June 22, 1865---Arctic Warriors

JUNE 22, 1865:         

Off Siberia’s Cape Navarin, the commerce raider C.S.S. SHENANDOAH, on war patrol and unaware of recent developments, takes the U.S. Merchant Marine whaling ships WILLIAM THOMPSON, EUPHRATES, MILO, SOPHIA THORNTON, JIREH SWIFT, and SUSAN ABIGAIL as prizes in a 24-hour period, burning most of them to the waterline. It is the beginning of a week-long rampage that permanently cripples the U.S. whaling fleet.