'The Lady Davis' - in the foreground
From The New-York Times March 18, 1861 (The New York Times Archive):
THE “FIRST WAR VESSEL.”
The Charleston Courier, of Thursday, contains the following:
LADY DAVIS, THE FIRST WAR VESSEL PUT AFLOAT BY SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE THE WAR OF OUR INDEPENDENCE, 1766. — This vessel was bought by Gov. PICKENS, at Richmond, and altered for service, armed with twenty-four pounders, and regularly equipped. She started Tuesday night on the harbor defence, with her complement of enlisted men — Lieutenant T.B. HUGER, commanding, with First-Lieutenant DOZIER and Lieutenant GRIMBALL She is ready for her work of defence, and Gov. PICKENS has directed her to be named Lady Davis, in compliment to the lady of the first President of our Confederate States.
Varina Howell Davis - ship's namesake
According to The Photographic History of the Civil War The Lady Davis was originally a tug purchased in Baltimore. In the photo it’s the stripped-down object in the foreground contrasting to the large frigate in the background. The ship was part of Tattnall’s fleet in Charleston Harbor.
In her letters Varina Davis predicted that if the North fought against disunion it would almost certainly beat the Confederacy.
Thomas B. Huger resigned from the U.S. Navy in January 1861. He would eventually take command of the CSS McRae The Naval Historical Center has other photos of Huger.
The CSS Lady Davis was purchased by the CSA in May, 1861.
The South Carolina Navy apparently existed independently at times during the American Revolutionary War and the American Civil War.
Ensign of the South Carolina Navy
Thomas B. Huger
