USS Braziliera (1856)

USS Braziliera (1856) was a bark acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy primarily as a gunboat stationed off Confederate ports to prevent their trading with foreign countries.

History
United States
Name:	USS Braziliera
Laid down:	date unknown
Launched:	1856 at Baltimore, Maryland
Acquired:	July 30, 1861
Commissioned:	October 27, 1861
Decommissioned:	1865
Stricken:	1865 (est.)
Fate:	sold, June 2, 1865
General characteristics
Type:	Bark
Tonnage:	541
Length:	135 ft 8 in (41.35 m)
Beam:	28 ft 7 in (8.71 m)
Draft:	10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsion:	Sail
Speed:	10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Complement:	Unknown
Armament:	6 × 32-pounder smoothbore guns

Built in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1861

Braziliera — a wooden bark — was built in 1856 by J. J. Abrahams, Baltimore, Maryland; purchased at New York City on July 30, 1861; and commissioned on October 27, 1861, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant C. F. W. Behm in command.

Civil War service

Assigned to the North Atlantic Blockade

She joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and served on the blockade of Beaufort, North Carolina. On March 3, 1862, Braziliera received considerable damage when the bark Amanda dragged anchor at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and collided with her.

Reassigned to the South Atlantic Blockade

On June 27, Braziliera reported to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. While with the Squadron she captured four vessels. She also took part in the destruction of salt works on St. Simon's Sound, Georgia, and lumberworks on St. Andrew Bay, Florida.

In May 1864, she assisted in defeating the attack of CSS North Carolina at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, North Carolina.

Post-war decommissioning and sale

Braziliera was sold on June 2, 1865 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

See also

• United States Navy
• American Civil War

References

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