April 15, 1865: Death of Abraham Lincoln and His last Trip to Washington Navy Yard on April 14th

APRIL 15TH, 1865:  Secretary Welles announced the assassination of President Lincoln to the officers and men of the Navy and Marine Corps.  Welles wrote:  "To him our gratitude was justly due, for to him, under God, more to any other person, we are indeed for the successful vindication of the integrity of the Union and the maintenance of the power of the Republic."

The President had continually demonstrated a keen interest in the Navy and far-seeing appreciation of seapower.

Late in the afternoon of the 14th he had taken what was to be his last trip to the Washington Navy Yard (which he visited often during the war) to view three ironclads there that had been damaged during the Fort Fisher engagement.

There were four monitors and the ironclad USS New Ironsides at Fort Fisher.  I have read these three ships were monitors, which leaves the New Ironsides out.  The four monitors were the Canonicus, Mahopac, Saugus and double-turreted Monadnock.

Most likely, the Monadnock was the one not viewed by Lincoln the day before he died because  it was at Hampton Roads on April 7 and then sailed for Havana on April 17th.

--Old B-Runner

Feb. 3, 1865-- Part 4: I Need Monitors More Than You Do

FEBRUARY 3RD, 1864:  In anticipation of the movement on Wilmington, Porter wrote Dahlgren requesting that the monitors he had dispatched to Charleston after the fall of Fort Fisher be returned for duty on the Cape Fear River.

Although each squadron commander wanted the sturdy ironclad warships to spearhead his own efforts, Dahlgren prevailed in his belief that his problem was the greater against the heavily fortified Charleston Harbor.

Thus Porter had to plan on the services of only the USS Montauk, the lone Monitor he had retained.  The other Monitors he had had with him for the attacks on Fort Fisher were the Canonicus, Mahopac, Saugus and Monadnock.  The ironclad USS New Ironsides was also there.

The Montauk arrived after the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.

--Old B-Runner

January 13, 1865: The Beginning of the Second Battle of Fort Fisher-- Part 1

JANUARY 13TH, 1865:  Early on the morning of the 13th. the second amphibious assault on Fort Fisher was begun.  Read Admiral Porter took some 59 warships into action.  Major General Alfred Terry commanded 8,000 soldiers.  The naval landing party of 2,000 sailors and Marines would raise the assaulting force to 10,000.

Col. Lamb's valiant defenders in the fort numbered 1,500.

The USS New Ironsides, Commodore William Radford, led the monitors Saugus, Canonicus, Monadnock and Mahopac to within 1,000 yards of Fort Fisher and opened on the batteries.

A spirited engagement ensued.

Porter wrote Secretary Welles:  "It was soon quite apparent that the iron vessels had the best of it; traverses began to disappear and the southern angle of Fort Fisher commenced to look very dilapidated."

The USS Brooklyn, Captain Alden, and USS Colorado, Commodore Thatcher, led the heavy wooden warships into battle and the federal fleet maintained a devastating bombardment throughout the day until after dark.

--Old B-Runner

Rear Admiral Godon Takes Command of the Brazil Squadron: Return to Normalcy

AUGUST 12TH, 1865:  Rear Admiral Godon arrived in his flagship USS Susquehanna in te harbor of Bahia, Brazil, pursuant to orders from the Navy department appointing him to the command of the Brazil squadron.  This squadron, dating back to the early 1820s was reactivated after being temporarily discontinued during the Civil War.

Its station extended from the Amazon River to the Magellan Straits and its commander was directed to protect "our flag from insult and property of our citizens from unlawful seizure."

Godon's command consisted of the USS Monadnock, Chippewa, Canonicus, Monticello, Shawmut, Fahkee and Wasp.  (Several of these had been at Fort Fisher.)  The Monadnock and Canonicus were monitors.

Resuming Regular Duties.  --Old B-Runner

The Four Fort Fisher Monitors 1-1-65

The four monitors in the Fort Fisher attacks were the Canonicus, Monadnock, Mahopac and Saugus and were all surprisingly listed as 3rd Class warships.  because of their importance I would have thought they would have been at least 2nd Class if not 1st Class.  It was perhaps because of their small number of guns, two apiece except for the double turreted Monadnock.

Canonicus, 3rd class, 2 guns, Off Beaufort, Lt.Cmdr. G.E. Belknap
Monadnock, 3rd Class, 4 guns, Beaufort, NC, Commander E.G. Parrott
Mahopac, 3rd Class, 2 guns, Beaufort, NC, Lt. Cmdr. E.E. Potter
Saugus, 3rd Class, 2 guns, Beaufort, NC, Commander E.R. Colhoun

Evidently, you had to be a lieutenant commander or commander to command one of the monitors.  The USS New Ironsides was also an ironclad, but much larger and more guns and rated as 1st Class.

3rd Class?  What Gives?  --Old B-Runner

Porter Wants Monitors Returned to Cape Fear River

FEBRUARY 3RD, 1865:  In anticipation of the movement on Wilmington, Porter wrote Dahlgren requesting that the monitors he had dispatched to Charleston after the fall of Fort Fisher (Canonicus, Mahopac and Monadnock) be returned to duty on the Cape Fear River.

Although each squadron commander wanted the sturdy warships to spearhead his own efforts, Dahlgren prevailed in his belief that his problem was greater before the heavily fortified Charleston harbor.  Thus Porter had to plan on the services of only the USS Montauk, the lone monitor he had retained.

Monitors, with their big guns and massive armor, appealed to naval and military commanders for fighting forts more than they did to their crews.  An officer n the USS Canonicus had written earlier: "I will never go to sea in a monitor.  I have suffered more in mind and body since this affair commenced than I will suffer again if I can help it.  No glory, no promotion can ever pay for it."

Not So Great on a Monitor?  --Old B-R'er

Fort Fisher Monitors Arrive at Charleston: Fear of Confederate Torpedoes

JANUARY 19TH, 1865:  The monitors USS Canonicus, Mahopac and Monadnock, having arrived at Charleston, receive orders from Rear Admiral Dahlgren showing his concern for the threat of Confederate torpedoes: "You will lose no time in securing the Canonicus against the possible action of the rebel torpedo boats; temporary fenders must be used until permanent fixtures can be provided.

"Boat patrol must be used with vigilance, and such other measures resorted to as are in common practice here."

These three monitors had participated in both attacks on Fort Fisher.

It is surprising that these monitors would be sent to Charleston when the threat of Confederate naval attack where they were formerly stationed on the James River in Virginia was such a threat.

--Old B-Runner

Confederates Capture Tug Lizzie Freeman in Virginia

DECEMBER 5, 2014,:  Confederate force under Acting Master William A. Hines, CSN, captured tug Lizzie Freeman by boarding near Smithfield, Virginia.  The daring raid took place shortly before midnight while the Union tug, with two Army officers on board, lay at anchor.

USS Chocura, Lt. Cmdr. Meade, seized blockade-running British schooner Julia south of Velasco, Texas, with cargo including bar iron, medicines, cotton bagging and rope.

DECEMBER 5-6TH, 1864:  Monitors USS Saugus, Onondaga, Mahopac and Canonicus (most of them at the Battle of Fort Fisher 19 days later) participated in a lively engagement with strong shore batteries at Howlett's, James River, Virginia.  The Saugus received a solid 7-inch shot which disabled her turret.

--Old B-Runner

More Action on the James River-- Part 1

AUGUST 16TH, 1864:Ships of the James River Division, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, transported and supported Union troops in an advance from Dutch Gap.  The USS Mount Vernon transported troops from Dutch Gap to Aiken's Landing and stayed to provide support.  The monitor USS Canonicus shelled the Confederate lines and paid particular attention to Signal Hill Battery.

Throughout the long months of stalemate along the James, naval forces operated intimately with  the Army, facilitating small advances and checking reverses with their big guns.

--Old B-Runner