SS James Adger, capturing the 'Emily St. Pierre' off Charleston, 18 March 1862
English: The capture of the 'Emily St. Pierre' off Charleston, 18 March 1862 by William Gay Yorke. This painting is quite possibly a collaboration between Wm. G.Yorke and his 15 year old son; Wm. H. Yorke. The Charleston-based Confederate blockade runner Emily St. Pierre; is shown wearing the British ensign and hove to under the guns of the Federal sloop-of-war U.S.S.James Adger; a sixteen gun paddle steamer with a topsail schooner rig; passing her stern to leeward with guns run out. All sails on the Union vessel are furled and she is under power. One of the sloop's boats is shown alongside the British vessel debarking a boarding party. Armed Federals may also be seen on the St Pierre’s deck. A second boat is seen pulling away containing an armed party with possibly the ship's captain for questioning. This painting was descended through the family of the Emily St. Pierre’s steward who; in an interesting historical note; assisted the ship's master; Captain Wilson and two crew members in recapturing the vessel from the American prize crew. Emily St. Pierre was built in Bath; Maine by William Rogers & Son in 1854. Her figurehead; shown in detail in the painting; was carved by Colonel William Sampson; one of Bath's best known ship carvers. It is a likeness of the 'Fair Miss' of Charleston; South Carolina; for whom the ship was named. The stern of the Emily St. Pierre bore the carved coats of arms of both Georgia and South Carolina. The vessel may have been transferred to British registry for safety during the Civil War or caught sailing under the British flag as a ruse when captured. The following October; the James Adger; under Captain John B. Marchand was dispatched to England to patrol the English Channel and intercept the Confederate cruiser Nashville; an encounter which never took place. James Adger was sold to the British Merchant Trading Company in 1867 and renamed Windsor Castle. She was lost 31 January; 1869 in the Bay of Biscay. The schooner shown off the James Adger's starboard bow is reminiscent of the famous schooner-yacht America in its lines and rig; particularly the shape of the bow; raked masts and single headsail. America; did serve as a Union blockade vessel and was on station at Rattlesnake Shoal off Charleston during the years 1862-1863. However; she did not arrive in the area until June 1862; several months after the March engagement depicted in this painting. Yorke would have had to use a bit of artistic license to include her in the March 18; 1862 capture of Emily St. Pierre. To further speculate; America spent nearly 10 years in England after her 100 Guinea Cup victory in 1851. It is possible Yorke; who was still in England when this painting was made; used the example of her familiar profile as the model for the American schooner shown here. Around December; 1861; America was sold to the Confederacy by British owner Henry E. Decie to use as a swift vessel to carry Confederate envoys to England. However; things started going badly for the Confederacy and America was scuttled and sunk in a freshwater cove off the St. John's River near Jacksonville; Florida to avoid capture by the approaching Union army. On March 17; 1862; Admiral Dupont of the Union navy received notice of the discovery of the scuttled yacht. She was refloated by the Union navy; and a contemporary account reported that 'The yacht sustained but little damage from her immersion. Her elegant cabin fittings and moldings; silk; satin and velvet curtains and cushions; after becoming dry; looked fresh and bright. Except for a little injury to paint work and auger holes in her bottom; she was perfect.' By April 3; 1862; America was anchored off Jacksonville; where her original spars were recovered and rigged. By April 23; she was at Port Royal Harbor; South Carolina. This was a Union coaling depot situated between Savannah and Charleston. On July 23; 1862; America was named in a dispatch by Admiral Dupont as part of a list of vessels engaged in the blockade of Charleston. Charleston; of course; was the principal blockade running port for the Confederacy and was subject to a proclamation of blockade by the Union in May 1861; even though at first there were too few ships to make it effective. On October 13; 1862; America successfully captured the Confederate schooner David Crockett off Charleston and had been actively engaged in the blockade since mid-July; 1862. The famous racing schooner also holds the distinction of having served in the Navies of both North and South during the Civil War.