Steamboats on the Big Sandy River during the Civil War

The first steamboats appeared on the Big Sandy River in 1837. They soon became a familiar sight and carried merchandise and passengers to various points of destination up and down the valley. On an average, the stream, with its Levisa and Tug Forks, was navigable by steamboats of small size for four months a year for a distance of 87 miles and six months for 50 miles. During low-water season goods had to be transported by push boat.
When the Civil War broke out in 1861, the lack of good roads made steamboats a natural choice to transport troops and supplies up the river. The following boats were in use during the Civil War. This list is a work in progress and more boats may be added as additional information becomes available.


Banner
May have been previously named "Victor"
Owner: Judge Joseph Patton
Pilot: Captain Cummings
Delivered goods to Joseph Francis Hatten Landing at the mouth of Bear Creek on Jan. 29, 1863.
Burned by CS raiders.


Barnum
Type: Steamboat, built 1864.
Transported government freight up the Big Sandy. Captured on Nov. 5, 1864 at Buffalo Shoals in Johnson Co. KY, by the 34th Battalion Virginia Cavalry under command of Lt. Col. Vincent A. Witcher. Burned.


Ben Franklin
Type: Steamboat
Transported troops up the Big Sandy to Piketon in spring of 1862.


Bostona
In service under General Nelson's Eastern KY Campaign, Nov. 1861.
In service under Garfield's Eastern KY Campaign, 1861/1862.
The boat made several trips up the Big Sandy to Piketon during the February flood of 1862 and transported troops from Piketon to Catlettsburg in March 1862.


Capitola
Built in 1860
Moved up Big Sandy during the February flood 1862. Anchored on mainstreet in Piketon on Feb. 24, 1862. Transported troops up the Big Sandy in March 1862.


Champion No. 4
Type: Towboat, built in 1860
Utilized during Gen. Nelson's Eastern Kentucky Campaign in November 1861. Carried troops from Louisa on the Big Sandy River and the Ohio.


Charlie Potevin
Transported troop from Catlettsburg up the Big Sandy River in February/March 1862.


Clarke
Operated in 1865.


Effort
Type: Steamboat, built in 1855.
Owner/operator: Hiram Tyler
Transported Government freight up the Big Sandy, Dec. 23 - Dec. 26, 1861


Fawn
Type: Steamboat
Transported government freight up the Big Sandy. Captured on Nov. 5, 1864 at Buffalo Shoals in Johnson Co. KY, by the 34th Battalion Virginia Cavalry under command of Lt. Col. Vincent A. Witcher. Burned.


Henry M. Chiles/Childs
Transported Garfield to Piketon in 1862.
H. M. Childs was wharfmaster in Catlettsburg 1864/1865.


Leslie
Carried Colonel Garfield in January 1862 up the Big Sandy from Catlettsburg with supplies for his brigade.


Little Eva
Type: A large flat-boat with a steam engine and a shrill whistle.
Carried supplies for Garfield's troops up the Big Sandy to Piketon until April 1862 [possibly later]


Mason
Operated in 1865.


Morning Star
Type: Sidewheel steamboat, built 1856.


Mountain Ranger
Type: Steamboat
Owner/operator: W. D. Cummings
Transported Government freight up the Big Sandy, Dec. 18 - Dec. 29, 1861.


Oil Hunter


Piketon
Owned by Milton Kennedy.
Contracted to transport troops and Government freight up the Big Sandy between Catlettsburg and Piketon from January to May 1862.


Red Brick
Type: A scow with a locomotive on board


Red Buck
Type: Side wheeler
It operated during the Civil War. Captured by CS troops in early 1862 near the mouth of Johns Creek while transporting weapons to Garfield at Piketon. The Confederates were discovered wading the river at Wireman Shoals, some distance above where the boat was tied up. Crew and passengers quickly opened the crates and took guns from
them, firing at the approaching soldiers as they attacked but the boat was soon taken over. Captain James Welch was in command of the boat. It was tied up because the crew was visiting nearby family.


Rocket
Utilized during Gen. Nelson's Eastern Kentucky Campaign in November 1861.


Sandy Valley
Type: "Batwing" boat [side wheeler]
Built by Captain Archibald Borders of Louisa ca. 1860.
Considered one of the finest boat on the Big Sandy.
Chief pilot: Hiram Davis 1. Engineer: John W. Dillon
Commandeered by Garfield in early 1862 to carry Goverment stores up the Big Sandy to Paintsville.


Selid
Type: Steamboat
Owner/operator: John C. Moore.
Transported government freight up the Big Sandy, Dec. 15-20, 1861


Swan
Type: Steamboat
Transported government freight up the Big Sandy.
Piloted by Jordan Otey, 14th KY Infantry, in the spring of 1863.
Captured by Rebel Bill Smith, July 1864.


Transfer
Burned by CS raiders


Viola


Victress
Operated in 1865.


Wild Goose
Type: River packet
Pilot: Doliver Elkins
The boat was captured and scuttled in the Big Sandy river by the Sandy Rangers under the leadership of "Rebel Bill" Smith. The packet, when captured, was carrying supplies to the Fourteenth Kentucky Union forces at Louisa, Ky.