French corvette Prony
Prony was a French Navy corvette warship during the American Civil War that ran aground and was lost off Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina. It proved impossible to refloat the vessel, and efforts at assistance were hampered by both the weather and the fact that she had run aground in an area where Union and Confederate forces were opposing each other. History. "Prony", a mixed sailing ship and steamer, was built in Brest from 1844 and launched in 1847 (Jacques Vichot, "Répertoire des navires de guerre français", 1967, p. 111). In 1854 it was sent to the South  Seas along with a small fleet to claim possession of New Caledonia. Prony Bay is named after this ship. Loss. "Prony" had left New York harbor on 20 October with the intention of observing as a neutral the activity of the Union Navy blockading the port of Charleston. She arrived off Charleston on 30 October, staying there for two days before heading north, intending to return to New York. She was caught in a storm on 4 November off Ocracoke Inlet. Despite some efforts being made to save her, it proved impossible. No loss of life occurred. At the time  of her loss, "Prony" was under the command of "Capitaine de corvette" De Fontanges with a crew of 140 and 6 30-pound guns. She was of roughly 700 tons burthen and her engines were of .