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USS Hornet

USS Hornet

USS Hornet, an 835-ton side-wheel steam gunboat, was built at Blackwall, England, in 1864. Under the name Lady Sterling, she was captured by USS Eolus and USS Calypso on 28 October 1864 while attempting to run the blockade of Wilmington, North Carolina. Subsequently acquired by the Navy and converted into a gunboat, she was commissioned in April 1865 as USS Lady Sterling. She was renamed Hornet in June 1865 and operated in the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay area during the next few months. In October 1865, Hornet escorted the former Confederate ironclad Stonewall to the United States from Cuba. After brief service along the U.S. east coast, she was decommissioned in December 1865.

USS Hornet was sold by the Navy in June 1869. As the merchant ship Hornet, she became active in supporting insurrections in Haiti and Cuba. Taken into Spanish service in 1872 and renamed Marco Aurelia, she was broken up in about 1894.

USS Hornet

Jolly Roger

When you first catch sight of The Jolly Roger, you might be unsure exactly what to think of it. Since its conversion from a gas station/grocery store to a restaurant in 1972, The Jolly Roger has been anything but your ordinary Outer Banks...

Salt Coast Outfitters

We offer one of a kind SALT COAST OUTFITTERS brand name tees, long sleeves, performance gear, Yeti tumblers, caps, eyeglasses, and more! Browse the fullest collection of coastal lifestyle clothing on the beach. Featuring a sizable selection of brand...

Island Express Ferry Service

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Shackleford Wild Horse & Shelling Safari

Take a quick and scenic ferry ride with your experienced guide over to the pristine Outer Banks Island of Shackleford Banks, which is part of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. There, you are introduced to the wild horses of Shackleford...