SS Republic (1853) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids History
United States
Name	SS Tennessee
Builder	John A. Robb
Launched	1853
Captured	Captured in by Confederate States of America
History
Confederate States
Name	CSS Tennessee
Captured	Recaptured by the United States in April 1862
History
United States
Name	USS Tennessee (1862-1864) USS Mobile (1864-1865)
Fate	Returned to civilian service in March 1865
History
United States
Name	SS Republic
Fate	Sank in a hurricane, October 25, 1865 approx. 100 miles (160km) southeast of Savannah, Georgia
General characteristics
Displacement	1,149 tons
Tons burthen	1275-ton
Length	210 ft (64 m)
Beam	33 ft 11 in (10.34 m)
Installed power	Single piston steam engine
Propulsion	Two 28-foot steel paddlewheels
Capacity	100 passengers
Notes	5,000 barrels of cargo

The SS Republic was a large steamship. It was originally named SS Tennessee and had several other names during its life. The ship was lost in a powerful hurricane in October 1865. This happened off the coast of Georgia. The Republic was on its way to New Orleans when it sank.

In 2003, the ship's wreck was found. It was about 100 miles (160 km) from Savannah, Georgia. Many items from the ship are now shown in museums. There are also videos about the people who were on board.

Ship's Story

Starting Out

The ship was built in Baltimore, Maryland in 1853. A shipbuilder named John A. Robb created it. It was first called the Tennessee. The ship started as a merchant vessel. It carried goods and people between Baltimore and Charleston.

Soon after, the Tennessee made history. It was the first steamship from Baltimore to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It sailed to Southampton, England, and Le Havre, France. Later, it helped start the first regular passenger service. This route connected New York City with Central America.

During the California Gold Rush, the Tennessee was very busy. It took people hoping to find gold to the eastern shores of Panama and Nicaragua. From there, they would travel to California's Sierra Nevada mountains. The ship also helped people involved in conflicts in Nicaragua. It brought volunteers there and later took survivors home.

For several years, the Tennessee sailed between Vera Cruz, Mexico, and New Orleans. It often carried immigrants coming to America. It also transported large amounts of Mexican gold and silver. When the American Civil War started on April 12, 1861, the ship was docked in New Orleans.

Civil War Service

When the Civil War began, the Tennessee was stuck in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Confederate forces took control of it. They renamed it the CSS Tennessee. They hoped to use it as a blockade runner. However, it could not escape the Union blockade of New Orleans harbor.

After the Union forces captured New Orleans, they took the ship. It then served the Union Navy. It even became the main ship for United States Navy Admiral David Farragut. He used it during the end of the Mississippi Campaign. As the USS Tennessee, it was a fast and strong ship. It helped block enemy ships and was a powerful gunship. It even helped attack Ft. Morgan during the Battle of Mobile Bay.

In September 1864, the ship was renamed USS Mobile. This was done so a famous Confederate armored ship, which had been captured, could be named Tennessee. The USS Mobile was damaged in a hurricane in October 1864. It was sent to New York for repairs. However, fixing it was too expensive. So, the U.S. Navy stopped using it in December 1864.

The ship was sold in March 1865. It was renamed SS Republic. After repairs, it went back to carrying passengers and cargo. It sailed between New York and New Orleans. The ship was lost on its fifth trip after the war ended.

The Shipwreck

The Republic left New York on October 18, 1865. It was heading to New Orleans. The captain said it carried passengers and about $400,000 in coins. Most of these were gold coins. They were needed in New Orleans. The city had been captured by the Union in 1862. It was a busy place, but there was very little "hard money" like gold and silver coins.

On the fifth day of its journey, a hurricane hit. It was off the coast of Georgia. The storm was too strong for the ship. Water began leaking badly into the hull. The fire in the boiler went out, and the ship stopped moving. Water came in faster than the crew and passengers could bail it out.

At 4 p.m. on October 25, 1865, the Republic sank. The passengers and crew got into four lifeboats and a raft. But the waves were 40 feet high all night. It was very hard to keep the boats afloat. Two days later, on October 27, a sailing ship called Horace Beals found the survivors. They were very thirsty.

On October 29, another ship, the General Hooker, arrived. It had been sent to look for the Republic. The passengers were moved to the General Hooker and taken to Charleston. Most of the people on board survived. However, a few were lost from the raft before they could be rescued. All the valuable coins sank with the ship.

Finding the Wreck Again

In August 2003, the wreck of the Republic was found. A company called Odyssey Marine Exploration located it. The ship was about 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Savannah, Georgia. It was in about 1,700 feet (500 meters) of water.

The company worked to recover items from the wreck. They found about one-third of the rare 19th-century gold and silver coins. These coins were worth an estimated $75 million. Most of the ship's hull is gone now. But parts like the rudder, paddle wheel, and steam engine are still there. A TV show called Civil War Gold showed how they searched for and recovered the items.

Many items from the ship are now on display. About 14,000 artifacts were saved. Also, 51,000 silver coins were collected. These items are shown in museums in different cities. These include Tampa, New Orleans, and Detroit. The displays also share video stories about the passengers and crew. They show where these people went years after the shipwreck.

See also

In Spanish: SS Republic para niños