Steamship, Elm City: A Workhorse for the Union.
By: C. John Ferreri

The Elm City Bank opened in 1855 and then became a national bank in 1864. Although the bank had over $400.000 in State bills in circulation in 1864, examples today, are relatively hard to find. The Bank did not issue National Bank notes. The engraver was Jocelyn, Draper, Welsh & Co. as seen on the margin of the note. The American Bank Note Company was a name the aforementioned engraving company was introducing and planning on using before the consolidation in 1858 of various bank note engraving companies forming the American Banknote Co. as we know it, today.

The image of the steamship Elm City appears on notes of the Elm City Bank of New Haven, Conn. This 300 ft. long wooden side wheeler was a familiar sight to New Haveners. It was a passenger ship able to accommodate 350 guests and crew. It was built in 1854 in New York by Samuel Sneeden for passenger service between there and New Haven and was named after New Haven, . Her life as a passenger ship lasted only until war ignited between the States.

During the Civil War she became an indispensable troop carrier bringing troops and material to the front lines and evacuating wounded soldiers during the Peninsular Campaign in Virginia.

She was one of the largest ships involved in this campaign and once while on board, it was said, an irascible passenger, General Dan Sickles, openly feuded by pen, with his superior in command, General Joseph Hooker. General Sickles was being offered a demotion which he eventually accepted but only after a lengthy exchange of military nice.ties.

After her military duty she became a transport and excursion ship doing service along the east coast and Long Island sound.

This oil painting of the Steamship Elm City by Elisha T. Baker (1827-1890) an American artist, is on display at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, VA.

For more information on the New England Numismatic Association, see:
https://www.nenacoin.org/