James N. Thurston, CSMC

In the last post, I wrote that Nelson Tift had involvement with the construction of the CSS Atlanta and noticed that the Confederate officer above him on the list had been captured on that ship.

From Register of Officers of the Confederate Navy 1861-1865.

JAMES THURSTON

Born in South Carolina.  Appointed from South Carolina.  Second lieutenant Confederate  Marine Corps, September 20, 1861.  First lieutenant Marine Corps, July 4, 1862.

Served in C.S. Army, 1861.  Charleston Station, 1861.  Savannah Station, 1861-1863.

C.S.S. Atlanta; captured by  the U.S.S. Weehawken, June 17, 1863; escaped  August 19, 1863, from Fort Warren; recaptured; paroled  September 28, 1864; exchanged at Cox Wharf, Virginia, October 18, 1864.

Drewry's Bluff, Virginia,  1864.

--Old B-Runner

The Second Battle of Fort Sumter-- Part 2: The Monitors Took a Beating To Say the Least

The USS Weehawken sustained  fifty-three hits during 40 minutes of action, the Passaic had thirty-five hits and had her  11-inch gun knocked out.  The USS Patapsco lost headway and became a sitting duck, receiving forty-seven hits.

After heavy fighting over the whole afternoon, with all the federal monitors receiving a severe beating,  the Keokuk ran ahead of the  crippled Nahant and was blasted by more than ninety hits from a range of  less than 600 yards from Fort Sumter.

Anchored overnight, it filled with water and sank the next morning.  The Keokuk's guns were salvaged by the  Rebels, who mounted them in what is now Battery Park in Charleston and used them during future operations.

"The monitors are not intended to lose life except by sinking as a general rule," Du Pont lamented to his wife.  "  They are iron coffins; once perforated they go down."

The quest to capture Charleston  would be delayed indefinitely as it now turned out.

--Old B-Runner

The Second Battle of Fort Sumter, Union Attack September 7, 1863-- Part 1

From "The Longest Night:  A Military History of the Civil War" by David J. Eicher.

The USS Nantucket was involved in this battle.

On September 8, 1863, a squadron of nine Union ships including the monitors Catskill, Nahant, Montauk, Nantucket, Passaic, Patapsco and Weehawken, as well as the  ironclad gunboats USS New Ironsides and USS Keokuk.

It was iron against masonry.

By noon, Admiral Du Pont signaled to attack, but it wasn't until 3 p.m. that the ships opened on Fort Sumter.  The Weehawken took the lead, followed by the other monitors and became heavily engaged when a torpedo explodes under her and lifted her momentarily.

Artillery fire from Forts Sumter and Moultrie splashed about the ships and struck them, doing considerable damage throughout the afternoon.

--Old B-Runner

Confederate Navy Officers: Joseph W. Alexander

Born in North Carolina, Appointed from North Carolina

Formerly lieutenant U.S. Navy.

First lieutenant , October 23, 1862, to rank from October 2, 1862.

First lieutenant Provisional Navy, June 2, 1864, to date from January 6, 1864.

*******************

SERVED ON:

CSS Virginia, 1861

Commanding CSS Raleigh in Battle of Hampton Roads, March 8-9, 1862.

CSS Atlanta, 1862.  Captured by the USS Weehawken, June 17, 1863.

CSS Virginia (No. 2); detached December 19.  Ordered to command CSS Beaufort.

--Old B-Runner

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

USS Weehawkwn's "Devil"-- Part 4: Problems With the Raft

And, there were problems with the "Devil."  The Weehawken's chains had gotten fouled on the raft, causing a two-hour delay in the attack.

And then other problems.  One report said the  "sea converted the raft  into a huge battering ram which shook the vessel with every undulation."  Meaning, it was battering the ship it was supposed to be protecting.  The raft would rise when the monitor would be falling and vice versa, causing fears that the raft would end up in the deck or under the overhang.

When the Weehawken withdrew from the action, engineers noticed that several iron plates were damaged from the raft battering.  As a result, Rodgers cut the raft loose.

The next day, Rodgers attempted to use another one of the rafts to destroy the grounded USS Keokuk by using the spar torpedoes, but heavy seas caused the crew to be unable to rig the torpedoes.

After April there was still at least one of the rafts left with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, but even with a few more attempts there was no success and the whole thing came to naught.

Perhaps If They Arrached the Raft Even More Snugly.  --Old B-Runner

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 3: Also Could Mount Spar Torpedoes

Four chains would secure the raft  to the monitor.  There are references stating that when attached, the "Devil" played the devil with ill effects to the ship's steering.  However, the Weehawken's commander, in an  official report made a few weeks after the April 7 battle with Fort Sumter stated that the raft imposed no  noticeable effects on his ship's steering.

Reference books most often say the raft was designed to snag Confederate torpedoes.  The grappling hooks and chains would certainly  be effective with the torpedoes, but, the author believes that if this took place during a battle that it would not be likely anyone would want to be messing around with several hundred pounds of powder while under fire.  Good point.

Probably better, there was a frame on the front of the raft that could mount two spar torpedoes which might be even more effective at clearing the torpedoes by exploding them.

However, Rodgers did not have the spar torpedoes when he went into battle April 7.  The thought of navigating in the narrow channel with explosives on the front of his ship was too big of a challenge.  But, he was the only commander willing to attach a "Devil" to the front of his ship.  This is why the Weehawken was at the front of the naval column going in to attack as opposed to the USS Passaic, commanded by the more senior Captain Percival Drayton.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 2: Another Ericsson Invention

From To the Sound of Guns blog:  "The 'Devil' or the Ericsson Obstruction Remover, As You Prefer."    Craig Swan.

The "Devil" here was attached to the bow of the monitor USS Weehawken.

The "Devil" was an invention of the famous John Ericsson (USS Monitor, you know) as the request of the Navy to come up with a way of combating Confederate obstructions at the mouths of harbors.  He developed a raft that could be attached to the bow of his monitors.

The device was officially named the "Ericsson Obstruction Remover" but often just called "Ericsson's Raft.  However, Union sailors and Confederates came to calling it "the Devil" since it could be so hurtful to friend or foe.

The Navy sent four of these "Devils" to Charleston in the winter of 1863.  One was lost in route.

Never Heard Of It Before.  --Old B-R'er

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 1: To Sweep Torpedoes (Mines)

Of interest, I found mention of this device that was attached at one time to the bow of the USS Weehawken.

From Historic Ships:  Extant Monitors.

The Weehawken was fitted with a large raft that was intended to sweep mines (called torpedoes) in Charleston Harbor.  The raft had a large notch that fit to the bow of the monitor, but it was very unwieldy.  As such the raft was eventually cut loose and drifted to a backwater area of Morris Island.

Confederates found it and called it "The Devil."

This anti-torpedo raft, "The Devil" was reported by Clive Cussler as being in a marsh somewhere around or on Morris Island.  The University of South Carolina also investigated the raft and Dr. Lee Newsom, of Penn State, reported taking wood samples for further analysis.

The results of the analysis are not known.

The Devil You Say.  --Old B-Runner

Was the USS Weehawken Raised?

I was wondering if the ship was raised from its watery grave.  Some think so, others not so sure.

From the Forum of Axis History site.  "Civil War Ships Being Raised."

One person thinks it was raised but will look onto it.  Reportedly in only 30 feet of water so not a difficult job.  Engines salvaged by wreckers.  Turret and pilot house destroyed prior to 1870.    Remainder of wreck removed after 1870.

From the Historic Ships:  Extant U.S. Civil War Monitors

Weehawken, like the USS Patapsco,  sold for salvage around 1870.  Benjamin Mallifert hauled away  at least 130 tons of metal from the wreck.  Clive Cussler reported finding the wreck in 1981 and said the ship was badly broken up.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking of Weehawken-- Part 6: Crew Later Scattered Throughout the Fleet

The Weehawken's yeoman was brought alive on board the flagship, and died in spasms a few moments afterward.  Various parties were picked up  and taken to the nearest vessel, where every provision was made for their comfort and restoration.

Those of the crew who were saved are now scattered in small squads throughout the fleet.  It is impossible to procure at present the names of those who were lost.

The Weehawken is lying in five fathoms of water, and it will soon be raised.  Until she is brought up, no one can tell  with certainty why she sank.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking Of the USS Weehawken-- Part 5: The Tale Below Decks

There were invalids in the sick bay, and to their relief, the surgeon sent his steward, who never returned.  There were firemen at the furnaces, to who vain shrieks for a helping hand at the pumps were made.  A few if the confident were rushing to their quarters to save their effects, jostling the timid on their way to the deck to save themselves.

It was in the midst of scenes like this that the Weehawken went down.

I believe that none of the officers perished save the four assistant engineers, who were overtaken by the flood before they could make any effort to escape.

Commander had only taken command of the Weehawken on Saturday, having been detached from the Paul Jones to relieve Commander Calhoun.  The officer's clothing, the paymaster's funds and papers of the ship sank with her.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking of USS Weehawken-- Part 4: Overconfidant To the Peril

As many others were rescued from the surging waves by the launches if the flagship, the South Carolina and the tugboats Dandelion and Iris.  Thirty perished.

All day the Weehawken had labored heavily  in the seas, which had kept her decks constantly submerged, and which frequently swept in huge volumes into her forward hatch.  Towards noon the crew commenced playing out chain, to ease her; but, as accustomed as they were, in every gale, to the shipping of such seas, it is believed that they had grown confident and careless of danger, and paid no hewed to the encroaching waters until it was too late to resist them.

They dreamed of no peril till the waves had fairly yawned to swallow them.  Then, when it was known for certainty that the vessel was to be lost, a panic if fright and fear benumbed them, and the terror-stricken crew below had little power to help themselves.

There were men in irons between  decks, and the sergeant at-arms rushed frantically away to release them.  Poor fellows, they all went down.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking of the USS Weehawken-- Part 3: It Sank Suddenly

The Weehawken's Commander, Jesse A. Duncan, had scarcely left the admiral when the officer of the deck made out from the Weehawken a new signal, and immediately reported her to be sinking.

A moment later she settled quickly down by the head, careened slightly to starboard, and disappeared beneath the waves.

It is impossible to convey any idea of the appalling nature of this disaster.    It came with the suddenness of a thunderbolt.  When the first signal of distress was made no one divined how serious was the danger, and when, at length, the vessel went down,  it was difficult for those who saw her disappear to credit the evidence of their own senses.

The confusion on the flagship, arising mainly from the difficulty of launching her boats, and the desire of both officers and men to be first in them, was most intense and painful.  The wind was now blowing with great fury and the boats which hastened from all sides to the scene encountered great peril in picking up from the water the few who had succeeded in getting away.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking of the Monitor USS Weehawken-- Part 2: A Bad Storm Arises

Continued from December 20, 2018.

Saturday had been a bright and beautiful day, with scarcely a breath of air astir, and with a calm, unruffled sea.  --During  the night a breeze sprang up, and the wind blowing freshly at daylight on Sunday, increased by noon to a violent storm.

The iron-clad fleet was lying meanwhile at its usual anchorage.  The frigate New Ironsides was stationed off Morris Island, at a distance of about one mile  due east from Fort Wagner --, or as it is now called Fort Strong.  North of the Ironsides lay the flagship Philadelphia, distant about 100 yards.  The Weehawken was next, anchored about  two or three hundred yards off to the northward of the flagship.

The first signal of distress was made from the Weehawken, at a few minutes before two o'clock.  The signal was seen and answered at once by the flagship, from which four boats were sent to her assistance, and by the South Carolina, which sent two of her boats to the Weehawken's aid.

The tugs Dandelion and Iris were also called up, and with them commander Duncan, of the Weehawken, who chanced to be on the flagship, and in conversation with the admiral, when the signal was made, proceeded immediately  with the hope of running his vessel to the beach.

--Old B-Runner

The Loss of the Monitor Weehawken-- Part 1: Inaccountably

From the Civil War and Northwest Wisconsin blog.

From the December 26, 1863 Prescott Journal.  Prescott is a city in northwest Wisconsin.  From the New York Herald.

APPALLING DISASTER
LOSS OF THE MONITOR WEEHAWKEN

United States Transport Fulton, off Charleston, December 8, 1863.

At 2 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, while a furious wind prevailed from the northwest, the ironclad Weehawken, lying at the entrance of Charleston harbor, went down at her anchorage -- went suddenly, swiftly, and unaccountably to the bottom -- and carried with her, to a horrible death beneath the waves, four of her engineers and twenty-six of her crew.

--Old B-Runner

The Wreck of the USS Weehawken

From Facebook  "United States Ironclads Wrecked Off Charleston, S.C.  (Keokuk, Weehawken and Patapsco)"  July 10, 2010.  E. Lee Spence.

He and Jim Batey made dives on these three wrecks in the 1960s and early 1970s.

The USS Weehawken cost $465,110.73.

The wreck is shown on the 1865 chart drawn by E. Willenbucher for the annual report of the Secretary of the Navy and is listed in Adrian Lonsdale's "Guide to Sunken Ships in American Waters."

About 130 tons of iron was removed from the wreck by Professor Maillefert's salvage company in 1873.  Spence and Batey examined the wreck after a commercial fisherman snagged his trawl net on it in 1966.Spence identified the ship at the site  based on vessel construction and location.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 6: Sinking December 6, 1863

The next two months were uneventful.

On the morning of 6 December, 1863, the Weehawken was  anchored off Morris Island during a moderate gale.  Suddenly it called for assistance and appeared to observers on shore to be sinking.

Attempts to beach it failed and she sank bow first five minutes later in thirty feet of water.

A court of inquiry found that the Weehawken had recently taken in a considerable amount of heavy ammunition in her forward compartments.  This excessively  reduced her forward seaboard, causing water to rush down an open hawsepipe during the storm.

As the bow sank and the stern rose, water could not flow aft to the pumps and the vessel foundered.

Four officers and 27 enlisted men  drowned in the Weehawken.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 6: Took A Pounding 7-8 September 1863

South Atlantic Blockading Squadron commander, Admiral Dahlgren demanded Fort Sumter's surrender on 7 September and ordered the Weehawken to deploy in a narrow channel between the fort and Cummings Point on Morris Island.

There, the Weehawken grounded and took concentrated fire from Sumter, Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island and Morris Island.  It was refloated with the help of tugs on 8 September and received a "Well Done" from Dahlgren for defensive gunnery while grounded.

The Weehawken went to Port Royal for repairs until 4 October then returned to Charleston for  routine harbor patrol.

--Old B-Runner

USS Weehawken-- Part 5: Reducing Forts Wagner and Sumter

The USS Weehawken resumed operations against the Charleston fortifications.  On July 10-11, 1863, Union ironclads Nahant, Montauk, Catskill and Weehawken shelled Fort Wagner on Morris Island to cover a Union Army amphibious landing under Brigadier General Quincy A. Gillmore.  Despite additional bombardments on July 18 and 24, they failed to silence the Confederate fort.

Gillmore's troops were pinned down on the beach.  Fort Wagner was finally reduced in a naval bombardment of it, Fort Gregg, Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter on 17 August.

Next, the monitors Nahant, Weehawken, Montaul, Passaic and Patapsco took aim at Fort Sumter, pounding it to rubble on two separate bombardments on  23 August and 1-2 September.

--Old B-Runner