Friday, March 27, 2015

Expedition Up the Waccamaw River, S.C.-- Part 1

MARCH 27TH, 1865:  Captain Stellwagen, the senior naval officer at Georgetown, South Carolina, reported to Rear Admiral Dahlgren "the return of another expedition of four days' duration up the Waccamaw River some 50 miles to Conwayboro."

Detailing the nature of the ceaseless naval expeditions in coastal and inland waters that facilitated the land campaign, Stellwagen continued:  "Having heard the threats of a visit in force had been made by the guerrillas against the plantations and settlements, in view of which great alarm was felt on the whole route by blacks and whites, I dispatched the Mingoe, having in tow some ten armed boats, to proceed as high as Buck's Mills, and leaving it discretionary with Lieutenant-Commanders G.U. Morris and William H. Dana to proceed the remaining distance by boats or land.

"The arrival of the steam launch and two large row launches from the Santee [River] enabled me to follow with them, and the steam tug Catalpa determined to ascend as far as the water would permit."

--Old B-Runner

No comments:

Post a Comment