The Henrietta was a notable 19th-century wooden schooner yacht, launched on May 18, 1861, from the shipyard of Henry Steers in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Designed by William Tooker as a keel yacht, she had a tonnage of approximately 205 tons and was originally built for James Gordon Bennett Jr. as a pleasure vessel. Her sleek design and craftsmanship made her a distinguished vessel of her time. During the American Civil War, Bennett volunteered the Henrietta for military service with the U.S. Revenue Marine Service. She was armed with a 24-pound Dahlgren gun and carried a crew of 16 men. In early 1862, she patrolled Long Island and later moved to Port Royal, South Carolina, where she participated in the Union blockade efforts and supported the capture of Fernandina, Florida, on March 3, 1862. Bennett, serving as a third lieutenant, commanded the vessel during this operation. She was decommissioned and returned to civilian life in New York in May 1862. Following her military service, the Henrietta resumed her role as a recreational yacht. She competed in several races, notably losing to Fleetwing and Vesta in races around Cape May Lightship in 1865. Her most famous achievement came in December 1866 when she participated in the "Great Ocean Yacht Race," a mid-winter transatlantic race from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Under Captain Samuel S. Samuels, Bennett’s Henrietta triumphed over two competitors, Fleetwing and Vesta, completing the 13-day, 21-hour, 55-minute race in just under 14 days, earning her the distinction of being the first yacht to win such a race. This victory cemented her maritime significance and contributed to her fame, which included a meeting with Queen Victoria at Osborne House shortly after the race. In 1870, the Henrietta was sold for $16,000 to Captain Nickerson of Boston for fruit trade in the West Indies. She later changed hands and was used in the African trade before being transferred to New Orleans and the Bay Island Fruit Company. Her service ended tragically when she was lost off the coast of Roatán, Honduras, during a heavy gale on December 16, 1872, though her crew was saved. The Henrietta’s storied career highlights her versatility as a pleasure yacht, a military vessel, and a racing champion, marking her as a vessel of both technological and historical significance in maritime history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.