James B. Hopkins, CSN and the Capture and Destruction of Union Mail Boat Fawn

I wrote about the Confederate Navy service of James B. Hopkins in the last post.

From the "Civil War on the Outer Banks" by Fred M. Mallison.

James Hopkins was stationed on the CSS Albemarle, commanded by John Newland Maffitt, in 1864.  Maffitt organized a party of his crew under the command of Pilot James B. Hopkins to capture or destroy the federal mail boat that regularly traveled the  the Dismal Swamp Canal.

Hopkins' venture was successful.

On the night of September 9 they captured the mailboat Fawn, her crew, passengers, and cargo and burned the vessel.

Hopkins withdrew with twenty-nine prisoners, including a colonel and two majors.

--Old B-Runner

Action At South Mills, N.C.in 1863

In the last post, I wrote about a Union scouting expedition from Suffolk, Virginia, to South Mills, North Carolina, on June 8, 1863.

From Wikipedia.

South Mills, N.C. is an unincorporated area in the northeast corner of Camden County.  Camden County is along the Virginia border near the ocean.  Population of the town is 454.  The community takes its name from a watermill that operated near it.

The Great Dismal Swamp Canal goes through it.  This made it an area of importance to the Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War.  This led to this scouting expedition and to an earlier battle that took place at South Mills.

--Old B-Runner