Tuesday, January 21, 2014

150 Years Ago-- January 20-22, 1864

JANUARY 21ST: USS Sciota and Granite City joined several hundred troops on a reconnaisance of Texas coast. Covered troops at Smith's Landing, Texas, and foray down the Matagordo Peninsula.

JANUARY 22ND: Rear Admiral Dahlgren wrote Welles from Charleston: "...do not suppose that I am idle because no battles are fought, on the contrary, the blockade by four monitors of such a place as this, and the determined intention of the rebels to operate with torpedoes, keep all eyes open.

**  Three men from the USS Restless led by Acting Ensign James R. Russell captured the blockade runner William A. Kain in St. Andrew's Bay, Florida (present-day Panama City). They originally were only going to reconnoiter, but after discovering and capturing the captain and several crewmembers ashore in the woods near the vessel, Russell determined to take the ship. He compelled his prisoners to row him out to the Kain and then captured the ship. Then he managed to sail the ship from Watson's Bayou out to the bay and under the restless' guns.

Quite the Daring Feat. --Old B-R'er

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