RoadTrippin' With the Montgomery-- Part 8: The First USS Montgomery in the American Revolution

Continuing with the Roadtrip Through History with the ships by the name of USS Montgomery.

Like I said earlier, whenever I come across a U.S. warship, I like to see if there were other ships by that name in the Navy.  Always, my first stop is at Wikipedia which has a list of ships by that name.  Makes it easier.  There have been six ships by that name and one of them was in the Civil War which is why I am writing about it here.

The first ship by that name was a frigate ordered by the Continental Congress  during the American Revolution and built on the Hudson River north of New York City.  It was to have carried 24 guns, but it and another frigate, the USS Congress, were both destroyed by the Americans to prevent capture when the British took New York City.

It was one of 13 ships ordered by Congress and was launched in 1776 and burned in 1777.  I did not know that the Americans had a program to build warships during the war.

I also like to find out where the name came from.  My first thought was from the city of Montgomery, Alabama, but I doubt that there was any town there in 1776, maybe an Indian village.

It was named after Richard Montgomery.  Then, he must have been a naval guy.  Turns out he wasn't.  He was an Army general who was killed during the American attack on Quebec.  I didn't even know that we had attacked Canada during the American Revolution.

He was co-commander of the U.S. force with another man often considered the best American general during the war.  And, it wasn't George Washington.  It was a guy by the name of Benedict Arnold.

One other thing about Richard Montgomery was that he had been in the British Army before the war.

That Would be An Interesting Story in Itself.  --Old B-Runner

USS George Mangham-- Part 4: Looking for Raiders, Potomas Flotilla and SABS

The George Mangham was then assigned to the Potomac Flotilla 22 December; and until  10 July 1863, she suppressed blockade runners, capturing four prizes in the  lower Potomac River.  She was then taken to the Washington Navy Yard and fitted out for cruising in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Authorities in Washington, D.C., were  greatly concerned about attacks of Confederate raiders and the George Mangham was assigned to protect American merchant ships and fishing craft.  Leaving Washington  5 August, she cruised off the Magdalen Islands and Prince Edward Island; without detecting any Confederate ships.

She departed  Georgetown, Prince Edward Island, 5 November for New York Navy Yard.  After repairs, she  sailed 5 December to join the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron for blockade duty off  Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina.

While engaged in this work, on 7 January 1864, she moved close to shore and destroyed the beached blockade runner Dare which had been driven ashore by larger Union blockaders.

She then sailed to Charleston, S.C.,  and continued blockade service  of the South Carolina coast in the area of  Cape Romain, St. Helena Sound, and Bull's Bay for the remainder of the year.

Returning to  Port Royal, South Carolina,  5 January 1865, the Mangham was assigned temporarily to Key West, Florida, in March.

She returned to New York Navy Yard  9 August; decommissioned  9 September; and was sold at public office to D. T. Trendy 27 September 1865.

--Old B-Runner

Some More on the USS Emma

Last month, I was writing about this ship that was at both battles of Fort Fisher.

From Civil War Navies 1855-1883

The Emma was launched just four days before her sister ship, the Gertrude, both named for the daughters of owner Thomas S. Begbie.    Both built by  Barclay Curle of Glasgow, Scotland.

Both had relatively short careers before being captured.  The Emma was captured 24 July 1863 by the USAT  Arago and the Gertrude by  the USS Vanderbilt  off Eleutrea on 16 April 1863.

Both were condemned in prize court and bought by the U.S. Navy and used in the blockade.

The Emma was involved in both battles of Fort Fisher and on  11 Feb 1865 bombarded Masonboro Inlet.  She captured the blockade runner Ella 3 December  1864.  Became the merchant ship Gaspe  in 1866 and wrecked  at Longlois, Canada on  14 Jan. 1872.

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Rear Admiral S.P. Lee reported that the USS Emma had arrived at Newport News from New York on the afternoon of  November 7, 1863.

--Old B-Runner

USS Emma-- Part 4: Looking for Jefferson Davis and Decommissioning

On 26 April 1865, the Emma sailed from Fort Caswell, North Carolina,  with an urgent message from General  William Tecumseh Sherman to Rear Admiral  John A. Dahlgren, commanding the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, which warned  the admiral that Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his cabinet, not yet located, might try to make an escape by way of Florida to Cuba.

The Emma went as far as Key West on this cruise then returned to patrol the Carolina coast until 24 August, when she arrived  at Boston, Massachusetts.

  The Emma was decommissioned in Boston 30 August 1865 and sold 1 November 1865.

She was placed back in service as a  merchant steamer and operated as the SS Gaspe from 1866 until her sinking  near Miquelon Island  on 14 June 1872.  The island is near the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

--Old B-Runner

The Privateer Judah-- Part 1

From the 290 Foundation "USS Colorado / Judah.

The William H. Judah was a 250-foot, two-masted schooner built c. 1859.  In early September 1861, Confederacy contacted with the Judah & LeBaron Co. for use  over an indefinite period of time to carry essential cargo.  The company evidently was sympathetic to the cause and  and didn't require guarantees as to its use.

Under command of Confederate officers, the Judah sailed from St. John, New Brunswick inn Canada, to Pensacola, Florida. with a mixed load of mercury, tin and lead ingots valued at some $40,000.  It ran the Union blockade and entered Pensacola Harbor with no problems.

Union spies reported the Judah's arrival and learned that the Confederates were intending to turn the ship into an armed privateer and urged the Union Navy to do something about it before that happened.

The 40-gun USS Colorado steam frigate got the call to do the job.

--Old B-Runner

September 19, 1864-- Part 2: The Plot Discovered

John Yates Beall and his 19 men came aboard the Philo Parsons as passengers, but soon seized the steamers and took it to Middle Bass Island, on the way from Detroit to Sandusky.  (I've been to Middle Bass Island many times in the past, but for drinking wine at Lonz's Winery on it and enjoying the rock bands.  I never knew this to be a Civil War spot.)

While there, Beall was approached by an unsuspecting steamer, the Island Queen,  which was quickly captured and burned.  He then landed the passengers and cargoes of the two ships and proceeded with his improvised warship to Sandusky.

Meanwhile, Commander J.C. Carter of the USS Michigan had discovered the plot and had Captain Charles Cole, one of the organizers  of Beall's escapade, arrested along with an assistant.    As Beall and his men approached Sandusky, the prearranged signals were not made.

Confronted with uncertain circumstances and overwhelming odds, Beall and his men reluctantly, but wisely abandoned their part of the plan and took the Philo Parsons to Sandwich, Canada, where she was stripped and burned.

The Confederates then dispersed.

Worth A Shot.  --Old B-Runner

September 19, 1864-- Part 1: John Yates Beall, CSN, Captures Two Steamers on Lake Erie

SEPTEMBER 19, 1864:  Confederates under Acting Master John Yates Beall captured and burned steamers Philo Parsons and Island Queen on Lake Erie.  Captain Charles H. Cole, CSA, a Confederate secret agent in the Lake Erie region, conceived the plan and received assistance from Jacob Thompson, Southern agent in Canada and the daring Beall.

The plan was for Cole to aid in the capture of the iron side wheeler USS Michigan, which was then guarding the Confederate prisoners (officers) on Johnson's Island, near Sandusky, Ohio, by befriending her officers and attempting to bribe them.

Beall was to approach on a captured steamer from the mouth of Sandusky Bay and board the Michigan, after which the prisoners would be released  and the whole force would then embark on a guerrilla expedition along the lake.

--Old B-R'er

155 Years Ago: Action Off Nova Scotia

SEPTEMBER 9TH, 1861:  The USS Cambridge, Commander William A. Parker, captured the schooner Louisa Agnes off Nova Scotia.

--Old B-Runner

Confederate Plans to Attack the USS Michigan and the Great Lakes

NOVEMBER 5TH, 1864:  W.G. Fargo, Mayor of Buffalo, New York, telegraphed Secretary Welles that the ship Georgian had been purchased in Toronto by Southern sympathizer Dr. James Bates: "My information is that she will be armed on the Canada shore for the purpose of encountering the USS Michigan and for piratical and predatory purposes on the Lakes..."

Though Commander Carter of the USS Michigan discounted these rumors, the Georgian continued to rouse grave concern in the Great Lakes area.

To be commanded by Master John Y. Beall, CSN, she was in fact to be a part of the new plot on the part of Confederate agent Jacob Thompson to capture the Michigan and attack the cities on Lake Erie, but the suspicions of Union authorities and the strict surveillance under which the ship was placed by Union agents prevented the plot from being carried out.

Welles ordered the Carter to seize the Georgian if she ventured into American waters, but she was searched twice by Canadian and American authorities without any hint of her true character being detected.    The Georgian was eventually laid up at Collingwood, on the Canadian side, and later sold to private interests.

--Old B-Runner

Confederate Plans to Liberate Johnson's Island Prisoners

APRIL 27TH, 1864: President Davis appointed Jacob Thompson representative of the Confederate States in Canada. It was from Canada that Thompson planned to liberate prisoners held on Johnson's Island in Lake Erie.

In addition, he had plans to burn steamboats on the inland waters, coordinate the return of escaped Confederate prisoners through Canada via Halifax to Bermuda, and sought to maintain liason with the organization known as "Sons of Liberty" in the North which was opposed to the continuance of the war.

Busy Man, That Jacob Thompson. --Old B-R'er

A Confederate Privateer in the Pacific?

JANUARY 9TH, 1864

Rear Admiral Charles H. Bell, commanding the Pacific Squadron, advised Secretary Welles of the report of a Confederate privateer fitting out at Victoria, Vancouver Island:

 "I would also respectfully suggest the expediency of having at all times a small steamer, under the direction of the [Mare Island] navy yard, ready to be despatched at a few hours' notice whenever a similar occasion arises. The want of a vessel so prepared may be of incalculable injury to the mercantile interests of our western coast."

Always a Threat in the West. --Old B-R'er

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

The Union Navy's First Iron Ship Wasn't the Monitor-- Part 1

From the Lakewood Observer by Gary Rice.

With all the talk of the fast-approaching 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Ironclads, the USS Monitor vs. CSS Virginia, the US Navy's first iron ship is often overlooked. It was the USS Michigan, launched in 1843.

Powered both by side wheel paddles and wind, it was sleek and beautiful compared to the squat Monitor and Virginia. It was also one of the first modular vessels, with its parts being made in Pittsburgh then down the Ohio River and then north on the Ohio and Erie Canal to Cleveland and then to Erie, Pennsylvania for final assembly. Remember, this was in the days before the St. Lawrence Seaway and a ship could not go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes.


LAUNCHING AND GUN PROBLEMS

When the Michigan was launched, the ship got stuck part way down the ramp. No efforts would budge the ship. Everyone left for the night and were surprised the next day to find the ship floating in the bay. It had launched herself.

Then came the problem of cannons. The ship had been built to mount heavy cannons, but an existing agreement between Canada and the US limited guns that could be carried on the Great Lakes. The ship had to carry light armament until the Civil War.

Guarding the Confeds. --Old B-Runner