Star of the West
Star of the West approaching Fort Sumter. Illustration from Frank Leslie's Weekly.
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| History | |
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| Owner: |
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| Operator: | U.S. Department of War (1861–) |
| Builder: | Jeremiah Simonson |
| Launched: | 17 June 1852 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Steamship |
| Tonnage: | 1,172 tons |
| Length: | 228.3 ft (69.6 m) |
| Beam: | 32.7 ft (10.0 m) |
| Propulsion: | Paddlewheels |
Star of the West was an American civilian steamship, launched in 1852 and scuttled by Confederate forces in 1863. In January 1861, she was hired by the United States government to transport military supplies and reinforcements to the U.S. military garrison of Fort Sumter, but was fired on by cadets from The Citadel, in what were effectively the first shots fired in the American Civil War.
The ship was later captured by Confederate forces, used for several purposes, including a hospital ship and blockade runner, and was scuttled in defense of Vicksburg in 1863.
Star of the West was a 1,172-ton steamship built by Jeremiah Simonson, of New York City for Cornelius Vanderbilt, and launched June 17, 1852. Its length was 228.3 feet (69.6 m) and its beam 32.7 feet (10.0 m), with wooden hullside paddle wheels and two masts. She started service between New York and San Juan de Nicaragua on October 20, 1852 and continued this service for Charles Morgan from July 1853 to March 1856. In June 1857, she started the New York to Aspinwall service for the United States Mail Steamship Company until September 1859 when it went onto the New York, Havana, New Orleans service. In January 1861, she was chartered to the War Department.
On January 9, 1861, weeks after South Carolina declared that it had seceded from the U.S. (but before other states had done so to form the Confederacy), Star of the West arrived at Charleston Harbor to resupply Major Robert Anderson's garrison at Fort Sumter. The ship was fired upon by cadets from The Citadel stationed at the Morris Island battery, and was hit three times by what were effectively the first shots of the American Civil War. Although Star of the West did not suffer any major damage, her captain, John McGowan, considered it too dangerous to continue and turned about to leave the harbor. The mission was abandoned and Star of the West headed for her home port of New York Harbor.
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