The Sinking of the USS Monitor-- Part 2: Sank With Sixteen Crew Members

The Monitor's commander, J.P. Bankhead, signaled the USS Rhode Island, towing his ship, that he wished to abandon ship.  The wooden side-wheeler pulled as close as it could safely and two life boats were lowered to save the crew.  Many sailors were rescued, but others were too terrified to go out on the deck in the rough seas.

The ironclads pumps stopped and the ship sank with sixteen of its crew.

Thus ended the short but epic life of a truly remarkable little ship.

--Old B-Runner

The Sinking of the USS Monitor-- Part 1: Nine Months After Historic Battle With the CSS Virginia

From the History Site  "This Day in History" December 30, 1862.

On this day the USS Monitor, a truly revolutionary ship in naval architecture, sank in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.  Just nine months earlier, she had battled the CSS Virginia in the Battle of Hampton Roads, in one of the most famous naval battles in history.

After that battle, the Monitor supported General McClellan's Peninsula Campaign and after that was ordered to Beaufort, N.C., to join a fleet assembling for an attack on Charleston, S.C.,

The low-slung warship was fine in the protected waters of the Chesapeake Bay and James River, but the open sea was another matter.

The USS Rhode Island towed the Monitor to Beaufort, but extremely rough waters were encountered.  As the ship pitched and swayed the caulking around the turret  loosened and water began leaking into the hull.  Each roll opened more  seams and by nightfall December 30, the ship was in serious difficulty.

--Old B-Runner

A USS Monitor Christmas-- Part 5: Sank A Week Later

Thus ended the only Christmas the USS Monitor would ever have.  Few aboard would have expected the ship would sink less that a week later, on December 31, 1862.  Sixteen of its crew, including Jacob Nicklis who had been so proud of his delicious meal on Christmas, went down with her.

Today, you can view artifacts from the USS Monitor at the Mariners' Museum at Newport News.  Starting in November the museum lowered its admission to $1, even better.

The Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe gives visitors the chance to experience the historical fort.

And, for those wishing to experience the festive holiday enjoyed by the Monitor's sailors, you can find Monitor inspired libations at the Ironclad Distillery in Newport News and Oozlefinch Craft Brewery in Hampton.

--Old B-R'er

A USS Monitor Christmas-- Part 4: "Black Eyes, Bloody Noses, & Battered Faces"

However, despite the good Christmas eating, the sound of war resonated across Hampton Roads, Virginia.  Not far from the Monitor, the air was filled with smoke from the reports of cannons from American, British and French ships.  No, they weren't engaged in fighting each other, this was because of salutes to each other and target practice.

Some of the Monitor's crew were fortunate to have leave to go ashore where they encountered men from the British vessels.  At first they enjoyed each others' company, but eventually that came to a close. "The parties got too much whiskey [and] a fight would have to decide who was the best man of the two," wrote Paymaster Keeler.  "There seemed to be a sort of general mass, black eyes, bloody noses, & battered faces  seeming to predominate."

Union soldiers quickly came and took the "drunken fighting sailors" to cells at Fort Monroe.

A Drunken Brawl.  --Old B-Runner

A USS Monitor Christmas, 1862-- Part 3: An Officer Feast

Officers, with their better pay, could afford meals more along the gourmet level.  Paymaster Keeler proudly wrote his wife, Anna giving "a brief synopsis" of their feast.  "Soups, Fish, Oysters of course 'in every style.'  Turkey & other poultry & meats enough to start a Chatham Street eating house.  For dessert, oranges, Pineapples,  Apples, Figs, Raisins -- five  different kinds of nuts -- Peaches, Strawberries, Raspberries, Plums, Cherries, Quinces &c &c  in cans-- Mince & apple pies & cakes without end."

The officers washed down their feast with cider as well as blackberry and currant wines.

Feasting, But Meanwhile....  --Old B-R'er

A USS Monitor Christmas, 1862-- Part 2: Some Liked Dinner, Some Didn't

Despite the rush to ready the Monitor for sea, the crew observed Christmas as best they could.  Jacob Nicklis and his 13 messmates pooled their money-- "a dollar apiece" -- and had quite a dinner of "chicken stew & then stuffed Turkey mashed potatoes, & soft bread" as well as "plum pudding & some nice fruit cake, with apples for dessert."  He assured his father that the dinner "was a good one I can assure you."

However, not everyone was so impressed.  Fireman George Geer wrote his wife, Martha:  "we hade everything to make a splendid Dinner in your hands but our Saylor cook made very bad work cooking to suit me but those poor devils that never had as good before thought  every thing splendid."

But, the officers, with more money, feasted even better.

And, Some Liked Their Fruit Cake.  --Old B-Runner

A USS Monitor Christmas 1862-- Part 1: "All Is Hurry On Board"

From the December 22, 2018, Daily Press (Virginia)  "Jonathan White OpEd:  A U.S.S. Monitor Christmas."

Christmas Eve 1862, Captain John Pine Bankhead, commander of the USS Monitor, received orders to proceed  from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to Beaufort, North Carolina.

They  were:  "Avail yourself of the first favorable weather for making the passage."  But, the weather didn't cooperate and departure was not done at the time.

The officers and crew of the Monitor spent Christmas Day in Hampton Roads aboard ship.  Some had received packages of "good things" from home and Captain Bankhead lamented that he had "neither Mother, wife or sister to send me such things."

Aboard the Monitor, paymaster William F. Keeler penned a short note to his wife, Anna:  "A merry Christmas  to you all there this morning.  I wish I was where I could tell you so instead of having to write it.  I shall think of you often today.  All is hurry on board preparing for sea."

The Last Christmas of the Monitor.  --Old B-Runner

Fort Fisher Thankful for 2018

From the Friends of Fort Fisher.

2018 has turned out to be a very successful year for the fort.

**  Had over 900,000 visitors

**  173 school/children's groups visited

**  404 adult groups visited

**  22 Outreach programs

**  3 major educational/living history programs

**  27 smaller events like Junior Reserves (children programs) and Beat the Heat lectures

**  338 daily guided tours

Plus, a plan for a new visitors center as well as expanded battlefield have been completed.

A Good Year for My Fort.  --Old B-Runner

First Battle of Fort Fisher Ends Today, 154 Years Ago

Huge naval bombardments took place on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24 and 25, 1864.  An estimated 10,000 shells were fired at the fort both days.

Union Army units under the command of General Benjamin Butler were landed north of the fort, but it was determined that the fort was still too strong to be attacked and most of the men withdrawn back to the transports, but several hundred were stranded ashore due to decreasing weather conditions and weren't taken off until December 27.

The first attack on the fort was a Union failure and one of the last things the Confederacy could cheer for.

--Old B-Runner

The First Battle of Fort Fisher Began 154 Years Ago Today

On this date in 1864, a Union armada under Rear Admiral David D. Porter and Army units under Gen. Benjamin Butler started an attack on the huge Fort Fisher guarding Wilmington, North Carolina, the last large Confederate port still open for blockade runners.

Earlier this morning, the famed powdership, USS Louisiana,  was blown up with expectations that it would knock the sand fort down.  It didn't.

The Union fleet commenced one of the largest-ever bombardments up to that time, but the fort still remained in Confederate control.

--Old B-Runner

Civil War Navy Trivia-- Part 3: "The Prince of Privateers," Surrendered Three Forts and a Revenue Cutter

6.  He was nicknamed "The Prince of Privateers."  He was born at sea and had a long U.S. Navy career serving on the USS Constitution and Macedonian before serving many years with the U.S. Coast Survey.  In command of the USS Crusader as the Confederate States were seceding, he refused to surrender his ship and took it North, turned it over and then resigned.  He was a very successful blockade runner as well as commanded the Confederate commerce raider CSS Florida.

Who was he?

7.  As a U.S. ordnance sergeant he was forced to surrender a U.S. fort twice and four years later, as a Confederate major, he was forced to surrender a fort to the United States.

Who was he?

8.  This ship served both the U.S. Revenue Service and U.S. Navy.  It was at Fort Sumter when it fell and is credited as firing the first cannon shot by a naval vessel in the war.  Later, it was at the capture of Confederate forts at Hatteras Inlet, N.C., the Battle of New Orleans, the passing of Vicksburg.  It was captured by Confederates off Galveston, Texas.

Answers below.

Two Men and a Ship.  Old B-R'er



6.  John Newland Maffitt

7.  James Reilly

8.  USRC Harriet Lane

Civil War Navy Trivia-- Part 2: Admirals and Another Blockade rRunner

3.  Name the Union admiral who got quite rick from his cut of prize money from his blockading squadron.  He made $109,689.  Quite a sum back then.

4.  Union Secretary of the Navy originally wanted who to command the attack on Fort Fisher?  After this admiral turned job down, Welles gave the assignment to David Dixon Porter.

5.  Originally named the Giraffe , it was bought by the Confederacy for $160,000 gold.  It was reputed to be the fastest vessel afloat at the time.  The sum spent paid off handsomely as the ship ran the blockade 21 times before its capture, bringing out at least 7,000 bales of cotton worth more than $2 million.

What was her name?

Answers below.

A NautiList.  --Old B-Runner


3.  Admiral Samuel P. Lee

4.  Admiral David G. Farragut

5.  Blockade Runner Robert E. Lee

Civil War Navy Trivia-- Part 1: A Blockade Runner and A Spy

As I mentioned in my Saw the Elephant Blog: Civil War, the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group meets tomorrow at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and this month's topic will be trivia.

Here are some of my trivia questions:

1.  On August 6, 1863, the blockade runner Kate arrived in Wilmington, North Carolina, after successfully running the blockade.  Along with much-needed items in the Confederacy, it also brought something else, not so welcome.    What was it?

2.  What famous Confederate spy was returning to the Confederacy in 1864 aboard the blockade runner Condor when it ran aground off Fort Fisher, guarding Wilmington, N.C..  She drowned in rough seas trying to get to the beach.

Answers below.

--Old B-Runner



1.  Yellow Fever

2.  Rose O'Neal Greenhow

The Loss of the Monitor Weehawken-- Part 1: Inaccountably

From the Civil War and Northwest Wisconsin blog.

From the December 26, 1863 Prescott Journal.  Prescott is a city in northwest Wisconsin.  From the New York Herald.

APPALLING DISASTER
LOSS OF THE MONITOR WEEHAWKEN

United States Transport Fulton, off Charleston, December 8, 1863.

At 2 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, while a furious wind prevailed from the northwest, the ironclad Weehawken, lying at the entrance of Charleston harbor, went down at her anchorage -- went suddenly, swiftly, and unaccountably to the bottom -- and carried with her, to a horrible death beneath the waves, four of her engineers and twenty-six of her crew.

--Old B-Runner

December 19, 1863: Raid On St. Andrew's, Florida

DECEMBER 19, 1863:  Expedition under Acting Master W.R. Browne, comprising the USS Restless, Bloomer and Caroline. proceeded up St. Andrew's Bay, Florida, to continue the destruction of salt works.  A landing party went ashore under the Bloomer;s guns and destroyed those works not already demolished by the Southerners when reports of the naval party were received.

Browne was able to report that he had "cleared the three arms of this extensive bay of salt works .... Within the past ten days," he added, "290 salt works, 33 covered wagons, 12 flatboats, 2 sloops (5 ton each) six ox carts, 4,000 bushels of salt, 268 buildings at the different salt works, 529 iron kettles averaging 150 gallons each, 105 iron boilers for boiling brine [were destroyed], and it is believed that the enemy destroyed as many more to prevent us from doing so."

--Old B-Runner

The Wreck of the USS Weehawken

From Facebook  "United States Ironclads Wrecked Off Charleston, S.C.  (Keokuk, Weehawken and Patapsco)"  July 10, 2010.  E. Lee Spence.

He and Jim Batey made dives on these three wrecks in the 1960s and early 1970s.

The USS Weehawken cost $465,110.73.

The wreck is shown on the 1865 chart drawn by E. Willenbucher for the annual report of the Secretary of the Navy and is listed in Adrian Lonsdale's "Guide to Sunken Ships in American Waters."

About 130 tons of iron was removed from the wreck by Professor Maillefert's salvage company in 1873.  Spence and Batey examined the wreck after a commercial fisherman snagged his trawl net on it in 1966.Spence identified the ship at the site  based on vessel construction and location.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 6: Sinking December 6, 1863

The next two months were uneventful.

On the morning of 6 December, 1863, the Weehawken was  anchored off Morris Island during a moderate gale.  Suddenly it called for assistance and appeared to observers on shore to be sinking.

Attempts to beach it failed and she sank bow first five minutes later in thirty feet of water.

A court of inquiry found that the Weehawken had recently taken in a considerable amount of heavy ammunition in her forward compartments.  This excessively  reduced her forward seaboard, causing water to rush down an open hawsepipe during the storm.

As the bow sank and the stern rose, water could not flow aft to the pumps and the vessel foundered.

Four officers and 27 enlisted men  drowned in the Weehawken.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 6: Took A Pounding 7-8 September 1863

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron commander, Admiral Dahlgren demanded Fort Sumter's surrender on 7 September and ordered the Weehawken to deploy in a narrow channel between the fort and Cummings Point on Morris Island.

There, the Weehawken grounded and took concentrated fire from Sumter, Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island and Morris Island.  It was refloated with the help of tugs on 8 September and received a "Well Done" from Dahlgren for defensive gunnery while grounded.

The Weehawken went to Port Royal for repairs until 4 October then returned to Charleston for  routine harbor patrol.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 5: Reducing Forts Wagner and Sumter

The USS Weehawken resumed operations against the Charleston fortifications.  On July 10-11, 1863, Union ironclads Nahant, Montauk, Catskill and Weehawken shelled Fort Wagner on Morris Island to cover a Union Army amphibious landing under Brigadier General Quincy A. Gillmore.  Despite additional bombardments on July 18 and 24, they failed to silence the Confederate fort.

Gillmore's troops were pinned down on the beach.  Fort Wagner was finally reduced in a naval bombardment of it, Fort Gregg, Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter on 17 August.

Next, the monitors Nahant, Weehawken, Montaul, Passaic and Patapsco took aim at Fort Sumter, pounding it to rubble on two separate bombardments on  23 August and 1-2 September.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 4: Hero and Commendations for John Rodgers

With only five shots, the Weehawken had blown the roof off the Atlanta's pilot house and pierced the grounded ironclad's casemate, putting two of the four gun crews out of action.  With no hope of withdrawing, there was nothing left for the Atlanta's commander, William A. Webb, to do but surrender.

Captain Rodgers became a national hero in the North for this. and received commendations from the Secretary of the Navy Welles, President Lincoln and Congress.  He was promoted to commodore and ordered north to command the new Union ironclad USS Dictator.  Both the Weehawken and Atlanta returned to Port Royal.

--Old B-Runner

December 11, 1863: Still Trying for the USS Indianola

DECEMBER 11TH, 1863:  Confederate troops fired on the USS Indianola in the Mississippi River in an attempt to destroy her, but effective counterfire of the USS Carondelet, Acting Master James C. Gipson, drove them off.

The Union Navy was exerting great effort to get the Indianola off the bar on which she had sunk in February, and on 23 November, Gipson had written to Rear Admiral Porter:  "I will do all that lies in my power to protect her from destruction."

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 3: The Battle With the CSS Atlanta

On 7 April 1863, the Weehawken led the Union fleet in the first major assault on Confederate fortifications protecting Charleston, S.C..  The attack failed miserably and the fleet withdrew after just 40 minutes.  During that short action, the Weehawken took 59 hits and had a torpedo (mine) explode under her keel without suffering serious damage.

After repairs, she went to Wassaw Sound, Georgia, on 10 June to block the expected sortie of the Confederate ironclad CSS Atlanta.  The Confederate ram and two escort steamers appeared early on the morning of 17 June.

The Weehawken and monitor USS Nahant weighed anchor to meet the Atlanta.  But the Confederate ship ran hard aground only moments after entering the sound.  The Weehawken opened fire at 05:15 and fifteen minutes later the battle was over.  The Atlanta had surrendered.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 2: Surviving That Gale

The Weehawken, towed by the steamer Mary A. Boardman and accompanied by the USS Iroquois, left New York in January 19, 1863, and encountered a heavy gale off the coast of New Jersey bound for Port Royal, S.C., and the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.  This was on January 20.  The Boardman and Iroquois headed for sheltered waters, but the Weehawken proceeded in the heavy seas.

This would be surprising considering what had happened to the USS Monitor less  than a month earlier.  But the Passaic monitors differed from the original one in that  on having less deck overhang and a rounded lower hull.  This enabled the Weehawken to ride out heavy seas much easier.

John Rodgers reported that "the behavior of the vessel was easy, buoyant, and indicative of thorough safety."

The ship put into Norfolk for some minor repairs, leaving on February 1 in tow of screw steamer USS Lodona.  She arrived at Port Royal on February 5 and deployed to the Charleston blockade.

Seasick?  --Old B-R'er

Oldest Pearl Harbor Veteran Ray Chavez Dies At Age 106

November 22, 2018, NBC News "Oldest U.S.  military survivor of Pearl Harbor  dies at age 106."

Ray Chavez had been battling pneumonia and died in his sleep in the San Diego suburb of Poway.  As recently as last May he traveled to Washington, D.C.,  on memorial Day where he was honored by President Trump.

Hours before the attack he was aboard the minesweeper USS Condor as it patrolled the harbor's east entrance when he and others saw a Japanese periscope  They notified a nearby destroyer that sank it before the Japanese planes arrived.

This is why we have to honor them now.  It is only a matter of time before they are no longer with us.

George H.W. Bush-- USN: Trained On USS Sable in Lake Michigan

There were no posts yesterday as I spent time watching the funeral ceremony of our 41st President, George H.W. Bush, in Washington, D.C.

During World War II, he served in the United States Navy.  

Six months after the declaration of war, George Bush enlisted in the Navy after his graduation from Phillips Academy on his 18th birthday.  He became a naval aviator  after taking aircraft training on the USS Sable in Lake Michigan.  This required eight successful takeoffs and landings.

After completing a ten-month training, he was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve at the Corpus Christi NAS on June 9, 1943.  He was still a few days from his 19th birthday which made him one of the youngest naval aviators.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 1: An Improved Monitor, But Short Career

From Wikipedia.

A Passaic-class Monitor named for Weehawken, New Jersey.

Launched 5 November 1862 at Jersey City, New Jersey by Zeno Secor  & Company.  Commissioned  18 January 1863, with Captain John Rodgers in command.

200 feet long, beam 46 feet.  Complement: 75 officers and men.  Armament:  One 15-inch smoothbore gun and one 11-inch Dahlgren gun.

The Weehawken was an improved and enlarged Monitor.

Served 11 Months.  --Old B-R'er

December 6, 1863: Sinking of the USS Weehawken

DECEMBER 6TH, 1863:  The USS Weehawken, Commander Duncan, sank while tied up to a buoy inside the bar at Charleston harbor.  The Weehawken had recently taken on a load of heavy ammunition which seriously reduced the freeboard forward.

In a strong ebb tide, water washed down and open hawse pipe and a hatch.  The pumps were unable to handle the rush of water and the Weehawken foundered, drowning some  two dozen officers and men.

--Old B-Runner

Illinois Medal of Honor Recipient Charles Asten-- Part 2

Charles Asten was all the more remarkable because in the action on May 5, he was on the sick list..  He was awarded the Medal of Honor on December 31, 1864.  George Butts and six other members of the USS Signal's crew also received Medals of Honor at the action.

So, there were a total of eight Medals of Honor awarded that day.  The Wikipedia article on the USS Signal states that six Medals of Honor were given that day.

His citation reads:  "Served on the USS Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864,.  Proceeding up the Red River, the USS Signal engaged a large force of enemy  field batteries and sharpshooters, returning their fire until the federal ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was raised.  Although on the sick list, Q.G. Asten courageously carried out his duties during the entire engagement."

He died on September 14, 1885, in Nova Scotia and was interred at Saint Francis Cemetery in Providence County, Rhode Island.

--Old B-Runner

200 Years As a State for Illinois; Medal of Honor Recipient Charles Asten-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

(September 14, 1834  to September 14, 1885)

Was a quarter gunner born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada,  He entered the U.S. Navy in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1864, he was serving on board the USS Signal, a U.S. Navy tinclad on the Red River during that campaign.On May 4, 1864, the Signal was ordered to proceed up the Red River with dispatches from Major General Nathaniel Banks.

After going about twenty miles the ship encountered large numbers of Confederates along the banks of the river and a hot action ensued.  The Signal was also with the USS Covington and the Army transport  John Warner.  The action continued into the night.  On May 5, 1864, the Signal was disabled and the crew, including Asten reluctantly abandoned their ship.

They were captured on land.

--Old B-R'er

It's Been 200 Years As a State for Illinois: Navy Medal of Honor Recipients

From Illinois Civil War

"Illinois Civil War Medal of Honor Recipients"

Five Illinoisans received the Medal o Honor for their Naval service:

Charles Asten

Henry Dow

John Hyland

Michael McCormick

Hugh Malloy

--Old B-Runner

USS Two Sisters-- Part 3: Was Tender to USS San Jacinto

On 13 January 1864 while stationed off the mouth of the Suwanee River, the Two Sisters sent a boat crew and captured the schooner William with a cargo of salt, bagging and rope.    In May, she served as tender for the steam frigate USS San Jacinto.  Afterwards, the Two Sisters resumed its blockade duties.

On 3 December 1864, the Two Sisters participated in an early amphibious-type operation.   Her boats and men joined  others from the USS Nita, USS Stars and Stripes and USS Hendrick Hudson.  The expedition was commanded by Acting Lt. Robert B. Smith.  The objective was Tampa Bay where they destroyed a large Confederate salt work at Rocky Point.

She remained on blockade duty until the end of the war and was sold  at public auction to J. Jones on 28 June 1865.

A Very Busy Little Ship.  --Old B-Runner