USS Shawsheen ( 1855 ) USS " Shawsheen " ( 1855 ) was a steam operated tugboat acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War . In addition to her tugboat duties , she was used by the Navy as a gunboat to patrol and blockade navigable waterways of the Confederacy to prevent the South from trading with other countries . Built in New York City in 1855 . " Shawsheen " — a side wheel tug built at New York City in 1855 — was purchased by the Union Navy at New York City as " Young America " on 21 September 1861 . No record of her commissioning has been found , but Acting Lieutenant Edmund R . Colhoun was apparently the tug ' s first commanding officer . Civil War service . Assigned to the South Atlantic Blockade . Originally assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron , " Shawsheen " arrived in Hampton Roads early in November badly damaged and unable to proceed further south under her own power . Nevertheless , the need for blockading vessels was so great off the coast of South Carolina that , on the 12th , she and — towed by — got underway to join Flag Officer DuPont . However , their conditions worsened soon after their departure , forcing them both to return to Newport News , Virginia . " Shawsheen " duels with " CSS Patrick Henry " . Although it seemed desirable to send " Shawsheen " north for repairs , the tactical situation in the vicinity of Hampton Roads required her to remain there . On the 14th , she ascended the York River to investigate a report that Southern forces were gathering in preparation for an attack . After finding no evidence to support the report , she returned to Newport News and remained there to help guard and . On 23 November shortly after midnight , " Shawsheen " and bombarded a Confederate camp above Newport News on the Yorktown Road . On the morning of 2 December , Confederate steamer , " CSS Patrick Henry " , attacked the Union warships . " Shawsheen " engaged the Southern ship for over an hour and claimed to have scored two hits . In any case , the " Patrick Henry " was damaged and retired toward Norfolk , Virginia . Bombarding and capturing Roanoke Island . On 2 January 1862 , " Shawsheen " was ordered to Hatteras Inlet , North Carolina , where a task force was assembling to attempt to capture Roanoke Island , the key to Albemarle Sound . On 5 February , the ships sortied from Hatteras Inlet and began a bombardment of Roanoke Island on the morning of the 7th . By the end of the next day , the conquest of the island was complete providing the Union Navy with a base which proved invaluable throughout the remainder of the war . North Carolina operations . On the 10th , " Shawsheen " was part of the Union naval force which engaged Southern batteries and a Confederate naval force near Elizabeth City , North Carolina . The Union ships destroyed the fort and batteries , captured " CSS Ellis " , sank " CSS Seabird " , and forced the burning of three other Southern ships to keep them from falling into Union hands . " Shawsheen " remained in the North Carolina sounds for over a year and one - half , helping to keep those waters under Union control . On 18 May 1862 , she and captured schooner , " G . H . Smoot " , in Potecase Creek , North Carolina . On 9 July , she joined and in an expedition up the Roanoke River to Hamilton , North Carolina . Despite small arms fire from the banks , they proceeded upstream to land their troops at Hamilton where steamer , " Wilson " , was captured . On 12 December , " Shawsheen " and three other Union ships began an expedition up the Nuese River to support a Union Army thrust up that stream to destroy railroad bridges and track near Goldsboro , North Carolina , but low water prevented their getting more than 15 miles up stream and they returned four days later . Beating off a surprise attack on Fort Anderson . On the night of 13 and 14 March 1863 , " Shawsheen " , with " Hunchback " , , and " Ceres " , beat off a surprise attack on Fort Anderson on the Nuese River . On 26 May , " Shawsheen " joined " Ceres " and in an expedition up the Nuese during which they captured a number of small schooners and boats . They then covered the landing of Union troops and remained on station until the Army was solidly entrenched . On 22 June , during a reconnaissance in Bay River , " Shawsheen " captured schooner , " Henry Clay " , up Spring Creek . She then sent an armed boat up Dimbargon Creek to capture a small unnamed schooner carrying turpentine . Perhaps her most productive day came on 20 July when she took five schooners - - " Sally " , " Helen Jane " , Elizabeth , Dolphin , and James Brice — near Cedar Island , in the Nuese River . Nine days later , she captured schooner , " Telegraph " , in Rose Bay , North Carolina . Overhauled at Hampton Roads . But wear and tear was beginning to catch up with the tug . On 3 September , she was ordered to Hampton Roads ; and she subsequently was given a thorough overhaul at the Norfolk Navy Yard and at Baltimore , Maryland . When she was ready for service again , the tug was based at Newport News from which she operated on the James and York rivers and their tributaries supporting ground operations . On 1 May 1864 , she and operated in the Pamunkey River protecting Union troops who had earlier in the day occupied West Point , Virginia . She later returned to Hampton Roads . On the 6th , with Rear Admiral S . P . Lee embarked , she ascended the James River . Near James Neck , he shifted his flag to . The next day , 7 May 1864 , the tug was ordered to drag the river above Chaffin ' s Bluff . Shawsheen is captured and burned . Shortly before noon , while the ship was anchored close to the shore near Turkey Bend , Confederate infantry and artillery surprised and thoroughly disabled the ship . Her commanding officer reluctantly hauled down her colors . Her crew was taken ashore in boats , and " Shawsheen " was set afire and exploded .