Any of a genus of bristly-hairy herbs with showy red, yellow, or
white flowers. (Screw Tug: t. 93; l. 88’0”; b. 19’0”; dr. 7’3”;
s. 8 k.; a. 1 heavy 12-pdr. S.B., 1 12-pdr. rifle). Poppy (Screw
Tug), originally white oak steamer Addie Douglass, was purchased
at Philadelphia 31 October 1863 from J. Alderdice; renamed
Poppy; and commissioned 10 November 1863. During the Civil War,
Poppy served as a tender to the North Atlantic Blockading
Squadron. On 25 November 1863 she was with ironclad Roanoke off
Newport News. On 4 February 1864 she was in Hampton Roads. By 17
March she was back off Newport News, again serving as a picket
guard for ironclad Roanoke. On the night of 8 April a small boat
succeeded in attacking frigate Minnesota, flagship of the North
Atlantic Blockading Squadron, with a torpedo, making a clean
escape. Poppy was ordered to ram the intruder, but was unable to
do so because her steam was not up. Poppy was then used as mail
and supply tug until 17 June when she was stationed in the James
River ab