19 June

Decommissioned, 28 June 1865, at Philadelphia and sold 10 August 1865

Purchased by Waydell & Co, N.Y. for their US Mail contract, operating from November 1865 between Santiago de Cuba and New York, via Bermuda

Sold in 1869 to J. Norman Harvey, was refurbished, and continued in the mail service with Bermuda

Sold in March 1872, to the Quebec and Gulf Ports Steamship Co. for service between Pictou, Nova Scotia and ports on the Saint Lawrence River, renamed Pictou reflagged British at Quebec, 23 May 1872

Final Disposition, Pictou sailed, in November 1873, from Quebec City for Pictou with calls along the way. She was last seen passing Father's Point, near Rimouski, Quebec, and it was reported that there were heavy gales in the area shortly afterwards. However, there were later reports of a fire at sea being observed from Fairfield, north-east Prince Edward Island, from the Magdalen Islands and from Pleasant Bay, Cape Breton Island on the night of 18 November. Wreckage also came ashore showing signs of burning

Specifications:
Displacement 745 gross tons
Length 175'
Beam 30'
Draft 14'
Depth of Hold 18'
Speed 12kts
Complement 73

Armament

two 24-pdr howitzers

one 10-pdr rifle

Propulsion

one Pusey and Jones of Wilmington, Delaware 300hp steam engine with a single vertical cylinder of 42 inches diameter and 42 inches stroke

In addition, she carried sail, rigged as a brigantine

single propeller

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
Merchant Service
098685901	81k	SS Fahkee watercolor by Watercolor by Erik Heyl, 1956. "Early American Steamers," Vol. III". US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 66968	Tommy Trampp
098685902	133k	SS Fahkee in distress in a storm. The foremast is broken or jury-rigged. On August 1st-2nd, 1867 while sailing for Neuvitas and Santiago de Cuba the Fahkee was caught in a storm. By 4 AM on the 2nd the sea was washing over the ship and had carried away the water casks and bulwarks, the engine broke down and the fore-topgallant mast was cut away. The ship survived and returned to New York for repairs. New York Times article dated August 6, 1867	Robert Hurst

USS Fahkee
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Last Updated 22 October 2021