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

MCCWRT Discussion Set for February 24: Battle of the Ironclads at Hampton Roads

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table will be having its monthly discussion group on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Panera Bread Co. store in Crystal Lake, Illinois.  This month the topic will be "The Battle of the Ironclads at Hampton Roads.

It will be in person and on Zoom if we can get it up.

This battle between the CSS Virginia and USS Monitor changed naval warfare for ever. 

Everyone invited (even non-members).  All you need is an interest in history and especially the Civil War.  And we even stay on topic at times.

Panera Bread is located on US-14 (Northwest Highway) by Main Street.

We meet from 10 am to 11:30.

Come on Down.  --Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 7: LCSs and DDs Look Quite a Bit Like ....

Before I go any further, I happened to notice something while looking at side views of the USS Montgomery and other LCS ships as well as new destroyers.

These ships seem to incorporate parts of two Civil War ships.

Take a look online and make your guess.

Answer below.

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The superstructure of the ships reminds me of Confederate ironclads.  Take a look at the CSS Virginia, Tennessee or Albemarle.

And, every one of them has a gun mounted in a turret in the bow area, which would be the USS Monitor.

A Little Taste of the Civil War in Today's Navy.  --Old B-Runner

Civil War Navy Books by William N. Still

From GoodReads site.

Iron Afloat:  The Story of  the Confederate Armorclads

Confederate Shipbuilding

The Confederate Navy:  The Ships, Men and Organization

Ironclad  Captains:  Commanding Officers of the USS Monitor

Raiders and Blockaders

Monitor Builders:  A Historical  Study of the Principal Firms and Individuals Involved inthe Construction of the USS Monitor.

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Books he coauthored:

Two Years on the Alabama

Admiral of the New Empire:    The Life and Career of George Dewey. (Dewey was a navalofficer during the war and at Fort Fisher.

Captain  James Carlin:  Anglo-American Blockade Runner

Quite a Lengthy List.  --Old B-Runner

Death of Noted Civil War Navy Author William Still-- Part 2

While at East Carolina University, he founded and served as  the Director of  the Maritime  History and Nautical Archaeology Program.  

He was also instrumental in numerous  underwater  archaeological projects such as  those on the USS Monitor, CSS Alabama and Confederate submarine Hunley.

"Doc,"  as he was often known to his graduate students, was a mentor, advisor and friend.

When he retired from East Carolina in 1994, he and his wife relocated to Hawaii.

He authored or co-wrote dozens of books and publications focused on naval history from the Civil War to World War II.

Up until two weeks before his death, he was  actively researching and writing the last installation of his series for the Secretary of the Navy that began with  "Crisis at Sea and Victory Without Peace," focused on U.S. naval forces withdrawal following World War I.

Mr. Still was the recipient of many honors in the book field

He and his wife returned to Greenville, N.C., in 2008, but continued spending winter months in Hawaii and summer in North Carolina.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Passaic-- Part 2: In Same Storm That Sank the USS Monitor

This is continuing with my RoadTrippin' Thru History with Edward Simpson who commanded the ship during the fighting at Charleston, S.C., in 1863.

Boiler problems along the way from New York caused a stop at the Washington Navy Yard for repairs.  While there, President Lincoln and his cabinet inspected the ship on December 6, 1862.  On December 29, she sailed from Hampton Roads in the company of the original USS Monitor.

They encountered rough weather off Cape Hatteras and the USS Monitor sank.  The Passaic survived the storm and reached Beaufort, S.C., safely on January 1, 1863.

Her first assignement was to patrol off  Wassau Sound, Georgia, where she captured the schooner Glide, a blockade runner loaded with cotton.

By now, the other Passaic-class monitors had been completed and joined the Passaic at Wassau Sound.  Admiral DuPont decided to test the ability of the monitors agains enemy fortifications and ordered an attack on Fort McAllister, Georgia.

--Old B-Runner

Still RoadTrippin' Thru History: Admiral Edward Simpson

This all started with an article about a watch given to Alban Stimers by the U.S. president for his work on the USS Monitor and other monitors that is still in possession of his great-granddaughter.  Alban Stimers is buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.  As part of RoadTrippin' I also take a look at others buried there.

Here is another one buried there and with a Civil War connection (even a monitor one).

EDWARD SIMPSON

BIRTH:  3 March 1824, New York City

DEATH:  1 December 1888  (aged 64),   Washington, D.C.

BURIAL:   Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York City.

--Old B-Runner

RoadTrippin' Thru History: Cypress Hills Cemetery

I have been RoadTrippin' Thru History on Alban C. Stimers, a Chief Engineer in the Union Navy, especially in regards to the USS Monitor and many other monitors.  It all started with an article about his great-great granddaughter who had a watch given him by the president of the United States in thanks for his work on monitors.

Then, I wrote about him.  The other day I found that he was buried at Cypress Hill Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.  Whenever I find where a person is buried I go to that cemetery site and look to see if any other people of note or interest are buried there as well.  

This is all part of my RoadTrippin' Through History that I do in my blogs.  I start off with one story and keep looking to see where the story might take me.

In the next post I will write about some interesting people I found buried at Cypress Hill Cemetery.  Two of them was a well-known actress from the 1930s and a baseball player who broke the MLB Color Barrier.

--Old B-R'er

Alban Stimers' Grave

From Find-A-Grave.

BIRTH:  5 June 1827, Peterboro, New York   I also saw Smithfield, New York, as his birth place.

DEATH:  3 June 1876,  Staten Island, New York

BURIAL:  Cypress Hills Cemetery,   Brooklyn, New York

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Superintendent of the Ericsson's Btry. Project 10/4/1861, in which he oversaw the construction of the USS Monitor.

Served as a "technical passenger" during the ship's trial run from New York to Hampton Roads, Virginia,  3/6-8/1862.

Operated the turret during the battle with the CSS Virginia 3/9/1862 during which, he was thrown to the floor when a shell hit the turret while he was leaning his hand against it.

--Old B-Runner

Alban C. Simers, USN-- Part 2: Action with the Monitor and Passaic-Class Monitors

Though not a formal member of the USS Monitor's crew Stimers took part in her difficult trip from New York  to Hampton Roads, Virginia, and served on board during her historic battle with the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia on 9 March 1862, known as the Battle of Hampton Roads.

Much of the success  that happened in these two events was due to his inspired work, and Chief Engineer Stimers continued an intimate associate with the Navy's ironclad building program for much of the rest of the Civil War.

In 1862-1863, Stimers again worked with John Ericsson during the building of the next class of monitor-type ironclads, the Passaic-class.  

He accompanied these ships during their early operations against the Confederacy, most notably the 7 April bombardment of Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, and helped repair them after the action.

--Old B-Runner

Alban C. Stimers, USN-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

ALBAN CROCKER STIMERS

(June 5, 1827-June 3, 1876)

Was a Chief Engineer with the U.S. Navy.  He assisted with the design of the Navy's first ironclad, the USS Monitor, and later with the design of the  Passaic-class monitors.   His later career was marred by the scandal that enveloped the Casco-class monitors after they were found to be unseaworthy.

Stimers was born in New York in 1827.  He entered the U.S. Navy as a Third Assistant Engineer in January 1849 and became a Chief Engineer in July 1858.  He served in the steam frigate USS Roanoke during the early months of the Civil War and later in 1861 was assigned to work with John Ericsson on the construction of the ironclad USS Monitor.

--Old B-Runner

Her Great-Great-Grandfather was USS Monitor Chief Engineer Alban Stimers-- Part 2

Carol Miller, of New Jersey,  moved with her parents to Morada after retirement.

"I remember playing at my grandparents' home when I was a kid and there was a pocket watch under a glass dome," Miller said.  "I never though much about it.  What kid cares about a pocket watch?  Later,  I learned that it was a gift given to my great-great grandfather by the president -- Grant, I think, because he helped win the Civil War."

The pocket watch went to an uncle's family because he was the oldest sibling.

At the event, Carol Miller had a photo of Alban Stimers, a booklet about the USS Monitor with a picture of  his name in a stone at the  Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia, and a model of the ship as well as a picture  of the battle between the Monitor and Virginia.

"He went in to the battle as 'an observer' " Miller said.  "But it got messy real quick and when a gunner was killed, he had to take over.  He knew every bolt  on that ship."

Hopefully she will donate the watch to the Mariners' Museum.

--Old B-Runner

Her Great-Great-Grandfather Was Chief Engineer on USS Monitor: Alban Stimers

From the November 29, 2022, Victoria  Advocate (Texas) "A walk down memory lane:  Morada residents showcase fascinating personal memorabilia" by Tamara Diaz.

Morada resident Carol Miller is shown in a photograph holding a pamphlet about the USS Monitor on which her great-great-grandfather, Alban Stimers, was chief engineer.

It was a "Cheesebox on a Raft" that helped the Union win the Civil War, claiming a Union victory when things were looking bleak.  (Well, it wasn't so much of a victory as a draw.)

The  USS Monitor was the first ironclad ship successfully deployed by the Union Navy and defeated the Confederate casemate ironclad CSS Virginia.  (Well, it was more of a draw, but the Monitor did stop the Virginia from destroying the rest of the Union fleet in Hampton Roads.)

Carol Miller shared her family's connection to the famous ship at a a meeting of Walk Down History program put on by the residents at the Morada Victoria East Independent Living Community. that showcased items from their family history.

--Old B-Runner

While on the Subject of Shipwrecks-- Part 2

4.  A SHIPWRECK CAN LINGER FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY

The iconic Civil War ironclad USS Monitor was built to withstand intense naval battles when it was launched in 1862.  But its design -- advanced for its time--  was still not enough to help the vessel withstand the tracherous winter storms off the coast of North Carolina on New Year's Eve that same year.

The resulting shipwreck has been intensely researched since it was rediscovered in 1973.  In 2002, the Monitor's turret was recovered in a joint U.S. Navy and NOAA mission, it still held the skeletal remains of two of the 16 men who lost their lives on the vessel 140 years earlier.

--Old B-Runner

20th Anniversary of Monitor's Turret Recovery-- Part 3

The recovery, preservation and display of the USS Monitor turret has been a tremendous success.  Howard H. Hoege III, President and CEO of  the Mariner's Museum, told Bay  Bulletin, "About two thirds of our visitors report that that the USS Monitor exhibit was the best part of their visit to the museum.  Last week, we had a French film crew here to document our conservation of the USS Monitor."

Preservation of the turret is ongoing.  According to Hoege,  "No one has ever conducted a restoration of this scale before, so we don't know exactly how long it will take.  The next step will be to turn  the turret over (it is upside down now), remove the top, and continue treatment of the two separate parts."

Originally, the thought was to raise the entire ship, but its hull was too far gone for any attempt to be made.

In addition, there is a full scale model of the Monitor on the Mariners' Museum grounds.

--Old B-Runner

20th Anniversary of Recovery of USS Monitor's Turret-- Part 2

From the August 2, 2022, Chesapeake Bay Magazine"Anniversary celebration: Ironclad Civil War  ship's turret pulled from the ocean" by Kendall Osborne.

It was 20 years ago this week that the turret of the famous USS Monitor was pulled off the ocea floor of North Carolina.

The ship of course, had that famous battle with the ironclad CSS Vorginia at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on March 9, 1862, and then  sank the last day of 1862 before being found in August 1973.  Exploration and recovery  began with smaller pars of the ship being brought up like the propeller.  The largest piece broke  the surface of the Atlantic Ocean on August 5, 2002, the turret and was taken to the Mariners' Museum for preservation.

The recovery of the turret was no small feat.  It took 41 days and 160 divers, mostly from the U.S. Navy, to get the turret to the surface, and it has since most of the last twenty years in an Electrolyte Reduction (ER) System in a 90,000 gallon tank to keep it protected.

--Old B-Runner

20th Anniversary Celebration Today at Mariners' Museum for Recovery of the Monitor's Turret

From the Chesapeake Bay Magazine.

The Mariners' Museum in Virginia, which is also the home and offices of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary (MNMS), will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Moniior' turret recovery today, August 6.

There will be a scavenger hunt and visitors of all ages can dig through concretion (the goop that surrounds artifacts on the sea floor) to find additional artifacts. (That sounds really neat to me.)

Representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will guide visitors through a virtual dive to the wreck of the Monitor through virtual reality headsets.  There will be additional personnel throughout the museum to give visitors additional and interesting  information about specific exhibits.

At 11 am, Dr. John Broadwater, the former superintendent of the MNMS, will describe how the national marine sanctuary, NOAA, the Navy, The Mariners' Museum and other agencies recovered the Monitor's turret and other artifacts.

After lunch, Will Hoffman, director of conservation and chief conservator, will discuss efforts to preserve the turret over the last twenty years.  He will also discuss the 220 tons of other recovered artifacts from the site.

Sure Wish I Could Be There.  --Old B-Runner

Timby and the Monitor Blog

Also included in the Timby and the Monitor blog was a drawing of what Theodore Timby believed his revolving turret would look like on a ship.  The one he designed also had a low freeboard and looked a whole like Ericsson's Monitor.  Only, the pilot house was on top of the turret instead of on the deck.

This was sent to China in 1842 at the suggestion of Caleb Cushing, whom I have written about in this blog as the name of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Charles Read was going to attack in Portland, Maine, was named after him.

Another drawing in the blog showed how the turret was to turn.  Also a cutaway of the turret tower which had three levels.

There was also a patent for an  improvement in Timby's Revolving  Battery-Towers.

--Old B-Runner

Theodore Walcott Dickes, Great Great Grandson of Thedore Timby-- Part 2

They had many dear friends among their neighbors.  He loved to sail.  He was a great reader and late in life began a writing career.  In 2005, he published "Virginia - Who Is She" a memoir of his wife.

He was at work on a non-fiction  work on the life of his ancestor Theodore Timby, inventor and writer, who created the revolving turret design on the Civil War era "Monitor" battleship.  (Well, ironclad.  But revolving turrets were used on U.S. warships and around the world from the Civil War to even the current ships.)

Theodore was a beautiful, caring man who gave unconditional  love and support to his wife and children, always.  He showed great generosity and respect to everyone he met.  On his final holiday in Venice, standing tall and white-haired on a balcony above the Grand Canal, passing tourists on the canal waved at  at what they took to be a count at home on his terrace.

His urn will be placed next to his wife Virginia's at Riverside Cemetery in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.  May they rest together in peace forever.

Theodore's family and friends  will be invited to a  graveside ceremony in May.

It is too bad he didn't get a chance to finish the book on Theodore Timby.

Published in the Hartford (CT.) Courant on April 4, 2010.

The Timby and the Monitor Blog-- Part 6: 'The Duplicity of Ericsson'

When Ericsson's vessel was completed it was quickly recognized as Theodore Timby's  turreted, low freeboard ship concept which he had  modeled and exhibited in New York as early as 1843.

Despite high levels of protest by military and political principals of the times and others who knew, duplicity of Ericsson in high places, and a government acting in denial of its own official records, Timby's revolutionary design became famous as the Civil War USS Monitor, but in history, alas to the credit and fame of the wrong man.

Of course, these are the words of Theodore Walcott Dickes, great -great grandson of Theodore Timby.  He definitely has an axe to grind and rightfully so.  Until I came across that article about seeing the remains of the USS Monitor at the Mariners' Museum and under Monitor designers saw the names of Ericsson and Timby, I had never heard of Theodore Timby.

That is why I have been writing about this the last several weeks.

--Old B-Runner