USS Atlanta-- Part 1: The CSS Atlanta Surrenders to Union Navy

In yesterday's post, I wrote about the former CSS Atlanta (and before that the blockade  runner Fingal) which had been captured by the monitors Weehawken and Nahant 17 June 1863.

From Wikipedia.

SERVICE IN THE U.S. NAVY

The  CSS Atlanta ran aground during the battle and was being hammered by the two monitors and forced to surrender.  It was easily freed by the Union ships and sailed to Port Royal under her own power.    She was not  heavily damaged and repaired and bought by the Union Navy.

Prize money of $350,000 was shared by the crews of the Weehawken, Nahant and gunboat Cimarron who were the only ships within signalling distance.

The ship retained her name and was commissioned as a U.S. warship on 2 February 1864.  Her former armament of four Brooke rifled cannons was removed and replaced with a pair of 8-inch 150-pdrs.  Parrott rifles in the bow and stern and two 6.4-inch 100-pdrs. Parrotts amidships.

All four of the Confederate Brooke Rifles are still on display at Willard Park at the Washington Navy Yard.

--Old B-Runner

Commander Maxwell Woodhull-- Part 1: Commander of USS Cimarron

Back on August 1st, I wrote about an engagement July 31-August 1, 1862, on the James River in Virginia between Confederate batteries and the USS Cimarron, commanded by Maxwell Woodhull.

On August 7, I wrote about the USS Cimarron.  I now have come across some interesting information on Commander Woodhull.

From Find-A-Grave.

Birth: Unknown  Death February 19, 1863.  (So, within seven months of the engagement, Maxwell Woodhull was dead.)  The Find-A-Grave site continues:  "Died the victim of an accidental gun discharge.

"There is a memorial flag staff honoring him at Arlington National Cemetery.  It reads:  "In Memory of Maxwell Woodhull, Commander USN 1832-1863 and His Son Maxwell Vanzandt Woodhull  Brevet Brig. Gen. USA 1834-1921."

Fold 3 has his birth as April 2, 1813, in New York City and death February 21, 1863 and that he is buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C..

--Old B-Runner

USS Cimarron-- Part 2: Operated S.C., Georgia and Florida

The USS Cimarron was 205-feet long, 35-foot beam and armed with one 100-pdr rifle and six 24-pdr. howitzers.  Its first commander was Commander Maxwell Woodhull.

It operated in the James River immediately after commissioning from 11 July to 4 September 1862 and saw action supporting Army operations.  It engaged Confederates at Harrison's Landing 28 July, Fort Powhatan 31 July and Swan Point Battery 4 August.  This is in disagreement with what I wrote about from the Civil War Naval Chronology back on August 1.

Then the Cimarron was transferred to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and operated in the coastal and inland waters of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida for the rest of the war.

It engaged Confederate batteries on the St. Johns River, Florida 17 September 1862 and in October was at the Battle of St. Johns Bluff.

During the course of its service, it captured three blockade runners and fired on Confederate troops ashore.

It was part of the attack on Fort Wagner on August 17, 20 and 21, 1863.

During January-February 1864 she operated in the Stono River in South Carolina.

--Old B-R'er

The USS Cimarron-- Part 1: Armed for River and Blockade Duties

On August 1, I wrote about an engagement July 31-August 1, at Coggins' Point on the James River, Virginia, between a Confederate batteries which sank two Union transports before being engaged with the USS Cimarron in a fierce fight.

I'd never heard of the USS Cimarron, so had to look it up.

From good old Wikipedia.

The original name of the ship was the Cimerone.  It was a double-ended steam gunboat, 860 tons, with a battery of six howitzers for river operations and a 100-pdr. rifle cannon for blockade duty.

It was commissioned 5 July 1862, and saw action very soon after that.  She was decommissioned  7 August 1865 and sold in November 1865.

--Old B-Runner

July 31-August 1: Engagement on the James River and An Example of Heroism

JULY 31ST-AUGUST 1ST, 1862:  Confederate batteries at Coggins' Point, Virginia, took Union forces under fire on the James River between Harrison's Landing and Shirley, Virginia, sinking two Army transports.  The USS Cimarron, Commander Woodhull, immediately opened counter fire on the battery.

Praising Gunner's Mate John Merrett who, although extremely ill and awaiting transfer to a hospital, bravely manned his station in the main magazine, Commander Woodhull wrote:  "Merrett is an old man-of-warsman; his discipline, courage, and patriotism would not brook inaction when his ship was in actual battle.  His conduct, I humbly think, was a great example to all lovers of the country and its cause ... it is the act of a fine speciman of the old Navy tar."

This mutual respect between the naval officer and the long service enlisted man enabled the Navy to maintain its tone throughout the Civil War despite the rapid expansion.

150 Years Ago-- April 21st, 1864: Capture of USS Petrel

APRIL 21ST, 1864: Union ships attack Yazoo City and came under fire. The USS Petrel was disabled and captured. Confederate Gen. Wirt Adams wrote: I removed her fine armament of eight 24-pounder guns and the most valuable stores and had her burned to the water's edge.

**  Boat crews from the USS Ethan Allan landed near Murrell's Inlet, SC and destroyed a large salt work. The Union sailors mixed the 2,000 bushels of salt into the sand and then burned the four salt works and 30 other buildings.

**  Boats from USS Cimarron destroyed a rice mill and 5,000 bushels of rice stored at Winyah Bay, SC.

**  Boat expedition from the USS Sagamore took over 100 bales of cotton and destroyed an additional 300 near Clay Landing, on the Suwannee River, Florida.

--Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago: September 10th to 13th, 1863

SEPTEMBER 10TH-- Little Rock, Arkansas, captured by Union Army. Union naval forces operating on the White River.

SEPTEMBER 12TH-- USS Eugenie captured b-r Alabama off Chadeleur Islands, Louisiana

**  Blockade Runner Fox destroyed by own crew to prevent capture by USS Genesee.

SEPTEMBER 13TH-- USS Cimarron captures British b-r Jupiter at Wassaw Sound, Georgia.

**  Some 20 crew members from the USS Rattler captured by Confederate cavalry while attending church services at Rodney, Mississippi.

**  USS De Soto, captured steamer Montgomery in the Gulf of Mexico.

That Will Teach You to Go to Church. --Old B-Runner