Rufus E. Lester claimed that his regiment, the 25th Georgia Infantry, participated in the battle over the USS Columbia. The January 17, 1863, Wilmington Daily Journal reported that Col. Lamb at Fort Fisher had sent a Whitworth rifled cannon with a range of four miles along with a detachment of cavalry to assist.
As a result of this battle between the USS Cambridge and USS Penobscot and the Confederates, the Columbia received considerable damage from the crossfire during the morning of January 16. Between the firing and heavy seas, rescue operations for the Columbia's crew were halted. Seeing the inevitable, Lt. Couthouy threw most of his cannons overboard.and then hoisted a white flag of surrender.
Lifeboats began moving the remaining crew ashore around noon. Twelve officers, including Couthouy and 28 sailors became prisoners of war. After a brief stay in Wilmington, the officers were moved to a prison camp in Salisbury, N.C., and the sailors to Richmond, Virginia.
--Old B-Runner
Showing posts with label Whitworth Guns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Whitworth Guns. Show all posts
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Monday, June 20, 2016
Carolina Beach Town Hall (NC) Gets Historic Fort Fisher Exhibits-- Part 2
Continued from June 10, 2016.
The Friends of Fort Fisher were determined to get the exhibits back, but all of these dioramas were inserts, which means they had to be in cabinets.
The cost was between $8,000 and $10,000 and four cases were delivered to the town hall and one to the National Guard Training Facility.
The displays officially opens Tuesday night, June 14th, right before the town council meeting.
Some of the exhibits:
A blockade-runner running the blockade, building Fort Fisher, Hebe incident when the blockade-runner Hebe ran aground and the Whitworth Flying Battery was used and, the capture of Fort Fisher.
--Old Secesh
The Friends of Fort Fisher were determined to get the exhibits back, but all of these dioramas were inserts, which means they had to be in cabinets.
The cost was between $8,000 and $10,000 and four cases were delivered to the town hall and one to the National Guard Training Facility.
The displays officially opens Tuesday night, June 14th, right before the town council meeting.
Some of the exhibits:
A blockade-runner running the blockade, building Fort Fisher, Hebe incident when the blockade-runner Hebe ran aground and the Whitworth Flying Battery was used and, the capture of Fort Fisher.
--Old Secesh
Monday, February 23, 2015
Fall of Fort Fisher Sealed Wilmington-- Part 3
** Fort Fisher mounted 24 heavy artillery pieces along its sea face and 22 on the land face.
** Knowing that the land face was the fort's Achilles Heel, a palisade fence stretched from the ocean to the rive. In addition, there were "sub-terra torpedoes" in front of the palisade which could be detonated from the fort.
** A line of trenches in the fort allowed for safe-redeployment during an attack.
** Fort Fisher was vital to the protection of blockade-runners and the port of Wilmington.
** "I did everything to foster blockade running," said the fort's commander, Col. William Lamb.
** Prized fort ordnance were the 150-pdr. Armstrong gun and four Whitworth breech-loading long-range rifled field pieces. These were all British-made. The Whitworths were employed in a flying battery which could quickly be deployed north of the fort to cover blockade-runners which had run aground.
** The Whitworths forced blockaders to sit five miles off the coast instead of the usual 250 yards.
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
** Knowing that the land face was the fort's Achilles Heel, a palisade fence stretched from the ocean to the rive. In addition, there were "sub-terra torpedoes" in front of the palisade which could be detonated from the fort.
** A line of trenches in the fort allowed for safe-redeployment during an attack.
** Fort Fisher was vital to the protection of blockade-runners and the port of Wilmington.
** "I did everything to foster blockade running," said the fort's commander, Col. William Lamb.
** Prized fort ordnance were the 150-pdr. Armstrong gun and four Whitworth breech-loading long-range rifled field pieces. These were all British-made. The Whitworths were employed in a flying battery which could quickly be deployed north of the fort to cover blockade-runners which had run aground.
** The Whitworths forced blockaders to sit five miles off the coast instead of the usual 250 yards.
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Wilmington's Fort Anderson-- Part 3: Capturing the Fort
Continued from Feb. 9th.
Fort Fisher guarded New Inlet (to Cape Fear River) which is now gone. Fort Anderson guarded the river's main channel between Fort Fisher and Wilmington, but from the other side.
Fort Anderson had a 12-inch Whitworth cannon, one of the most powerful weapons of the war. It could pierce ironclad armor, but Unfortunately there was a severe shortage of ammunition. In addition, Fort Anderson had a battery of torpedoes (mines), some triggered by electrical charge.
Like Fort Fisher, this fort was basically a giant "L" with the longer bar guarding its land approaches to the south.
It's Achlles Heel, however, was that west of Orton Pond, its defenses were just light trenches which were rarely guarded. If attackers detoured several miles west through difficult but doable terrain, the fort could be flanked from the rear.
This is exactly what happened and Fort Anderson's commander, Brigadier General Johnson Hagood traded a few rounds with Porter's fleet then was forced to retreat before his command was captured.
That ever brave William B. Cushing had scouted Fort Anderson in the darkness the night before its capture.
--Old B-R'er
Fort Fisher guarded New Inlet (to Cape Fear River) which is now gone. Fort Anderson guarded the river's main channel between Fort Fisher and Wilmington, but from the other side.
Fort Anderson had a 12-inch Whitworth cannon, one of the most powerful weapons of the war. It could pierce ironclad armor, but Unfortunately there was a severe shortage of ammunition. In addition, Fort Anderson had a battery of torpedoes (mines), some triggered by electrical charge.
Like Fort Fisher, this fort was basically a giant "L" with the longer bar guarding its land approaches to the south.
It's Achlles Heel, however, was that west of Orton Pond, its defenses were just light trenches which were rarely guarded. If attackers detoured several miles west through difficult but doable terrain, the fort could be flanked from the rear.
This is exactly what happened and Fort Anderson's commander, Brigadier General Johnson Hagood traded a few rounds with Porter's fleet then was forced to retreat before his command was captured.
That ever brave William B. Cushing had scouted Fort Anderson in the darkness the night before its capture.
--Old B-R'er
Friday, February 14, 2014
USS Florida Forces Blockade-Runner Fanny and Jenny Aground Near Masonboro Inlet, NC: Robert E. Lee's Sword
The USS Florida was making quite a name for herself in destroying blockade-runners in the early part of February. After forcing the Fanny and Jenny aground, Commander Pierce Crosby sighted the blockade-runner Emily aground nearby. Unable to get either steamer afloat and under fire from a Confederate Whitworth battery (long range and very accurate), Crosby burned both.
The Fanny and Jenny carried an assorted cargo, including a large quantity of coal. The Emily carried a cargo of salt.
On the Fanny and Jenny was found a solid gold jewel-studded sword inscribed: "To General Robert E. Lee, from his British symphathizers."
From crew members of the Fanny and Jenny, Crosby also learned that ten blockade runners had sailed from Nassau for Wilmington "....during the dark of the moon. Three have been destroyed, and one put back, broken down, leaving six others to be heard from."
And, Crosby Was Just the Guy to Hear 'Em. --Old B-R'er
The Fanny and Jenny carried an assorted cargo, including a large quantity of coal. The Emily carried a cargo of salt.
On the Fanny and Jenny was found a solid gold jewel-studded sword inscribed: "To General Robert E. Lee, from his British symphathizers."
From crew members of the Fanny and Jenny, Crosby also learned that ten blockade runners had sailed from Nassau for Wilmington "....during the dark of the moon. Three have been destroyed, and one put back, broken down, leaving six others to be heard from."
And, Crosby Was Just the Guy to Hear 'Em. --Old B-R'er
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Keep Those Whitworths Out of Wilmington
AUGUST 26TH, 1863:
Secretary Welles ordered the USS Fort Jackson to cruise the paths taken by blockade-runners between Bermuda and Wilmington.
Information had reached him that two large Whitworth guns, weighing 22 tons each, had been carried to Bermuda by the blockade-runner Gibraltar, formerly the CSS Sumter, and he was hoping to intercept them at sea before Col. Lamb found use for them at Fort Fisher.
And, He Sure Would. --Old B-Runner
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Naval War in Real Time: Allocating the Cannons
APRIL 24, 1863, 150 Years Ago.
The Confederacy had to continually allocate and spread its limited number of troops and guns to fight off Union attacks from the sea. This was shown in the exchange of letters between General Beauregard at Charleston and Secretary of War J.A. Seddon.
This date, Beauregard wrote requesting Whitwort guns (long-range and extremely accurate), "one to place on Morris island, to cover at long range the bar and enable us to get guns off the Keokuk, also to keep the enemy from replacing buoys and surveying [the] bar, the other to place on Sullivan's Island to cover vessels running the blockade [which] frequently run ashore."
The next day, Seddon replied, "I regret to be unable to spare the guns for the object mentioned. The claims of Wilmington and the Mississippi are now paramount."
Well, If You Don't Ask... You Won't Get. --Old B-R'er
The Confederacy had to continually allocate and spread its limited number of troops and guns to fight off Union attacks from the sea. This was shown in the exchange of letters between General Beauregard at Charleston and Secretary of War J.A. Seddon.
This date, Beauregard wrote requesting Whitwort guns (long-range and extremely accurate), "one to place on Morris island, to cover at long range the bar and enable us to get guns off the Keokuk, also to keep the enemy from replacing buoys and surveying [the] bar, the other to place on Sullivan's Island to cover vessels running the blockade [which] frequently run ashore."
The next day, Seddon replied, "I regret to be unable to spare the guns for the object mentioned. The claims of Wilmington and the Mississippi are now paramount."
Well, If You Don't Ask... You Won't Get. --Old B-R'er
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Starr's Light Artillery Leaves Fort Fisher-- Part 2
The unit served as both heavy artillery at the fort, but also light artillery when they manned the Whitworth guns that were moved up and down the shore to cover blockade-runners which had run aground. These guns were very accurate and had a very long range.
They had an effective engagement with the guns by Fort Caswell (so they must have been transferred there for at least awhile.
"And wherever they go I venture to say they will leave a telling mark on the enemy if they get an opportunity. They are good and true men and they have good officers. All men have their faults, but I have had to deal personally with no officer in this army who takes as much interest in his men as Capt. Starr.
He does not consider a private soldier as quite a 'dirty dog,' which I am sorry to say many officers in the army do, but he is himself a gentleman and treats others as such."
Old B-Runner
They had an effective engagement with the guns by Fort Caswell (so they must have been transferred there for at least awhile.
"And wherever they go I venture to say they will leave a telling mark on the enemy if they get an opportunity. They are good and true men and they have good officers. All men have their faults, but I have had to deal personally with no officer in this army who takes as much interest in his men as Capt. Starr.
He does not consider a private soldier as quite a 'dirty dog,' which I am sorry to say many officers in the army do, but he is himself a gentleman and treats others as such."
Old B-Runner
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