# USS Nipsic

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/USS_Nipsic
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/USS_Nipsic.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nipsic
> Source revision: 1356659788
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**USS *Nipsic*** was a [gunboat](/source/Gunboat) in the [Union Navy](/source/Union_Navy). The ship was laid down on 24 December 1862 by [Portsmouth Navy Yard](/source/Portsmouth_Navy_Yard); launched on 15 June 1863; sponsored by Miss Rebecca Scott; and commissioned on 2 September 1863, where [Lieutenant Commander](/source/Lieutenant_Commander) George Bacon was in command.[citation needed]

In 1874, she was rebuilt as a new, and substantially larger, [*Enterprise*-class gunboat](/source/Enterprise-class_gunboat). The Navy rebuilt some ships to new, when they could not get budget authorization for a new ship, but had significant funding for repairs. She would also be completely rebuilt in 1890, her length and beam extended and her tonnage increased.

## Service history

### 1863–1873

*Nipsic* arrived off [Morris Island, South Carolina](/source/Morris_Island,_South_Carolina), on 5 November 1863 to join in the blockade of [Charleston](/source/Charleston,_South_Carolina), where she served until the end of the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War). On 27 June 1864, she took [schooner](/source/Schooner) *Julia* as the blockade-runner attempted to enter port.

The Nipsic sank an unknown blockade runner at Murrells Inlet[1] on New Years Day, 1864 during the last known operation during the war.

On 26 June 1865, three sailors deserted from the *Nipsic*. They were Henry May, Ordinary Seaman; Julius Bergan, Seaman; and John Partington, Seaman. The three had served together on three vessels: *Allegheny*, *Mahaska*, *Nipsic*.[2]

*Nipsic* served primarily with the [South Atlantic Squadron](/source/South_Atlantic_Squadron) off the coast of [Brazil](/source/Brazil), and in the [West Indies](/source/West_Indies), protecting American commerce and interests until 1873 when she was decommissioned and subsequently broken up.

### 1879–1889

See also: [Samoan crisis](/source/Samoan_crisis)

Rebuilt as a new, and substantially larger, *[Adams](/source/USS_Adams_(1874))/Enterprise*-class gunboat, *Nipsic* recommissioned on 11 October 1879. She served again in the [West Indies](/source/West_Indies) until March 1880 when she sailed for the [European Station](/source/European_Station).

After three years service in the [Mediterranean](/source/Mediterranean) and along the north and west coasts of [Africa](/source/Africa), *Nipsic* returned to the South Atlantic Squadron in June 1883. She served there until March 1886 when she sailed to the [Washington Navy Yard](/source/Washington_Navy_Yard) for overhaul. In January 1888 she sailed for [Cape Horn](/source/Cape_Horn) and [Callao](/source/Callao), [Peru](/source/Peru), whence she departed on 23 September for duty as station ship in [Apia Harbour](/source/Apia_Harbour), [Samoa](/source/Samoa).

On 15 March 1889, *Nipsic* rode at anchor in Apia Harbour with [USS *Vandalia*](/source/USS_Vandalia_(1876)), [USS *Trenton*](/source/USS_Trenton_(1876)), [HMS *Calliope*](/source/HMS_Calliope_(1884)), and three [German](/source/Germany) naval vessels, [SMS *Adler*](/source/SMS_Adler), [SMS *Olga*](/source/SMS_Olga), and [SMS *Eber*](/source/SMS_Eber_(1887)), along with six [merchantmen](/source/Merchant_ship). Gale-force winds arose, and preparations for leaving harbor were begun, but departure was delayed in the hope that conditions next morning would be more favorable for the sortie. However, by early morning on 16 March the harbor was a mass of foam and spray as [hurricane](/source/Hurricane)-force winds battered the ships in the [1889 Apia cyclone](/source/1889_Apia_cyclone).[3] Only *Calliope*, larger and more strongly powered than the others, was able to leave the harbor and became the only vessel present not to be wrecked or sunk. *Vandalia*, *Trenton*, *Adler* and *Eber*, and the merchantmen were all sunk that day; *Nipsic's* captain, Cmdr. D. W. Mullin, was able by superb seamanship to beach his ship. While severely damaged by the pounding she received on the beach, *Nipsic's* hull was intact, although much of her topside structure was battered, all of her propeller blades damaged, two boilers spread and useless, and eight of her crew lost. Refloated and her engines repaired, *Nipsic* cleared Apia on 9 May for [Auckland](/source/Auckland), but was turned back by heavy seas. On 15 May she again sailed, for [Pago Pago](/source/Pago_Pago), [Fanning Island](/source/Fanning_Island), and [Honolulu](/source/Honolulu), arriving on 2 August.

### 1890–1913

*Nipsic* was completely rebuilt in [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii), her length and beam extended and her tonnage increased. From 3 January 1890 she cruised in the Hawaiian Islands guarding American interests. She arrived in [San Francisco Bay](/source/San_Francisco_Bay) on 30 September, and decommissioned at [Mare Island Navy Yard](/source/Mare_Island_Navy_Yard) on 2 October 1890. In 1892 she sailed to [Puget Sound Navy Yard](/source/Puget_Sound_Navy_Yard) to serve as [receiving ship](/source/Receiving_ship) and [prison](/source/Prison_ship). On 13 February 1913 she was sold. *Nipsic* was burned for her estimated salvage value of $15,000 on the shores of [Lummi Island](/source/Lummi_Island), [Bellingham Bay](/source/Bellingham_Bay), [Washington](/source/Washington_(state)), in late 1915.[4]

**IN POPULAR CULTURE**

Author Earl Derr Biggers, mentions the *USS Nipsic* in Chapter 1 of the Charlie Chan mystery novel The Chinese Parrot. In the story, young ensign from the ship introduced the two-step dance into Hawaii.(5)

## References

1. Wright, Newell O. and Albright, Alan B., "Literature Search for the Corps of Engineers' Murrell's Inlet Navigation Project" (1977). [Research Manuscript Series. 99.](https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/archanth_books/99)

1. Maryland. General Assembly. *History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-5. Vol. II*. Baltimore, MD: Guggenheimer, Weil & Co., 1899, p. 29, 84, 91.

1. ["Six War Vessels Sunk; Wrecked in a Hurricane at Samoa"](https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1889/03/30/106343265.pdf). *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)*. 30 March 1889.

1. ["Old Frigate Passes"](http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015043584484?urlappend=%3Bseq=425). *The Marine Review*. November 1915. P. 411. Cleveland, Ohio: The Penton Publishing Company.

5. Biggers, Earl Derr, “The Chinese Parrot”, 1974, P. 2. New York, NY: Bantom Books.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [USS Nipsic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nipsic) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nipsic?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.