James Crosby Long, CSN-- Part 3

From Tennessee History Quarterly "Tennessee's Confederate Marines:  Memphis Detachment" by David M. Sullivan.

James Long was at the famed Battle of Hampton Roads for both days, including of course, the historic battle between the CSS Virginia and USS Monitor.  Not only was he there, but he was also on the Virginia.

Inside the Virginia's iron walls were 14 Tennesseans, including Acting Midshipmen Robert Chester Foute and James Crosby Long.  Also, there were 12 enlisted men of the Confederate States Marine Corps.  The Marines had been recruited from rivermen, dock workers and roustabouts who had been recruited in Memphis in the summer of 1861.

The book says that Long became an officer on the CSS Virginia on March 1, 1862, right before the battle.  Foute arrived just two weeks earlier on February 12, 1862.

Old B-Runner

In Honor of the USMC's Birthday Today: The Confederate States Marine Corps

The official birthday of the USMC on November 10, 1775.  On this day, the Second Continental Congress established the Continental Marines.  All across the world, Marines, current and retired, will be celebrating today.

There was also a little-known second Marine Corps and that was the CSMC, The Confederate States Marine Corps from 1861 to 1865.  It was set up the same way as the USMC.

I was preparing a list of Confederate States Navy and Marines captured at Fort Fisher from Richard Triebe's book "Confederate Fort Fisher: A Roster 1864-1865"and will list some of the Marines today.

**  Ranson J. Adcock, private, Co. B, CSMC.  Duty on CSS Tallahassee.

**  James Barrett, Co. E, CSMC.  Duty on CSS Savannah  (Sailors and Marines from the Savannah Station were transferred to Wilmington after that city fell to Sherman)

**  Michael Bow, private, Co. B, CSMC, Duty on CSS Richmond and CSS Tallahassee.  Wounded in breast and bowels.  Not sent to prison.  Died of wounds at Fort Fisher Jan. 17, 1865.

--Old B-Runner

James N. Thurston, CSMC

In the last post, I wrote that Nelson Tift had involvement with the construction of the CSS Atlanta and noticed that the Confederate officer above him on the list had been captured on that ship.

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

JAMES THURSTON

Born in South Carolina.  Appointed from South Carolina.  Second lieutenant Confederate  Marine Corps, September 20, 1861.  First lieutenant Marine Corps, July 4, 1862.

Served in C.S. Army, 1861.  Charleston Station, 1861.  Savannah Station, 1861-1863.

C.S.S. Atlanta; captured by  the U.S.S. Weehawken, June 17, 1863; escaped  August 19, 1863, from Fort Warren; recaptured; paroled  September 28, 1864; exchanged at Cox Wharf, Virginia, October 18, 1864.

Drewry's Bluff, Virginia,  1864.

--Old B-Runner

Happy Birthday CSMC!!!

From Wikipedia.

This little-known branch of the Confederate military was still a part of the original Continental Marines established 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia.

The Confederate States Marine Corps was  established by an act of the Confederate Congress on 16 March 1861.

Its original manpower was authorized at  45 officers and 944 enlisted men, but was increased on 24 September 1862 to 1,026 enlisted men.

The organization of the Corps began in Montgomery, Alabama, and was completed in Richmond, Virginia, when the capital moved to that city.

The CSMC headquarters and main training facilities in Richmond throughout the war at Camp Beall on Drewry's Bluff and at Gosport Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia until it was captured.

The last Confederate Marine group surrendered on April 9, 1865.

--Old B-Runner