Maybe This Is the Blockade Runner Dan?-- Part 2

In the afternoon of January 7, 1864,  both the Aries and Montgomery left for their blockade stations and the rebel steamer was boarded by the Mangham's  executive officer, who reported that some of the ship's cargo was still aboard.

Collins did not deem it advisable to stay around any longer as night was approaching and did not make any effort to get any of the cargo.  The Union ship then set sail to get farther outside and just after they sailed a short distance, the rebel steamer  exploded with a great crash.  He believed that the fires set by  Union forces the day before had reached her powder.

During the day, groups of rebel cavalry were seen at various points along the beach but no resistance made by them.

So, Was This the Blockade Runner Dan?  --Old B-Runner

Maybe This Is the Blockade Runner Dan?-- Part 1

Again, finding out about this blockade runner is not easy.  However, I came across this entry in the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and the parameters seem to fit the hapless steamer Dan.

Page 224

Report of Acting Master John Collins, Jr., U.S. Navy, commanding  U.S.  schooner  George Mangham, regarding  the destruction of a blockade runner at Lockwood's Folly Inlet, January 7, 1864.

On the afternoon of the 7th, a sail was spotted and the George Mangham got underway and discovered it was a blockade runner being closely pursued by the  U.S. steamers Aries and Montgomery and that it had run ashore.  The U.S. ships sent  boats  in after her.  These boats lost a number of men, including one boat from the Montgomery.

The next moring, the George Mangham was requested to cover a second landing at the blockade runner with the purpose of bringing her off the beach.  The Mangham anchored close in and shelled the beach and rebel steamer at intervals during the morning.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montgomery-- Part 3: Destroying and Capturing Blockade Runners

**  JANUARY 7, 1864

The USS Montgomery, Lieutenant Edward H. Faucon, and USS Aries, Lieutenant Edward F. Devens, chased blockade runner Dare.  The steamer, finding escape impossible, was beached at North Inlet, South Carolina, and was abandoned by her crew.

Boat crews from both the Montgomery and Aries boarded but, failing to refloat the prize, set her afire.

**  FEBRUARY 16, 1864

The USS Montgomery, Acting Lieutenant Faucon, seized blockade running British steamer Pet off Lockwood's Folly Inlet, North Carolina.

**OCTOBER 10, 1864

The USS Montgomery, Lieutenant Faucon, captured blockade running British steamer Bat near Wilmington with cargo of coal and machinery.

Getting Some Prize Money.  --Old B-Runner

The Blockade Runners Dare and Queen of the Wave Meet Their Demise

From Oceanfront  Vacation Rentals.

The Civil War blockade runner Dare was chased for miles by Federals before it ran aground at North Inlet near Georgetown.  The captain evacuated the passengers and crew and set fore to the ship to keep it out of enemy hands.

Days later, a federal party of 25 men boarded the ship to attempt to salvage what they could and were surprised by three Confederates who overwhelmed them and took them prisoner.

This was the blockade runner that the USS Montgomery, under Lt. Edward H. Faucon, and the USS Aries chased ashore and destroyed.

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

Another blockade runner, the Queen of the Waves, ran aground in the North Santee River and her captain set her afire.  Federal forces boarded her the next day and found seven Confederate soldiers of the Waccamaw Light Artillery hard at work salvaging the cargo.

This time, the Federals took the Confederates prisoner and destroyed the Queen of the Waves with explosives.

--Old B-Runner

Edward H. Faucon and USS Montgomery Capture the Dare

From American Civil War High Command:  January 7, 1864

SOUTH CAROLINA:  

The USS Montgomery, Lt. Edward H. Faucon,  and the USS Aries, Lt. Edward F. Devins, chased the blockade runner Dare.  The steamer was beached at North Inlet (near Georgetown, S.C.) and  abandoned by her crew.

Boat crews from the USS Montgomery and USS Aries boarded  but failed to salvage the prize and it was burned.

--Old B-Runner

February 11, 1865: Attack On Half Moon Battery, NC

FEBRUARY 11TH, 1865:  The USS Keystone State, Aries, Montgomery, Howquah, Emma and Vicksburg engaged Half Moon battery, situated on the coastal flank of the Confederate defense line which crossed the Cape Fear Peninsula, six miles above Fort Fisher.

The bombardment contained General Hoke's division while General Schofield's troops moved up the beach and behind their rear.  Deteriorating weather, however, prevented the landing of pontoons, and Schofield withdrew his troops to the Fort Fisher lines.

Porter's gunboats also engaged the west bank batteries.

--Old B-Runner

July 17, 1863: Dahlgren Is Preparing for Renewed Attack on Fort Wahner

JULY 17TH, 1863:  Rear Admiral Dahlgren, preparing to renew the attack on Fort Wagner, wrote Secretary Welles about his critical shortage of men in his squadron.  Men were being required to bombard by day and blockade by night.

The Admiral asked for 500 Marines:  "There will be occasion for them."

On July 28 Welles informed Dahlgren that the USS Aries had departed Boston with 200 men and upon her return from Charleston would bring 200 more sailors from New York to him.  He added, "A battalion of marines, about 400 in number, will leave New York on the steamer Arago on Friday next."

Old B-Runner

Spring Flooding on James River-- Part 2

MARCH 5, 1865:  The next morning, March 5th, Glisson replied to the secretary: "Your telegram was received this morning at fifteen minutes after midnight; blowing a gale of wind at the time.  The USS Aries sailed at daylight this morning.  The monitors are expected every moment from Cape Fear, and I shall send them up the river immediately."

One of the monitors from the southern stations, the USS Sangamon, arrived in Hampton Roads that afternoon and sped up the James--a quick response to Grant's request.  Within several days three additional monitors joined the Union James River squadron.

--Old B-R'er

Union Ships Attack Half Moon Battery Above Fort Fisher

FEBRUARY 11TH, 1865:  The USS Keystone State, Aries, Montgomery, Howquah, Emma and Vicksburg engaged Half Moon Battery, situated on the coastal flank of the Confederate defense line (by present-day Carolina Beach) which crossed the Cape Fear Peninsula six miles above Fort Fisher.

This bombardment contained General Hoke's division while General Schofield's troops moved up along the beach and got behind the Confederates.

Deteriorating weather conditions, however, prevented the landing of the pontoons, and Schofield withdrew his troops back to the Fort Fisher lines.

In the meantime, Porter's ships in the Cape Fear River engaged the west bank batteries.

--Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago-- Dec. 5-6, 1863: USS Weehawken Sinks

DECEMBER 5TH:   Boat crew from the USS Perry is captured while reconnoitering Murrell's Inlet, SC, to determine if there was ship outfitting there to run the blockade. Another boat crew from the USS T.A. Ward had also been captured in the area a couple months earlier.

Dahlgren isn't happy about this, but added: "These blunders are very annoying, and yet I do not like to discourage enterprise and dash on the part of out officers and men. Better to suffer from the excess than the deficiencies of these qualities."

DECEMBER 6TH: The monitor USS Weehawken sank while tied up to a buoy inside the bar at Charleston Harbor. The ship had recently taken on an extra load of heavy ammunition which reduced the freeboard forward considerably. The pumps were unable to handle the rush of water and the ship sank quickly, drowning some two dozen officers and sailors.

**  USS Violet and Aries sighted blockade-running steamer Ceres aground and burning at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, NC. During the night the Ceres floated free, the flames being extinguished, and was seized by the Violet.

Oh Boy, Prize Money. --Old B-R'er