USS Philippi

USS Philippi was a blockade runner captured by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She served the Union Navy’s struggle against the Confederate States of America as a picket, patrol and dispatch vessel.

History
Confederate States
Name	SS Ella
Captured	by U.S. Navy forces 10 November 1863
United States
Name	USS Philippi
Namesake	Philippi, an ancient city in Macedonia
Acquired	23 February 1864
Commissioned	early April 1864
Fate	Sunk 5 August 1864
General characteristics
Type	Steamer
Tonnage	311 GRT
Length	140 ft (43 m)
Beam	24 ft (7.3 m)
Depth of hold	9 ft 10 in (3.00 m)
Propulsion	Steam engine with sidewheel
Complement	41
Armament	two 12-pounder rifles, one 20-pounder Parrott, one 24 pounder howitzer

Service history

Union steamer USS Howquah discovered new and fast sidewheeler Ella 10 November 1863 steaming along the coast north of Fort Fisher, North Carolina. She immediately gave chase and fired a shot at the blockade runner which glanced off Ella’s gallows frame and caused her to surrender. The Boston, Massachusetts, Prize Court subsequently condemned the prize and sold her to the Navy 23 February 1864. Renamed Philippi four days later, the steamer commissioned early in April. Philippi was ordered to New Orleans, Louisiana, on the 11th for duty in the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, Philippi served the squadron as a picket, patrol, and dispatch vessel until set afire by Confederate artillery and destroyed while following Admiral David Farragut’s fleet into Mobile Bay 5 August 1864.

See also

• Blockade runners of the American Civil War

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.