Monday, July 22, 2013

New England Coast In Full Consternation

JULY 18th

A delegation from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, meets with Secretary Welles seeking additional defense for the city.  Welles writes in his diary: "Letters from numerous places on the New England coast are received to the same effect..  Each of them wants a monitor, or cruiser, or both."

He then pointed out that shore defense belonged to the War Department rather than the Navy, and that coastal communities should bear some responsibility for their own defense.

Lt. Read's suvvessful raid on the New England coast had really stirred up the populance along with continuing rumors of other Confederate raiders.

Old B-R'er

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