USS Maumee-- Part 1: At Fort Fisher

I wrote about the USS Maumee (AO-2) in both my Cooter's History Thing and Tattooed On Your Soul:  World War II blogs today.  This ship was commanded by William Victor Tomb during World War I and accomplished the first-ever successful mid-ocean refueling of destroyers.  The ship also fought in World War II.

William Victor Tomb was the son of James H. Tomb, who commanded the CSS David in its torpedo attack on the USS Memphis March 6, 1864.  I have written many posts about him in this blog.

While looking up the Maumee, I saw that there was a Civil War ship named that as well.  AND, it was at Fort Fisher, right up my alley.

The USS Maumee was 190 feet long,  29 foot beam, steam powered screw propeller and mounted seven guns:

one 100-pdr. Parrott rifle
one 30-pdr. Parrott rifle
four  24-pdr. guns
one  12-pdr. rifle

--Old B-Runner

James H. Tomb's Grave-- Part 2: Served in Brazilian Navy

James Hamilton Tomb (surname also known as Tombs) , born Florida, 1839

Declined appointment  as engineer in the U.S. Navy, April 23, 1861

Appointed 3rd Assistant Engineer, CSN

Captured on the Mississippi River, April 1862

Confined Fort Warren, Boston Harbor

1st Assistant Engineer commanding CSS David (described as a cigar torpedo steamer), 1864

Appointed Chief Engineer, Provisional Navy , January 7, 1864,  to rank from October 5, 1863

Attempted unsuccessfully, to destroy the USS Memphis, off Charleston, South Carolina, March 5, 1864

Served in the Brazilian Navy, 1866-1867

Also served, postwar, on the Norfolk and Western Railroad.

Died 1929, buried Evergreen Cemetery, Jacksonville, Florida.

Impressive List Here.  --Old B-Runner

James Hamilton Tomb, CSN-- Part 1: In the Confederate and Brazilian Navies

In the last post I wrote about James Tomb's attack on the USS Memphis on this date 155 years ago.  I'd never heard of him so did some further research.  There wasn't an article in Wikipedia on him.  He was an interesting character.

From the Google Books site.  He wrote a book about his service titles "Engineer in Gray:  Memoirs of Chief Engineer  James H. Tomb, CSN."

James Hamilton Tomb  (1839 to 1929)

Devoted almost 12 years of his early life to wartime naval service.  First, he was with the Confederate Navy in the American Civil War and then with the Marinha do Brasil (Brazilian Navy) in the War of the Triple Alliance.

He was a steam engineer by profession and became a  torpedo expert by circumstance.

--Old B-Runner

March 6, 1864: Tomb's David Attacks USS Memphis in S.C.

All of these 155 Years Ago are from Civil War Naval Chronology.

MARCH 6, 1864:  A Confederate "David" torpedo boat commanded by First Assistant Engineer James Hamilton Tomb, CSN, attacked the USS Memphis, Acting Master Robert O. Patterson, in the North Edisto River near Charleston.

The "David" was spotted some 50 yards to port and a heavy volley of musket fire directed at her, but Tomb held his small craft on course.  The spar torpedo containing 95 pounds of powder was thrust squarely against the Memphis' port quarter, about eight feet below the waterline, but failed to explode.

Tomb turned away and renewed the attack on the starboard quarter.  Again, the torpedo struck home, but this time only a glancing blow because the Memphis was now underway.  The two vessels collided, damaging the "David", and Tomb withdrew under heavy fire.

The faulty torpedo had prevented the brave Tomb from adding an 800-ton iron steamer to a growing list of victims.

--Old B-Runner

Confederate "David" Attack at Charleston

MARCH 6TH, 1864:

A Confederate "David" torpedo boat commanded by First Assistant Engineer Tomb, CSN, attacked the USS Memphis in the North Edisto River near Charleston, SC.

The "David" was sighted 50 yards to port and a heavy roll of musket fire directed at it but the ship continued course. The spar torpedo, containing 95 pounds of gunpowder was thrust directly against the Memphis about eight feet below the water, but failed to explode.

The David backed off and tried again on the other side. Again, it struck home, but only a glancing blow as the Memphis was now underway.

The two vessels collided with damage to the David. The torpedo again didn't explode and the Memphis was certainly one lucky ship.

--Old B-R'er