Grant and Porter Plan the End of the Confederacy Off Wilmington

FEBRUARY 3RD, 1865:  To speed the collapse of the faltering South, another giant thrust gathered from the sea off Wilmington, North Carolina.  During a lull in the planned spring assault on Richmond when the roads improved, General Grant came down to confer with Rear Admiral Porter, his old Vicksburg comrade.

The general had spent several hours on board the flagship USS Malvern on 28 January where plans took shape for the push into North Carolina up the Cape Fear River as Sherman marched inland parallel to the coast.

When Grant returned to Virginia he quickly dispatched general Schofield and his 23rd Corps by sea with an army which, with the big guns of the fleet, would be large enough to push on to Wilmington.

This date, Porter, in the USS Shawmut, was preparing for this campaign, engaged Fort Anderson to test the strength of the Confederate defenses on the west bank of the Cape Fear River.

--Old B-Runner

Confederate Submersible Torpedo Boat Saint Patrick

NOVEMBER 20TH, 1864:  Edward La Croix of Selma, Alabama, writing Secretary Welles from Detroit (spy?), reported that a torpedo boat had been constructed at Selma for use against Union forces at Mobile Bay.

he described her:  "Length, about 30 feet; has watertight compartments; can be sunk or raised as desired; is propelled by a very small engine, and will stow five men.  It has some arrangement of machinery that times the explosions of the torpedoes, to enable the operators to retire to a safe distance.

"the boat proves to be a good sailer on the river and has gone to Mobile to make last preparations for trying its efficacy on the Federal vessels."

La Croix was referring to the submersible torpedo boat Saint Patrick built by John P. Halligan who was also her first commander.  It was a source of concern for Federals in Mobile Bay and in 1865, did attempt to sink a blockader.

--Old B-Runner

My Great Summer at Fort Fisher-- Part 4: Mary Holloway and the Underwater Archaeology Branch

JULY 28th, 1982, WEDNESDAY

"I went straight to Fort Fisher after breakfast, arriving at 9:45 and staying until 5, when they closed.  Gehrig Spencer, the manager, was not there, but Ron, the assistant manager, and Mary Holloway, the secretary, were.  They went out of their way to make me feel at home.

I was able to copy all of Lamb's diary that I needed with an assist by Ron who copied the last 8 pages at the N.C. Underwater Archaeology Building at the other end  of the parking lot.  I went with him and met Richard Lawrence, one of the people involved in the diving.  He showed me their files on the Beauregard and gave me a lot of material on the Monitor and work done at a place in N.C. called Fort Branch.

Old B-Runner