William B. Sinclair CSN-- Part 1: Service in the U.S. Navy

William B. Sinclair was one of three of Arthur Sinclair's (from the War of 1812) sons to be U.S. Navy officers who resigned to join the Confederate Navy.  The two others were Arthur Sinclair and George Sinclair.

WILLIAM B. SINCLAIR

Assistant Surgeon:   20 June 1838

Surgeon:  21 June 1852

Dismissed:  10 June 1861

--Old B-Runner

Arthur Sinclair CSN

This man had command of the CSS Mississippi in her very brief career in the Confederate Navy.

Last month, I wrote about his long years of service in the U.S. Navy.  His father was a Navy officer in the War of 1812 and all three of his sons followed him into the U.S. Navy, but resigned in 1861 and joined the Confederate Navy. I will write about the other  two's careers in the next two blog entries.

From "Officers of the Confederate States Navy, 1861-1865:  As Compiled by the U.S. Navy."

ARTHUR SINCLAIR

Born in Virginia.  Appointed from Virginia.  Formerly commander, U.S. Navy, Service Virginia Navy.

Commander C.S. Navy June 10, 1861. Commander, October 23 1862, to rank from from March 26, 1861.

Drowned in the  foundering of blockade runner Lelia, January 14, 1865.

--Old B-Runner

Shipwreck of CSS Mississippi

From the Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks.

Confederate.

Three screw ironclad gunboat, 1,400 tons.

Length 260 feet, beam 58 feet, draft 12 feet 6 inches, depth 15 feet, speed estimated 14 kno0ts, armor 3.75-inch iron, 16 boilers, designed to carry 20 guns.

Launched on April 14. 1862, in Jefferson City, Louisiana, upstream from New Orleans.

Set afire by Confederate Commander Arthur Sinclair and drifted down the Mississippi River from New Orleans on April 26, 1862, and sank.

No guns or ammunition were aboard when destroyed.

--Old B-Runner

Unfinished Monster Ironclad-- Part 2

With no power, the Mississippi was defenseless and there was nothing left to do but destroy her so it wouldn't fall into Union hands.  A fire was started and the empty vessel floated downriver.  As smoke and flames shot from her funnel and gunports, she twisted and turned in the current.

The Tift brothers and hundreds of Confederate  carpenters, shipbuilders and sailors stood on shore and watched months of work lost.  The Mississippi was no more.

Captain Arthur Sinclair, commander of the ship later wrote:  "If the Mississippi had been completed, and her armament and men on board,  she alone could have held the river against the entire  Federal fleet coming  up from below; she would have been the most formidable ship that I ever heard of -- vey creditable to her projectors,  builders and country."

--Old B-Runner

CSS Mississippi-- Part 7: The End

At about the same time the Confederate Navy Department was assuring Flag Officer Hollins that he would get the Mississippi and Louisiana to help him defend Memphis, they  ordered Commander Arthur Sinclair to take command of the CSS Mississippi.  He arrived on April 3, 1862.

About this time, the Tift brothers were under increasing pressure to complete their ship.  A self-appointed group of citizens calling them selves the Committee  for Public Safety, tried to force the launch of the Mississippi prematurely against the advice of Sinclair and a group of  engineers working on the ship.

The Tufts refused, arguing that  to do so would delay  completion by several weeks.

All arguments were rendered moot on April 24, when the Union fleet passed the forts below New Orleans to the south.  There was nothing now between the Union fleet and the city.

Trying to move his ship to a safer place and complete her, Sinclair had her hastily launched, with approval from the Tifts, and tried to have her towed upriver.  The tow boats he initially hired proved unable to accomplish the tow and the next day, he tried to find others.  While so engaged, the Union fleet came into view and the Mississippi was ordered burned.

--Old B-Runner

CSS Mississippi-- Part 6: The Union Threats on the Mississippi in March 1862

All these delays added up to the Mississippi not being ready to fight the Union ships when the time came.  Nelson Tift later said that  his ship would have been completed  in another two to three weeks.  (However, Captain Sinclair said his estimation was more like ten weeks away.)

In mid-March 1862, Flag Officer Farragut's ships entered the lower Mississippi River with the obvious eventual  intention of attacking New Orleans.  Farragut was already under  pressure from U.S. Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles  who was very fearful of the  two ironclad "monsters" being completed at New Orleans.  ("Monsters" was a widespread term used for the Louisiana and the Mississippi at the time.)

On the other hand, the Confederate government was more concerned  with the threat of the Union gunboat flotilla approaching Memphis from the north along the Mississippi River.  Even as Farragut was moving his ships  across the bar, President Davis and Secretary of the Navy Mallory were promising Flag Officer George N. Hollins, commanding the Confederate naval forces on the Mississippi River, that the Louisiana would be sent to Memphis as soon as she was finished (expected to be a few days.)

The CSS Mississippi would follow shortly thereafter.

--Old B-Runner

Arthur Sinclair, USN, CSN

In the last post I mentioned that the commander of the CSS Mississippi who had the ship destroyed to prevent its capture was Arthur Sinclair.  I have written quite a bit about him.

From the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command  "U.S. Navy Officers 1798-1900."

ARTHUR SINCLAIR

Midshipman:  4 March 1823

Passed midshipman:  4 June 1831

Lieutenant:  3 March 1835

Commander:  14 September 1855

Dismissed:  18 April 1861  (Resigned)

--Old B-Runner

CSS Mississippi-- Part 1: Was Never Finished

From Wikipedia.

One of the sources I used for research on the Leeds Foundry in New Orleans, said that this foundry was going to be used for the two Confederate ironclads at New Orleans, the CSS Louisiana and the CSS Mississippi.  I was writing about the Leeds Foundry in my Saw the Elephant:  Civil War blog in connection with cannons they produced for the Confederate Army.

The CSS Mississippi was a projected Confederate ironclad.  Her design was unusual as  she was to be built according to house-building techniques.  Whether this would have worked or not was never proven  as she was not complete when New Orleans fell to Union ships under Flag Officer David G. Farragut on 25 April 1862.

Rather than let her fall into Union hands,  Captain Arthur Sinclair, CSN, ordered her to be hastily launched and burned.

Despite  the delays in construction that left her unfinished and untried,  her mere existence, together with that of the CSS Louisiana, raised hopes of the Confederate defenders of New Orleans.  For the Union, it caused  unfounded fears.

--Old B-Runner

Arthur Sinclair, CSN-- Part 2: Former Officer in U.S. Navy

Arthur Sinclair, CSN, lost his life when the blockade runner Lelia sank off Liverpool on her maiden voyage to Nassau and before running the blockade into Wilmington, North Carolina.  I have been writing about the unfortunate sinking of this ship in this blog.

From Find a Grave.

Arthur Sinclair was an officer in the U.S. Navy before resigning to join the Confederate Navy.  He joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 13 on 4 March 1823 as a midshipman.  His commission as a lieutenant came on  3 March 1835 and commander on 14 September 1855.

He was involved in the expedition of Japan (under Commodore Matthew Perry) which tried to open the country;s ports to American commerce.  He commanded the USS Supply which carried gifts to the Japanese in friendship and to show what American industry could produce.

--Old B-Runner

CDR. Arthur Sinclair, CSN-- Part 1: His Father Was a U.S. Navy Officer 1798-1831

From Find-A-Grave.

Birth:  29 November 1810 in Norfolk, Virginia

Death:  14 January 1865 in Fylde Burrough Lancashire, England

Buried:  Fleetwood Cemetery, Wyre Burrough, Lancashire, England

********************************

His father was Arthur Sinclair,  Commodore, U.S. Navy.

Born:  28 February 1780,  Mecklenburg County, Virginia

Died:  7 February 1831, Norfolk, Virginia

Buried:  Cedar Grove Cenglemetery, Norfolk, Virginia.

Entered U,S, Navy service as a midshipman on November 15, 1798.  became captain on July 28, 1813.

Served in the Quasi War with France, the First Barbary War and the War of 1812.

--Old B-R'er

The Blockade Runner Lelia That Didn't-- Part 6: Sinclair's Burial

Richard Taylor added that Federal forces had since occupied Norfolk, Virginia, and had  "ejected Mrs. Sinclair and her family from their home with great barbarity."

Captain Sinclair had lost his previous ship near Bermuda in 1864 before his voyage on the ill-fated Lelia and was said by Taylor to have been at the siege of Vicksburg.  His funeral took place on third June 1865 in Fleetwood and was attended by his two sons, Arthur Jnr and Terry.

His gravestone bears the inscription, "Sacred to the memory of Captain Arthur Sinclair of Norfolk Virginia who perished in the wreck of the Lelia--  January 14th, 1865.  Not lost but gone before."

In addition to Sinclair, Thomas Miller, Captain Skinner, Mr. Robson, J.B. Cropper an all the officers of the Lelia drowned--  only 12 were saved.

At the subsequent inquiry,  it was recorded that the Lelia was a well found ship but the fact that her four boats were without oarlocks contributed to the large loss of life..

--Old B-Runner

The Blockade Runner Lelia That Didn't-- Part 5" "Profits From His Exploits"

Continued from  the October 18, 2019, blog entry.  This from "When Liverpool was Dixie:The Sad Voyage of the Lelia The Blockade Runner that didn't."

An inquest as to the cause of the sinking was held at Fleetwood on June 2, 1865 at the Steamer Hotel.

In attendance were Richard Taylor, former Paymaster of the CSS Florida, the Confederate warship built at Millers yard.  Taylor was living in Liverpool at the time, following his release by federal authorities after being captured on board the Florida  when she was rammed in the port of Bahia, Brazil -- a violation of International Law.

He informed the committee that he identified the body for the police from the watch, clothing and accompanying documents that related to a 1300 pound deposit with Crenshaw and Company of Liverpool.

In a subsequent interview with a reporter of the Fleetwood Chronicle, Taylor said that Sinclair had left instructions, in the event of his death or capture, that 100 pounds be paid from this sum to each of his sons, the remainder to his wife.

According to Taylor, Sinclair had run the blockade successfully from Nassau to Wilmington on several occasions and this deposit was  presumably  profits from his exploits.

--Old B-Runner

The Blockade Runner Lelia That Didn't-- Part 4: Arthur Sinclair's Body Identified By His Watch

The two boats from the Lelia still afloat made for the lightship Prince, some six miles away, but one was sunk when it struck the ship.    Only twelve survivors got aboard the lightship.  They were able to signal the tug boat Blazer, who, the next morning was able to alert the life boat crews and while going to the scene of the sinking towing Life Boat #1 was swamped and only four of the 11 on board survived.

It was another day before the Lelia's survivors could be gotten from the lightship.

On May 31st, the body of Commander Arthur Sinclair, CSN, was found by a fishing boat some ten miles out to sea.  "His skeletal remains were still clothed, even to his cravat held in place by a gold and agate pin.  His overcoat  was still buttoned up and he had retained his pocket watch in his breast pocket," reported the Fleetwood Chronicle.

Ironically, the watch had stopped at 4:10--  approximately the time that the Lelia sank and helped lead to the identification of the body.  Liverpool police determined it was the one he had bought in Liverpool for the considerable sum of 40 pounds.

The watch chain and ornaments were gifts to Sinclair from Mr. Robson, who also died that night.

--Old B-Runner

Blockade Runner Lelia That Didn't-- Part 3: Huge Storm

Continued from earlier this month.

The Lelia was already low in the water because of her heavy cargo and the storm was getting worse.  This account of her last hours was put together from the few survivors of the sinking.

When the Lelia arrived off the Grand Orme, she had been running into the teeth of the storm for four hours.  Captain Skinner, fearing the weather would get worse and the more exposed run to decided to slow down and hoist the anchors inboard.

As the crew struggled to carry out the orders, a huge wave crashed into the ship, causing the pea of one of the anchors to crash through the deck.  Another huge wave crashed into the ship, washing away the iron of a scuttle and the ship began to fill with water.  With more waves crashing over the Lelia, the ship became unable to answer her helm.

By now the ship was helpless and drifting in the battering waves.  Her four boats were ordered to be lowered as confusion and panic set in.  Commander Sinclair,CSN, and the pilot were lowered in the first boat which was swamped as soon as hit the water.

The second and third boats were lowered and got away with about 30 men.  It is not known if the fourth boat got off before Captain Skinner was seen to go down with his ship.

--Old B-Runner

The Blockade Runner Lelia That Didn't-- Part 2: The Storm

On January 5, 1865, the Lelia sailed from the Mersey River with a 700 ton cargo of coal, iron and general merchandise and according to the Illustrated London News of 28 January, "would have taken a much more valuable  cargo in Bermuda to attempt to run  the blockade into Wilmington."

Her crew totalled  49, 20 of whom were engine room and several passengers which included Thomas Miller, a son of the builder and J.B. Cropper, a Liverpool merchant.    Also listed as passengers were a Mr. Robeson and Arthur Sinclair--  a commander in the Confederate Navy and a native of Virginia.

For this part of the journey, the Lelia was commanded by Captain Thomas Buxton Skinner.  Arthur Sinclair would take over for the run from Bermuda to Wilmington when the protection of the British flag would not have made her immune from Union blockading ships.

Soon after leaving the  Mersey, the winter weather turned nasty and as she headed for the Welsh coast the seas got worse.  Already running low because of her heavy cargo, the Lelia was in great danger.

--Old B-R'er

June 11, 1864: CSS Alabama Arrives in Cherbourg, France Prior To Her Battle With USS Kearsarge-- Part 1

JUNE 11TH, 1864:  CSS Alabama, Captain Semmes, badly in need of repairs, arrived at Cherbourg, France.  Lieutenant Arthur Sinclair, CSN, an officer on board the Confederate raider, later recorded his impressions upon entering this, her last port:

"We have cruised from the day of commission, August 24, 1862, to June 11, 1864, and during this time have visited two-thirds of the globe, experiencing all vicissitudes of climate and hardships attending constant cruising.

"We have had from the first to last two hundred and thirteen officers and men on the payroll, and have lost not one by disease, and but one by accidental death."

Of interest, besides the CSS Alabama-USS Kearsarge battle, Cherbourg was also a port visited by the RMS Titanic and was important in D-Day and the Normandy Campaign which I have been writing about in all my blogs to commemorate the 75th anniversary of it.

--Old B-Runner

Blockade Runner Lelia Founders

JANUARY 14TH, 1865:  Blockade Runner Lelia foundered off the mouth of the Mersey River, England.  Flag Officer Barron wrote Secretary Mallory from Paris: "The melancholy duty devolves  on me of reporting the death on the 14th instant, by drowning of Commander Arthur Sinclair and Gunner P.C. Cuddy, late of the Alabama."

Commander Hunter Davidson, learning of the accident while in Funchal, Madeira, early in February, commented: "What an awful thing the loss of the Lelia.  To death in battle we become reconciled, for it is not unexpected and leaves its reward; but such a death for poor Sinclair, after forty-two years' service...!"

Also, this date:  The USS Seminole captured schooner Josephine bound from Galveston to Matamoras with cargo of cotton.

--Old B-Runner