All Three USS Marmora Medal of Honor Recipients Had World War II Destroyers Named After Them

Of interest, not only did William J. Franks, Bartlett Laffey and James Stoddatd receive the nation's highest honor, the Medal of Honor, but all three had destroyers named after them in World War II.

USS Franks (DD-554)

USS Laffey  (DD-459)  sunk at the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942

USS Laffey  (DD-724)

USS Stoddard  (DD-566)

It would have been interesting had the three destroyer ever operated together in an action.

--Old B-Runner

USS Marmora's James Stoddard-- Part 3: Promoted to Acting Master's Mate

The commander of the USS Marmora wrote that the gun the three men were using was  severely damaged in the fighting, "to the bravery of that guns crew may be attributed the change of fortune that day ... I would mot respectfully solicit in their behalf that you would confer a medal of honor on the following men, James Stoddard, Bartlett Laffey and William J. Franks."

James Stoddard received a shot through his neck in the battle but was slowly recovering.

On April 16, 1864, Stoddard was awarded the Medal of Honor, as were the other two sailors.  On may 8, 1864, James Stoddard was promoted to Acting Master's mate.  In accepting the promotion, Stoddard  documented that he was a citizen of Canada.

Stoddard continued to serve as an officer on the USS Marmora until late 1864 when he was transferred to the USS  Choctow, another steamer in the Mississip Squadron and served through 1865.  He was discharged from the Navy on May 20, 1865, near New Orleans, Louisiana,  (well beyond his one year's enlistment).

There are no records of him after the war so it is not known if he returned to Canada.

--Old B-R'er

USS Marmora's James Stoddard-- Part 2: Nobly Stood By Their Gun

Rear Admiral David Porter's report to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles about the Navy at the Battle of Yazoo City, March 5, 1864.

"I am proud to say the Navy was well represented by three sailors, who nobly stood by their guns through the whole action, fighting hand to hand to save the gun and the reputation of the Navy.

"The sailors are highly spoken of by the army officers for their gallant conduct.  Their names are James Stoddard, William J. Franks and Bartlett Laffey of the USS Marmora.    I would recommend them to you for your consideration."

This would be a recommendation for Medals of Honor.

--Old B-Runner

USS Marmora and the Medals of Honor-- Part 1: James Stoddard

From USS Stoddard org. site

On March 5, 1864, the USS Marmora was assigned to assist the 11th Illinois Infantry Regiment in defending Yazoo City, Mississippi, during an intense Confederate attack.  During the attack, James Stoddard and two other sailors were assigned to to dismount one of the ship's rifled howitzers, mount it on a field carriage and take it ashore to support the Illinois regiment.

Rear Admiral David D. Porter in a report, said, "At this time the fighting in the city was hand to hand.  The gun was placed in position in the street and did good service, helping very much toward winning the day..

"The crew at one time was driven from the gun, they did not have sufficient  support to hold it, but the soldiers seeing  the crew drive, rallied, charged the rebels and retook it, losing three men in the charge, and wounding James Stoddard of the Marmora...."

--Old B-R'er

USS Marmora-- Part 4: Three Sailors Receive Medals of Honor

Even though Union forces had already captured Yazoo City, Mississippi, Confederates attack in force in March 1864 causing the Marmora and other rams to come upriver to its rescue.

Three of her sailors were awarded Medals of Honor on 5 March.  They were Seamen William J. Franks,, Bartlett Laffey and  James Stoddard.

After that, the Marmora returned to Mound City and was placed in reserve.  It was decommissioned  7 July 1865. and sold in August.

--Old B-Runner

USS Marmora-- Part 4: Guerrilla Action.and Looking for Sterling

The USS Marmora participated in the  attack on Fort Hindman, Arkansas, 4 to 11 January 1863, when it was captured.  Located  80 miles up the Arkansas River it became an important post for Union efforts to control supplies coming to Vicksburg from the west.

In February 1963, the Marmora joined four other ships and Army troops in a new Yazoo River expedition and departed Helena  27 March.  They captured the CSS Fairplay (later the USS Fairplay) and destroyed newly constructed Confederate batteries 20 miles up the Yazoo.

For the next several months the Marmora did patrol duty and supply runs.  She also dealt with guerrilla activity.  In one instance, the Marmora stopped at Gaines' Landing 13-15 June to burn houses.  She then steamed up the White and Little Red rivers on 8 August, looking for information on Confederate General Sterling Price's army.

--Old B-Runner

USS Marmora-- Part 3: The Sinking of the Cairo and Actions on the Yazoo River

On December 12, the Marmora led  the USS Signal, Cairo and Pittsburg up the Yazoo River until they spotted several torpedoes. The Cairo commenced firing at the right bank and sent a boat out to investigate the nearest torpedo.  As that boat towed the torpedo back, another one exploded under the Cairo, ripping her bottom out completely.

The Cairo rapidly sank as the other Union ships sent out boats to rescue the crew.

After that, the Marmora continued to remove torpedoes and assist the Army as they probed to find a weakness in the Vicksburg defenses.  On December 27, the Marmora and other ships actively engaged Confederate batteries at Drumgould's Bluff.

The next day, the Union ships aided in the landing of General William T. Sherman's troops in an attempted effort to capture Confederate guns on Chickasaw Bluff upstream from Vicksburg, but that attack failed.

--Old B-Runner

USS Marmora-- Part 2: Helping the Queen of the West and Encountering the Mines

Commissioned  on 21 October 1862, the next day the Marmora steamed downriver to join the Mississippi Squadron's actions against Vicksburg, Mississippi.  Her first action occurred when she attacked and destroyed several barges at Lake Providence, captured two skiffs and demolished a flatboat farther downstream.

On 29 November, the USS Marmora discovered heavy enemy fortifications 30 miles from the mouth of the Yazoo River but did not engage.  On 5 December, she tried to refloat the ram Queen of the West, aground at Paw Paw Island.

On 11 December, she ran up the Yazoo River for 20 miles and came across several mysterious objects floating in the water.  She fired at one of them and a tremendous explosion.  The ship was shaken as it was 50 feet away, but didn't fire at the others and let riflemen ashore finish the job.

Don't Mess With Strange Torpedoes You Don't Know.  --Old B-Runner

USS Marmora-- Part 1: Purchased By the Navy

Bartlett Laffey, Medal of Honor recipient and for whom the two World War II destroyers were named in the last two posts, was a member of the crew of the USS Marmora.

From Wikipedia.

Was built at Monongahela, Pennsylvania, in 1862 and purchased by the U.S. Navy at St, Louis, Missouri, on 17 September 1862.  Commissioned at Carondelet, Missouri,  21 October 1862.    Captain Robert Getty commanded.

Statistcs:

207 long tons
155 feet long tons
33.5 foot beam
4'6" draft-- Perfect for operating in the rivers.

Armament
eight 24-pdr. guns
two 12-pdr. guns
six 14-pdr. guns

--Old B-Runner

Bartlett Laffey, USN-- Part 2: Medal of Honor at Yazoo City

On March 5, 1864, the Confederates launched a heavy attack on the Union position at Yazoo City, Mississippi,  In the midst of the heated battle, Laffey and a gun crew of a 12-pounder howitzer from the USS Marmora landed and came under heavy fire.

The gun carriage was cut up with bullets and the rammer severed.  Despite this, Laffey and his shipmates stood bravely by the gun and helped turn back the Confederate attack.

Seaman Laffey and two  others from his ship,  Seaman James Stoddard and  William J. Franks, received Medals of Honor for their action that day.

He died in Massachusetts on March 22, 1901.

--Old B-R'er

Bartlett Laffey, USN, Medal of Honor Recipient-- Part 1: Born In Ireand

From Wikipedia.

Yesterday, in my Tattooed On Your Soul World War II blog, I wrote about a movie "Destroyer" that will be made about the USS Laffey, a ship that survived a huge kamikaze attack and was given the name "The Ship That Wouldn't Die."

The USS Laffey was named after Bartlett Laffey and a previous destroyer named Laffey that was sunk at the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942.

1841-March 22, 1901.

An Irish-born U.S. Navy sailor and recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Born in County Galway, Ireland, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy from Massachusetts on March 17, 1862 and assigned to the stern wheel gunboat USS Marmora.

--Old B-Runner

January 4, 1863: Joint Army-Navy Expedition Against Fort Hindman

JANUARY 4, 1863:  A joint Army-Navy expedition under Rear Admiral David D. Porter and Major General W.T. Sherman got underway up the White River, Arkansas, aiming at the capture of Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post.  Porter described Fort Hindman as a "tough little nut," mounted 11 guns.

Porter's ship were seriously short of coal and had army transports tow them to conserve fuel.  His fleet consisted of the USS Baron de Kalb, Louisville, Cincinnati, Signal, Marmora, Lexington, New Era, Romeo, Rattler, Glide and Porter's flagship, the Black Hawk.

This date, Porter also ordered the ram Monarch to join him at the mouth of the Arkansas River

--Old B-R'er

The End of Eunice, Arkansas, Part 2: "Not a Single Vestige Remains"

Continued from September 2, 2017.

On June 14, 1863, Confederates at Eunice, Arkansas, fired artillery on the USS Marmora.  A fight ensued and the Marmora anchored off Eunice.  The next morning, the USS Nebraska was fired on as it approached Eunice.

Both ships bombarded the town and then sent a party ashore.  They set fire to stores, houses and the railroad depot, and completely destroyed the town,  The Marmora's captain remarked in his report. "not a single vestige of the town of Eunice remains."

I could not find anything about a USS Nebraska.

Of interest, no Confederates were found in the town.

Today, Yellow Bend Port, a modern industrial port is located where the town of Eunice once stood.  Nothing else of Eunice remains.

--Old B-R'er

Since We're On the Subject, the End of Eunice, Arkansas, in 1863

From the Civil War Naval Chronology.

JUNE 13-15, 1863.

Confederate guerrillas fired on the USS Marmora, Acting Lt. Robert Getty, near Eunice, Arkansas, and on the morning of the 14th, fired upon the transport Nebraska.

In retaliation, Getty sent a landing party ashore and destroyed the town, "including the railroad depot, with locomotive and car inside, also the large warehouse ...."

The next day, 15 June, landing parties from the Marmora and USS Prairie Bird, Acting Lt. Edward E. Brennand, destroyed the town of Gaines Landing in retaliation for a guerrilla attempt to burn the Union coal barge there and for firing on the Marmora.

Moral of This Story, Don't Shoot At the Union Ships, or Else.  --Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago-- March 5th, 1864: Confederate Attack on Yazoo City

MARCH 5TH, 1864:

 The USS Petrel and USS Marmora helped drive off Confederates attacking Yazoo City, Mississippi. The ships did their part as well as three sailors ashore who stood by their guns and "are highly spoken of by the Army officers...."

These three sailors all won the Medal of Honor.

Old B-Runner