The Belfast was built for Capt Hy A Forn in 1857 at Freedom, PA.  She was a sternwheel wooden hull packet rated at 156 tons. [1]  Capt Adam Poe was her first master and he took her to the Wabash River where ownership was transferred.   Capt Adam Poe was owner and master through 1861.

 

On May 6, 1862, Capt Carleton was in charge of the Belfast which was loaded with freight for a trip from Pittsburgh to St Louis.   It is unclear whether Adam Poe was the owner at this time.

 

In the early fall of 1862, the Belfast was employed as a temporary gunboat for river security.  Capt WC Mann probably owned the vessel when it was attacked by Morgan’s Raiders at Augusta, KY.  Although protected by bales of hay, the Belfast departed in unseemly haste when the howitzers opened fire. [2]

 

In 1863, the steamer was chartered 10 Jun – 13 Aug and 30 Sep – 9 Oct.  In 1864 she was chartered from 28-30 May and 7-17 Aug.  Curiously, the Belfast was pressed to service on 17 or 27 Jun till 15 Aug 1865.  There is no record of her activities during those times in service.[3]

 

After the Civil War the Belfast had various owners.  In 1867 Capt JP Sedam employed the Belfast in the Cincinnati to St Louis trade.  That same year she made a run to Mobile.  The Belfast burned on the Tombigbee River on 7 Mar 1868.[4]

 

 

 

References.

 

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[1]  Charles Dana Gibson and E Kay Gibson, Dictionary of Transports and Combatant Vessels Steam and Sail Employed by the Uniion Army 1861 – 1868, (Ensign Press, Cambridge, MA 1995), p 30

[2]  Frederick Way, Jr.,Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994, (Ohio University Press, Athens 1994), p. 40-41.
[3]  Charles Dana Gibson and E Kay Gibson, Dictionary of Transports and Combatant Vessels Steam and Sail Employed by the Uniion Army 1861 – 1868, (Ensign Press, Cambridge, MA 1995), p 30.
[4]  Frederick Way, Jr.,Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994, (Ohio University Press, Athens 1994), p. 40-41.

 

 

 

 

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