Marion was purchased by the Navy on 7 November 1861, renamed
Morse, and armed with two guns. She was commissioned 9 November 1861, Acting Master Peter Hays in command. Morse arrived at
Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 20 November 1861 to join the
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She lay off
Newport News, Virginia, until 29 December when she steamed across Hampton Roads in an attempt to capture the
CSS Sea Bird; ''Morse's'' shelling drove the steamer to the protection of three batteries at
Sewell's Point. Heated action began for
Morse in January 1862 when she joined the
Roanoke Island expedition with 16 additional shallow draft gunboats. The expedition departed Hampton Roads 11 January and began bombarding the fortifications 7 February. The campaign resulted in Union capture of the island 8 February, threatening Confederate communications and opening the rear defenses to
Norfolk, Virginia. On 9 February,
Morse and steamed up
Croatan Sound for
Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to destroy Confederate gunboats and break up canal communications. Crossing
Dismal Swamp Canal, the gunboats spotted Confederate ships and shore batteries. Firing from the ships drove the southerners from their guns and scattered the Confederate vessels. The Union squadron captured or destroyed Confederate ships
Sea Bird,
Fanny,
Ellie,
Forrest, and
Black Warrior, permitting capture of the town 10 February.
Morse and five additional gunboats departed
Hatteras Inlet 23 February to reconnoiter Croatan Sound. Strong Confederate forces at
Winton, North Carolina, opened heavy fire on , the lead ship, with artillery and musketry. The ships returned the attack, firing on the battery and landing the
9th New York Zouaves, who entered Winton, destroying military stores, tents, arms, and gear.
Morse departed Hatteras Inlet with 12 other ships 12 March for Brant Island,
Neuse River to cover the disembarkation of troops in the
New Berne campaign. The joint Army Navy expedition captured the town 14 March and the last of the batteries the 16th.
Morse spent the remainder of the spring and summer scouting and patrolling the
York River, protecting transports and aiding operations of the Army on
Pamunkey River in June. Joining the
James River Flotilla in July, she captured supplies on
Mattapony River the following May, scouting the river to
Frazier's Ferry and silencing Confederate guns above
West Point, Virginia.
Morse joined seven others in capturing
Fort Powhatan, James River 14 July 1863. In November,
Morse joined the expedition to
Mathews County, Virginia, a
peninsula between
Mobjack Bay and
Piankatank River and a base for Confederate raiders. Information from captured guerrillas on plans to capture a
schooner and to destroy the lights on
Chesapeake Bay sent
Morse up
East River to throttle these efforts. After searching out torpedoes (mines) on
Purtan Bay in February 1864,
Morse joined General Wister's campaign on the
Mattapony River, attacking
King and Queen Courthouse. One thousand infantry went ashore from the Union ships at
Sheppard's Landing 13 March. After a feint attack on
West Point, Virginia, in May,
Morse evacuated troops from that point. After scouting duty throughout the spring and summer,
Morse joined the
Potomac Flotilla later in the winter.
Morse relieved
Delaware on the
Rappahannock River in March 1865, aiding the Army in its efforts to take
Fort Lowry. She decommissioned and went to the
Washington Navy Yard 21 May.
Morse was sold there at
public auction to the East Boston Ferry Co., 20 July. Redocumented
Lincoln 12 December, she continued to serve American commerce until abandoned in 1885. == References ==