Confederate blockade runner CSS Nashville

A blockade runner is usually a lighter-weight ship used for slipping past a naval blockade of a port or strait. This is not the same as ships used to challenge the blocking ships to break the blockade. Very often blockade running is done in order to bring food or arms to a blockaded city. In other cases the blockade runners would carry mail in an attempt to communicate with the outside world. Carrying trade goods from blockaded ports is another function.