James H. Tomb, CSN-- Part 3: Civil War and Brazilian ServiceService

From Google Books for Tomb's "Engineer in Gray."

You can get an idea of the ships and operations Tomb was involved with by the chapters in his Table of Contents:

CSS Jackson
CSS McRae
Prison Life at Fort Warren

CSS Chicora
CSS David
CSS Juno

More Torpedo Attacks
CSS Leesburg  (I am unable to find anymore information on this ship or the CSS Juno.
Badly used Up

The Cause Is Lost
Various Ocial Documents, Parts A & B  (I believe Ocial is a misprint)
To South America

Loss of the Rio de Janeiro
Adios South America
Appendix A:  Submarines and  Torpedo Boats
Torpedo Service in the Harbor

--Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago-- March 9th-10th, 1864

MARCH 9TH, 1864: A joint Army Navy expeditionup the York and Mattapony Rivers in Virginia. // USS Yankee reconnoitered the Rappahannock River to within a mile of Urbana, Virginia. //// MARCH 10TH, 1864: Confederate steamer Helen (formerly CSS Juno), under Lt. Philip Porcher, CSN, was lost at sea in a gale while running cotton from Charleston to Nassau. Secretary Mallory wrote that the loss of Porcher was a big one. // USS Virginia captured schooner Sylphide off San Luis Pass, Texas, with cargo of percussion caps. //// --Old B-R'er

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: August 5, 1863: A Different Kind of Naval Battle

AUGUST 5TH

The CSS Juno captured a launch from the USS Wabash in Charleston Harbor, SC. The launch was part of a night patrol on guard duty.

The launch had gone to investigate reports of a Confederate steamer coming out of the harbor. Acting Master Edward Haines reported: "Soon after getting underway I made out a steamer standing down the channel close to Morris Island." He opened fire on it with the launch's howitzer.

The Juno was reconnoitering the harbor with a 65-pound torpedo attached to its bow in case it encountered a Union ship. Otherwise, it was unarmed as it had been trimmed down to be used as a blockade-runner, and her only other means of defense was to run the launch down.

Engineer James H. Tomb reported: "We immediately headed for her, striking her about amidships, but not having much headway on the Juno, the launch swung around to port, just forward of the wheel...."

The launch's men then tried to board the Juno, but were overwhelmed by superior numbers. Interesting items on the blockade. Launches from ships also doing blockade-running duty and patrols.

Not Your Regular Standard Battle. --Old B-Runner