John Julius Guthrie Biography-- Part 2: Early Service in Confederate Navy, New Orleans to Island No. 10 and CSS Arkansas

Upon returning to the United States, Guthrie  found out that his home state had joined the Confederacy and now he had to chose which side to serve.  Despite  a plea from a good friend, Captain Andrew H. Foote, he resigned his Federal commission  and was appointed a CSN lieutenant  on July 13, 1861.

Posted to New Orleans, on November 7, he was given command of the steamer CSS Red Rover (which was captured and turned into the Union hospital ship USS Red Rover).  On December 11, he also assumed command of the floating battery New Orleans, formerly the Pelican drydock.

Early in March 1862, he took both vessels up to Island No. 10, but once there was detached from them and sent to Memphis to assist in the outfitting of the new Confederate ironclad ram CSS Arkansas.  To prevent her capture, the Arkansas was moved up the Yazoo River to Greenwood, Mississippi, but then very little more work was done on her until early May when the dynamic Lt. Isaac Newton Brown was ordered to make her ready for battle.

John Guthrie and the ship's commander, William McBlair were transferred elsewhere.

--Old B-Runner

Ann Bradford Stokes-- Part 3: Born a Slave, Served As Nurse in U.S. Navy

From BlackPast.org.

Ann Bradford was born a slave in Rutherford County, Tennessee, in 1830.  Few other details are known of her young life.  She was taken aboard a Union ship in January 1863 as "contraband" (an escaped slave).  She volunteered to serve as a nurse that month.

The United States Navy enlisted several young black women into their service and gave the rank of "first class boy" and paid them accordingly.  She stayed on active duty on the USS Red Rover until October 1864 when she became totally exhausted and resigned her position.

--Old B-R'er

Ann Stokes, Black Navy Nurse on USS Red Rover-- Part 2: The First

Ann Stokes was taken aboard a Union Naval vessel as "contraband" in 1863.  She could not read or write as was common with slaves at the time.  She worked under the direction of the Holy Cross nuns on the hospital ship USS Red Rover, the first-ever U.S. Navy dedicated hospital ship.

She was also the first black woman to serve on a U.S. Navy vessel and among the first women to serve as nurses in the Navy.

The Red Rover was a converted Confederate paddle-wheel steamer and became the first U.S. Navy hospital ship.  During the war nearly 3,000 men were treated aboard the ship.

--Old B-Runner

Ann Stokes, Black Navy Nurse On the Hospital Ship Red Rover-- Part 1

Back on August 8 of this year, I wrote about Ann Stokes, believed to be the first black woman to serve on a U.S. Navy ship.  She was a former slave who became a volunteer nurse on the U.S. Navy's hospital ship, the USS Red Rover, stationed at Mound City, Illinois.

From Binding Wounds Pushing Boundaries:  African Americans in Civil War Medicine, Nursing the Wounded.

They wrote about two black women:  Susie King Taylor and Ann Stokes, both former slaves who gained their freedom.  I will write about Susie King Taylor in my Saw the Elephant blog.

Both served as care givers Taylor treated the wounded on battlefields but received no pay or compensation.

Stokes served several years on a hospital ship and was paid regular wages.  She became the only black woman to draw a Navy pension based on her service during the war.

More to Come.  --Old B-R'er

Black Woman Stationed On a U.S. Navy Vessel

From the the July 27, 2017, Southern Illinoisan "Museum meeting features historic interpreter, who will portray African-American woman stationed on U.S. Navy vessel."

The Southern Illinois Association of Museums (SIAM) will meet August 5, 2017, at the Jefferson County Historical Village and Museum.

Marlene Rivero will portray Ann Stokes, believed to have been the first black woman to serve aboard a U.S. Navy ship.

Ann Stokes was a slave who became a volunteer nurse on the first Union Naval hospital ship, the USS Red Rover, stationed off Mound City, Illinois.

SIAM is a consortium of museums in the lower 28 Illinois counties.  The Jefferson County Historical Village and Museum is in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

I definitely will do more research on this woman.

An Interesting Story. --Old B-R'er

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: April 5 to 7th,1862: Island No.10 Falls-- First Navy Hospital Ship, Battle of Shiloh

APRIL 5TH

Flag Officer Farragut, on USS Iroquois, reconnoitered Forts Jackson and St. Philip. Despite fire from the forts, Farragut, observing from a mast, remained as "calm and placid as an onlooker at a mimic battle."


APRIL 6TH

USS Tyler and Lexington protected Grant's army at the Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburg Landing). Fire from the two wooden gunboats helped hold off successful Confederates until reinforcements arrived.


APRIL 7TH

USS Pittsburg ran past Island No. 10.

Island No. 10 surrendered to naval forces of Flag Officer Foote. Heavy cannons and munitions captured as well as four steamers. The CSS Grampus was sunk to prevent capture. This opened Mississippi River to Fort Pillow.

After surrender of Island No. 10, USS Mound City captured Confederate ship Red Rover which was later converted into the Navy's first hospital ship. Joined fleet June 10th and shortly afterwards received her first patients. Sisters of the Holy Cross volunteered and served on board., pioneers of US Navy's Nurse Corps.

USS Pensacola and Mississippi successfully brought over the bar of the Passes into the Mississippi River after several failed attempts, becoming the heaviest ships ever to do so. Flag Officer Farragut says he's ready to go after New Orleans.

B-Runner