Blockade Runners Operating from South Carolina Ports during the War for Southern Independence

Blockade Runners were generally privately owned and privately crewed. Never-the-less, the men who manned these ships were often under hostile fire from Union blockading vessels, both entering and leaving a Confederate port. Although most of the crews were not on active service with a military branch of the Confederacy, they provided valuable service to the Confederacy while under enemy fire. Several blockade runners were owned by the the Confederate government or a state government and these were crewed by military personnel. In addition, it soon became standard practice to have an Confederate army signal corps representative on board to signal to the defending forts before making a run for the harbor.

Generally the blockade runners would be used to trans-ship cargo from neutral ports into and out of Confederate ports. The two most commonly used neutral ports were in Bermuda and the Bahamas. Occasionally ships would sail directly from Europe to a Confederate port. However, as the Union blockade tightened, the blockade runners needed to be small, fast, and have a very shallow draft to elude the blockade. This led to the construction of specially built ships for running the blockade.

This page contains listing of all blockade runs into or out of South Carolina ports that were made by steam ships. There were also many small sailing ships that coasted along the shore and would then run to Cuba or the Bahamas with their freight. Unfortunately, we have not been able to obtain the records of these ships. The list is divided into those entering and those leaving and it is divided by year. If a ship was sold and changed names, the name of the original ship is included in parentheses. If more than one ship of a particular name was used in the blockade, a number is included in parentheses to indicate which ship.

There were 115 successful runs into South Carolina ports throughout the war.
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865

There were 128 attempted runs out of South Carolina during the war. Of those 117 were successful and 11 ended in the loss of the ship.
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865

Blockade Runners Arriving at South Carolina Ports.

1861

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Arriving from
Theodora	Nov. 4, 1861	Charleston	Havana

1862

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Arriving form
Ella Warley	Jan. 2, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Nelly	Mar. 6, 1862	Charleston	Havana
Economist	Mar. 14, 1862	Charleston	Bermuda
Nashville	Mar. 18, 1862	Georgetown	Beaufort
Kate	Mar. 24, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Cecile	Mar. 28, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Nelly	Apr. 19, 1862	Charleston	Havana
Cecile	Apr. 28, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Kate	May 20, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Cecile	May 24, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Minho	May 26, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Memphis	Jun. 23, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Herald	Jul. 3, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Lloyd	Jul. 7, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Hero	Jul. 8, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Scotia	Jul. 26, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Anglia	Jul. 30, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Leopard	Aug. 3, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Minho	Aug. 3, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Herald	Aug. 18, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Kate	Sep. 1, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Leopard	Sep. 2, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Kate	Oct. 1, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Herald	Nov. 1, 1862	Charleston	Bermuda
Aries	Nov. 15, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	Dec. 20, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Leopard	Dec. 27, 1862	Charleston	Nassau

1863

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Arriving from
Leopard	Jan. 5, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Calypso	Jan. 22, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Flora (1)	Jan. 24, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Douglas	Jan. 27, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Thistle (1)	Jan. 29, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Annie Childe	Feb. 11, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ruby (1)	Feb. 14, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Stonewall Jackson (Leopard)	Feb. 14, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Havelock	Feb. 24, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Feb.  27, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ruby (1)	Mar. 1, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Flora (1)	Mar. 15, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Gertrude	Mar. 16, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ruby (1)	Mar. 17, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Calypso	Mar. 18, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	Mar. 23, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Eagle	Mar. 24, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Mar. 24, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ella and Annie (Wm G Hewes)	Apr. 10, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
General Beauregard (Havelock)	Apr. 12, 1863	Charleston	Bermuda
Eagle	Apr. 26, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ella and Annie (Wm G Hewes)	Apr. 28, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Britannia	May 11, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Norseman	May 13, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	May 13, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Calypso	May 15, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ella and Annie (Wm G Hewes)	May 20, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	May 20, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Kate (1)	May 20, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
General Beauregard (Havelock)	May 20, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Eagle	May 22, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Fannie	May 23, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Britannia	May 25, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Alice	May 25, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Elizabeth (Atlantic)	May 26, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Raccoon	Jun. 11, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	Jun. 11, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Jun. 16, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Alice	Jun. 27, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Fannie	Jun. 28, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Juno (1)	Jul. 8, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	Jul. 10, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Jul. 20, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Alice	Jul. 22, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Fannie	Jul. 23, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Spaulding	Aug. 16, 1863	Charleston	Nassau

1864

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Arriving from
Little Ada	Mar. 2, 1864	Santee River	Nassau
Rothesay Castle	Apr. 10, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Mars	Apr. 13, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
General Whiting	May 14, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Jun. 8, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Prince Albert	June 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Jun. 26, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
David	Jul. 1, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Aug. 8, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Aug. 11, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Druid	Aug. 11, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Aug. 31, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Sep. 4, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Druid	Sep. 6, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Kate Gregg	September 1864	Charleston	Nassau
General Whiting	Sep. 21, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Sep. 23, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Sep. 28, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Oct. 9, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Chicora (Let Her Be)	Oct. 10, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Coquette	October 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Nov. 4, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Julia	Nov. 5, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Chicora (Let Her Be)	Nov. 7, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Nov. 21, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Druid	Nov. 26, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Kate Gregg	Dec. 1, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Laurel	Dec, 1, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Julia	December 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Dec. 20, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Chicora (Let Her Be)	Dec. 25, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Dec. 27, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
G. T. Watson	Dec. 27, 1864	Charleston	Nassau

1865

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Arriving from
Caroline	January 1865	Georgetown	Nassau
Little Hattie	January 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Jan. 18, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Coquette	January 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Jan. 23, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
G. T. Watson	Jan. 24, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Chicora (Let Her Be)	Feb. 16, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Feb. 16, 1865	Charleston	Nassau

Blockade Runners Departing from South Carolina Ports.

1861

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Bound to
Theodora	Oct. 12, 1861	Charleston	Nassau
Nashville	Oct. 29, 1861	Charleston	Liverpool
Ella Warley	Dec. 2, 1861	Charleston	Nassau
Theodora	Dec. 4, 1861	Charleston	Nassau

1862

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Bound to
Kate	Jan. 12, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Cecile	Feb. 20, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Ella Warley	Feb. 27, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Thomas L Wragg (Nashville)	Mar. 23, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Nelly	Mar. 25, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Economist	Apr. 1, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Cecile	Apr. 5, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
William Seabrook	Apr. 15, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Kate	Apr. 17, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Cecile	May 3, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Nelly	May 3, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Cecile	May 30, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Kate	Jun. 2, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Minho	Jun. 4, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Herald (1)	Jul. 21, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Memphis	Jul. 26, 1862	Charleston	Captured
Lloyd	Aug. 14, 1862	Charleston	Liverpool
Leopard	Aug. 28, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Minho	Aug. 28, 1862	Charleston	Bermuda
Kate	Sep. 1, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Anglia	Sep. 21, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Scotia (1)	Sep. 26, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Leopard	Sep. 30, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Herald (1)	Oct. 12, 1862	Charleston	Bermuda
Kate	Oct. 29, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Leopard	Nov. 10, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Herald (1)	Nov. 17, 1862	Charleston	Nassau
Aries	Dec. 20, 1862	Charleston	Havana
Nina	Dec. 27, 1862	Georgetown	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	Dec. 27, 1862	Charleston	Nassau

1863

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Bound to
Leopard	Jan. 14, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Tropic (Huntress)	Jan 18, 1863	Charleston	Destroyed
Calypso	Feb. 5, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Flora (1)	Feb. 11, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Thistle (1)	Feb. 13, 1863	Charleston	Run aground - salvaged
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Feb. 13, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ruby (1)	Feb. 18, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Hero	Feb. 19, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Stonewall Jackson (Leopard)	Feb. 21, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
T. D. Wagner (Annie Childs)	Mar. 3, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ruby (1)	Mar. 7, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Mar. 10, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ruby (1)	Mar. 19, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
General Beauregard (Havelock)	Mar. 19, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Flora (1)	Mar. 19, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Gertrude	Mar. 23, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Eagle	Apr. 1, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Apr. 6, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ella and Annie (Wm G Hewes)	Apr. 18, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Calypso	Apr. 20, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	Apr. 20, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ella and Annie (Wm G Hewes)	May 5, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
General Beauregard (Havelock)	May 7, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Cherokee (Thistle 1)	May 8,1863	Charleston	Captured
Eagle	May 9, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Britannia	May 15, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Norseman	May 19, 1863	Charleston	Destroyed
Calypso	May 21, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	May 21, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	May 27, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Stono (Isaac Smith)	Jun. 5, 1863	Charleston	Destroyed
Fannie	Jun. 14, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Raccoon	Jun. 18, 1863	Charleston	Destroyed
Alice	Jun. 18, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Kate (1)	Jun. 19, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Ella and Annie (Wm G Hewes)	Jun. 21, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	Jun. 21, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Elizabeth (Atlantic)	Jun. 21, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Britannia	Jun. 22, 1863	Charleston	Captured
General Beauregard (Havelock)	Jun. 23, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Jul. 7, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Alice	Jul. 7, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Fannie	Jul. 8, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Jul. 8 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Margaret and Jessie (Douglas)	Aug. 1, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Antonica (Herald)	Aug. 3, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Alice	Aug. 15, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Fannie	Aug. 22, 1863	Charleston	Nassau
Spaulding	Sep. 18, 1863	Charleston	Nassau

1864

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Bound to
General Moultrie	Mar. 4, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Helen (Juno 1)	Mar. 8, 1864	Charleston	Foundered
Rothesay Castle	May 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Mars	May 26, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Jun. 10, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Little Ada	Jun. 10, 1864	Santee River	Nassau
Fox	Jul. 22, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Druid	Jul. 26, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Prince Albert	Jul. 26, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Aug. 22, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Aug. 23, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Druid	Aug. 24, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
General Whiting	Sep. 1, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Sep. 9, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Sep. 9, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Sep. 27, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Kate Gregg	September 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Oct. 3, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Coquette	Oct. 23, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Chicora (Let Her Be)	Oct. 27, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Oct. 27, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Kate Gregg	Nov. 1, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
General Clinch	Nov. 3, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Druid	Nov. 3, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Julia	Nov. 18, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	Dec. 1, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Chicora (Let Her Be)	Dec. 14, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Dec. 15, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Kate Gregg	December 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Julia	Dec. 20, 1864	Charleston	Captured
General Whiting	Dec. 23, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Laurel	Dec. 28, 1864	Charleston	Nassau
Syren	December 1864	Charleston	Nassau

1865

Blockade Runner	Date	SC Port	Bound to
G. T. Watson	Jan. 2, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Jan. 2, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Chicora (Let Her Be)	January 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Caroline	January 1865	Georgetown	Nassau
Syren	Jan. 26, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Fox	Feb. 2, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Coquette	February 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Druid	Feb. 4, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Little Hattie	Feb. 7, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Chicora (Let Her Be)	Feb. 13, 1865	Charleston	Nassau
Celt	February 1865	Charleston	Destroyed
G. T. Watson	Feb. 18, 1865	Charleston	Nassau

Information from Lifeline of the Confederacy by Stephen Wise.