SS Syren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
  Confederate States |
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| Name | Syren |
| Ordered | 1863 |
| Builder | Greenwich, Kent, England |
| Fate |
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| General characteristics | |
| Type | Side-wheel steamer |
| Tons burthen | 115 |
| Length | 169 ft (52 m) |
SS Syren (also spelled Siren) was a special iron ship built in England in 1863. It was a sidewheel steamship, meaning it used large paddles on its sides to move through the water. The Syren was designed to be a blockade runner during the American Civil War. Its job was to sneak past Union Navy ships that were blocking Confederate ports.
The ship was owned by the Charleston Importing and Exporting Company. On November 5, 1863, the Syren made its first trip. It brought important supplies for the Confederacy from Nassau to Wilmington. The Syren was incredibly successful, completing a record 33 trips through the Union blockade. This was more than any other blockade runner. However, Union forces eventually captured the ship in Charleston Harbor on February 18, 1865. After its capture, the Syren was used by the Union Navy as a merchant ship.
The Syren: A Fast Blockade Runner
During the American Civil War, President Lincoln announced a blockade around the Confederate States. This meant Union ships tried to stop all goods from entering or leaving Southern ports. Because of this, the Confederacy needed to get supplies from other countries. To do this, they used special ships called 'blockade runners'. These ships were built to be very fast and hard to catch.
Many companies built these special ships. The Charleston Importing and Exporting Company built the SS Syren. Other companies built ships like the Fox, Chicora, and Druid.
How Blockade Runners Were Built
The Syren was a seagoing steamship. Blockade runners like it were built long and narrow. They had a flat bottom and a lighter steel hull. This design made the ship sit low in the water, allowing it to move very easily and quickly.
These ships had two steam engines and a twin paddle-wheel system. This made them the fastest ships at sea during that time. Most blockade runs happened at night. So, these ships were painted a dark gray color. This helped them blend in with the dark sea and sky. This practice earned them the nickname greyhound.
Before reaching the Confederate coast, these steamers often switched to burning a special type of coal called anthracite. This coal produced very little smoke. This helped them stay hidden from Union ships. A typical blockade runner would burn about 50 to 60 tons of coal each day. Sometimes, they even used cotton soaked in turpentine as fuel. This gave off little smoke but created intense heat, making the ship go even faster.
Syren's Daring Journeys
The SS Syren started its career as a blockade runner later in the war. Its first trip was on November 5, 1863. It sailed from Nassau to Wilmington. The ship carried much-needed weapons and other military supplies into Charleston Harbor. Besides cargo, it also carried mail and important letters in and out of the Confederacy.
Old letters and stamps from these trips are very rare today. Historians and collectors keep them as important records of the ship's voyages.
We don't know much about the captains who commanded the Syren. However, the ship's great success was likely due to their brave decisions. Because the Syren was so fast, its captains often took risks that other blockade runners would avoid. The Syren's amazing success meant it made a lot of money for the Charleston Importing and Exporting Company.
The Capture of the Syren
The Syren was captured on February 18, 1865. This happened in Charleston harbor near the Ashley River. The night before, it had successfully slipped through the blockade. The USS Gladiolus captured the Syren. Another Union ship, the USS Commodore Macdonough, arrived but turned back because the Gladiolus had already secured the area.
When Union forces found the Syren, its crew had left the ship. They had cut its pipes and set it on fire. But the Union Army and Navy quickly arrived. They formed a fire brigade with soldiers and other workers. They put out the flames before much damage was done.
After the ship was saved, it was sailed north to Boston. There, it was declared a prize of war. This meant it was legally taken from the enemy. The crew of the Gladiolus claimed money for saving and capturing the ship. There was some discussion about how to share this money. This was because the Syren was abandoned and not directly captured in a fight. Instead, it was found as a result of the Union's attack on Charleston. Later, the Syren served as a merchant ship for the U.S. Navy.
See also
- Blockade runners of the American Civil War
- List of ships captured in the American Civil War
- Bibliography of American Civil War naval history
- Union blockade, the 'Anaconda plan'
- Wilmington, North Carolina in the American Civil War
- Charleston, South Carolina in the American Civil War
