Another USS Emma

This past month I have been writing a lot about a former blockade runner named the Emma which was captured by the U.S. Navy and turned into a blockader and took part in both battles of Fort Fisher.

I mentioned that there was one other USS Emma in the U.S. Navy, so, in case you're wondering, here is her short history.

From Wikipedia.

USS EMMA  (SP-1223)   The second USS Emma was a patrol vessel in service from 1917 to 1918.

It was a private motorboat of the same name.  The Navy acquired her in 1917 as a section patrol boat during World War I.  She was assigned to the 5th Naval District and served on patrol duties until sometime in 1918.

The 5th Naval District was headquartered at Norfolk Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia.  It covered from Maryland, Virginia and to Diamond Shoals Lightship in North Carolina.

I Am Unable to Find Anything Else About Her.  --Old B-R'er

USCT Sculpture at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC

From Feb. 23, WECT, Wilmington NC  

A new exhibit at the Cameron Art Museum  honors  the United States Colored Troops.

The Battle of Forks Road led to the fall of Wilmington in February 1865.  The battle was fought on the grounds of the museum. and honors 1,600 black troops who fought there.

The sculpture is called "Boundless" and features  11 black men connected with the battle and was created by sculptor Stephen Hayes.

He found descendants of the troops to create the sculpture.

You can never have too many statues and markers about history in my humble opinion.

--Old B-Runner

Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington, NC

From the February 23, 2022, WECT TV Wilmington, NC.

The Bellamy Mansion was built between 1859 and 1861 by both free and enslaved  Blacks.

One of those workers was  William B. Gould.  He later escaped during the war and joined the Union Navy.

The slave quarters served as home for the enslaved people who were house servants of the Bellamy family.

Federal troops took over  the home as their headquarters in February 1865.

After it was abandoned,  the house sat vacant for many years and was in need of repairs.

Eventually a non-profit corporation was formed to restore the house  and open it as a museum.

--Old B-Runner

A Quick Follow Up on James Alden and Did I See the Words Fort Fisher?

Yesterday, I wrote about this man's grave being at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery, something I discovered while going through a list of American Revolution, War of 1812 and Civil War veterans buried at this historic cemetery.

Since he was also a Navy guy, that naturally piqued my interest.  It is more than just a gravestone, actually more of a 4-sided monument to him with four sides that towers over the other gravestones nearby.

It has four panels.

**  The first one also has a rendering of his face as well as birth/death dates and where they took place.

**  The second panel has a rendering of  a mariner's sextant and the  words:

Intrepid Explorer  /  Skillful Hydrographer  /  Cartographer  of the West Coast / Of the United States.

**  Panel 3:   Rendering of the Seal of the United States Navy

Entered the Navy April 1, 1828 / Commissioned Rear Admiral June 19, 1871.

**  Panel 4:  Rendering of sail warships in combat.

Mexican War / Civil War / New Orleans / Vicksburg / Port Hudson / Mobile Bay /  Fort Fisher.

Wait a minute, did I just see the words FORT FISHER?  Plus, that sure was a lot of major Civil War naval battles.

Well then, that sure makes my day, doesn't it?

And, then there's that famous Alden name.  I wonder if....   Could he have been related to that Pilgrim Alden?

So Happy.  --Old B-Runner

Quite the Discoveries Today: James Alden USN Civil War

Back on Feb. 22 I had two great discoveries as I was doing a different blog than this.

While I was going through a list of War of 1812 soldiers and sailors buried at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery, there were also American Revolution and Civil War soldiers in the list.  The very first one was of a Civil War veteran of the U.S. Navy named Rear Admiral  James Alden.

It had this to say from his monument.

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Rear Admiral

James Alden

Born in Portland  March  31, 1810

Died in San Francisco  Feb. 6, 1877

Intrepid explorer, skillful hydrographer,  Cartographer of  west coast of  United States

Entered  the Navy April 1, 1828

Commissioned Rear Admiral  June 19, 1871.

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Obviously with this blog I am greatly interested in anything Civil War Navy.  So, I'll have to do more research on him.

Always Neat When I Find Something New While Working on Other Blogs.  --Old B-Runner

Quite the Discoveries Today: 9th Maine at Fort Fisher

I made two discoveries today in another of my blogs that had implications toward this blog and especially Fort Fisher.  That sure made my day in the middle of a bit of an ice storm like we're having right now.

Anyway, in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog I have been listing War of 1812 veterans who are buried at Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Maine.  I am using a list that also includes American Revolution and Civil War veterans in that cemetery.

Today, I came across a Colonel Sabine Emery who was listed as a War of 1812 veteran.  The information given by his name was:

"Col. / 9th Me.  Vols / Feb 8, 1884 / Mar 24 1868"

Well, Maine wasn't a state in the War of 1812 so there would not be a 9th Maine Volunteer Infantry.  That would be a Civil War unit.  Then, there was a problem with the two dates given.  Since it was given first, Feb. 8, 1884 would likely be his birth date.  But, then the second date is earlier than the first date.

So, what gives?

I found out that Colonel Sabine Emery was commander one time of the 9th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment and that he had died on March 24, 1868.  So, there was a mistake in the birth date.  Whoever wrote this probably meant February 8, 1834.

And, the 9th Maine was at Fort Fisher, but not until after it was captured.  They were in Terry's Provisional Corps in the Wilmington Campaign.

The other regiments in their brigade had already been moved from the Army of the James and had participated in the two battles of Fort Fisher.

Really Made My Day.  --Old B-Runner

USS Emma's First Commander: George B. Livingston, Through the Ranks

 According to Wikipedia, when the USS Emma was commissioned 4 November 1863 in New York, its commander was Acting Master G.B. Livingston.  I am taking the rank of acting master as a U.S. Navy volunteer.  he was still commanding the ship as of the January 4, 1964 list of ships in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

I went to Naval History and Heritage Command:  Naval and Marine Officers 1798 to 1900 and found out some more information of G.B. Livingston.

GEORGE B. LIVINGSTON

Acting Master:  8 June 1861

Acting Volunteer Lieutenant:  30 August 1864

Ensign:  12 March 1868

Master:  18 December 1868

Lieutenant:  2 March 1870

Lieutenant Commander:  4 February  1882

Died:  19 September 1890

So, he went from a volunteer to regular Navy evidently.

--Old B-Runner

USS Emma-- Part 4: Looking for Jefferson Davis and Decommissioning

On 26 April 1865, the Emma sailed from Fort Caswell, North Carolina,  with an urgent message from General  William Tecumseh Sherman to Rear Admiral  John A. Dahlgren, commanding the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, which warned  the admiral that Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his cabinet, not yet located, might try to make an escape by way of Florida to Cuba.

The Emma went as far as Key West on this cruise then returned to patrol the Carolina coast until 24 August, when she arrived  at Boston, Massachusetts.

  The Emma was decommissioned in Boston 30 August 1865 and sold 1 November 1865.

She was placed back in service as a  merchant steamer and operated as the SS Gaspe from 1866 until her sinking  near Miquelon Island  on 14 June 1872.  The island is near the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

--Old B-Runner

USS Emma-- Part 3: Captured as a Blockade Runner Then Served as a Blockader

The Emma was a single screw steamer built in  Glasgow, Scotland,  for Thomas  S. Begbie. The Emma and her sister ship, the Gertrude, were named for Begbie's two daughters.  The Emma was captured on 24 July 1863 by the  Army transport  SS Argo off the coast of Wilmington, North Carolina, on her third voyage.  

It was purchased by the U.S. Navy from the New York City prize court on 30 September 1863 and fitted out at the New York Navy Yard; and put to sea on 4 November 1863, Acting Master  G.B. Livingston in command.

Arriving in Newport News on 7 November 1863, the Emma was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron where she served for the rest of the war.  Enforcing the blockade, she played an important role in the final Union victory.

She joined in the destruction of the blockade runner Ella off Wilmington on 6 December 1864 and the two attacks on Fort Fisher December 24 and 25, 1864, and January 13-15, 1865.

--Old B-Runner

USS Emma-- Part 2: General Characteristics

SOME MORE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

DISPLACEMENT:  350 tons

LENGTH:  156 feet

BEAM:  21 feet

DRAUGHT:   9 feet 4 inches

PROPULSION:  Greenock Foundry Co. steam engine, screw propelled

SPEED:  12 knots

COMPLEMENT:  68

ARMAMENT:  

Six 24-pdr. howitzers

two 12-pdr. rifles

--Old B. Runner

USS Emma (1863)

From Wikipedia.

Since I have been writing a lot about this ship while under the command of Thomas C. Dunn, I figured I might as well take a look at the ship's history.

USS EMMA (1863)

The first USS Emma in the Navy was a blockade running steamer captured by the Navy.

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS 

LAUNCHED:   24 November 1862

CAPTURED:  24 July 1863

ACQUIRED:  30 September 18634 

COMMISSIONED:   4 November 1863

DECOMMISSIONED:  30 August 1865

STRICKEN:  Sometime in 1865

FATE:  Sold 1 November 1865

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And, there was one other USS Emma in U.S. Navy service.

--Old B-Runner

Thomas C. Dunn & USS Emma at First Battle Fort Fisher-- Part 5: Getting the Troops Off the Beach and a New Commander

DECEMBER 27, 1864

At anchor and occasionally shelling the shore between midnight and 4 a.m, in the rear of Federal forces encamped on the beach.

At 6:45 a.m. sent first cutter ashore under the charge of  Acting Ensign Beetle, to reembark troops from the shore.

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DECEMBER 28, 1864

At 6:45 a.m. saw a steamer  under the beach coming out,  and the Moccasin fired a gun.  The Emma went to quarters and stood in toward the steamer.  Opened fire from our starboard battery and 20-pounder pivot gun.  The steamer turned around and went back in again.

This must have been a blockade runner trying to leave.  I am not sure if the Emma was back on station off Old Inlet or still north of Fort Fisher.

Thomas Dunn observed five steamers and a schooner lying inside the river.

Acting Volunteer Lieutenant  James M. Williams came aboard and  assumed command of the USS Emma.

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DECEMBER 29, 1864

At 11:30 a.m.  firing guns from Fort Fisher.

--Old B-Runner

Thomas C. Dunn & USS Emma First Battle Fort Fisher-- Part 4: Loss of Ship's Cutter

DECEMBER 26, 1864

At 4 p.m. the Emma was drifting with the fleet.

Acting Master's Mate Morris returned with the boat crew of the second cutter from the USS Wabash and reported the loss of that cutter while in his charge.  He reported that while returning from the USS Santiago de Cuba to the Emma after assisting in landing the troops on the night of the 25th with stormy conditions that he was run into by a launch.

He was able to get to the Wabash and stayed on board for the night.  In the morning, the cutter was found to be swamped and efforts were made to lift her part way out of the water in order to bail her out at which time she broke in half and drifted out to sea.

At 5:40 p.m., in obedience to orders, steamed in toward the beach for the purpose of reembarking the troops.  At 7:50 commenced firing from  No. 2 starboard gun and No. 2 pivot.  At 10, ceased firing.

--Old B-Runner

Thomas C. Dunn & USS Emma at First Battle of Fort Fisher-- Part 3: Hit By a Shell, Bombarding and Delivering Messages for Porter

DECEMBER 25, 1864

At 12:15 p.m. the Emma was struck by a shell from the shore which went through the gig and bridge and explodes in the master's storeroom.  The Emma continued firing  all afternoon and from both sides of he ship.  At 6:30 p.m.,  the Emma began firing at intervals from the port side only.

The first away cutter returned to the ship after embarking Butler's troops on the beach.

At 9:30, the Emma ceased firing

DECEMBER 26, 1864

From midnight to 4 a.m., it was blowing heavy and raining.

At 9:15 a.m., weighed anchor and steamed inshore.  At 9:55 , all hands were called to quarters and firing began from the No, 1 pivot gun and port battery.  The ship was underway and steaming  to the south and east.

From noon to 4 p.m. the Emma delivered orders to the fleet from Admiral David D. Porter, arrived back at the fleet at 2:50 and spoke with the flagship Malvern.

--Old B-Runner

Thomas C.Dunn and USS Emma at the First Battle of Fort Fisher-- Part 2

By December 25, 1864, the USS Emma, under the command of Acting Lieut. Volunteer Thomas C. Dunn, was off New Inlet as the naval attack on the fort commenced.  They were listed as being in the Reserve Line (as was the USS Montgomery under  Lt. Edward  H. Faucon).

At 10:15, the flagship Malvern (also a former blockade runner, the Ella and Annie which had been captured off New Inlet in 1863) gave orders to form line of battle.  The Emma began firing at 11:30 a.m. against the Confederate Half Moon  battery (located 4 miles north of Fort Fisher where Carolina Beach, N.C. is located today).

The Half Moon battery mounted one or two smoothbore cannons and was so named by Union troops because of its crescent shape.

The fleet, at the same time, opened fire on Fort Fisher.

The Emma sent its first and second cutters to assist in landing the Union Army troops.

From noon to 4 p.m., the Emma steamed along in line of battle.  Then anchored and weighed anchor according to orders from the  flagship of the landing group, the A.D. Vance (also a captured former blockade runner under the command of Lt. Cmdr. John H. Upshur).

--Old B-Runner

Abstract of USS Emma Log During First Battle of Fort Fisher, Thomas C. Dunn, Commander

From the Official Records  of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion "North Atlantic Blockading Squadron."

Abstract of Log of USS Emma, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Thomas C. Dunn, U.S. Navy.  His ship was off the Western Bar, Old Inlet to the Cape Fear River.

DECEMBER 24, 1864

At 12:30 a.m., a fire seen burning  toward the Eastern Bar [New Inlet].  At 1:30 a.m. an explosion occurred.  (This would have been the explosion of the powderboat USS Louisiana.)

At 2:50, moon rising, steamed in toward night station.  Bald  Head light not lit.  At 8 p.m. got underway and stood in toward  the bar on blockade duty.  At midnight, Fort Fisher bearing N.W. by N.

--Old B-Runner

Thomas C. Dunn as Comptroller General of South Carolina 1874-1876

Thomas C. Dunn was comptroller of the State of South Carolina from 1874 to 1877. Another site says he was comptroller from 1874 to 1876.

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6 S.C.  3907 (S.C. 1875)

Ex Parte Dunn, in re Hand

v

Railroad Company

June 1875

This was an appeal from an order made June 19, 1875, in the Circuit Court, in the case of  Ex parte  Thomas C. Dunn, Comptroller  General of South Carolina, in re Daniel Hand against the Savannah and  Charleston Railroad Company and others.

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From "The Negro in South Carolina During the Reconstruction" by Alrutheus Ambush Taylor.

"The election of Thomas C. Dunn as comptroller of the State, according to  S.J. Keith, was fraudulently accomplished.  Keith, who was elected to the legislature in 1870, voted for the election of T.C. Dunn as comptroller general and received the sum of $100.

"The money, according to Keith, was paid by R.B. Elliott, who also distributed similar sums to others who likewise refused  the offers of J.L. Neagle, an aspirant for the office.  Dunn, Keith declared, was hostile to Cardoza  who was at the time in disfavor with certain members of the Republican party.

--Old B.Runner

Some More Information on Thomas C. Dunn

From the January 21, 1865, Army Navy Journal

Acting Masters promoted to Acting Volunteer Lieutenants:  On of them was Thomas C. Dunn. 

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There is also a booklet in Google Books called "Answer to Thomas C. Dunn" by James  B. Campbell that is five pages long and printed in 1875.  Is this out Thomas C. Dunn?

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In connection (maybe) with the above fact, there was a James B. Campbell who in 187? was seeking a suit against John Fraser & Co., the noted blockade running outfit during the war.  It was 243 pages long.

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The September 30, 1863, U.S. Navy Department has a list of acting masters and their stations.  There was a Thomas C, Dunn on the steamboat USS Kanawha.

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The Annual Report of the Ohio Dairy and Food Commission in 1892 had six cases tried before Thomas C. Dunn.

Was This Him?  --Old B-Runner

USS Confederacy?

Believe it or not, there was a U.S. frigate warship at one time named the USS Confederacy. 

It was built during the American Revolution and was captured by the British who renamed her the HMS Confederate.

I wrote about this ship last month in my Cooter's History Thing blog.

Imagine a Ship in the U.S. Navy With a Name Like That.  --Old B-Runner

Thomas C. Dunn, Before the Civil War

From the Maritime History of Massachusetts, 1783-1860" by Samuel Eliot Morrison.

THOMAS C. DUNN

Morrison was talking about the speed of some of the Massachusetts-built ships and in  a footnote had this:

"In 1854, the barque Dragon of Salem, 289 tons, Captain Thomas C. Dunn, built at Newburyport in 1850, made the  the 16,670-mile run from Salem to the Fiji Islands in eighty-five  days; an average  of 8.2 knots for the entire voyage.  Few tramp  steamers to-day could do better."

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From "Salem Vessels and Their Voyages" by George Granville Putnam.

Thomas Dunn commanded the barque Dragon for several voyages including the one that set the speed record.  However, after he left the ship, the next voyage December 23, 1858, under command of Captain  William McFarland, to Zanzibar, the ship ran aground August 31, 1859, on its return voyage to Salem  on Tom Shoal, 40 miles south of Zanzibar.  

It was hauled off by the HMS Clive, but sustained irreparable damage and with its keel broken, she was condemned.

A part of the figurehead, which was the head and neck of a dragon was saved and for years was at the home of the ship's owner, Benjamin A. West.

--Old B-Runner

Thomas C. Dunn, USN: A Brief History

From "Salem Vessels and Their Voyages"    The Barque Dragon.

CAPTAIN THOMAS C. DUNN

Captain Thomas C. Dunn, the new commander of the Dragon, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, the son of Thomas C. and Mary A. (Hutchinson) Dunn, and he died in Appleton, Wisconsin, May 9, 1910, in his 82nd year.

(This would prove that the gravestone in Appleton would have been his.)

He was educated in the public schools, and, when 21 years of age, Benjamin A. West, owner of the barque Pilot, made him master of the vessel and sent him on a voyage to the Feegee Islands  (Fiji), and he next commanded Mr. West's barque Dragon.

In the latter he made the quickest passage between Salem and New Zealand on record, sailing 16,770 miles in 85 days.

He had a wonderful experience while in the Feegee trade, while trading with the South Sea Islanders, as narrated in the letter  of George W, Crossette and printed in this sketch of Captain Dunn.

Captain Dunn continued in the merchant service until nearly the breaking of the Civil War.  He then shipped in the United States Navy, served four years,  and part of the time commanded a gunboat.  To of his commands were the USS Emma and the USS Montgomery.

After the war, he was engaged in business in the South and New York, and three years before his death he went to live with his son Elmer E. Dunn, in Appleton.

--Old B-Runner

Thomas C. Dunn Commanded USS Emma and Captured the Blockade Runner Ella

Register of Commissioned, Warrant and Volunteer  Officers  of the Navy of the United States.

HONORABLY DISCHARGED 1865

Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Thomas C, Dunn  discharged  October 26, 1865.

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Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate December 29, 1864.

Abraham Lincoln nominated Thomas C. Dunn as an Acting Master to date from August 11, 1864.

From Annual Reports of the Navy Department.  December 6, 1864.

Acting  Volunteer Lieutenant Thomas C. Dunn was in command of the steamer USS Emma and involved in the destruction of the blockade running steamer  Ella on December 3, 1864.

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Lieutenant Thomas C. Dunn was in command of the USS Emma in the Reserve Line of ships during the First Battle of Fort Fisher.  The USS Montgomery, under Lt. Edward H. Faucon was also in this line.

--Old B-Runner

Thomas C. Dunn's Naval Sword and Musket

Thomas C. Dunn commanded the USS Montgomery at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.  (He commanded the USS Emma at the First Battle of Fort Fisher.)

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The Marine Room of the Peabody Museum of Salem (Massachusetts) has the naval sword and musket of a Captain, 1863. Thomas C. Dunn.

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From "Gustavus  Vasa Fox of the Union Navy:  A Biography" by Ari  Hoogenbloom.

Sixteen years after Fort Sumter was fired upon, Fox visited South Carolina and determined they had completely changed their secessionist ways in a questionable vote for governor.

He went to Columbia where he called on Thomas C. Dunn, a Republican member of the board and a former  U.S. naval officer, who had distinguished himself  on blockade duty and at Fort Fisher.  

Dunn agreed when Fox urged him and his colleagues to act as  impartial judges in open sessions.

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A reply to a man (Joseph Watson) seeking a letter of recommendation, a Thomas C. Dunn , "late Comd'g officer  U.S. Steamer Montgomery" said he'd be happy to give one.  The letter was from Salem, Massachusetts.

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So, Thomas C. Dunn was connected to Salem, Massachusetts.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 2: Capturing Blockade Runners, the Tacony and Fort Fisher

Remaining in the Gulf of Mexico during 1861, the Montgomery captured or destroyed a half dozen blockade runners, mainly sailing vessels.  

Following her return to the Atlantic in 1863, she took part in the search for the Confederate raider Tacony in June.  Later assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, in June helped destroy the blockade runners Bendigo and Dare.

The next month, she captured the steamer Pet and in October took the Bat..  She also participated in the two attacks on Fort Fisher, North Carolina during December 1864 and January 1865  This finally eliminated the nearby city of Wilmington as a blockade running port.

For the remainder of the war, the Montgomery served along the Carolina coast and participated in the operations on the Cape Fear River which led to the capture of Wilmington in February 1865.

Decommissioned in June 1865 and sold in August, the Montgomery retained her name when she reentered commercial service in 1866.  She was active for nearly eleven more years, until she was sunk due to a collision with the schooner Seminole on January 7,  1877, off Cape May, New Jersey.

--Old B-Runner