Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: June 27 to 30th, 1863-- The Naval Side of Gettysburg

JUNE 27TH

CSS Florida, Lt. Maffitt, seized and bonded whaling schooner V.H. Hill en route to Bermuda.


JUNE 28TH

Rear Admiral Dahlgren noted in his private journal that the French Admiral had told him that he thought there were torpedoes near Fort Sumter "and that fifteen monitors might take it if they fired faster.  He said we fired once in eleven or twelve minutes for each turret."

CSS Georgia captured City of Bath near Brazil.

JUNE 28TH-30TH

As Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved into Maryland and Pennsylvania (Battle of Gettysburg), Washington, Annapolis and Baltimore were threatened.  The US Navy Department ordered Rear Admiral S.P. Leeto send ships for their defense.


JUNE 30TH

Captain Semmes of the CSS Alabama wrote that it had been two years since he ran the bklockade in the CSS Sumter.  They had been an exciting two years with all the cruising and capturing.

Captain Josiah Tattnall wrote Cmdr. William W. Hunter that the inronclad steamer Savannah was ready except for its officers, but "I have the pleasure to transfer her to your command."

Old B-R'er