USS Louisiana-- Part 3: More Action in North Carolina

The commander of Union troops in the area, Major General John G. Foster reported that the ship "had rendered most efficient aid, throwing her shells with great precision, and clearing the streets, through which her guns had range."

She captured the schooner Alice L. Webb at Rose Bay, North Carolina, 5 November 1862,, and then joined the Army-Navy expedition which captured Greenville, North Carolina,  four days later.

On 20 may 1863, one of the Louisiana's boat crews under Acting Master's Mate Charles W. Fisher, captured a still-unrigged schooner in the Tar River, south of Washington, N.C.  The prize was named for the Louisiana's commander, Richard T. Renshaw and taken into the Navy as an ordnance hulk.

Then came  service the Louisiana was probably the most noted for, when she became Gen. Butler's famed "Powder Boat."

--Old B-Runner

Back to Greenville, N.C.-- Part 2: Another Account of the Action

Continuing with the capture of Greenville, N.C. in November 1862.

Another report dated November 8, 1862 from Acting. Lt. R.T. Renshaw to Commodore H.K. Davenport, Senior Officers Sounds of North Carolina.

He also reported on the expedition to Rose Bay

The howitzer of the USS Louisiana and sailors under Acting master's Mate McKeever were sent in an Army transport to Rose Bay, N.C. and captured a schooner.

He also sent  John L. Lay and Asst Paymaster Williams to Greenville with 20 men.  The paymaster was along to care for wounded men.  This force was partly armed with Sharps rifles.

They proceeded up the Tar River in the steamer North State with the mission to destroy a boat reported to be under construction above Greenville.

The North State grounded 2-3 miles below Greenville and the force went ashore to continue.  They entered Greenville and captured 6 horses and 3 mules which they turned over to the Army.

"Mr. Lay ascertains that Chief Engineer Quinana, formerly of our service, is superintending the building of two vessels at Tarboro, to be ironclad, one about 50 feet long."

--Old B-Runner

Back to Greenville, N.C.-- Part 1: A Success

I was writing about this back on November 14.

Report of Acting Lt. R.T. Renshaw, USN of the USS Louisiana, on the Greenville, N.C.,  Expedition.

The colonel at Washington, N.C., was going to send the steamer North State up the Tar River for forage and Renshaw proposed to him to let Asst. Engineer Lay go along to capture the town of Greenville.

This was arranged, and when they returned, they had prisoners, horses, mules and wagons.

One of the Marine artillerymen was killed while landing with a flag of truce to demand the surrender of the town.  A bridge was destroyed.

--Old B-Runner

Tar River, N.C.-- Part 1: Washington, N.C., Evacuated

From Wikipedia.

The towns of Louisburg, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Greenville and Washington, North Carolina are located on it.

When the Confederates prepared to evacuate Washington in March 1862  squads of soldiers were sent up and down the Tar River to destroy all cotton and naval stores.  At Tafts store they found 1,000 barrels of turpentine and tar.

This was too large to burn for fear of setting nearby buildings on fire.  So the barrels were rolled into the river where the hoops were cut and the contents dumped into the water.

--Old B-Runner

Yankee Hall on the Tar River in N.C.

The Union force stopped at Yankee Hall on its way back from capturing Greenville, N.C..

Yankee Hall is a plantation by the Tar River built in the late 1700s.  Today it hosts wedding and parties.

From History of Yankee Hall by Roger Kammerer.

Also known as Pactolus Landing and Perkins Wharf.  Located on the north side of the Tar River, 10 miles east of Greenville.

Reports from July 1862 had it that the Union gunboat Picket and other artillery launches made a reconnaissance up the Tar River and at Yankee Hall fired a shell into the house that nearly took its roof off.  At the time, four or five Confederates were inside the house with their horses tied up in front.  reportedly they scattered in great confusion.

During the war, it was a rendezvous for Confederate pickets and bore distinct marks of shot and shell endured from Yankee encampments in the yard and patrol boats coming up the river.

A Yankee Hall in North Carolina.  --Old B-R'er

The Capture of Greenville, N.C.-- Part 2: Flag of Truce Disregarded

They encountered Confederate cavalry on a bridge near town, but they fled.  Second Engineer Lay then ordered E.A. McDonald to take the launch and a howitzer and position it so as to guard the bridge.He then landed the rest of his force and marched to Greenville under a flag of truce whereupon the mayor surrendered the town.

Shots were heard from the bridge area and Lay brought his howitzer to bear on it and fired several stands of grape shot in that general direction.  One Union man was killed.  Since his flag of truce had been disregarded, he ordered McDonald to destroy the bridge.

They Union force took ten prisoners and returned to the steamer North State and reached Yankee Hall on the Tar River at 10 p.m. where they remained for the night, making preparations for defense and an anticipated Confederate attack further downriver at Boyd's Ferry.

Lay also made a report on the Tar River and said that ships drawing 5 or 6 feet of water could ascend the river as far as Yankee Hall, nine miles above Washington, N.C..  He also made careful observations of the banks of the Tar River.

--Old B-Runner

Greenville, N.C., in the Civil War-- Part 1: Raided Several Times

From the VisitGreenville site.

During the Civil War, Greenville's location on the Tar River made it a target for both Confederate and Union forces.  It was overrun and raided by Union forces several times and several skirmishes occurred in and around it.

The town was surrounded by earthworks and had several Confederate hospitals run by female citizens.

--Old B-R'er

November 9, 1862: Surrender of Greenville, North Carolina

NOVEMBER 9, 1862--  Greenville, North Carolina surrendered to a joint Army-Navy landing force under Second Assistant Engineer J.L. Lay of the USS Louisiana.

I lived in Greenville for a year and a half.

The USS Louisiana was blown up off Fort Fisher, N.C. in December 1864 in an effort to knock the sand fort down.

I will do some more research on this.

Home of ECU.  --Old B-Pirate

Action in North Carolina, November 1862-- Part 1:

NOVEMBER 1-12--   Expedition from New Bern (through Washington to Wilmington and toward Tarboro), including skirmishes at Little Creek and Rawls' Mill (destruction of property at Hamilton, slaves freed)  (Naval cooperation)

NOVEMBER 2--  Acrion at Rawles' Mill, Little Creek

NOVEMBER 4--  Capture of British bark Sophia

NOVEMBER 8-9--  Naval expedition to Rose Bay and Greenville.

NOVEMBER 11--  Demonstration on New Bern

--Old B-R'er