CSS Florida (blockade runner)

CSS Florida (pictured after she was captured by the United States and renamed USS Hendrick Hudson
History
Name:	Florida
Launched:	1859
Commissioned:	January 15, 1862
Decommissioned:	April 6, 1862
Fate:	Captured by U.S. Navy, renamed USS Hendrick Hudson
General characteristics
Displacement:	460 tons
Length:	171 ft (52 m)
Beam:	29 ft 11 in (9.12 m)
Propulsion:	Steam engine and sails

The Confederate blockade runner CSS Florida, built at Greenpoint, New York in 1859, was thrice considered for a gunboat before she became one. Contrary to previous interpretation of the official records, closer comparison of entries reveals that she did not serve the Mississippi River Defense Fleet as originally intended but became a Government-owned blockade runner; most authors have confused her with the Mobilian CSS Florida who did not receive her name CSS Selma until July 1862. CSS Florida of New Orleans was one of 14 steamers of Charles Morgan's Southern Steamship Co. which Major General Mansfield Lovell "impressed for public service" at New Orleans, January 15, 1862, acting on Confederate Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin's orders.

The colorful Lieutenant Beverly Kennon, CSN, had sought Florida's command but had to be content with CSS Governor Moore. He nostalgically described Florida to a court of inquiry as "a very fast and a very handsome vessel indeed... A direct-acting screw of about 100 horsepower [75 kW] …about the same size in all respects as the U.S. steam sloop Pocahontas."

Of the several ships of the same name, she apparently is the Florida who arrived at Havana, Cuba on March 23, 1862 with 1,000 bales of cotton. Attempting to repeat her success, she had loaded 211 bales in St. Joseph Bay near Pensacola, Florida when captured by Acting Master Elnathan Lewis, USN, with armed boats from the bark USS Pursuit on April 6.The boarders had just captured a sloop, Lafayette, at St. Andrew's, Florida, 20 miles below, and the latter's Captain Harrison volunteered to pilot Lewis' party on up to capture Florida. Surprised at 4 o'clock Sunday morning, Florida's crew were unable to fire their ship.