Showing posts with label USS Underwriter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Underwriter. Show all posts
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Action in North Carolina February 1864-- Part 1: Feb. 1-7
155 Years Ago.
FEB. 1-3-- Skirmish at Beech Grove and Batchelder's Creek, near New Bern.
FEB. 2-- Capture and destruction of USS Underwriter at New Bern.
FEB. 2-- Destruction of blockade runner Wild Dayrell near New Topsail Inlet.
FEB. 2-- Skirmish at Bogue Sound Block House.
FEB. 2--Skirmish at Newport Barracks.
FEB. 4-5-- Pursuit and destruction of blockade runner Nutfield.
FEB. 6-- Skirmish at Newport Barracks.
FEB. 6-- Destruction of blockade runner Dee near Masonboro Inlet.
FEB. 7-- Affair at Waccamo Neck.
--Old B-Runner
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
USS Stars and Stripes-- Part 2: Service Off North Carolina
After commissioning, the USS Stars and Stripes was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and arrived at Hampton Roads 26 September 1861. Two days later it towed schooners of the Great Stone Fleet to Hatteras Inlet. It arrived October 1 and then operated in the that vicinity for the next several months.
During that time, Lt. Reed Werden was also in charge of the USS Ceres, General Putnam and Underwriter. Because of the drafts of the Stats and Stripes and the Underwriter, Werden refused to allow these two ships to enter shallow Pamlico Sound.
On 2 November, the Stars and Stripes fought a Confederate gunboat, but neither ship was within each other's range so no damage done.
On November 5 and 6, 1861, the ships under Werden's command attempted to provide assistance to the French corvette Prony, which had run aground, but weather and Confederate activity prevented them from doing so and the ship was lost.
On 15 December, the Stars and Stripes captured the schooner Charity and sent it to New York City for adjudication.
--Old B-Runner
During that time, Lt. Reed Werden was also in charge of the USS Ceres, General Putnam and Underwriter. Because of the drafts of the Stats and Stripes and the Underwriter, Werden refused to allow these two ships to enter shallow Pamlico Sound.
On 2 November, the Stars and Stripes fought a Confederate gunboat, but neither ship was within each other's range so no damage done.
On November 5 and 6, 1861, the ships under Werden's command attempted to provide assistance to the French corvette Prony, which had run aground, but weather and Confederate activity prevented them from doing so and the ship was lost.
On 15 December, the Stars and Stripes captured the schooner Charity and sent it to New York City for adjudication.
--Old B-Runner
Monday, February 17, 2014
John Taylor Wood's Been a Busy Man
FEBRUARY 15TH, 1864:
The Confederate Congress tendered a thanks to Commander John Taylor Wood, his officers and men "for the daring and brilliantly executed plans which resulted in the capture of the United States transport schooner Elmore, on the Potomac River; of the sloop Allegeheny...and the United States transport schooners Golden Rod, Coquette and Two Brothers, on the Chesapeake; and more recently, in the capture from under the guns of the enemy's works of the United States gunboat Underwriter, on the Neuse River, near New Berne, North Carolina, with the officers and crews of the several vessels brought off as prisoners."
The South's Answer to Cushing. --Old B-R'er
The Confederate Congress tendered a thanks to Commander John Taylor Wood, his officers and men "for the daring and brilliantly executed plans which resulted in the capture of the United States transport schooner Elmore, on the Potomac River; of the sloop Allegeheny...and the United States transport schooners Golden Rod, Coquette and Two Brothers, on the Chesapeake; and more recently, in the capture from under the guns of the enemy's works of the United States gunboat Underwriter, on the Neuse River, near New Berne, North Carolina, with the officers and crews of the several vessels brought off as prisoners."
The South's Answer to Cushing. --Old B-R'er
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Daring Confederate Raid: USS Underwriter Captured and Destroyed-- Part 2
Unable to move the Underwriter because the steam wasn't up, Wood destroyed her under fire of nearby Union batteries (New Bern was an occupied town).
He later wrote Col. Lloyd J. Beall, Commandant of the Confederate Marine Corps, commending the Marines who had taken part in the expedition: "Though their duties were more arduous than those of the others, they were always prompt and ready for the performance of all they were called upon to do. As a body they would be a credit to any organization, and I will be glad to be associated with them on duty at any time."
Lt. George W. Gift, CSN, who took part in what Secretary Mallory termed "this brilliant exploit," remarked: "I am all admiration for Wood. he is modesty personified, conceives boldly and executes with skill and courage."
Quite a Feat. Sounds Like A Cushing. --Old B-Runner
He later wrote Col. Lloyd J. Beall, Commandant of the Confederate Marine Corps, commending the Marines who had taken part in the expedition: "Though their duties were more arduous than those of the others, they were always prompt and ready for the performance of all they were called upon to do. As a body they would be a credit to any organization, and I will be glad to be associated with them on duty at any time."
Lt. George W. Gift, CSN, who took part in what Secretary Mallory termed "this brilliant exploit," remarked: "I am all admiration for Wood. he is modesty personified, conceives boldly and executes with skill and courage."
Quite a Feat. Sounds Like A Cushing. --Old B-Runner
Monday, February 3, 2014
Daring Confederate Raid: USS Underwriter Captured and Destoyed-- Part 1
FEBRUARY 2, 1864:
Early in the morning, a Confederate boat expedition planned and boldly led by Commander John Taylor Wood, CSN, captured and destroyed the 4-gun sidewheel steamer USS Underwriter, Acting Master Jacob Westervelt, anchored in the Neuse River near New Bern, North Carolina.
The boats used by the Confederates had been shipped by rail from Petersburg, Va., to Kinston, NC, and from there started down the Neuse. Wood, grandson of President Taylor and nephew of Jefferson Davis, silently approached the Underwriter about 2:30 a.m. and was within 100 yards of the gunboat before being spotted.
Underwriter's guns could not be brought to bear on Wood and his men quickly boarded and took her in hand-to-handcombat, during which, Westervelt was killed.
Definitely a Cushing Thing.
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
Early in the morning, a Confederate boat expedition planned and boldly led by Commander John Taylor Wood, CSN, captured and destroyed the 4-gun sidewheel steamer USS Underwriter, Acting Master Jacob Westervelt, anchored in the Neuse River near New Bern, North Carolina.
The boats used by the Confederates had been shipped by rail from Petersburg, Va., to Kinston, NC, and from there started down the Neuse. Wood, grandson of President Taylor and nephew of Jefferson Davis, silently approached the Underwriter about 2:30 a.m. and was within 100 yards of the gunboat before being spotted.
Underwriter's guns could not be brought to bear on Wood and his men quickly boarded and took her in hand-to-handcombat, during which, Westervelt was killed.
Definitely a Cushing Thing.
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
Saturday, February 1, 2014
150 Years Ago-- February 1st-2nd, 1864: Capture of USS Underwriter
FEBRUARY 1ST, 1864:
Army expedition assisted by Navy was driven off by Confederates near Smithfield, Virginia, with loss of Army gunboat Smith Briggs.
** USS Sassacus captured blockade-runner Wild Dayrell aground at Stump Inlet, NC. He was unable to float her, so burned it.
FEBRUARY 2ND:
U.S. Tug Geranium captured eight members of the Confederate Torpedo Corps off Fort Moultrie in Charleston Harbor while they were attempting to remove stores from a grounded blockade-runner.
** Also this date, in a daring morning attack, a Confederate boat expedition led by Cmdr. John Taylor Wood, CSN, captured the USS Underwriter anchored in the Neuse River near New Bern. I'll write about it Monday.
Lt. Wood Is the Confederacy's Cushing--Old B-R'er
Army expedition assisted by Navy was driven off by Confederates near Smithfield, Virginia, with loss of Army gunboat Smith Briggs.
** USS Sassacus captured blockade-runner Wild Dayrell aground at Stump Inlet, NC. He was unable to float her, so burned it.
FEBRUARY 2ND:
U.S. Tug Geranium captured eight members of the Confederate Torpedo Corps off Fort Moultrie in Charleston Harbor while they were attempting to remove stores from a grounded blockade-runner.
** Also this date, in a daring morning attack, a Confederate boat expedition led by Cmdr. John Taylor Wood, CSN, captured the USS Underwriter anchored in the Neuse River near New Bern. I'll write about it Monday.
Lt. Wood Is the Confederacy's Cushing--Old B-R'er
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