John Barrien Montgomery USN-- Part 25: U.S. Pacific Squadron at Onset of the Civil War

Continued from March 1, 2023.

At the onset of the Civil War, the U.S. Pacific Fleet/Squadron consisted of the screw sloops USS Lancaster, USS Narragansett and USS Wyoming; the sidewheeler sloop Saranac and sailing sloops USS St. Mary's and USS Cyane.  None of them were in San Francisco, but spread all over the Pacific.  It was commanded by John Barrien Montgomery (the destroyer USS Montgomery (DD-121) that fought in World War I and World War II was named after him.

Montgomery did not know the war had started until May 1861, while on board the Lancaster in Hawaii.

Acting Rear Admiral Charles H. Bell took command of the Pacific Fleet on January 2, 1862.

--Old B-Runner

Raising More State Funds for the Fort Fisher State Historic Site

Same source as previous post.

Ted Davis' move to help the aquarium comes right alongside his efforts to secure funds for the adjacent Fort Fisher State Historic Site.  The Civil War fort is currently in the midst of a $22 million renovation project, which includes a new visitors center that is funded by the state.

Phase 2 of the project will include reconstruction of part of the fort and cost roughly $3.57 million, with the Friends of Fort Fisher (to which I belong)  contributing $1 million toward the project.  (The reconstructed area will be that part that was leveled for construction of an airstrip during World War II.) 

Davis has submitted a bill  that would have the state provide $2.9 million to help finance the next stage of the fort's renovations.  That bill, HB 297, is currently in the House  Appropiations Committee where it has been since March 8.

Davis notes that Fort Fisher is the most popular historic site in the state.

Old B-Runner

Raising State Funds for the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher

From the April 28, 2023, Wilmington (NC) Star News "From Venus' Flytraps to wetlands, what 4 proposed bills could mean  for the Wilmington area" by Gareth McGrath.

Yesterday I wrote about the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher's new otter pups.

This aquarium is a huge attraction at Fort Fisher along with the Civil War site and public beach.

Right now, there is a push on to provide money for the improvements of both the aquarium and historic site in the North Carolina General Assembly.

Even though these two are no longer in Representative Ted Davis' district, the Wilmington Republican has not forgotten about the Fort Fisher area.  He has submitted a bill for the state to give the aquarium $10.5 million or its  renovation project.  This proposal comes after Davis had previously helped secure $20 million for the project.

The last time the aquarium was renovated was 2002

The legislation, House Bill 710, is currently in the House Appropriations Committee.

--Old B-Runner

Those New Fort Fisher Otter Pups

A huge attraction of the former Fort Fisher near Wilmington, North Carolina is the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.  When I do Fort Fisher searches I often come across this place.

And, the big news out of there is that they now have three new otter pups who are now out for viewing.  Their names are Gemma, Kai and Rey.

I don't know about you, but watching a group of otters doing their otter thing is even better than watching squirrels.  And they sure have fun.  It ought to be illegal to have that much fun.

But, if you're planning on going out to see the new otters, you will need to purchase advance tickets on line.

RoadOtter

This Is the 5,025th Post of This Blog

Little did I believe that when I posted the very first item in this blog back on January 1, 2012, that it would still be an ongoing concern.  It is.

This grew our of my Saw the Elephant:  Civil War blog which grew out of my Cooter's History Thing blog.  I was writing so much about Fort Fisher and the Civil War Navy (both sides) that I decided to spin this one off.  

So, I broke the 5,000 mark last month.

Way Too Many Posts, But Sure Enjoy Them.  --Old B-Runner

CSMC's Company E and USMC Medals of Honor at Fort Fisher

Company E of the Confederate States Marine Corps (CSMC) was formed in Savannah and served at that station.  After Savannah was evacuated in 1864, they moved to Charleston, South Carolina, and after that place was evacuated, moved to the Wilmington Station and took part in the defense of the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.

*****************************

MARINE RECIPIENTS of the MEDAL of HONOR at SECOND BATTLE of FORT FISHER

Rank / ship 

RICHARD BINDER--  sergeant, USS Ticonderoga

ISAAC N. FRY--  orderly sergeant USS Ticonderoga

JOHN RANAHAN--  corporal USS Minnesota

JOHN SHIVERS--  private, USS Minnesota

HENRY A. THOMPSON--  private USS Minnesota

The first two received theirs for operating cannons on the ship.  The last three received theirs while participating in the Naval Column attack on the fort.

--Old B. Runner

CSMC Commandant Lloyd James Beall and Israel Greene

He was a career U.S. military officer until the Civil War.  He was born in Rhode Island and graduated from the USMA.

His father, Lloyd Beall, was in the American Revolution and wounded at Germantown.  After the war was a mayor of Georgetown and during the War of 1812, was stationed with the artillery at Fort McHenry.

His two brothers were also in the U.S. Army, but remained loyal to the Union.

Confederate privateer and spy John Yates Beall, was executed after capture near the end of the Civil War.

**********************************

Another Confederate officer, Israel Greene, had been a U.S. Marine before the war and was also born in a northern state, New York.  He commanded the company of Marines under the overall command of Robert E. Lee, that captured John Brown at Harpers Ferry before the war started.

--Old B-Runner

Marines in the Civil War Quiz-- Part 2

Answers below.

6.  The USMC had a relatively minor role in the war.  Where did they mostly serve?

7.  However, they were involved as a unit in one battle.  What battle?

8.  What action attempted by US Marines on 8 September 1863 led to a stinging defeat?

9.  In their biggest action, some 400 Marines were involved in an assault on a fort on 15 January 1865.  What was the name of that fort?

10.  How many Marines received a Medal of Honor for this last action?

******************************************

ANSWERS

6.  Blockade duty on various ships.

7.  First Battle of Bull Run  (Where they ran as did most every Union soldier.)

8.  Attack on Fort Sumter

9.  Fort Fisher

10.  Five.  A total of 17 Marines received Medals of Honor in the war.

--Old B-Runner

Marines in the Civil War Quiz-- Part 1

The McHenry (Illinois) County Civil War Round Table discussion group met earlier today and discussed the role played by both the U.S. and Confederate Marines during the Civil War.

TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT MARINES IN THE WAR  (Answers below)

1.  Of interest, the commandant of the CSMC (Confederate States Marine Corps) Lloyd J. Beall, was born in what state?

2.  Also of interest, how did he become an officer in the military?  

3.  Where were the headquarters and training grounds of the CSMC?

4.  What was the strength of the CSMC?

5.  How was the CSMC organized?

*************************************

ANSWERS

1.  Rhode Island

2.  Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  (He served in the U.S. Army untikl the Civil War.)

3.  At first at Gosport Navy Yard, Virginia.  After its fall, at Drewry's Bluff, Virginia (on the James River near Richmond.)

4.  45 officers and 1,026 enlisted.

5.  Into lettered companies.

--Old B-Runner

McHenry County CWRT Discussion Group This Sat.: 'Marines in the Civil War'

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table discussion group will have a meeting this Saturday, April 29, to discuss the USMC and CSMC in the war.  

The meeting will be held at Panera Bread (US RT. 14 and Main Street) in Crystal Lake, Illinois, from 10 am to 11:30.  This will be in person and via Zoom.

The role -played by both the U.S. and Confederate Marines in the war is often overlooked, but, nonetheless important.  The CSMC was closely modeled after the USMC and served on ships as well as on land.  Both groups played a role in the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.

Where there is always good discussion (often times on subject) and debate.

Come on Out.  --Old B-Runner

Some More on the 27th USCT-- Part 5: Joining the Army of the Potomac

A quarter of theofficers had no previous military training.  At least five of the 27th's officers were immigrants.  One each came from Poland, Germany and England.  Two were from Ireland.  Irish-born Lt. Col. John W. Donnellan eventually took over command of the regiment.

In April 1864, the regiment was moved by rail and steamer to Virginia to join Burnside's  IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac.  Along the way,  men in Pittsburgh threw stones at one of the companies.  But, they were cheered in Baltimore.

On April 25, they marched past  President Lincoln who reviewed them from a balcony at the  Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C..

They were placed in Ferrero's  Fourth Division, an almost all-black unit.  In May they were brigaded in Ferrero's First Brigade under  Joshua Siegfried. On May 4-5 they moved towards the Wilderness where they did not get into the actual fighting but were relegated to guarding supply trains.

--Old Secesh

Some More on the 27th USCT-- Part 4: That Officer Problem

Another problem for the 27th USCT, as well as other USCT regiments, was a chronic lack of officers.  Officers, of course had to be Whites.  Blacks could only rise to being sergeants.

Officers were not elected by the men as in other regiments, so when one was killed or no longer able to serve, they had to be found from somewhere else.  However, commanding or being an officer for a black regiment was getting ourself on the quick track of promotion.

The initial organization of the 27th was hindered by this lack of officers.  Thirty-five were needed, but by the end of February, there were only eight serving.  It was not until March 24, 1864, that Lt. Col. Albert M. Blackman arrived to take command of the regiment.

--Old B-Runner

Progress on Fort Fisher Visitors Center-- Part 3: Road Construction and World War II

The new visitor center and archaeology facility carry a price tag of $2.5 million, funds primarily secured through state  budget appropriations.

Nearly $3 million more is needed to complete the overall site improvement project, which includes reconstruction of a series of Civil War-era mounds.  To clear the site for a runway, the Army bulldozed  three of the mounds after activating Fort Fisher as  a training base during World War II.

A fourth mound was taken out by the construction of U.S. Highway 421 before the war.  US-421 ends at the "Rocks" by Battery Buchanan.  Also, North Carolina's Fort Fisher Ferry is located there (where people can go across the Cape Fear River to Southport.

The idea is to tell a complee and inclusive story of Fort Fisher.

Construction of the Fort Fisher visitor center is expected to be complete by mid-to-late May 2024.  Once the building is up and operating, the current visitors center will be torn down.

--Old B-Runner

Progress on the New Fort Fisher Visitors Center-- Part 2

There will be glass, lots of glass, to let natural light into the building and offer an unobstructed of the fort's earthen structures.

Upstairs, visitors will be able to travel back in time as they peruse the artifacts in the main exhibit space.  Glass walls will offer ocean and natural landscape views, one which includes many live  oaks stretching from the river to near the ocean.

There will be a 120-person multipurpose room available to rent, a gift shop overlooking the fort's earthworks, a second story balcony, a theater that will seat 100 people and a changeable  exhibit gallery of artifacts from the North Carlina Underwater Archeology Center.

The underwater archeology center, or UAC, is housed at Fort Fisher in a series of buildings, some built during World War II.  A new lab is also under construction several yards from the visitors center.  The lab is not open to the public.

--Old B-Runner

 

Officials Show Off Progress on New Fort Fisher Visitor Center

From the April 18, 2023, Coastal review by Trista Talton.

The new structure will be roughly three times the size of the existing one.  They say the existing one outgrew itself a long time ago so that is why a new one is needed.  By 2021, visitors exceeded 1,000,000.

(However, the new one was a huge improvement over the first one which was a square metal structure on Battle Acre, maybe 60 by 60 feet.)

The new one will have an airy indoor space with more exhibits and will offer views of the beautiful landscape of the area between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cape Fear River.

Work kicked off about six months ago, but little of the new structure can be seen yet.  Right now it is just the tops of concrete pilings driven fifty feet into ground and a lot of freshly dug earth.  Those pilings took the better part of two months to complete and are the foundation of a two story building built to endure hurricane force winds and flooding associated with coastal areas.

--Old B-Runner

Some More on the 27th USCT-- Part 3

Several factors  retarded the recruitment of the 27th USCT:

1.    The 54th and 55th Massachusetts had already recruited in Ohio.  Other states' USCT regiments also had recruited in Ohio.  An estimated 3,000 Blacks had already joined regiments from other states  before the 27th was formed.

2.  The discriminatory pay rate.

3.  Even unskilled black laborers could make more money as a day laborer  than they would earn as a black soldier in the Army.

4.  In 1864, Whites could receive a $100 bounty for enlisting that Blacks were ineligible for.

--Old B-Runner

Some More on the 27th USCT-- Part 2

The majority of the men in the regiment were young with reported ages at between  17 to 45.  There were some who exaggerated their age, including at least two who were 16 and another who was just 14.  The regiment mustered in 80 who had ages between 40 and 45.

Most of the 27th's men were from rural areas or small towns.  Also, more USCT troops were born in the United States.  Ninety-nine present of the 27th's men were native born, with just five born in Canada.

Of the 27th's men:

27% were born in Ohio

4% were born in other Free States

48% were listed as laborers

39% were listed as farmers or farm laborers

16% were paid substitutes

3.5% were draftees

--Old B-Runner

Some More on the 27th USCT

From the Reconstruction Era  "27th USCT:  A Black regiment from Ohio & Miscarriage of Justice" by Patrick Young.

The 27th USCT was the second black infantry regiment formed in Ohio.  Earlier Ohio Blacks had joined the  54th Massachusetts earlier in the war.  The first regiment of black troops in Ohio was the 5th Ohio USCT.

Patrick Young took much of his article from the book "For Their Own Cause:: The United States Colored Troops" by Kelly Mezurek.  Looks like an interesting read, especially concerning their actions at Fort Fisher, the Wilmington and North Carolina Campaigns, which also included their advance and occupation of the town where I was born, Goldsboro, North Carolina.

--Old B-Runner

Getting Ready to Do Some RoadTripping Through History

The last several posts have been about Elbridge and Daybury Butler, members of the 27th USCT who were at Fort Fisher.  Daybury was buried at Grandview Cemetery in Chillicothe, Ohio.  I looked the cemetery up and found that a lot of notable people were buried there.

There were Ohio governors, Congressman and Senators.  As well as War of 1812 veterans, including a ratherbfamous one named Duncan McArthur, a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Richard Endelin) and three Union generals.  (Joseph Scott Fullerton, Richard Long Jr. and Joshua Woodrow Sill).

I will be writing about these men in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 and Saw the Elephant: Civil War blogs.

Ready to Take a RoadTrip.  --Old B-Runner

Dabney Butler

From Black Virginians in Blue.

Dabney (Daybury) O. Butler was born around 1823 in Louisa County, Virginia.  He moved toAlbemarle County and is recorded in special census of free blacks of 1833.  He next moved with his family to Chillicothe, Ohio,  where he married  Susan Ann Evans on December  24, 1846.    The couple had at least six children together:  Elbridge born around 1849, Charles 1851,  Walter 1853, John 1855, Samuel 1860 and Ellen  1868.

On February  24, 1864,  Butler enlisted  in Company E of the 27th USCT regiment in Chillicothe.  He was mustered in at Camp Delaware, on March 8.  According to his service records,  he was a 43-yearold laborer, with black hair, eyes and complexion, who stood five feet, eight inches tall.

The 27th saw service during the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, begore being transferred in December to North Carolina.  In January it took part in the capture of Fort Fisher.  He mustered out with the rest of the 27th at Smithville, North Carolina on September21, 1865.

After the war, he returned to Chillicothe where he loved the rest of his days working as a brick mason.  Both he and his wife received pensions from the federal government.

Butler died around 1892 in Chillicothe, two years prior to his wife.  Both are buried in the city's  Grandview Cemetery.

--Old B-Runner

Elbridge C. Butler

From Find-A-Grave.

BIRTH:  1849

DEATH:  1911

BURIAL:  Grandview Cemetery, Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio.

Son of Dabney O. and Susan A. Evans Butler.  Brother of Charles Butler Sr,.  His job was listed as bricklayer.

He was in the 27th USCT Infantry Regiment which fought at Fort Fisher.

--Old Secesh

Wondering About the Two GAR Members Named Butler

In the last post about the Wright GAR Post 588 in Chillocothe, Ohio, there were two members of the 27th USCT with the last name of Butler.  One of them, Elbridge was post commander at the time.  The other was named Dabury O. Butler.  I've seen several first names for Dabury.  One was Dabney, another was Daybury.  I'm going with Dabney.

The 27th USCT took part in the capture of Fort Fisher on January 15, 1865.  Since this is a major interest to me during the Civil War, that is why I have been writing a lot about the regiment.

The 27th was raised in Ohio primarily.

Were these two related?

--Old B-Runner

Wright Post 588, GAR (A Black Post)

From Military Record of Ross County, Ohio.  Based in Chillicothe.

WRIGHT POST NO. 588 Grand Army of the Republic

This was an organization for Blacks.

Organized April 21, 1886.  Named for William Leroy Wright, freeborn from Ohio.  He enlisted in Company B, Fifth United States Colored Troops, as a private, August 19, 1864, and was wounded in an engagement at Deep Bottom, in front of Richmond, Virginia, from the effects of which he died November 19, 1864.

Muster of members, with rank, company and regiment when in service and date of muster into Post.  Those mustered on April 21, 1886 were charter members (shown as cm).

These are the members who were from the 27th USCT which fought at Fort Fisher:

Butler, Elbridge C., 1st sergeant, Co. D, cm

Graham, James H., sergeant, Co. E,cm

Coleman, John, private, Co. C, cm

Butler, Dabury O.,  sergeant, Co. E, cm

Alexander, Thomas, private, Co. D, cm

Roberts, Alexander, private, Co. E, cm

Gray, George, private, Co. F, cm

Hammond, James, private, Co. F

Taylor, Charles, private, Co. C

Harrison, William H., private, Co. A

There were members from other USCT regiments in this post as well.

--Old B-Runner

Did Dr. A.M. Blackman Die in 1877?

From the December 1877 Literary Magazine  Ad from the Travelers Insurance Company.

"Dr. A.M. Blackman, Cresco, Iowa, , took out an  accident policy for $10,000, and a week after was thrown from his carriage and killed."

Good timing on Mr. Blackman's part.

He had commanded the 27th USCT Infantry Regiment during the Civil War and was at Fort Fisher.  The question still remains as to who the garrison of Fort Fisher surrendered to?

--Old B-Runner

Report of Gen. Terry on Capture of Fort Fisher and the 27th USCT

Major General Alfred H. Terry's official report of the battle, Jan. 25, 1865.

He directed General Paine (commander of the USCT troops):  "to send me  one of the strongest regoments of his own division.  These troops arrived at dusk and reported to General Ames.  At 6 o'clock Abbott's  brigade went into the fort.

"The regiment from Paine's division, the Twenty-seventh U.S. Colored Troops, Brevet Brigadier-General A. M. Blackman commanding, was brought up to the rear of the fort, wheren it remained under fire for some time and was then withdrawn."

Then, the 27th was highly regarded as a fighting unit.

Also, Terry reported that the 27th USCT was part of the Union troops sent against Battery Buchanan to force its surrender.

--Old B-Runner

Report of Albert M. Blackman at Fort Fisher-- Part 2: Received the Confederate Surrender

"In marching to the rear, I met Major General Terry who ordered me to proceed to his headquarters, and await further orders.  At a quarter before 10 o'clock I received orders to march to the fort.

"On arriving I was informed that the enemy had evacuated and was ordered to join in the pursuit, which order I promptly obeyed, and  on arriving at this place (Battery Buchanan) was first to receive the surrender of the enemy.

"The losses in my command  were 1 enlisted man killed and 4 wounded.

"After this fort (Battery Buchanan)  was taken, I was placed in command by Major General Terry in person."

(Sounds like there was quite a bit of confusuion among Union forces after they got inside Fort Fisher. So, did the garrison of Fort Fisher surrender to a black regiment?)

--Old B-Runner

Report of Albert M. Blackman at Fort Fisher-- Part 1

From Official Records War of the Rebellion page 425.

Report of Bvt. Brigadier General Albert M. Blackman, 27th USCT, 3rd Brigade, of operations January 15, 1865.

From Federal Point, Fort Buchanan, N.C., January 16, 1865 to Capt. C.A.  Carleton, Assistant Adjutant General.

"I received orders from Brigadier-General Paone about 7 o'clock last evening to proceed to Fort Fisher and report to General Ames.  (The 27th was in entrenchments opposite Sugar Loaf to the north of the fort.)  I proceeded as rapidly as possible, but on arriving at the bridge (at the west end of the land face) near the fort I found the way obstructed by troops.

"I ordered the men to lie down, and proceeded in person to General Ames within the fort and reported.  From him I received orders to retire beyond the range of sharpshooters, stack arms, and return with my men and proceed to the construction of covered ways to enter the fort."

(I'm not sure, but did this mean Ames wanted the 27th to be on a construction detail?)

--Old B-Runner

Lt. Col. Albert Blackman-- Part 2

A good name for a man who commanded black troops.

Civil War brevet brigadier general.  He was commissioned as a captain of Company H of the  21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry on April 23, 1861, mustering into service April 24, 1861.  He served with the regiment through the summer campaign in western Virginia before being mustered out August 12, 1861.

Shortlly thereafter, he  was commissioned a lieutenant colonel of the 49th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on August 17 1861, mustering into service three days later.  He served until he resigned his commission August 31, 1862.

He joined the Union  war effort once more with a commission as lieutenant colonel in the 27th U.S. Colored Infantry on March 24, 1864.

Promoted to colonel to date from September 1, 1864, he was breveted to brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers to date from October  27, 1864, for "gallant  and distinguished bravery at Hatcher's Run, Virginia."

He resigned his commission on May 16, 1865.

He later settled in Cresco, Iowa, and practiced medicine there.

--Old B-Runner

Lt. Col. Albert Milton Blackman, Cmdr. of 27th USCT

From Find-A-Grave.

He was the commander of the 27th USCT.

ALBERT MILTON BLACKMAN

BIRTH:  6 March 1826, Tiffin, Ohio

DEATH:  5 August 1876 (aged 50)  Cresco, Iowa

BURIAL:  Oak Lawn Cemetery, Cresco, Iowa

He graduated from RushMedical College in 1859 and was a physician before the war.

MARRIED:  Catherine Barbara Holtz Blackman  (1830-1905)  Married her in 1851.

--Old B-Runner

27th USCT-- Part 5: Roster of Company G

SERGEANTS:

1st Sgt. Joseph Hawkins; Feb. 13, 1864; Ross County, Ohio

2nd Sgt.  Albert Harvey; Feb. 22, 1864; Crawford County, Ohio

3rd Sgt. John A. Hunt; Feb. 23, 1864; Ross County, Ohio

4th Sgt. Henry W. Young; April 7, 1864; Camp Delaware

2nd Sgt. George W. Lyon; Feb. 20, 1864; Madison County, Ohio.

********************************

William Morgan:

Private William Morgan; April 5, 1864; Delaware

--Old B-Runner

27th USCT-- Part 4: Roster of Company G

This was the only company where all members were listed in the source.  And, it was the company that William Morgan, who I wrote about earlier, served in.

I will do the officers (who were White) and then the sergeants (who were Black).

Rank, date of enrollment in regiment and place of enrollment.

OFFICERS:

Captain Albert Rogall; March 14, 1864; Washington, D.C.

1st Lt.  Edwin F. McMurphrey; April 1864;  Columbus, Ohio

1sr Lt. George W. Doty; May 19, 1864; Washington, D.C.

2nd Lt.  John Eberhardt; January 16, 1864; Washington, D.C.

--Old B.Runner

27th USCT-- Part 3: Fort Fisher and Operations in North Carolina

The 27th USCT then participated in the Fort Fisher Campaign from December 1864 to January 1865.

Then in subsequent actions between Fort Fisher and Wilmington January to February 1865:

Sugar Loaf Hill

Federal Point

Capture of Wilmington

Northeast Ferry

*****************************

CAROLINAS CAMPAIGN  (March to April 1865)

Kinston

Goldsboro

Cox's Bridge

Raleigh

Present at Johnston's surrender at Bennett's House, North carolina on April 26, 1865.

Remained on duty in Department of North Carolina until mustered out on September 21, 1865.

--Old B-Runner

27th USCT Infantry-- Part 2: Many Operations in Virginia

The regiments war record.

From the Rapidan River to James River, Virginia  May-June 1864.

Guarding wagon trains during the Wilderness Campaign.

Petersburg Campain (including the Battle of the Crater, July 30, 1864)  June-December 1864.

Fought at Weldon Railroad (August 1864)

Popular Grove Church (September and October 1864)

Boydtown Plank Road and Hatcher's Run (October 1864)

Bermuda Hundred (Virginia) front until december 1864.

Then it was moved to the attacks on Fort Fisher.

Quite a busy unit.

--Old B-Runner

27th USCT-- Part 1: Organized in Ohio

On March 14 and 15, I wrote about Private William Morgan who was with the 27th USCT Infantry Regiment which fought at Fort Fisher.

I decided to do some more research on the unit.

From the Archival Resources of Virginia.

The 27th USCT (United States Colored Troops)  was organized as a three year regiment at Camp Delaware, Ohio, on January 16, 1864, and ordered to Annapolis, Maryland.  Most of the men came from Ohio.

There it was attached to the 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 9th Corps, Army of  the Potomac until September 1864, and then to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 9th Corps.  

In December 1864, it joined the 1st brigade,  3rd Divison, 25th Corps (the Union Army's only all black corps).  Later it was attached to several other groups.

They participated in several engagements and campaigns in Virginia and North Carolina.

--Old B-Runner

New Fort Fisher Museum Underway-- Part 4: To Withstand Storms

The new visitir center is designed for its dynamic location at the mouth of the Cape Fear River.  Before crews  proceded with their current work on the foundation they installed about 180 piles to the depth of 50 feet.

Once the foundation is complete,  the first floor will be elevated five feet above the existing grade to accommodate storm surge and the building will be constructed promarily of concrete to strengthen it against storms.

"It is definitely going to be exposed to the elements pver the years, and it's been designed to withstand it,"  Ben Warren said.

A 6,400-square-foot building for the state's  underwater archaeology facilities is also planned for the property.  Warren listed  boat storage, preservation labs and dive support as some of the amenities planned for the archaeology space.

--Old B-Runner

New Fort Fisher Museum Underway-- Part 3: Importance To the Confederacy

During the Civil War, Fort Fisher protected the entrance to the Cape Fear River which led to Wilmington, North Carolina, a major port for blockade runners supplying the Confederacy with much-needed supplies.

About a mile near the end of the penionsula originally called Federal Point, but name changed to Confederate Point for the war, became heavily fortified with Fort Fisher which ran roughly a mile along the Atlantic coast on the east side, then stretched for abou a half mile across the peninsula on the north side.

There were no fortifications on the west side along the Cape Fear River and a four gun fortification at the south end by New Inlet called Battery Buchanan.

There were dozens of man-made mounds as tall as 35 feet and topped with powerful artillery to keep Union blockaders at a distance.  These defenses kept the port of Wilmington open until January 1865 when a successful Union attack by sea and land captured the fort and closed Wilmington.  The Confederacy was all but over within three months after that.

Old B-Runner

New Fort Fisher Visitors Center/Museum Underway-- Part 2

Slated for completion in April 2024, the new 24,000 square foot visitor center will replace the current facility, which remains open and operational until the new building is finished.  Built in 1965, the old visitor center is equipped to handle 25,000 visitors annually.  In 2021, the site had more than a million people.

I  know that initially the plan called for tearing down the present visitors center and moving everything into temporary quarters nearby until the new one was completed.  I always thought this was a very wasteful plan.  Hey, use the old one until the new one is completed.  I'm glad they decided to do that.

Larger facilities will enable Fort Fisher to serve growing crowds with more exhibit space, storage for artifacts and offices for staff plus a new auditorium and multipurpose room for  events, which Warren says will access  a  balcony with views of both the Atlantic Ocean and the Cape Fear River.

--Old B-Runner

New Fort Fisher Visitors Center and Museum Underway-- Part 1

From March 15, 2023, Wilmington (NC) Biz "New Fort Fisher facilities on the rise" by Miriah Hamrick.

The new foundation is being laid at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site in Kure Beach, North Carolina.  The Bordeaux  Construction Co. crews  are currently working on it as the first step in a multi-phase project that will also erect  new facilities for the North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch.

Also, pending money from the state, work will be done on the Civil War fortifications of the fort as well.  (Part of the fort's land face was leveled for a landing strip that was used for anti-aircraft practice during World War II.  That part will be rebuilt.)

By May, the foundation will be complete and the new two-story building which will house the museum and visitors center will begin construction.

"Then we will start going vertical," said Ben Warren, vice president of  Bordeaux Construction.

--Old B-Runner

Private William Morgan at Fort Fisher with 27th USCT-- Part 2

Born in 1844, he was likely one of the hundreds of John Randolph slaves in Virginia who were freed after his death and provided means to settle in Ohio.  They made their way and settled  in the Miami Valley in 1846.  In the 1900 census, Morgan said his mother was born in Virginia which supports the idea that he was one of them.

William Morgan enlisted as a private in Company G, 27th USCT at Camp Delaware, Ohio, in April 5, 1864.

His regiment had a proud history of service.   Assigned to the Army of the Potomac, the 27th guarded supply trains during the Overland Campaign and took part in the Siege of Petersburg.  The 27th charged into Confederate lines at the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864,.

They were also part of  amphibious operations against Fort Fisher, North Carolina.  It was then involved in the events that followed (Sugar Loaf Hill, Federal Point, Fort Anderson, capture of Wilmington and Northeast Ferry.

After that it participated in the  Carolinas Campaign at Kinston,, Goldsboro, Cox's  Bridge, the capture of Raleigh and surrender of Johnston's Army at Bennett's House.

Hey!   Fort Fisher!!  --Old Secesh

Private William Morgan at Fort Fisher with USCT

From the February 24, 2023, Sidney (Ohio) Daily News "Provate William Morgan: An AfricanAmerican Civil War veteran from Sidney" by Gregory  K. Holonaugh and Melanie  Speicher.

On December 4, 1918, the Sidney Daily News reported prominently in its local section  that "William Morgan Dies Suddenly" earlier that day.  Further, the paper reported that Mr. Morgan was a well-known black man who had "been a resident for many years ... a blacksmith at the carriage factory of Miller & Smith" and a "veteran of the Civil War."

He was buried at Graceland Cemetery near other Civil War veterans.

His gravestone reads "William Morgan, Co. G, 27th USC Inf."

--Old Secesh

Captain John S. Rudd, USN-- Part 2: Served on Many Ships

From USS Constitution Museum

He was a commander of the USS Constitution at one time.  

RANK:  Commander

BIRTH DATE:  3/13/1801

DEATH DATE:  10/12/1867

John Singleton Rudd was born in Newport, Rhode Island on March 13, 1801 and received his midshipman's warrant on November 30, 1814, just as the War of 1812 was ending.  His first years was a series of  ship assignments:  brig Firefly, frigate Congress,  ship-of-the-line Franklin, ship-of-the-line  Washington, frigate Cyane, frigate Macedonian before he was promoted to lieutenant on January  13, 1825.

--Old B-Runner

Captain John S. Rudd, USN

I mentioned this man in the last post.  John Singleton Rudd was the first commander of the USS Lancaster.  Also a War of 1812, Mexican War and Civil War officer.

His service record is very near the same as that of John B. Montgomery.  Both were on their way out (retired list) when the Civil War started because of advanced age.

From Naval History and Heritage Command.

John Rudd

Midshipman:  30 November 1814

Lieutenant:  13 January 1825

Commander:  8 September 1841

Captain:    14 September 1855

Retired List:   21 December 1861

Commodore, Retired List:    16 July 1862

Died:  12 October 1867

--Old B-Runner

USS Lancaster-- Part 24: Screw Sloop-of-War

John B. Montgomery commanded the Pacific Squadron of the U.S. Navy at the onset of the Civil War  until  relieved January  2, 1862.  The Lancaster was his flagship.

USS LANCASTER

From Wikipedia.

The first ship in the Navy with this name.  (There was also another one launched in 1855 that was a sidewheel steamship purchased by the Navy in 1862 and converted into a ram operating on the western rivers.)

Montgomery's Lancaster was a screw sloop-of-war that served in the Civil War through Spanish-American War.

It was laid down at the Philadelphia Navy Yard  in December 1857 and launched  20 October 1858; sponsored by  Miss Harriet Lane, niece and official hostess of President James Buchanan.  Commissioned  12 May 1859 with Captain John Rudd in command.

--Old B-Runner

USS Roanoke-- Part 23: Not a Successful Ironclad Monitor

Initial plans called for four turrets on the new monitor, but only three were placed.    Her masts, rigging and everything except smokestack was removed above the gundeck.  Little to nothing was done to reinforce the hull which proved to be a major problem.

Those three turrets, however, mounted some really heavy pieces of artillery:  two muzzle loading 15-inch Dahlgren, two 11-inch Dahlgrens and two eight inch 150-pdr. Parrott rifles.  No turret had two of the same two caliber guns, however.

Commissioned 29 June 1863.

Her initial commander as an ironclad was Captain Benjamin F. Sands (who was also at the battles of Fort Fisher while in command of the USS Fort Jackson),  He reported that on the trip from New York to Hampton Roads that the ship rolled heavily that it would be impossible to use its guns.

On 14 July, Sands test fired his guns for the first time and three of the guns dismounted because of the bad recoil.  It was decided that the Roanioke would serve only as harbor defense for Hampton Roads, where she spent the rest of the war.

She was decommissioned in 1875 and sold for scrap in 1883.

--Old B-Runner

USS Roanoke-- Part 22: Sister Ship of USS Merrimak and At Battle of Hampton Roads

The USS Roanoke was named after the Roanoke River in Virginia and North Carolina.  She was laid down in Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia  in May 1854 and launched in December 1855.  It had an inauspicious start when it sank during the launching and had to be refloated.

She was commissioned  on 4 May 1857 with Captain John B. Montgomery in command.  One of her early duties was to transport  William Walker and his fillibuster men back from Central America.  After that, she returned to Central America to await  the arrival of the first Japanese embassy to the United States.

At the start of the Civil War, the Roanoke was assigned to the  North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and made some captures of blockade runners off Lockwood Folly Inlet, N.C. and off Charleston, S.C.

It was at the Battle of Hampton Roads where her former sister ship, the  USS Merrimack had been turned into the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia.  But her  deep draft prevented her from engaging.  After the battle, she ferried survivors of the USS Congress and USS Cumberland to New York City.

Upon arrival, she was decommissioned  and reconstruction began to convert her into a monitor.

--Old B-Runner

USS Roanoke-- Part 21: General Characteristics as Frigate and Monitor

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS (as a frigate)

Length:  263.8 feet

Beam:  51.4 feet

Complement:  674

Armament:  

One 10-inch Dahlgren gun

Twenty-eight 9-inch Dahlgren guns

Fourteen 8-inch Dahlgren guns

***********************************

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS (as a monitor)

Complement:   347

Armament (in three turrets)

Two 15-inch Dahlgren guns

Two 150-pdr.  Parrott rifles

Two 11-inch Dahlgren guns

--Old B-Runner

MCCWRT Discussion Group Topic 'Confederate Commerce Raiders' Feb. 25

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) will be having their next discussion group this Saturday, February 25 at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois (US Highway 12 and Main Street).

The topic is Confederate Commerce Raiders.'

It will be from 10 am to 11:30 am.  

This will be an in person and Zoom event.

All are welcome and we usually manage to stay on topic a fair amount of time.  Member or not, come on down.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 20: The USS Roanoke, A Steam Frigate Converted to the First Three Turret Monitor

The second ship John B. Montgomery commanded was the USS Roanoke, one of the most powerful and newest ships in the U.S. Navy when the Civil War started.

From Wikipedia.

The USS Roanoke was a wooden-hulled Merrimack-class screw frigate.  There were a total of six of these ships in that class.  Three of them, the USS Minnesota, USS Colorado and USS Wabash took part in the bombardments of Fort Fisher.

She served as the flagship for the U.S. Home Fleet in the late 1850s.

She was converted into an ironclad monitor during 1862-1863; the first-ever ship with more than two turrets (three).  

However, her conversion was not very successful as she rolled excessively and the weight of her armor and turrets strained her hull.  Her depth was too much to operate off shallow Confederate ports so spent the rest of her career in harbor defense at Hampton Roads, Virginia.

The Roanoke was placed in reserve after the war and sold for scrap in 1883.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 19: USS Portsmouth

Under John Montgomery's command, sailors from the USS Portsmouth entered the Spanish town of Yerba Bueno and raised the American flag.  Today, this town is known as San Francisco.  It blockaded Mexico's west coast during the Mexican War.

Between the two wars, the Portsmouth was involved with suppressing the West African slave trade and the Pacific Coast.

In December 1861, she joined the Gulf Coast Blockading Squadron and took part in the fight with Forts Jackson and St, Philip that led to the fall of New Orleans.  After that, she served as station ship for New Orleans until the end of the war.

After the war, she served primarily as a training ship  until 1915, making her one long-serving Navy ship.

San Francisco's Bank of America uses  her on an old logo because of her role in the city's history.  The ship's helm was on display in the headquarters reception area in 1995.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 18: Ships John Montgomery Commanded Which Were in the Civil War

Three of the ships John B. Montgomery commanded at one time or another also participated in the Civil War.  They were the USS Portsmouth during the Mexican War, the USS Roanoke before the Civil War and the USS Lancaster in the early part of the war.

I will write about the Civil War service of each one.

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USS Portsmouth

(1843-1878)

The second ship to bear the name USS Portsmouth.  Built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, across from Portsmouth, New Hampshire.   Launched in 1843 and commissioned in 1844 with John Berrien Montgomery commanding.

It was a sailing wooden sloop of war.

It was 151 feet 10 inches long, had a beam of 37 feet 3 inches and a crew of 227.  Armament consisted of  eighteen 32-pdrs. and two 64-pdr shell guns.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery (DD-121)-- Part 17: John B. Montgomery, Namesake

 After the Mexican War, John Montgomery was made executive officer of the Washington Navy Yard in April 1849 and held that position until 1851.  Commissioned  a captain in January 1853 and in April 1857, was placed in command of the USS Roanoke.

He then sailed to Aspinwall in Central America and returned with 250 of William Walker's filibusters.

During the following two years he served on shore duty and 1859-1862, commanded the United States' Pacific Squadron with the USS Lancaster as his flagship.  

On his return to New York, he was placed in waiting for orders until May 1862 when he was given commands of various Navy Yards.

He was made commodore on the retired list in July, 1862 and a rear admiral  on July 25, 1866.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery (DD-121)-- Part 16: John B. Montgomery, Ship's Namesake

From Geni.

Also during the War of 1812, John B. Montgomery participated in attack on Kingston, Upper Canada (Ontario), and capture of Little York, Fort George and Newark

After the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, he received a sword and the thanks of Congress for his services at that battle.  Later he was present during the blockade and attack on Macknaw in August 1814.

Still later, he  was transferred to the USS Ontario under  Commander Stephen Decatur with whom he took part in the Algerine War (2nd Barbary War) of 1815.

Commissioned to the rank of lieutenant in 1818, he continued to rise through the ranks and in 1845, was given the command of the USS Portsmouth in the Navy's Pacific Fleet.  (The Portsmouth also fought in the Civil War.)

When the Mexican War started, he took his ship to San Francisco Bay.  On July 9, 1846, he led a small force from his ship to te coastal town of Yerba Buena and raised the American flag in the town plaza after capturing it without firing a shot.

In 1847, the town would be renamed officially San Francisco.

He also participated in  the blockade of Mazatlan, Mexico, and the bombardment and capture of Guaymas on the Gulf of California.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery (DD-121)-- Part 15: Rear Admiral John B. Montgomery, the Ship's Namesake

From Find-A-Grave.

JOHN BARRIEN MONTGOMERY

BIRTH:  17 November 1794, Allentown, New Jersey

DEATH:  25 March 1873 (aged 78), Carlisle, Pennsylvania

BURIAL:  Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

United States Navy officer.  A native of New Jersey, he joined the U.S. Navy in June 1812, several days before the outbreak of the War of 1812.

Assigned the rank of midshipman, he served throughout with distinction throughout the war, including being aboard  the USS Niagara during the September 13, 1813 Battle of Lake Erie.  This was the ship that Oliver Hazaed Perry moved to after his flagship, the USS Lawrence,  was put out of action at the battle.

--Old B-Runner

The 158th Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Anderson to Be Observed-- Part 2

A pre-Revolutionary War town on the Cape Fear River, Brunswick was once attacked by the Spanish and later partially burned during the war.  It never fully recovered, especially with the rise of Wilmington further up the river.  It was eventually abandoned.

During the Civil War, Fort Anderson was constructed on top of some of the ruins of the town and served as part of the defenses below Wilmington before the fall of the Confederacy.

Colonial foundations dot the present-day tour trail, which crosses the earthworks of the Confederate fort.  Today, visitors can see the archaeological ruins of foundations of old Colonial kitchens, home sites and various outbuildings that once stood at the old port town, along with the shell of St. Philips Anglican Church.

Both the old town and the fort are run by the North Carolina Divivion of State Historic Sites.

--Old B-Runner

The 158th Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Anderson to be Observed

Taking a break from RoadTrippin' Thru History with the USS Montgomery.

From the February 7, 2023, WECT (Wilmington, N.C.) TV station.

The 158th anniversary of the fall of Fort Anderson will be commemorated February 18, 2023, at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site.

The free activities showing what life was like for soldiers and civilians during the Civil War are scheduled for 10 am to 3 pm.  Visitors will be able to see  infantry demonstrations, medical and embalming practices and presentations throughout the day.

From 6 to 7:30 pm, visitors can witness a reenactment of the final hours at Fort Anderson during the "Screaming Shells and Plunging Shot" program.

Admission for this evening event is $10 for ages 16 and up if purchased online.  It is $15 at the gate.  Under 16 will be admitted for free.

Fort Anderson was part of the defenses of Wilmington, North Carolina, on the Cape Fear River.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery (DD-121)-- Part 14: Named for War of 1812, Mexican War and Civil War Naval Officer

From Wikipedia, a RoadTrippin' Thru History's favorite source.

USS MONTGOMERY (DD-121)

A Wickes-class destroyer during WW I and later reclassified as DM-17 (Destroyer Minelayer) when it participated in WW II.  She was the fifth ship to bear the name Montgomery in the U.S. Navy and was named after Admiral John B. Montgomery, a Navy officer in the Mexican War and the Civil War.

It was built at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia and was launched 23 March 1918, sponsored by Mrs. Andrew Jones, a descendant of Admiral Montgomery.  The destroyer was commissioned  on 26 July 1918.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length:  314 feet 5 inches

Beam: 31.8 feet

Complement:  113 enlisted and officers

Speed:  35  knots

Armament:

Four 4-inch guns

Two 3-inch guns

Twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes

One depth charge protector

Two depth charge tracks

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 13: The WW I and WW II Destroyer USS Montgomery (DD-121)

Right now, we are taking a RoadTrip through history with the USS Montgomery.  This is the fifth ship to bear the name, starting with the American Revolution with the first one, then the War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War and now both World Wars up to the current ship of that name.

One of the things I do when RoadTrippin' is to find out how the ship got its name.

The first two were named after American hero, Gen. Richard Montgomery who was killed in the American Revolution,  I believe the third Montgomery had its name because that was the ship's name when the U.S. Navy purchased the ship during the Civil War.  

The 4th USS Montgomery was named after the capital of Alabama.  The current one (the 6th of that name) was also named after the state capital.

The 5th one, the USS Montgomery (DD-121) was named after Rear Admiral John B. Montgomery.  He was a veteran of the Mexican War and Civil War.  U.S. destroyers are traditionally named after people.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 12: The Spanish-American War and WW I

During the Spanish-American War, she cruised near Cuba and Haiti in April 1898 and in May joined the blockade of Havana.  On May 5, she took two prizes and shelled Spanish forts a week later.

After decommissioning and recommissioning in  1908, the Montgomery operated as a  torpedo experimental ship and from1914-1918, was a Maryland Naval Militia ship.

Renamed the Anniston  14 March 1918, she patrolled and escorted off the U.S. Atlantic Coast during World War I.

Decommissioned at Charleston on 16 May 1918 and sold 14 November 1919.

--Old B-Runner

RoadTripping With USS Montgomery-- Part 11: The 4th USS Montgomery and Spanish-American War

The 4th USS Montgomery was the lead ship of her class and was rated as an unprotected cruiser.  She served in the Spanish-American War and World War I.

Launched 5 December 1891 by the Columbian  Iron Works, Baltimore, Maryland and commissioned 21 June 1894 at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia.  It was named after Montgomery, Alabama.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length:  269.10 feet

Beam:  37 feet

Draft:  14.6 feet

Speed:  17 knots

Complement:  30 officers, 249 enlisted

Armament:

Two 6-inch guns

Eight 5-inch guns

Six 6-pounder guns

Two 1-pounder guns

Two Gatlin guns 

Three 18-inch torpedo tubes'

--Old B-Runner

RoadTrippin' With USS Montgomery-- Part 10: The Civil War USS Montgomery

The third USS Montgomery was in the Civil War, which is the basis for all of this.   It was originally a civilian ship that was leased by, and later bought, by the Union Navy near the start of the war.  I wasn't able to find out for sure how it got its name, but think that might have been its name when purchased by the Navy.

Now, I had never heard of any USS Montgomery in the Navy before, much less this one.   And, I kind of pride myself on knowing Civil War naval history.  That would include names of ships.

And, to make matters worse, it was at both battles of my favorite Civil War battle, or for that matter, any historical battle, Fort Fisher.  That was embarrassing.

Fort Fisher is one of my Big Three when it comes to naval/maritime events.  Anytime I come across anything on these three I am sure to read  further.  And, another USS Montgomery was at the second one of the Big Three.  Find out what it is a few posts from now.

I will write more about the third USS Montgomery after I finish with the next two USS Montgomerys.

How Could I Not Know About a Ship at Fort Fisher?  -Old B-Runner

RoadTripping With USS Montgomery-- Part 9: The Second USS Montgomery in War of 1812

Continuing with our roadtrip through history with this ship.

The second USS Montgomery was listed as a sloop or schooner during the War of 1812.

The Wikipedia article said it was built by Thomas Macdonough in 1813 and part of his fleet to keep the British Navy from controlling Lake Champlain.  It participated in convoying  Wade Hampton's troops in their advance to Canada.

The only other two things were that the ship was decommissioned and sold in 1815 and that it was also named after Gen. Richard Montgomery.

This paltry amount of information was surprising in that this ship would have been available to fight in the Battle of Lake Champlain where the American fleet was commanded by Macdonough.  Why wouldn't he have used it?

After further research, I believe that Macdonough wasn't impressed with the ship very much and that there was a naval arms race going on with both the British and Americans launching more and bigger ships.  Evidently, whenever a new ship was launched, Macdonough would take cannons and sailors off the Montgomery.

I have come across mention that the Montgomery and several other ships were left behind at Plattsburgh to defend the town.

--Old B.Runner

RoadTrippin' With the Montgomery-- Part 8: The First USS Montgomery in the American Revolution

Continuing with the Roadtrip Through History with the ships by the name of USS Montgomery.

Like I said earlier, whenever I come across a U.S. warship, I like to see if there were other ships by that name in the Navy.  Always, my first stop is at Wikipedia which has a list of ships by that name.  Makes it easier.  There have been six ships by that name and one of them was in the Civil War which is why I am writing about it here.

The first ship by that name was a frigate ordered by the Continental Congress  during the American Revolution and built on the Hudson River north of New York City.  It was to have carried 24 guns, but it and another frigate, the USS Congress, were both destroyed by the Americans to prevent capture when the British took New York City.

It was one of 13 ships ordered by Congress and was launched in 1776 and burned in 1777.  I did not know that the Americans had a program to build warships during the war.

I also like to find out where the name came from.  My first thought was from the city of Montgomery, Alabama, but I doubt that there was any town there in 1776, maybe an Indian village.

It was named after Richard Montgomery.  Then, he must have been a naval guy.  Turns out he wasn't.  He was an Army general who was killed during the American attack on Quebec.  I didn't even know that we had attacked Canada during the American Revolution.

He was co-commander of the U.S. force with another man often considered the best American general during the war.  And, it wasn't George Washington.  It was a guy by the name of Benedict Arnold.

One other thing about Richard Montgomery was that he had been in the British Army before the war.

That Would be An Interesting Story in Itself.  --Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 7: LCSs and DDs Look Quite a Bit Like ....

Before I go any further, I happened to notice something while looking at side views of the USS Montgomery and other LCS ships as well as new destroyers.

These ships seem to incorporate parts of two Civil War ships.

Take a look online and make your guess.

Answer below.

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The superstructure of the ships reminds me of Confederate ironclads.  Take a look at the CSS Virginia, Tennessee or Albemarle.

And, every one of them has a gun mounted in a turret in the bow area, which would be the USS Monitor.

A Little Taste of the Civil War in Today's Navy.  --Old B-Runner

Cruising with USS Montgomery-- Part 6: There Were Six Ships in U.S. Navy By That Name

As I said in the last post, whenever I'm doing a story about a ship, I like to see of there have been other ships by that name.

Wikipedia is an excellent quick source of information, because by the  ship's name, they have a spot for "Other ships with the same name."  Click on it and a list will come up.

Even though I had never heard of a ship on the U.S. Navy by the name of Montgomery, I found that the new USS Montgomery (LCS-9) is actually the sixth ship to bear that name.  Those names stretch back to the American Revolution and cover much of the country's history.

And there was one from the Civil War, which is why I was making the presentation in a series of Civil War talks.

And, as part of the RoadTrip experience, I will take a look at each of the USS Mongomerys.  I will look at the ship's history, and I am also very interested in for whom or what the ship was named.

--Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 5: About the USS Montgomery (LCS-8)

The page in the PVA calendar had some information about the ship, which looks part aircraft carrier aftward.

It is named after the city of Montgomery, Alabama (I always like to find out how U.S. Navy ship's got their name), and was commissioned  10 September 2016.  It is 418 feet long with a 104 foot beam.  Its crew has 40 core members and up to 35 mission crew.

It has one  57 mm gun and a missile launcher and can carry several helicopters.

It was built in Mobile, Alabama.

Another thing I do in RoadTripping Through History is find out if there were any other ships by that name in the Navy.

--Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 4: Here We Go (What Is an LCS?)

When you go RoadTrippin' Through History, you start with one thing and then how many other things you can attach to it.  What can you find out?  

So, we're going to take a trip through history and it starts with a current U.S. warship, the USS Montgomery (LCS-8).  I came across a picture of this ship and information on the December 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America calendar.  I'd never heard of it, nor had I ever heard of any ship in the U.S. Navy by that name.

The first thing I had to do was find out what LCS stood for.  I am aware of many Navy designations for ships.  For example, (DD) means destroyer, (BB) means battleship, (CV) means aircraft carrier and (SS) means submarine.  But what does LCS stand for?

It stands for Littoral Combat Ship.  Next step was to find out what littoral meant.  That was not a word in my general vocabulary.  Looking it up I found that littoral meant something to do with coastal or shallow waters.  The combat ship was easy.  So, this is a ship meant for operating up close to the enemy in shallow coastal waters.

--Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 3: The Lincoln Highway and National Road

Beside Route 66, Illinois is fortunate to have two other major old roads going through it.

One is the first paved transcontinental highway across the United States, the Lincoln Highway.  It ran from New York City to San Francisco.

And, a part of it went down DeKalb, Illinois' Main Street, called, get this, Lincoln Highway.  My wife and I often did something called the Lincoln Crawl back when we were students at Northern Illinois University.  That is where you went to as many bars along the road as you could.  NIU is located along this great road, but we sure didn't know the history of this road as students.

Plus, Illinois also has the western extremity of the old National Road.   This was the first major improved road built in the country by the federal government.  It was built between 1811 and 1837 heading westward out of Cumberland, Maryland, and eventually to Vandalia, then capital of Illinois.  This road was a major path for Americans moving into the Old Northwest Territory (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin).

I have driven long segments of both these roads as well as all of Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Old B-Runner

Cruisin' With the USS Montgomery-- Part 2: Getting Hooked on Old Roads

Often when I'm doing all these blogs, I go ahead from the story I'm on and find out, as Paul Harvey would call it, "The Rest of the Story."  I start digging a little deeper into it to see what I find.  It is kind of like looking for buried treasure.  Kind of like all the hype back when Geraldo Rivera went into Al Capone's vaults.  You never know if you'll find something or not.

I call this "RoadTrippin' Through History" as you don't even know if you'll stay, as in this case, with the Civil War.  You just keep following leads.  Sometimes you get nowhere, others, like this, you sure do go places.

This takes in another one of the things I'm nuts about, old roads and trips on them.  Today. most vacations are all about the destination, not what you can see and do on the way.  Now, I realize most people don't have a lot of time on vacations and I'm fortunate enough to be retired.

My late wife, Liz, and I got hooked on old roads in 2002.  And, that road was Route 66 which we took from Chicago to St. Louis over spring break.  We got hopelessly hooked.  

Plus, Illinois is fortunate to also have two of the other major old roads, the Lincoln Highway and the National Road.  

--Old B-Runner

Cruisin' With the USS Montgomery-- Part 1: Who Fought the Civil War?

From my presentation "RoadTrippin' Through History:  The Continuing Saga of the USS Montgomery" that I gave January 19, 2023.

Some of this is written in this blog and other parts are in my Cooter's History Thing and Tattooed on Your Soul: World War II blog.  I am putting it all together in this one now.

I am a history nut.  I love my history and have loved it since I was a young lad of seven in 2nd grade and my dad took me to a Civil War fort in North Carolina called  Fort Fisher.  We were living in North Carolina at the time (I lived there for most of my first ten years).  I did not know anything about the Civil War.

My dad explained to me that the war was fought between the North and the South.  I told him, "Then we were for the North."  He said we weren't.  But, how could that be?  I knew we lived in North Carolina and that South Carolina was right by us.  As such, the Civil War must have been between North and South  Carolina.

Dad said no.  Those weren't the two sides.

I had paid attention at school in geography class and knew there was a South America and we lived in North America.  As such, then we would still be for the North.

Dad said no.

Now, you had a confused young man.  When I got back to school, I checked out a kid's book "The Civil War" by Fletcher Pratt from the library and read and reread several times and started getting an idea about this war.

Well, as they say, the rest is history.  In the 2nd grade I knew I wanted to be a teacher so I could teach history.  And, I was for 33 years.   See what Dad and Fletcher Pratt started.

And Fort Fisher Is Still My Favorite Civil War Battle.  --Old B-Runner

Civil War Navy Books by William N. Still

From GoodReads site.

Iron Afloat:  The Story of  the Confederate Armorclads

Confederate Shipbuilding

The Confederate Navy:  The Ships, Men and Organization

Ironclad  Captains:  Commanding Officers of the USS Monitor

Raiders and Blockaders

Monitor Builders:  A Historical  Study of the Principal Firms and Individuals Involved inthe Construction of the USS Monitor.

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Books he coauthored:

Two Years on the Alabama

Admiral of the New Empire:    The Life and Career of George Dewey. (Dewey was a navalofficer during the war and at Fort Fisher.

Captain  James Carlin:  Anglo-American Blockade Runner

Quite a Lengthy List.  --Old B-Runner

Death of Noted Civil War Navy Author William Still-- Part 2

While at East Carolina University, he founded and served as  the Director of  the Maritime  History and Nautical Archaeology Program.  

He was also instrumental in numerous  underwater  archaeological projects such as  those on the USS Monitor, CSS Alabama and Confederate submarine Hunley.

"Doc,"  as he was often known to his graduate students, was a mentor, advisor and friend.

When he retired from East Carolina in 1994, he and his wife relocated to Hawaii.

He authored or co-wrote dozens of books and publications focused on naval history from the Civil War to World War II.

Up until two weeks before his death, he was  actively researching and writing the last installation of his series for the Secretary of the Navy that began with  "Crisis at Sea and Victory Without Peace," focused on U.S. naval forces withdrawal following World War I.

Mr. Still was the recipient of many honors in the book field

He and his wife returned to Greenville, N.C., in 2008, but continued spending winter months in Hawaii and summer in North Carolina.

--Old B-Runner

Death of Noted Civil War Navy Author William N. Still, Jr.-- Part 1

From the Daily Reflector mewspaper, Greenville, North Carolina.

One of the best Civil War Navy authors died January 8, 2023.  I have his "Iron Afloat" book and enjoyed reading it.  Plus, he taught at East Carolina University, a school near and dear to me as both my parents graduated from there and have a scholarship.  Also, two of my cousins are ECU graduates.

DR. WILLIAM NORWOOD "BILL" STILL JR.

(1932-2023)

Passed away peacefully  surrounded by family on January 8.

He was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and got his bachelors degree from Mississippi College and doctorate from the University of Alabama.  He spent two years in the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain.

He began his teaching career at the Mississippi State College for Women and moved to Greenville, North Carolina,  in 1968 to be a history professor at East Carolina College (now University).

--Old B-Runner

USS Passaic-- Part 8: Spanish-American War and 'Fightingest Ship' Name

The Passaic then spent  1893-1896 at Boston on loan to the Massachusetts Naval Militia.  The next two years were spent with the Georgia Naval Militia at Brunswick, Georgia.

Recalled for action during the Spanish-American War in 1898, she cruised southward  from May 6 to September 11.  At that time she was finally decommissioned at  the Pensacola Navy Base.

On October 10, 1899, the old warrior was sold to Frank Samuels of Philadephia who broke her up for scrap.

Writing in his journal on June 3, 1865, Admiral Dahlgren said of the Passaic, "a steady worker for two-and-one-half years, and the first monitor in commission after the Monitor.'

In a letter written to the Army and Navy Journal of April 24, 1864,  Commander Simpson said, "The Passaic was the worst hit of all the monitors."

Yes, the Passaic earned the  title of "The Fightingest Ship in Mr. Lincoln's Navy" and deserves to be remembered with pride by all who live in the river valley (Passaic, New Jersey) from which she received her name.

--Old B-Runner

USS Passaic-- Part 7: Raising the Flag Over Sumter and Postwar Service

Following extensive repairs, she was sent to Wassau Sound under the command of Lt. Commander  Fillebrown and served on the blockade for the rest of the war.

The Passaic received a great honor on April 14, 1865, when she was ordered to Charleston to take part in the ceremony of raising the U.S. flag over Fort Sumter, exactly four years to the day after Anderson had surrendered the fort.

On June 18, 1865, the Passaic was decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

It was laid up  at League Island Navy Yard in Philadelphia until 1875, when she returned to duty as part of the North Atlantic Squadron, serving as a receiving ship at the Washington Navy Yard  

She cruised with the fleet from September 1, 1882, until the November 18th when she was assigned duty with the Naval Academy at Annapolis, remaining there for the next ten years.

--Old B-Runner

USS Passaic-- Part 6: A Busy Ship in 1863

In a report to Admiral Dahlgren, who had replaced Du Pont,  Commander Simpson related that the Passaic went into action eleven times between  July 29 and September 8th.  During that time,  she fire two hundred and twenty-six shells against the enemy and took in return one hundred and thirty-five hits from Confederate guns.

Typical of her work was the September 8th engagement.  During the attack on Sullivan's Island, she was ordered to go well in front of the rest of the fleet to engage Battery Bee at close range.

The Confederates concentrated all their guns on the Passaic and she was hit fifty-one times.  She managed to fire off  forty-nine of her own shells.

Her last action in 1863, took place on November 16th, when Admiral Dahlgren used her as his flagship during an attack on Fort Moultrie.  In this engagement, the USS Lehigh ran aground and was rescued by the Passaic while both vessels were under heavy fire.

--Old B-Runner

158th Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Fisher This Weekend-- Part 2

At 11 am and 2 pm, Curator of History Ray Flowers will present "The Sword of Fort Fisher" in the visitor center audtorium.  This is about Major Reilly's sword, the one used to surrender the fort.  Seating will be limited.

Due to the construction of the new visitor center, parking will be limited to the Battle Acre and  the temporary parking lot located immediately south of the museum.  Signs will assist motoerists.

ADA/handicapped parking is limited to two spaces north of the museum.

Located at 1610 Fort Fisher Boulevard, Kure Beach, N.C., Fort Fisher is a part of the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

--Old B-Runner

158th Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Fisher This Weekend-- Part 1

From the January 8, 2023, Port City News (Wilmington, North Carolina) "158th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Fisher reenacts Civil War times."

History comes alive this coming weekend with the 158th anniversary of the fall of Fort Fisher.

It is free and open to the public and the theme is "With Artillery, War Is Made" and will be held January 14 from 10 am to 4 pm.  The living history program will focus on the artillery used at Fort Fisher during the Civil War.

There will,be demonstrations of the 32-pounder banded and  rifled seacoast gun, 12-pound Parrott  gun at  10 am, noon, 1:30 and 3 pm.

--Old B-Runner

Now that West Point is divesting itself of any and all things Confederate, I'm thinking that the 150-pdr. Armstrong gun at Trophy Point that was captured at Fort Fisher which was a CONFEDERATE FORT by the way, should be "divested" back to our fort.

USS Passaic-- Part 5: Took a Pounding at Charleston

In addition to the fortifications protecting Charleston Harbor, the channel had been heavily mined and filled with cables and obstructions to prevent passage of enemy ships.

In all, the Confederates had massed more than 300 guns.

It was into this inferno of fire that the Union fleet advanced to attack on April 7, 1863.  In the 45 minutes in which the action lasted, the Confederates fired 3,500 shots and shells and repelled the attack.

The ironclad USS Keokuk was sunk and all the others hit several times.  The object of the attack, Fort Sumter was only slightly damaged.

During the short battle, the Passaic had fired  thirteen shots and hit thirty-four times.  As a result, she was sent to New York for repairs and recommissioned  on July 19, 1863.  Lt. Commander Edward Simpson replaced Captain Drayton in command.

Arriving back in the blockade off Charleston, the Passaic took part in every engagement against the city and its defenses until the end of the war.

--Old B-Runner

USS Passaic-- Part 4: Heavily Fortified Charleston

At this stage of the Civil War, Charleston had become  a comparatively  unimportant  point in the overall strategy of the war.  However, the Federal  government felt  that the reduction of Fort Sumter, where the war started, and the capture of Charleston would be a great moral victory in a struggle that wasn't going so well for the North at this juncture.

Du Pont was ordered to attack the Charleston defenses with a fleet of nine ironclads and five wooden ships.  After the Confederate guns were silenced, an army of 4,000 troops commanded by General Truman Seymour would proceed to attack the city itself.

However, during the two years after the attack on Fort Sumter, the Confederates had turned Charleston into one of the most protected Southern ports.  Forts Moultrie and Sumter had been rebuilt, a strong position named Fort Wagner had been constructed on Morris Island, directly opposite of Sumter.

Battery Bee had been erected on Sullivan's Island and numerous other fortifications had been built along the banks of Charleston's two rivers.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Passaic-- Part 3: Battling Fort McAllister

The Passaic was made the flagship of the small squadron and Captain Percival Drayton in charge of the operation against Fort McAllister.

Drayton was a member of an old and distinguished South Carolina family, but had chosen to remain in the U.S. Navy.  He had faced a brother, Confederate General Thomas F. Drayton earlier in the war at the Battle of Port Royal.

The Passaic led the small Union fleet into action and into position just 1,200 yards from the guns of the fort.  From 8:40 am to 3:30 pm, the Passaic fired 52 projectiles at the fort and was his 34 times.  In his report of the action,  Captain Downes of the monitor USS Nahant, said that all of the fort's guns were concentrated on the Passaic.

The attack was not successful in capturing the fort, but, the Passaic had proved beyond a doubt that monitors were capable of withstanding heavy fire which would have sunk any wooden ship.

--Old B-Runner

Outreach Program Planned for Fort Fisher-- Part 2: A Walk and a Presentation

Fort Fisher Interpreter and Education and Outreach Coordinator  Kaitlin O'Connor will lead tours of the fort Saturday, January 7, 2023, at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and  3 p.m..  She will talk about Blacks and Indians who built the fort as well as the contributions of Blacks at the battle itself.

The tour lasts for about half an hour and covers less than half a mile of paved trail.  Tickets are $5 at the door.

In the exhibit hall there will be a tabletop display from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with staff to talk about some of the aforementioned topics.

On January 8, she will present "Tis Grand to Know:  People of the Wilmington Campaign" at the  Main Branch of the New Hanover County Library at 3 p.m..  The free presentation will offer a fresh overview of the Wilmington Campaign through an examination of the diverse people caught up in it.

--Old B-Runner

Outreach Series Planned at Fort Fisher-- Part 1

From the December 29, 2022, WECT (Wilmington, N.C.) "Education and outreach series to include guided tours of Fort Fisher, presentation at New Hanover Co. library."

The series is called "Dwell with Gratitude and Pride:  New Perspectives on the Wilmington Campaign."  This will include a tour of Fort Fisher on Saturday, January 7.

The series will feature weekly educational events at various lcations throughout the county and will explore the diverse experiences of people swept into the Union's campaign to capture Wilmington after the fall of Fort Fisher on January 15, 1865.  Wilmington fell on February 22, 1865.

Black, white,  Asian, Indigenous  and Hispanic people were involved.  Participants can learn about those experiences through guided tours, speakers and costumed interpretation programs according to the North Carolina Department of Natiral and Cultural Resources.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Passaic-- Part 2: In Same Storm That Sank the USS Monitor

This is continuing with my RoadTrippin' Thru History with Edward Simpson who commanded the ship during the fighting at Charleston, S.C., in 1863.

Boiler problems along the way from New York caused a stop at the Washington Navy Yard for repairs.  While there, President Lincoln and his cabinet inspected the ship on December 6, 1862.  On December 29, she sailed from Hampton Roads in the company of the original USS Monitor.

They encountered rough weather off Cape Hatteras and the USS Monitor sank.  The Passaic survived the storm and reached Beaufort, S.C., safely on January 1, 1863.

Her first assignement was to patrol off  Wassau Sound, Georgia, where she captured the schooner Glide, a blockade runner loaded with cotton.

By now, the other Passaic-class monitors had been completed and joined the Passaic at Wassau Sound.  Admiral DuPont decided to test the ability of the monitors agains enemy fortifications and ordered an attack on Fort McAllister, Georgia.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Passaic-- Part 1: 'The Fightingest Ship in Mr. Lincoln's Navy'

From the Passaic County Historical Society "USS Passaic"  by Alfred P. Cappio.

The monitor USS Paissaic was commanded by Edward Simpson in the 1863 attack on Charleston and Fort Sumter.

The USS Passaic was named after the Passaic River in New Jersey.

"It is doubtful that any other ship in the Union Navy fought in more actions, fired more shells at enemy fortifications, or was hit more often by enemy fire than  the Passaic.  Truly this ship might well be called "The Fightingest Ship in Mr. Lincoln's Navy."

After the success of the USS Monitor, nine more monitors were ordered from John Ericsson at his Greenpoint (now Brooklyn) shipyard. The first to be completed was the USS Passaic, launched on August  30th and commissioned  at the New York Navy Yard on November 25, 1862.

Two days later, under the command of Captain Percival Drayton, she sailed to join the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron under  Admiral DuPont at Port Royal, South Carolina.

--Old B-Runner