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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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  • Ship History
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Reliance
(ScStr: t. 90; l. 88'2"; b. 17'; dph. 7'5"; cpl. 40; a. 1 30-pdr. r., 1 24-pdr. how.)

Reliance was built at Keyport, N.J., in 1860 and first enrolled at New York City.

Originally a Federal gunboat stationed in lower Chesapeake Bay, Reliance was surprised, boarded, and captured on the night of 19 August 1863 at the mouth of the Rappahannock River by a Confederate naval assault party led by Lt. John Taylor Wood. With Satellite, captured at the same time, Reliance was taken to Port Royal, Va., where she was destroyed on 28 August to prevent recapture by Kilpatrick's advancing Federal cavalry.