The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal

 

From Wikipedia.

The capture and destruction of the mailboat Dawn took place on this canal.

The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal was built by a corporation between 1856 and 1860 to afford inland navigation between the Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound.

It is really two canals located thirty miles apart.  One canal is eight and a half miles and connects the Elizabeth River and North Landing River in Virginia.    The other is five and a half miles long and connects Currituck Sound with the North River in North Carolina.

In earlier posts I wrote about the CSS Beaufort on which Charles K. Mallory, Jr. was stationed used the canal to participate in the Battle of Roanoke Island and then later the Battle of Hampton Roads.

--Old B-Runner

Some More Confederate Navy Officers

From Register of Confederate Naval Officers.

JAMES H. HOOD

Born in Canada.  Chief Engineer, October21, 1861.

Served on the C.S. Cruiser Nashville 1861-1862.

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JAMES B. HOPKINS

Acting Master, pilot. December 5, 1863.  Pilot First Class, February 1, 1864

Served on the CSS Beaufort, Richmond Station 1861-62.  CSS Arctic, Wilmington Station, 1863.

CSS Albemarle, 1864

Commanded expedition that destroyed U.S. mailboat Fawn on the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, September 9, 1864.

--Old B-Runner

Charles K. Mallory at the Battles of Hampton Roads and Roanoke Island

BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS

William Harwar Parker, commander of the CSS Beaufort, continued about Midshipman Mallory at Hampton Roads saying that Mallory was asked by Lt. Pendergrast of the USS Congress as to the name of his ship and said that a shot from her went into the side of the starboard quarter of the Congress and traversing  the whole length of the ship, went out the port bow.

BATTLE OF ROANOKE ISLAND

Earlier in the war, the CSS Beaufort had been at the Battle of Roanoke Island and had come under heavy fire.  A shell exploded over the ship and scattered pieces all over the deck.

"Mallory, a youth of 14, brought some pieces to to me with much glee; he looked upon the whole proceeding  as great fun."

--Old B-R'er

Charles K. Mallory at the Battle of Hampton Roads

The commander of the CSS Beaufort, Lt. William Harwar Parker in his book "Recollections of a Naval Officer 1841-1865" wrote this about the Battle of Hampton Roads and the surrender of the USS Congress after it was destroyed by the CSS Virginia:

As the Congress hoisted a large white flag to its main masthead "Midshipman Mallory, in charge of our bow gun, waved his cap and exclaimed:  'I'll swear on the Bible that we fired the last gun!' "

Parker then ordered Midshipmen Mallory and Foreman to push off with a crew of three to go to the Congress and take possession  and bring her commander on board the Beaufort.

As they approached the stricken ship, a Marine on the gangway leveled his piece at them and threatened to fire, "but Mallory told him he was ordered to board the vessel, and he was bound to do it.

They pulled alongside the Congress, boarded t and Midshipman Foreman hauled down the colors and brought them to me."

--Old B-Runner

Charles K. Mallory, CSN: Received Surrender of the USS Congress at Battle of Hampton Roads

From the Virginia Historical Magazine "Funeral of Charles K. Mallory"  the father of Charles K. Mallory who died in the boiler explosion of the CSS Chattahoochee.

Born November 21, 1844.  At the outbreak of the Civil War he was appointed a midshipman in the Confederate States Navy and served as such until his death.

He participated  in the naval engagements at Hampton Roads, serving on the  gunboat  CSS Beaufort.  When the USS Congress hoisted the white flag of surrender, he, with Midshipman Foreman and a boat crew, were sent to take charge of her.

He brought back to the CSS Beaufort the sword of the commander of the Congress, Lieutenant Joseph B. Smith, who had been killed.  This sword was afterwards sent through the lines by Commodore Tattnall, with Mallory's consent to Admiral Smith, the father of Lt. Richard Smith.

--Old B-Runner

Some More on Charles K. Mallory

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

CHARLES K. MALLORY,  jr.

Born in Virginia.  Appointed from Virginia.

Acting midshipman, June 12, 1861.  Died June 1, 1863,  from the effect of a boiler explosion.  (CSS Chattahoochee)

Served on the C.S.R.S. United States, 1861.  CSS Beaufort, 1861-1862; participated in the Battle of Roanoke Island, February 7-8, 1862, and the Battle of Hampton Roads, Va., March 8-9, 1862; commended for gallant conduct.  (He was still a member of the crew of the CSS Beaufort at this battle.)

CSS Chattahoochee 1862-1863.

--Old B-R'er

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.

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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

Confederate Naval Officers: Joseph M. Gardner

From Naval War records:  Confederate States Naval Officers.

Born in Virginia.  Appointed from Virginia.

Resigned as acting midshipman, U.S. Navy, April 23, 1861.

Acting midshipman, July 8, 1861.

Second lieutenant , January 7, 1864, to rank from September 22, 1863.

"Promoted for gallant  and meritorious service conduct in the capture of  U.S. gunboats Satellite and Reliance in Rappahannock River, August 23, 1863."

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

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Served on CSS Raleigh March 4, 1862.  CSS Gaines , 1862-1863.

Participated in Johnson's Island expedition, 1863.

Special Service 1863-1864.

CSS Tallahassee, 1864

CSS Fredericksburg, 1864

Commanding CSS Beaufort, 1864

--Old B-Runner

February 24, 1862: Buchanan Takes Command of James River Naval Forces-- Part 1

FEBRUARY 24TH, 1862:  Captain Buchanan, CSN, ordered to command the James River, Virginia, naval defenses, and to fly his flag on board the CSS Virginia; the squadron consisted of the CSS Virginia, and the small gunboats CSS Patrick Henry, Jamestown, Teaser, Raleigh and Beaufort.

In his orders to Buchanan, Seretary of the Navy Mallory added:  "The Virginia is a novelty in naval construction, is untried, and her powers unknown; and hence the department will not give specific orders as to her attack on the enemy.

"Her powers as a ram are regarded as very formidable, and it is hoped you will be able to test them.  Like the bayonet charge of infantry, this mode of attack, while the most destructive, will commend itself to you in the present scarcity of ammunition.

Use the CSS Virginia At Your Discretion.  --Old B-Runner

155 Years Ago: U.S. Marines at First Bull Run

JULY 21ST, 1861:  The USS Albatross, Commander Prentiss, engaged the CSS Beauort, Lt. R.C. Duvall, in Oregon Inlet, North Carolina.  The Albatross, with heavier guns, forced the Beaufort to withdraw.

**  Confederate privateer Jefferson Davis captured American bark Alvarado in the Atlantic Ocean.

**  U.S. Marines commanded by Major Reynolds took part in the First Battle of Bull Run:  9 marines killed, 19 wounded and 16 missing in action.  Two naval howitzers were lost in the battle.

The Confederates also had a naval battery at the battle.

--Old B-Runner

Semmes Assumes Command of Confederate James River Squadron--

FEBRUARY 18TH, 1865:  Rear Admiral Semmes assumed command of the Confederate James River squadron.  "My fleet," he wrote, "consisted of three iron-clads and five wooden gunboats."

The ironclads, each mounting four guns, were the CSS Virginia No. 2, Richmond and Fredericksburg.  The wooden ships included the CSS Hampton, Nansemond, Roanoke, Beaufort and Torpedo; all mounted two guns except the torpedo which had just one.

Semmes also noted: "The fleet was assisted, in the defence of the river, by several shore batteries, in command of naval officers...."

I wonder what had happened to the CSS Patrick Henry?

--Old B-Runner

Ice Problems for Confederate James River Squadron

FEBRUARY 2ND, 1865:  Having failed to pass the obstructions at Trent's Reach in order to attack the Union supply base at City Point, Flag Officer Mitchell confronted another kind of difficulty in maintaining communications with his own capital, Richmond.

In the bitter cold the James River began to freeze over and the ice threatened Wilton Bridge.  This date, Mitchell ordered the CSS Beaufort to break up the ice near the bridge and remain near it "to insure its safety."

Two days later, Mitchell noted that the CSS Torpedo was of special importance because "she is now the only boat in connection with the Beaufort (that is crippled) that we can use to protect the Wilton Bridge from ice and keep open our communications with the city."

--Old B-R'er