Photos

Photographs, including reproductions and scans of drawings, illustrations, and images, depicting the U.S. Coast Guard and its five predecessor agencies: the Revenue Cutter Service, the Life-Saving Service, the Lighthouse Service, the Bureau of Navigation, and the Steamboat Inspection Service from the Coast Guard Archives and Special Collections, Coast Guard, Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, and other sources (including private individuals and research organizations).

NOTE: Images provided are in the public domain (unless otherwise indicated).

Images & Photographs
Pressure from public and private sources from New York persuaded Congress that New York Harbor needed a modern, fast Revenue steamer. Of particular concern were the slave vessels illegally outfitting in New York. The result of this pressure and subsequent Congressional action was Harriet Lane, an elegant, 180-foot brigantine-rigged, 674-ton side paddlewheel steamer. She was designed by Samuel Pook and built by William Webb of New York for $140,000. She was named for bachelor-President James Buchanan's niece, who served as the "First Lady" of his administration. Harriet Lane had a remarkable career. She participated in the punitive expedition to Paraguay in 1858, transported dignitaries, including the young Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1860, and sailed with the expedition to resupply Fort Sumter in 1861. She is credited with firing the first "naval" shot of the Civil War. She was permanently transferred to the Navy in September, 1861, and was eventually captured by Confederate forces, converted into a blockade runner and renamed Lavinia. After the war, Revenue Captain John Faunce, her first commanding officer, found her in Cuba and returned her to New York. Here her engines were removed and she was converted to a barque-rigged sailing vessel. She was sold to a lumber merchant, Elliot Ritchie, who named her after himself. She was abandoned off Pernambuco, Brazil, "water-logged," in the spring of 1884.*
240616-G-ZZ999-105.JPG Photo By: na

na - Pressure from public and private sources from New York persuaded Congress that New York Harbor needed a modern, fast Revenue steamer. Of particular concern were the slave vessels illegally outfitting in New York. The result of this pressure and subsequent Congressional action was Harriet Lane, an elegant, 180-foot brigantine-rigged, 674-ton side paddlewheel steamer. She was designed by Samuel Pook and built by William Webb of New York for $140,000. She was named for bachelor-President James Buchanan's niece, who served as the "First Lady" of his administration. Harriet Lane had a remarkable career. She participated in the punitive expedition to Paraguay in 1858, transported dignitaries, including the young Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1860, and sailed with the expedition to resupply Fort Sumter in 1861. She is credited with firing the first "naval" shot of the Civil War. She was permanently transferred to the Navy in September, 1861, and was eventually captured by Confederate forces, converted into a blockade runner and renamed Lavinia. After the war, Revenue Captain John Faunce, her first commanding officer, found her in Cuba and returned her to New York. Here her engines were removed and she was converted to a barque-rigged sailing vessel. She was sold to a lumber merchant, Elliot Ritchie, who named her after himself. She was abandoned off Pernambuco, Brazil, "water-logged," in the spring of 1884.*


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This photograph is considered public domain and has been cleared for release. If you would like to republish please give the photographer appropriate credit. Further, any commercial or non-commercial use of this photograph or any other DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at http://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations.html , which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and trademark, including the use of official emblems, insignia, names and slogans), warnings regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters.



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