View source for CSS Fanny

{{other ships|List of ships named Fanny}}
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|Ship caption=''Fanny'' being attacked at Chicamacomico by CSS ''Raleigh'', CSS ''Curlew'', and CSS ''Junaluska''. [[Harper's Weekly]]
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|Ship fate=Burned on February 10, 1862
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|Ship type=Steam [[tug]] [[gunboat]]
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|Ship armament=1 × 32-pounder (4.62-inch) [[Sawyer rifle]] (bow), 1 × 8-pounder rifled cannon (stern)
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'''CSS ''Fanny''''' was a small propeller-driven steam [[tug]] used by the [[Confederate States Navy]] to defend the sounds of northeastern [[North Carolina]] in the [[American Civil War]]. Originally armed as a [[gunboat]] and operated by the Union, she was captured in October 1861 by the Confederate Navy, and later lost at the [[Battle of Elizabeth City]] in February 1862. Due to being used as an observation balloon platform, ''Fanny'' is sometimes credited with being the first self-propelled [[aircraft carrier]].<ref name=CentFlt1>[http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Lighter_than_air/Civil_War_balloons/LTA5.htm US Centennial of Flight] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025085309/http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Lighter_than_air/Civil_War_balloons/LTA5.htm |date=2007-10-25 }}</ref>

== Union service ==

The ''Fanny'' was originally operated by the [[United States Army Quartermaster Corps]]. On August 3, 1861,  while on the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]], [[Balloon (aircraft)|balloonist]] [[John La Mountain]] made an ascent from the deck of the ''Fanny'' to observe Confederate positions, making the ''Fanny'' a [[balloon carrier]].<ref name=FanNavS1/> Previous water-launched balloon flights had taken place on barges.<ref name=CentFlt1/> ''Fanny'' was armed with a 4.62-inch [[Sawyer rifle]] forward (Described as a "32-pounder", based on projectile weight, by Confederates after her capture) and with an 8-pounder rifled cannon (possibly another Sawyer design) aft, and was active against Confederate shore positions.<ref name=RipSaw1>{{Cite book | last =Ripley | first =Warren | year =1984 | title =Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War | pages =173–174 | place =Charleston, S.C. | publisher =The Battery Press }}</ref><ref name=AppCyc1>{{cite Appletons'|wstitle= Sawyer, Sylvanus |volume = V |page = 408 |short= 1}}</ref> It was also part of the [[Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries]], the initial invasion of the North Carolina [[Outer Banks]] by the Union on August 28–29, 1861. At some later time ''Fanny'' was commanded by a Lieutenant Crosby and reported the capture of the [[Blockade runners of the American Civil War|blockade runner]] ''Mary Emma'' at the headwaters of the [[Manokin River]] in Maryland.<ref name=FanNavS1>[http://www.navsource.net/archives/09/86/86076.htm CSS ''Fanny'' ex-''Fanny'' (1861) at NavSource]</ref>

== Capture and Confederate service ==
[[File:Frank Leslie's scenes and portraits of the Civil War (1894) (14760527564).jpg|thumb| Capture of the Propeller ''Fanny'' by CSS ''Northumberland'' and two rebel tugs in Pamlico Sound by three Confederate Steamers while conveying men and stores to the Twentieth Indiana Regiment. [[Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper]]]]
After the Federals captured [[Hatteras Inlet]] the ''Fanny'' was used to supply a Union army outpost at Chicamacomico, an [[Outer Banks]] settlement north of the [[Cape Hatteras Lighthouse]].  While at anchor there it was surprised by a Confederate gunboat squadron on 1 October 1861.  This squadron consisted of the [[CSS Curlew|CSS ''Curlew'']], [[CSS Raleigh (1861)|CSS ''Raleigh'']], and [[CSS Junaluska|CSS ''Junaluska'']].  The ''Curlew'' closed first while the other two gunboats circled around to cut off any escape attempt. After a brisk half-hour engagement the ''Fanny'' was run aground in Loggerhead Inlet and surrendered.<ref name=NHHCFanny/> A large quantity of commissary and quartermaster's stores was captured with the steamer. Also captured were members of [[20th Indiana Infantry Regiment|Twentieth Indiana]] and the New York Zouaves. However, the ''Fanny's'' captain, J. H. Morrison, and his crew escaped, having essentially abandoned ship once the Confederate steamers approached. Refloated and taken into the [[Confederate States Navy]], it was placed in command of Midshipman [[James Langhorne Tayloe]], CSN, son of [[George Plater Tayloe]] of the [[Buena Vista (Roanoke, Virginia)|Buena Vista]] estate in [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke, VA]], and brother to [[George Edward Tayloe|George Edward]], John William and Lomax, Tayloe, all officers in the [[Confederate States Army]]. Capt John L. Tayloe was later killed at the [[Battle of Hampton Roads]].

== Chicamacomico incident ==
[[File:Retreat of the Confederates from Hatteras.jpg|thumb|left|The Confederate forces retreat at Chicamacomico]] 
Four days later the ''Fanny'' participated in a relatively large Confederate naval and army effort to 1) encircle and attack the Union encampment at Chicamacomico, 2) take and destroy the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, and 3) attempt to recapture the forts at Hatteras Inlet. The initial landing effort was successful, and the Union encampment at Chicamacomico was abandoned. However, the encirclement effort failed, and the Union troops were able to retreat back to the Hatteras Lighthouse.  The next day Union reinforcements came up from Hatteras Inlet and chased the Confederate troops back to their transports. Both sides then retreated back to their base camps, the Union troops to Hatteras Inlet and the Confederate troops to [[Roanoke Island]].

== Battles at Roanoke Island and Elizabeth City ==

The ''Fanny'' spent the next four months patrolling Pamlico Sound, reconnoitering Hatteras Inlet, and towing supply schooners to Roanoke Island.  On 7–8 February 1862 the ''Fanny'' engaged the Union invasion force in the [[battle of Roanoke Island]]. The ''Fanny'' eventually retreated to [[Elizabeth City]] with the other surviving members of its gunboat squadron when ammunition supplies ran low. On 10 February the ''Fanny'' and the other gunboats were attacked by Federal gunboats advancing from Roanoke Island. In the [[Battle of Elizabeth City|ensuing battle]] it was run aground and blown up by her captain, [[Lieutenant|Lt.]] [[James Tayloe Langhorne]], who escaped with his crew to shore.<ref name=NHHCFanny>[https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/fanny.html CSS ''Fanny'' at Naval History & Heritage Command]</ref> Despite the damage, the Union was able to salvage the ship's main gun.<ref name=RipSaw1/>

== Surviving gun ==

The 4.62-inch rifled gun from ''Fanny'', called a "30-pounder [[Sawyer rifle]]", was preserved in the [[Washington Navy Yard]], D.C. as of 2012.<ref name=RipSaw1/><ref name=WNYSaw1>[http://navyhistory.tumblr.com/post/133859774978/the-guns-of-willard-park-a-look-inside-the-cannon Naval Historical Foundation page on the 30-pounder Sawyer rifle]</ref> A Naval Historical Foundation web page notes that the weapon has an erroneous inscription stating that it was captured from the [[CSS Louisiana|CSS ''Louisiana'']]. The [[USS Louisiana (1861)|USS ''Louisiana'']] was in the Elizabeth City battle, may have been involved in the pursuit and sinking of ''Fanny'', and the recovery of the weapon.<ref name=WNYSaw1/>

==Citations==

{{Reflist}}

==References==

*Christopher Olson, ''An Historical and Archaeological Investigation of the CSS Curlew''; Masters Thesis, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina,1997.
*John G. Barrett,'' The Civil War in North Carolina,'' UNC Press, North Carolina,1963.
*William Parker, ''Recollections of a Naval Officer'', Naval Institute Press, 1985.
*{{NHHC}} The entry may be found [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/fanny.html here]
*[http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/aircraft+carrier The Free Dictionary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218203216/http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/aircraft+carrier |date=2006-02-18 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071025085309/http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Lighter_than_air/Civil_War_balloons/LTA5.htm US Centennial of Flight]
*{{Appletons'|wstitle=Sawyer, Sylvanus|year=1900}}

{{CSN Steamers}}
{{1862 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fanny}}
[[Category:Captured ships]]
[[Category:Gunboats of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Ships of the Confederate States Navy]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Carolina coast]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the American Civil War]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in February 1862]]
[[Category:Balloon tenders]]
[[Category:Ship fires]]
[[Category:Steam tugs]]