Another of Charles Mallory's Brothers Was Brigadier General in U.S. Army: John Skinner Mallory

From Find-A-Grave.

JOHN SKINNER MALLORY

BORN: 1 November 1857, Hampton City, Virginia

DIED:  2 February 1932, aged 74, Lexington, Virginia

BURIED:  Saint Johns  Church Cemetery, Hampton, Virginia. 

Brigadier  General, U.S. Army.

--Old Secesh

Some More on Charles K. Mallory: A Benjamin Butler Connection?

Midshipman Charles Mallory was the son and namesake of Charles K. Mallory, a lawyer, plantation owner and militia colonel of Hampton, Virginia.  In May 1861, three of the senior Mallory slaves, Frank Baker, Sheppard Mallory and James Townsend, escaped to Union lines.

Their return was demanded of the Union commander in the area, General Benjamin Butler, under the terms of the Fugitive Slave Act.

Butler refused stating that since Virginia had claimed independence the Act did not apply.  And, because Virginia was at war with the United States, the runaway slaves, legally being "chattel property" were now "contraband of war."

So, that's where all that comes from.

--Old B-R'er

William D. Hudgins, CSN, at Fort Fisher

From "Confederate Fort Fisher:  A Roster 1864-1865" by Richard H. Triebe.

WILLIAM D. HUDGINS     (I've seen his middle name most often as E..

1st Lieutenant

Confederate States Navy

Joined May 26, 1863, from Matthews County, Virginia.  Age unknown.

Duty on the CSS Savannah.

Wounded in mouth by a shell fragment while defending the Sea Face of Fort Fisher.

Captured.  Prison at Fort Monroe, Virginia.

Exchanged April 26, 1865.

--Old B-Runner

See the Remains of the USS Monitor-- Part 4: About the Museum

Her resting place is now at the  Mariner's Museum in Newport News, Virginia.  This is located only a few miles from where the Monitor fought the CSS Virginia  in that legendary battle (The Battle of Hampton Roads).  The relics of the ship make up the heart of the museum's USS Monitor Center. The exhibit is dedicated to the USS Monitor and the strategies, people, technology and science behind its tale.

VISITING THE MARINER'S MUSEUM

The museum is open every day during normal business hours and admission is a token $1.  For another $6, visitors can upgrade their admission tickets to include a 3D documentary movie at the Explorers' Theater.  The documentaries that they show are not necessarily about the Monitor, but often about the batural world.

OPEN:   Daily

MUSEUM HOURS:   9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESS:  The Mariners' Museum and  Park, 100  Museum Dr., Newport News, Virginia.

PHONE:  (757) 596-2222.

--Old B-Monitor

Fort Clifton, Virginia

From Wikipedia.

Fort Clifton Archaeological  Site is a historical Civil War fort located at Fort Clifton Park in Colonial Heights, Virginia.

The park itself is the site of Confederate Fort Clifton on the Appomattox River, where five Union ships attacked on June 11, 1864.

The Confederate Battery, with cannon emplacements, remained in Confederate hands as the fort's cannons drove the Union ships away.

The park has earthworks that criss-cross the property.  Fort Clifton Park has hiking trails and Civil War campaign signs.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

--Old B-Runner

USS New York (LPD-21)-- Part 2: Her Sister Ships Also Named for 9/11 Sites

On 9 September 2004, Gordon R. England, then Secretary of Defense,  announced that two of the USS New York's sister ships would be named Arlington and Somerset in commemoration of the places where two other planes used in the attacks came down:  Arlington County, Virginia, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

A symbolic amount of steel from the World Trade Center after it was destroyed during the 9/11 attacks, was used in the construction of the New York.

The ship is the first built designed fully from the CAD-screen up to support both  of the Marine primary capabilities, LCAC  landing craft and MV-22B Osprey aircraft.

The contract to build the ship was awarded to Northrop  Grumman Ship Systems of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2003 and was under construction when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.

April 17, 1865: Lincoln's Assassin Reported To Be in Vicinity of Point Lookout

APRIL 17TH, 1865:  Acting Master J.H. Eldridge, USS Delaware, reported that information had been received that the murderer of the President was in the vicinity of Point Lookout, Maryland.

Secretary Welles promptly ordered the Commanding Officer of Naval Force, Hampton Roads, to send all available vessels to assist in the blockade of the eastern shore of Virginia and Maryland from Point Lookout to Baltimore.

--Old B-Runner

April 16, 1865: Looking for Lincoln's Assassin

APRIL 16TH, 1865:  Secretary of the Navy Welles directed:  "To prevent the escape of the assassin who killed the President and attempted the life of the Secretary of State, search every vessel that arrived down the bay.

"Permit no vessel to go to sea without such search, and arrest and send to Washington any suspicious persons."

Response was immediate; ships took stations "on the coast of Maryland and Virginia."

--Old B-Runner

Mariner's Museum Commemorates the 158th Anniversary of the Battle of Hampton Roads

From the March 2, 2020, 13 News Now, Hampton Roads, Virginia.

The battle between the two ironclads changed naval architecture forever and altogether resulted in more U.S. Navy deaths in a single battle until Pearl Harbor.

This weekend, Saturday March 7, re-enactors of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas will be on hand

Plus, Tidewater Living History Association will bring to life through demonstrations and story telling.

Information will be given about the crews of both the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia.  That night, History Bites will be back for a 7th year.  Beginning at 6:30 pm, Hampton Roads' top restaurants will prepare their best efforts at making 19th century foods for the honor of receiving the Cast Iron Skillet  Award.

Cost of the food extravaganza is $30 for members and $40 for non-members, but you get unlimited tastes.

Better Hurry Up and See the Role the CSS Virginia Played Before Certain People Have It Removed.

Sign Me Up For The Tasting.  --Old B-Runner

Mariner's Museum in Virginia Boring the USS Monitor's Guns

From the February 26, 2020, Daily  Press (Va,)  "Mariner's Museum bores gun of USS Monitor, takes major step  toward displaying ironclad's weapons" by Josh Reyes.

Eric Farrell didn't mind the  black water pouring on him as he peered down the bore of an eight-ton Dahlgren cannon as he kept the drill steady that was eating into the cannon.

The gun had set in a chemical bath at the museum for several years and for 140 years before that, it sat on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.  And, before that, it was in the rotating turret of the USS Monitor in its epic fight with the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia.

Tuesday was the first time he and the others in his group were able to use that one-of--kind drill to clear out silt, coal and other debris that had accumulated over the years.  Next week they plan to start on the second cannon.

Once the two cannons are bored out scientists will see how much salt still remains in each barrel and then chemically extract it.

Boring into these mammoth guns is no easy job.  Each weighs nearly eight tons and are 11 feet long with an opening 11 inches across.

At one point in the boring, something hard was encountered and there was a momentary thought it might be the ship's cat which according to one story was placed in the gun as the ship sank.  It turned out to be apiece of a crab.

Oh, Well, No Cat But Crab.  --Old B-Runner

The USS Vanderbilt and Abraham Lincoln

From the February 12, 2020, Portsmouth Press "As we remember the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, we'd like to share a story about...."

This is about Lincoln's collaborations with Cornelius Vanderbilt.

When the Civil War began in 1861, Vanderbilt attempted to donate his largest steamship, the Vanderbilt, to the Union Navy.  But, Secretary Gideon Welles refused it, thinking its operation and maintenance  too expensive for what he thought would be a short war.

Vanderbilt had little choice but to lease it to the War Department, at prices set by war brokers.

When the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia wrought havoc on the Union Navy at Hampton Roads, Virginia, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and Abraham Lincoln called on Vanderbilt for help.  This time, Vanderbilt  succeeded in donating his ship, the Vanderbilt, to the Union Navy.

He even had it equipped with a ram and had a carefully chosen group of officers on it.  It helped the situation in Virginia, and afterwards was converted into a cruiser and hunted for Confederate commerce raiders (it was one of the fastest ships of the time).

For donating his ship, Vanderbilt was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Thanks Cornelius.  --Old B-Runner

Happy July 2-- Part 3: It Was A Printing Thing

This article was started in my today's Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog with parts 1 and 2.

This is why we celebrate the Declaration of Independence on July 4 and not July 2 as John Adams thought it would.

On July 2, 1776, Congress, after succumbing to a demand by South Carolinian delegates to cut an anti-slavery passage out of the drafted Declaration of Independence, unanimously voted on Virginian Richard Lee's resolution that, "These united colonies are, and of right, ought to be free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown; and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to dissolved."

Over the next two days, final edits were made to the Declaration of Independence, the document that would announce Congress' decision to the world.  On July 4, the declaration was finally sent to the printing press.  hence the masthead at the top of the declaration, first printed by John Dunlap, "In Congress, July 4, 1776.  A Declaration by the representatives of the United States of America."

So, That's How It came to Be July 4th.  --Old B-Runner

April 9, 1864, Confederate Torpedo Boat Squib Attacks USS Minnesota-- Part 2

Continued from April 9, 2019.

This happened off Newport News, Virginia.

The USS Minnesota (one of the most powerful ships in the Union Navy) attempted to open fire, but the distance between the two ships being so close, her guns could not be brought to bear.

The Squib rammed her powder charge of more than fifty pounds into the Minnesota's port quarter.

The log of the Minnesota recorded:  "... a tremendous explosion followed."  John Curtis, second in command of the Squib,  wrote that he closed his eyes at the moment of impact,  "opening them in about a second, I think, I never beheld such a sight before nor since.  The air was filled with port shutters and water from the explosion, and the heavy ship was rolling to the starboard, and the officer of the deck was giving orders to save yourselves and cried out 'Torpedo, torpedo!' "

--Old B-Runner

Bennett W. Green-- Part 12: In U.S. Navy Before the War

From U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Officers 1775-1900.

Like many Southern naval officers, Bennett Green resigned his U.S. Navy commission and offered his services to his new country after his state seceded.

Green, Bennett W.   Assistant surgeon, 21 August, 1859.  Dismissed May 1861.

Tendered resignation May 2, 1861.  Accepted or dismissed 18 May 1861.  Birth place:  Virginia  Appointed from Virginia, Citizen of Virginia.

Date of Confederate States Navy appointment 23 May 1861 as assistant surgeon.

--Old B-Runner

Bennett W. Green-- Part 11: The Ghost and the Books

According to library records, his ghost once haunted the University  of Virginia's Rotunda, which also served as the school's library until 1938.  When the books were moved to the new Alderman Library, Green's ghost  evidently followed.

Students and staff still report   unexplained footsteps and a sense that someone is watching them, particularly after midnight.  (A good time for ghosts.)

One of the Rotunda alleys is named after Green.

Like, Boo!!  --Old B-Runner

Bennett W. Green, CSN-- Part 10: Ghost?

From the UVA magazine (University of Virginia)  "Ghoulish Grounds" by Robert Viccellio.

The University of Virginia has a large collection of books and manuscripts with 5.1 million and 19.1 million archives.

The library, however, reportedly has two reports of ghosts.

And, one of them is Bennett W. Green.

As we know, Mr. Green was a surgeon in the Confederate Navy and quite a collector of books (and author as well).  His collection of books was donated to the UVA library after his death in Charlottesville.

Figuring He Is Ghosting Because of the School's Rejection of Its Confederate Heritage.  --Old B-Runner

What's in a Newport News?

I often mention Newport News in this blog, especially in connection with the USS Monitor, CSS Virginia, USS Cumberland and USS Congress because of what took place off Newport News in 1862.

But, the name Newport News seems to be a strange one for a city or town.

I mean, I can get the Newport part of the name since it is on the water and a port.  But what about the News?

You can find out where the name comes from by going to my Saw the Blockade Civil War blog and clicking on it.  I wrote about it May 30 and May 32.

--Old B-Runner

Aaron Anderson, Black Sailor Medal of Honor Recipient-- Part 1: Member of the Potomac Flotilla

From the February 8, 2018, Fredericksburg (Va.) Free Lance Star "Upcoming Stratford Hall program to detail heroics of medal-winning African-American sailor" by Bob Hedelt.

Stratford Hall, Va., is where Robert E. Lee was born.

Aaron Anderson received a Medal of Honor for his actions at Mattox Creek, Virginia, in 1865.

In March 1865, the ships of the Union Potomac Flotilla sailed up Westmoreland County's Mattox Creek.  About 70 soldiers landed and a small boat with a howitzer manned by Union sailors  rowed up another fork of the creek where they found three schooners, apparently abandoned.

--Old B-R'er

February 20, 1863: Schooner Captured

FEBRUARY 20, 1863:  The USS Crusader, Acting Master Thomas I. Andrews, captured the schooner General Taylor on Mobjack Bay, Virginia.

John M. Maffitt, later a famous Confederate Naval officer was its original commander.

--Old B-R'er

November 22-24, 1862: Joint Army-Navy Expedition in Virginia

NOVEMBER 22-24, 1862:  Joint Army-Navy expedition to the vicinity of Matthews Court House, Virginia, under Lt. Farquhar and Acting Master's Mate Nathan W. Black of the USS Mahaska destroyed numerous salt works together with hundreds of bushels of salt, burned three schooners and numerous small boats, and captured 24 large canoes.

--Old B-Runner