So What Became of Acting Master's Mate William H. Kitching?

Two days ago I mentioned that he was captured in a picket boat from the USS Nipsic on Feb. 26, 1864, and held on the CSS Charleston in Charleston Harbor.

What happened to him after that?

On March 28, 1864, Gen. Benjamin F. Butler wrote from Fort Monroe to Robert Ould, Confederate Agent of Prisoner Exchange.

"Sir, Will you please inform me as to the whereabouts and present condition of William H. Kitching, who was taken prisoner while in command of a picket boat, from the U.S. gun-boat Nipsic, on the night of the 26th February, last, near Charleston, S.C?"

I couldn't find a reply.

Elsewhere in the U.S. Navy  Register of officers I found his name, with his joining on 28 March 1863 and resignation on 22 April 1865.

Other than that, I can find nothing about him.

He Evidently Survived His Ordeal.  --Old B-Runner

USS Nipsic-- Part 2: The War and Afterwards

On June 27, 1864, she captured the blockade running schooner Julia as it attempted to enter Charleston Harbor.

On June 26, 1865, three sailors deserted from the Nipsic:   Henry May, Ordinary Seaman, Julius Bergan, Seaman and John Partington, Seaman.   The three had served together on three vessels:  Allegheny, Mahaska and Nipsic.

After the war, the Nipsic served primarily with the South Atlantic Squadron off the coast of Brazil and the West Indies, protecting American interests until 1873 when she was decommissioned and broken up.

But, That Was Not All.  --Old B-Runner

USS Nipsic-- Part 1: Launching and Duty Station

From Wikipedia.

Was a ship in the Union Navy, laid down at Portsmouth Navy Yard on 24 December 1862 and launched  15 June 1863, commissioned  2 September 1863 with Lt. Cmdr. George Bacon in command.  179 feet long,  30-foot beam.

Armament:

one 150-pdr. rifle
one 30-pdr. rifle
two 9-inch Dahlgren smoothbores
two 24-pdr. howizers
two 12-pdr. guns

Arrived off Morris Island, Charleston, S.C., on 5 November 1863 and served Charleston blockade for the rest of the war.

--Old B-R'er

February 26, 1864: Union Picket Boat Captured at Charleston Harbor

FEBRUARY 26TH, 1864:  While on night picket duty at Charleston Harbor, a boat commanded by Acting Master's Mate William H. Kitching, Jr., from the USS Nipsic, was captured by a Confederate cutter from the CSS Palmetto State.

The Union boat encountered her captors in a thick fog and was unable to withdraw rapidly enough against the flood tide to escape.  Kitching and his five crew members were taken prisoner and confined initially aboard the CSS Charleston near Fort Sumter.

Small Actions, But Always Vigilant.  --Old B-Runner

Improvements to Fort Fisher State Historic Site

From the Feb. 12, 2019, WWAY TV, Wilmington, N.C., "Rep. Davis pushes house bill to improve Fort Fisher State Historic Site" by Monique Robinson.

A bill to spend $7.5 million to build a 20,000 square foot visitors center, expand the remain earthworks of the fort, upgrade the parking lot and maintenance facilities.  It also includes $500,000 to expand the facilities of the Fort Fisher Underwater Archaeology Branch.

The state representative pushing for it is Ted Davis (R-New Hanover County).

Any Monies Toward the Fort Are Much Appreciated.  --Old B-Runner

Action in North Carolina, Feb. 8-29: USCT, Blockade Runners and Cushing

FEB.  8

35th  U.S. Colored Troops-- redesignation from the 1st N.C. Infantry, African Descent.
36th U.S. Colored Troops--  redesignation from the 2nd N.C. Infantry, African descent.
37th U.S. Colored Troops--  redesignation from the 3rd N.C. Infantry, African Descent.   The 37th USCT was at both battles of Fort Fisher.

FEB.9--  Reconnaissance towards Swansborough.

FEB. 10--  Destruction of blockade runners Emily and the Fanny and Jenny near Masonboro Inlet.

FEB. 16--  Affair at Fairfield.

FEB. 16--  Capture of blockade runner Pet off Lockwood's Folly Inlet, Cape Fear.

FEB. 29--  Boat expedition under Lieutenant Cushing into the Cape Fear River.

That Sneaky Old Cushing.  --Old B-Runner

Action in North Carolina February 1864-- Part 1: Feb. 1-7

155 Years Ago.

FEB. 1-3--  Skirmish at Beech Grove and Batchelder's Creek, near New Bern.

FEB.  2--  Capture and destruction of USS Underwriter  at New Bern.

FEB.  2--  Destruction of blockade runner Wild Dayrell near New Topsail Inlet.

FEB.  2--  Skirmish at Bogue Sound Block House.

FEB.  2--Skirmish at Newport Barracks.

FEB. 4-5--  Pursuit and destruction of blockade runner Nutfield.

FEB. 6--  Skirmish at Newport Barracks.

FEB. 6--  Destruction of blockade runner Dee near Masonboro Inlet.

FEB. 7--  Affair at  Waccamo Neck.

--Old B-Runner

February 20, 1864: A New Respect for Torpedoes After the Housatonic

FEBRUARY 20TH, 1864:   Rear Admiral Dahlgren, greatly concerned by the loss of the USS Housatonic, wrote in his dairy:  "The loss of the Housatonic troubles me very much....  Torpedoes have been laughed at; but this disaster ends that."

The day before he had written Secretary Welles urging that the Union develop and use torpedo boats to combat similar Confederate efforts.  Under the impression that the submarine H.L. Hunley had been another "David" torpedo boat, the Admiral suggested "a large reward of prize money for the capture or destruction of a 'David'.  I should say not less than $20,000 or $30,000 for each.  They are worth more than that to us."

Watching Out for Those Pesky Confederate Subs and Davids.  --Old B-Runner

Action In Western North Carolina Jan-Feb. 1864

Even though these would not involve ships, this goes to show there was action in the western part of the state of North Carolina which had a lot of pro-Union sentiment.

January 1864--  General Robert B. Vance leads 500 Confederate troops on an expedition from Asheville, N.C., to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  Vance is captured by  a Federal cavalry detachment.  This was one of the largest military missions that took place in Western North Carolina.   (In case you're wondering, Robert Vance was the brother of N.C. Governor  Zebulon Vance.)

JAN. 31-FEB. 7--  Federal expedition from Maryville, Tennessee, to Quallatown, N.C..  Major Francis M. Davidson leads 600 Illinois cavalrymen into Cherokee County to destroy Thomas' Legion.

FEB. 2--  Action at Deep Creek.

FEB 5--  Action at Quallatown.

FEB. 17-22--  Federal expedition from Motley's Ford, Tenn., to Murphy, N.C., and vicinity, Cherokee County.

--Old B-Runner

Action in North Carolina January 1864

Most of these actions occurred along the coast of the state.

From the N.C. Civil War  Sesquicentennial site.

Jan. 3--  Destruction of blockade runner Bendigo.

Jan. 4--  Action at Lockwood's Folly between U.S. Navy and Confederate batteries.

Jan. 7--  Destruction of blockade runner Dare at Lockwood's Folly Inlet, Cape Fear.

Jan. 10--  Loss of USS Iron Age near Lockwood's Folly, Cape Fear.

Jan. 11--  Destruction of Ranger and Vesta.

Jan. 18-Feb. 10--  Operations around  New Bern.

Jan. 22-- Skirmish at Harrellsville.

Jan. 27--  Expedition to Lake Phelps.

Jan. 28-Feb. 4--  Confederate expedition from Wilmington to Newport Barracks.

Jan. 29--  Expedition up the Roanoke River.

Jan. 30--  Skirmish at Windsor.

Jan. 30--  3rd North Carolina Infantry, African descent (Union) organizd at Norfolk, Va..

--Old B-Runner

Blockade Runners At Nassau January 26, 1865: Little Hattie Was There

Since I was writing about H,S. Lebby and the Little Hattie in earlier posts this month.

From the March 21, 1865, Savannah Daily Herald.

A Dispatch from Nassau dated  Jan. 26 stated:

The following vessels:  Flamingo, Falcon, Hansen, Banshee (II), Stag, Emily, Dream, Secret, Night Hawk, Wild Rover, Susan Bierne, Badger, Star, Rothsay Castle, Ellen Denma, Kenitworth, Marimon,  Mars.   Little Hattie, Mory and Ella, Colonel Lamb, Watson, Alice, and General Clinch are all lying here idle, part of them having never made a run.

The Vulture and Evelyn have gone to Havana for repairs.  It is reported that the Will of the Wisp has been captured off Galveston.

--Old B-Runner

Blockade Running Mystery-- Part 2: Was H.S. Lebby the Blockade Runner Captain?

Lori Sanderlin has conducted research on the admissions log at Sailors' Snug Harbor in New York,  She found the name of a merchant seaman and proclaimed widower by the name of Henry Sterling Lebby.

Sailors' Snug harbor was a retirement home to care for "worn out and decrepit sailors."  On his application he noted that he had worked on merchant vessels, but made no mention of blockade runners.

However, it is known that he skippered the Little Hattie and ran into and out of Charleston many times.and once even made a broad daylight run into Wilmington.  In October 1864 he and his ship were at Nassau.

Lori Sanderlin studied at UNC-Wilmington and received a masters in maritime studies from State University of New York Maritime College.

There is a $10 visitor fee which can be applied to the $25 annual membership to the Brunswick Civil War Round Table.

--Old B-Runner

Blockade Runner Mystery at Brunswick Civil War Round-- Part 1 Table Meeting

'
From the January Wilmington (NC) Star-News.

Captain H.S. Lebby skippered the blockade runner Little Hattie, considered the best runner in service as it left Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.  It made more successful runs than any other runner.  When Lee surrendered, the ship was safe at a dock in Nassau.

Lori Sanderlin of the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport presented a talk "Finding Post-War Confederate Sailor H.S. Lebby, Blockade-Runner and Privateer" at the February 5 meeting of the Round Table at Hatch Auditorium at Caswell Beach, North Carolina.

--Old B-Runner

February 12, 1864: Confederate Need for Cartridge Bag Cloth Hampered By Increasingly Effective Blockade

These Dates in History are always from the Civil War Naval Chronology.

FEBRUARY 12, 1864:  Commander John M. Brooke, CSN, in charge of the Confederate Navy's Office of Ordnance and Hydrography wrote Flag Officer Barron  in France for "material for cartridge bags, which is now much needed."

Brooke asked Barron to purchase some 22,000 yards of material and ship it to Nassau.  From there blockade runners would attempt to run it through the blockade, in 1000 yard lots to avoid losing it all in the event of capture.

It was becoming increasingly difficult for the South to procure basic war materials, a problem which was compounded by the lack of good railroads for internal transportation and control of most Southern rivers by the Union Navy.

--Old B-R'er

The Yankee Devil-- Part 3: "Scow-Like Across the Deep He Came"

The blackest, bluest from below,
The prince of all is he,
Who leads the Yankees where they go,
On land, or on the sea.

The news is true, all doubts dispel,
All grief and fears be o'er!
The chiefest from the perdition's well
Lies on a Southern shore.

On South Carolina's beach he lies,--
His majesty ashore!
Ah! well we know that the devil dies
Who enters at that door.

His name and hue, and shape and size,
Identify the beast;
Tis he -- the father of all lies,
Of devils not the least.

Scow-like across the deep he came,
Blood-red his iron sides;
With beak, and claws, and fins of flame
To plough the vernal tides.

Sure A Lot To Do With Just A Raft.  --Old B-Runner

Some More On Ericsson's "Devil"-- Part 2: A Poem About the "Yankee Devil"

More than you ever thought you'd know about Ericsson's "Devil."

And, then someone wrote a poem about "The Devil."

"THE YANKEE DEVIL"  by W.F. Rivers

HURRAH!  Hurrah! good news and true,
Our woes will soon be past;
To Charleston, boys, all praise be due,
The devil's caught at last.

He's caught, he's dead, he's met his fate
On Morris Island's sands;
His carcass lies in solemn state,
The spoil of Rebel hands.

Hurrah!  Hurrah! let Dixie cheer!
What may not Charleston do!
The devil's caught at last, we hear;
A Yankee devil, too!

And, you didn't think this was a high-class blog!!

More Poetry Coming.  --Old B-R'er

Some More On the "Devil"-- Part 1: "That "Yankee Devil"

From Civil War Talk  "Francis Lee Wanted Iron for  the Torpedi Ram-- Question."

From "Rebel Rhymes and Rhapsodies" by Frank Moore  "The Yankee Devil".

"The  'Nondescript,' or 'Yankee Devil,' for clearing the harbor, was washed ashore on yesterday at Morris Island, and now in our possession.  It is described as a scow-like vessel, painted red, with a long protruding beak, and jutting iron prongs and claws, intended  for the removal of torpedoes.

"It was attached to the Passaic, and managed by her during the engagement."

From the Charleston Courier.

"The enemy are waiting for a new machine, ('Devil') to remove the torpedoes in the harbor, and to have everything in readiness before the attack."   Charleston Courier.

Old-B-Runner

USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 5: It's Still There By Morris Island

After Rodgers cut the "Devil" loose on April 7, it drifted behind Morris Island where the Confederates found it.  Engineers inspected the strange contraption and made a detailed sketch of it.  They later returned to procure any usable parts from the raft.  Captain Francis Lee requisitioned some ten tons of iron fittings from "the Yankee devil," intending to use it for his torpedo rams.

There is a copy of his requisition in the article along with the Confederate sketch.

Craig Swain, the blog writer of To the Sound of Guns, finds it amazing that the "Devil" still exists.  Several years ago he was on an excursion into the waters behind Morris Island in search of the Swamp Angel battery when it was mentioned that the remains of it were there.  He stomped over to it, saw it, but alas, had no camera.

But, a recent survey  of Civil War-related sites  around Charleston, conducted by the South Carolina Institute of  Archaeology and Anthropology for the American Battlefield Protection Program included the "Devil."

The survey team  visited the raft remains and took wood samples for analysis.

And, I'd Never Heard of It Before.  --Old B-Runner

USS Weehawkwn's "Devil"-- Part 4: Problems With the Raft

And, there were problems with the "Devil."  The Weehawken's chains had gotten fouled on the raft, causing a two-hour delay in the attack.

And then other problems.  One report said the  "sea converted the raft  into a huge battering ram which shook the vessel with every undulation."  Meaning, it was battering the ship it was supposed to be protecting.  The raft would rise when the monitor would be falling and vice versa, causing fears that the raft would end up in the deck or under the overhang.

When the Weehawken withdrew from the action, engineers noticed that several iron plates were damaged from the raft battering.  As a result, Rodgers cut the raft loose.

The next day, Rodgers attempted to use another one of the rafts to destroy the grounded USS Keokuk by using the spar torpedoes, but heavy seas caused the crew to be unable to rig the torpedoes.

After April there was still at least one of the rafts left with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, but even with a few more attempts there was no success and the whole thing came to naught.

Perhaps If They Arrached the Raft Even More Snugly.  --Old B-Runner

February 5, 1864: A Suspected Confederate Ship in Maryland

FEBRUARY 5, 1865:   J. L. McPhail, Maryland's Provost Marshall General, wrote Commander Foxhall A. Parker of the Potomac Flotilla, informing him that a known Southern sympathizer was the agent for schooner Ann Hamilton's owners.  He recommended that it be taken, but it later developed that the U.S. Revenue Steamer Hercules had already seized the Ann Hamilton off Point Lookout, Maryland on February 4.

A search of the schooner confirmed McPhail's suspicions:  quantities of salt and lye and more than $15,000 in Confederate money were found onboard.  Parker ordered her to Washington for adjudication.

Another source said that the Ann Hamilton was seized by the Cutter Hercules in conjunction with the USS Bacon.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 3: Also Could Mount Spar Torpedoes

Four chains would secure the raft  to the monitor.  There are references stating that when attached, the "Devil" played the devil with ill effects to the ship's steering.  However, the Weehawken's commander, in an  official report made a few weeks after the April 7 battle with Fort Sumter stated that the raft imposed no  noticeable effects on his ship's steering.

Reference books most often say the raft was designed to snag Confederate torpedoes.  The grappling hooks and chains would certainly  be effective with the torpedoes, but, the author believes that if this took place during a battle that it would not be likely anyone would want to be messing around with several hundred pounds of powder while under fire.  Good point.

Probably better, there was a frame on the front of the raft that could mount two spar torpedoes which might be even more effective at clearing the torpedoes by exploding them.

However, Rodgers did not have the spar torpedoes when he went into battle April 7.  The thought of navigating in the narrow channel with explosives on the front of his ship was too big of a challenge.  But, he was the only commander willing to attach a "Devil" to the front of his ship.  This is why the Weehawken was at the front of the naval column going in to attack as opposed to the USS Passaic, commanded by the more senior Captain Percival Drayton.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 2: Another Ericsson Invention

From To the Sound of Guns blog:  "The 'Devil' or the Ericsson Obstruction Remover, As You Prefer."    Craig Swan.

The "Devil" here was attached to the bow of the monitor USS Weehawken.

The "Devil" was an invention of the famous John Ericsson (USS Monitor, you know) as the request of the Navy to come up with a way of combating Confederate obstructions at the mouths of harbors.  He developed a raft that could be attached to the bow of his monitors.

The device was officially named the "Ericsson Obstruction Remover" but often just called "Ericsson's Raft.  However, Union sailors and Confederates came to calling it "the Devil" since it could be so hurtful to friend or foe.

The Navy sent four of these "Devils" to Charleston in the winter of 1863.  One was lost in route.

Never Heard Of It Before.  --Old B-R'er

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 1: To Sweep Torpedoes (Mines)

Of interest, I found mention of this device that was attached at one time to the bow of the USS Weehawken.

From Historic Ships:  Extant Monitors.

The Weehawken was fitted with a large raft that was intended to sweep mines (called torpedoes) in Charleston Harbor.  The raft had a large notch that fit to the bow of the monitor, but it was very unwieldy.  As such the raft was eventually cut loose and drifted to a backwater area of Morris Island.

Confederates found it and called it "The Devil."

This anti-torpedo raft, "The Devil" was reported by Clive Cussler as being in a marsh somewhere around or on Morris Island.  The University of South Carolina also investigated the raft and Dr. Lee Newsom, of Penn State, reported taking wood samples for further analysis.

The results of the analysis are not known.

The Devil You Say.  --Old B-Runner