AH-WR-0973

USS Reliance

Gunboat · United States · Lost 1863 · Chesapeake Bay

A Potomac Flotilla gunboat captured by Confederate horsemen at Port Royal and burned on the Rappahannock in August 1863.

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Historically Reconstructed. Drawn from partial documentation of this vessel together with her known class and configuration. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

USS Reliance was a small screw steamer serving with the Union's Potomac Flotilla. On 23 August 1863, Confederate cavalry and artillery under Mosby and Imboden surprised her along with USS Satellite near Port Royal, Virginia, forcing their surrender. Both vessels were then burned, an unusual land-based capture of Union naval vessels during the war. The loss underscored the vulnerability of river gunboats operating close to enemy-held shore.

Vessel

Built: 1860
Builder: Not established
Yard: Not established
Material: Wood
Length: Not established
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Steam, screw
Owners: United States Navy, Potomac Flotilla

Loss

Date: August 23, 1863
Cause: Enemy action
Location: Rappahannock River off Port Royal, Virginia
Water: Rappahannock River
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Not established
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established

Position

Coordinates: Not established
Accuracy: Position not established
Nearest: Port Royal, Virginia
Region: Chesapeake Bay

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (75/100)

Exact wreck location and present condition are not established in the sources reviewed.

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion
Date, location, and circumstances of capture and burning.
Naval History and Heritage Command
Vessel identification and Potomac Flotilla service.