Saturday, November 17, 2012

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: November 20th to 24th,1862-- Cushing's At It Again

Since I will be on the road the next two weeks and the Civil War Naval Chronology book, where I get this information is pretty big, I'm going to get caught up for the month now.


NOVEMBER 2OTH

Two b-rs (blockade-runners) captured, one at Charleston and the other at Pensacola Bay.

Confederates at Matagorda Bay, Texas, captured a boat crew from US mortar schooner Henry Janes who were ashore to "procure" fresh beef.  See what happens when you "steal."


NOVEMBER 22-24TH

Joint Army-Navy expedition to Matthews Court House, Virginia destroyed numerous salt works, hundreds of bushels of salt, burned three schooners, numerous small boats and captured 24 large canoes.  Wonder what they were going to do with the canoes?


NOVEMBER 23RD

Landing party from the USS Ellis under Lt. Cushing, captured arms, mail and two schooners at Jacksonville, NC.  While under attack by Confederate artillery, the Ellis grounded the next day.  Every effort was made to float the ship, but failed.  On the 25th, Cushing ordered it to be set afire to avoid capture.  Cushing reported: "I fired the Ellis in five places and having seen the battle flag was still flying, trained the gun on the enemy so that the vessel might fight herself after we had left her."

That rascal Cushing.


NOVEMBER 24TH

USS Monticello  destroyed two salt works near Little River Inlet, NC.

Old B-R'er

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