A Blog About Theodore Timby

While researching this man (whom I had never heard of) I found that there had been a short-lived blog on him dating back to 2008.  It was titled "Timby and the Monitor."

It was written by Theodore Walcott Dickes, writer and great great grandson of Theodore Ruggles Timby who he described as the forgotten inventor of the U.S.S. Monitor's revolving turret and of Civil War fame.

Mr. Dickes was living in Encinitas, California, at the time.

His reason for writing the blog was  to bring forth information of Timby and make his accomplishments known.

Unfortunately, there were only six blog entries.

I will be taking a look at them.

--Old B-Runner

Anybody Remember a Monitor Refrigerator?

From the Santa Barbara (California) Independent  " 'Museum' on West Valerio" by Betsy J. Green.

There is am old home at 230 W. Velerio  Street in Santa Barbara which is like a walk back into time.  It was built in 1912 for $1,500.

So, you might just be asking what exactly does this have to do with anything regarding the Civil War Navy?

Well, it is full of old stuff.

Owners Robert Sponsel and Patricia Chidlaw have it looking like a museum, but it isn't.

One of the most interesting objects in the house  is a 1930s GE refrigerator.  These were commonly nicknamed "Monitor" refrigerators because the round compressor located on top of it resembled the gun turret of the USS Monitor of Civil War fame.

I Don't Remember It.  

But, Sure Beat the Old Ice Box.  --Old B-Compressor

Officers of USCSS Robert J. Walker-- Part 3: Carlile Patterson

Lieutenant (Commanding) Carlile P. Patterson (1816-1881) was the Walker's first  Coast Survey commanding officer, assuming his post in Mobile from Captain Evans of he Revenue Marine.

Patterson served with the Coast Survey with distinction as a naval officer on detached service, and commanded the Survey's first ship in the Gulf of Mexico, the schooner  Phoenix, in 1845.

After commanding the Walker, Patterson resigned and headed into merchant service with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company commanding the vessels Oregon and Golden Gate on their regular  voyages from Panama  to San Francisco from 1849 to 1853.  He was in command of the PMSSC Oregon when it brought news that California had been admitted to the Union.

Patterson remained in the West until 1861 with his family.  Returning east when the Civil War started he rejoined the Coast Survey and in 1874, became its Superintendent, a post he held until his death.

--Old B-Runner

155 Years Ago: Watching Out for Privateers

MAY 15TH, 1861:  Secretary of Navy Weklles appointed Lt. Thomas M. Brasher to command the USS Bainbridge and ordered him to proceed to Aspinwall, New Granada (Panama), to protect California steamers against "vessels sailing under pretended letters of marque issued by the insurrectionary States."

California steamers transported large amounts of gold from Aspinwall to New York.  Confederate ships were constantly on the alert for these vessels as the blockade tightened and the need for specie became increasingly desperate.

--Old B-R'er

USS Saranac-- Part 3: Beware Ripple Rock

The ship was decommissioned and recommissioned several times before being recommissioned in 1857.  In the Civil War, it did duty by California and searched for the CSS Shenandoah at the end of the war.

After the war, it operated off the California coast.

It was wrecked at 8:40 a.m. on June 18, 1875, on the submerged Ripple Rock in the Seymour Narrows of the Discovery Passage.  This rock is just nine feet below the water at low tide (the Saranac drew 17 feet).  Since the Saranac's wreck, at least 20 large ships and 100 smaller ones have fallen victim to it from 1875 to 1958.

This is on the Campbell River.  The Saranac had been collecting natural curiosities for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition when it ran into the rock.  The bow of the ship was then run into Vancouver Island's shore and a hawser tied to a tree on it, but within an hour, the ship had sunk completely from sight.

Lt. Cmdr Sanders, the pilot and 13 men made their way on foot to Victoria.

--Old B-Runner

CSS Shenandoah Planning an Attack on San Francisco

JULY 15-31ST, 1865:  After crossing the hazardous Bering Sea, the CSS Shenandoah made slow headway at first on a daring venture to attack San Francisco.  Lt. Waddell wrote: "Prudence indicated communicating with a vessel recently from San Francisco before attempting the enterprise.

"The Shenandoah moved gently along with light winds or dashed before occasional gales until we reached the meridian of 129 W. when with the north wind that sweeps down the California coast her course was parallel with the land and we kept a sharp lookout, for we were then in waters frequented by the enemy's vessels."

San Francisco Here We Come.  --Old B-R'er

150 Years Ago-- March 21st, 1864: Confederate Cruisers to California

MARXH 21ST, 1864: Confederate forces at Sabine Pass, Texas, destroyed steamer Clifton (ex-USS Clifton captured 9 Sept. 1863) to prevent capture while attempting to run out as a blockade-runner after she grounded and could not be reflaoted. //// Confederate Secretary of Navy Mallory wrote Commander Bulloch in Europe, disagreeing with Bulloch's decision that the Confederacy didn't need any more cruisers since "... there is no longer any American commerce for them to prey opon." Mallory countered: "We have, it is true, inflicted a heavy blow and great discouragement upon the Federal foreign commerece, but the coasting trade and fisheries, embracing the California trade, has suffered but little from our cruisers, and it can and must be struck." //// --Old B-Runner

Union West Indies Squadron

MARCH 16TH, 1864: Rear Admiral James L. Lardner, commander of the West Indies Squadron (and I didn't know there was a West Indies Squadron) ordered the USS Neptune and USS Galatea to convoy California steamers across the Caribbean. //// The California ships often carried much-needed gold for the Union war effort. And, there was a big fear of Confederate cruisers. //// --Old B-Runner

Confederate Privateers on the West Coast?

OCTOBER 16, 1863

Mr. Jules David wrote from Victoria, Vancouver Island, " as president of a Southern asociation existing in this and the adjoining colony of British Columbia" to Confederate Secretary of State Benjamin wanting him to assist him and his organization in getting "a letter of marque to be used on the Pacific."

He said much damage could be done to the Union on the Pacific coast. He mentioned that his group had "a first-class steamer of 400 tons, strongly built, and of an average of 14 miles."

This, along with attacks by Confederate commerce raiders greatly worried Lincoln's government. But, nothing ever came of the plan as far as I know.

It Could Have Been a Great Plan. --Old B-R'er