Thomas Randall Plantation-- Part 2

Again, Fort Randall was built on his land at Little River Inlet, S.C. and the fort was named after him.

**  Number of acres:  In 1937, it consisted of  about 3,000.

**  Primary crops:  cotton,   Indian corn, cattle, swine

**  Number of slaves:

1850:  78

1860:  85

--Old B-Runner

USS Marblehead-- Part 3: Action in the Stono River and Bombardment of Charleston Defenses

The Marblehead survived its battle with the horse cavalry artillery and was then transferred to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.  Primarily she patrolled the coast looking for blockade runners, but in early February 1863, she reconnoitered the Wilmington River  with the monitor USS Passaic trying to locate the ironclad CSS Atlanta (ex-blockade-runner Fingal).

Later in the month, on the 23rd, she took possession of  the prize Glide and her cargo of cotton which had been captured by  the Coast Guard schooners Caswell and Arago at the entrance to Tybee Creek in Georgia.  The Glide had been in route to Nassau.

During her coastal patrols, the Marblehead on occasion engaged in operations on the Stono River, South Carolina,  in support of Union forces on James Island by Charleston.  On 16 July 1863, during an assault by Confederate forces on that position, she came under fire by Confederate artillery at Grimball's Landing.

Forced further downriver, she still provided fire support and prevented Confederate reinforcements from reaching  the main body of their attack force.

Afterwards, the Marblehead joined with the rest of the Union fleet outside of Charleston Harbor in bombarding the forts there before  heading north for repairs.

--Old B-Runner

On Maffitt's Final Run Through the Blockade Into Galveston

From the 290 Foundation, taken from "High Seas Confederate:  The Life and Times of John N. Maffitt" by Royce Shingleton.

Now near the end of his Confederate naval career, he steamed to Havana where he planned the wars's last active blockade running attempt with a run to Galveston, Texas.

This port had seen a rather limited importance as point of entry and exit from the Confederacy.  It was a long way from Havana, requiring much extra coal for the run, had a rather shallow entrance and was poorly defended.  Any run into that port would require an extended stay because very little cotton was stored there.

Not to mention the distance anything brought in would have to travel to get to the rest of the Confederacy.

Even with all these obstacles, John Newland Maffitt took his chances and started off in his CSS Owl for this destination.

--Old B-Runner

February 4-6, 1865: Cushing Leads Expedition to Little River, SC, and Shallotte Inlet, NC

FEBRUARY 4TH TO 6TH, 1865:  A boat expedition under Lieutenant Cushing, USS Monticello, proceeded up Little River, South Carolina, (on the SC-NC border) placing the small town of All Saints Parish under guard and capturing a number of Confederate soldiers.

On the 5th, Cushing destroyed some $15,000 worth of cotton.

The next day, he sent two boats under Acting Master Charles A. Pettit, to Shallotte Inlet, North Carolina, (oalso on the SC-NC border) where they surprised a small force of Confederates collecting provisions for the troops at Fort Anderson below Wilmington.

The Southerners reported that troops previously stationed at Shallotte Inlet had been ordered to Fort Anderson; there the Southerners hoped to stall the Army-Navy movement against Wilmington.

--Old B-R'er

June 26, 1864: USS Norfolk Packet Captures a Prize

JUNE 26TH, 1864:  The USS Norfolk Packet, Acting Ensign George W. Wood, captured sloop Sarah Mary off Mosquito Inlet, Florida, with cargo of cotton.

--Old B-Runner

Running Down the B-R Young Republic-- Part 2: 350 Bales of Cotton Thrown Overboard

On boarding, the Union sailors found that the crew of the Young Republic had thrown overboard  around 350 bales of cotton and had demolished all movable articles like  compasses, thermometers,  and furniture.  Some of the tossed articles were picked up by the Grand Gulf's boats.

They couldn't find out her complete cargo but gathered from the ship's crew that it had  from 500 to 700 bales of cotton and  sixty or 70 tons of tobacco when it left Wilmington.  The Grand Gulf picked up 320 bales of cotton that were thrown overboard.  There was a whole lot of prize money involved with those cotton bales, so every effort was made to save them.

"Her Captain's name is HARRIS, who was at the breaking out  of the rebellion, a master aboard of the United States steamer Richmond.  She is considered an important capture."

--Old B-Runner

Running Down the Blockade Runner Young Republic on May 6, 1864-- Part 1

Two posts ago, I wrote about the capture of the blockade runner Young Republic on May 6, 1864.

From the Monday, May 14, 1864, New York Times.  "UNITED STATES STEAMSHIP GRAND GULF, OFF WILMINGTON, N.C."

Capture of blockade runner Young Republic, of Nassau, formerly the Conqueror of New York.

It ran out of Old Inlet on the 5th and almost got into the middle of the blockading fleet there, but managed to elude it.  She was spotted from the Grand Gulf's masthead by  Acting Ensign CHAS. H. CADIEN. Couldn't really make her out until  the fog burned off about 7 o'clock.

The fact that it was a steamer, and not one of the blockaders roused suspicions of the Grand Gulf's commander GEO. M. RANSOM.  Speed was got up immediately for the chase.

By 8 o'clock, several  miles had been gained on her  and suspicions were confirmed when they saw her throwing bales of cotton overboard.

At 9 o'clock, the Grand Republic opened fire with her 100-pdr cannon.  The stranger did not heed the shots and continued on her way.  By 11, some  thirty or forty shots had been fired, some of which struck and she was brought to.

--Old B-Runner

April 4, 1864: USS Sciota Captures Blockade Runner

APRIL 4TH, 1864:  The USS Sciota, Lieutenant Commander Perkins, captured schooner Mary Sorley attempting to run the blockade at Galveston with a cargo of cotton.  She had previously been the U.S. Revenue Cutter Dodge, seized by the Confederates at Galveston at the war's outbreak.

--Old B-Runner

March 28, 1864: Sailors Baling Cotton

MARCH 28TH, 1864:  The versatility of Union gunboat crews was continually tested.  Crewmen from the USS Benton, Lieutenant Commander Greer, had hone ashore on the 27th near Fort De Russy (Louisiana) and taken some 13 bales of cotton from an abandoned plantation.

They returned this date, Greer reported, and "got 18 bales from the same place, which they baled themselves, using an old awning for the purpose."

More Prize Money for Everyone.  --Old B-Runner

USS Two Sisters-- Part 1: Former Confederate Blockade Runner

From Wikipedia.

The USS Two Sisters was a small 54 ton schooner captured from the Confederates and acquired by the Union Navy from the prize court.  It served both as a blockading gun boat and as a ship tender when needed.

Not much is known about it other than it used sails for propulsion and had one 12-pdr. gun.

It was built in 1856 in Baltimore, Maryland, and captured 21 September 1862 by the USS Albatross off the mouth of the Rio Grande while attempting to pass through the Union blockade into Brownsville, Texas, with a cargo of 87 bales of gunny cloth.  (Gunny cloth was used for the baling of cotton.)

It was later purchased by the U.S. Navy at the Key West Prize Court and commissioned January 30, 1863, at Key West, Acting Master William A. Arthur in command.

--Old B-Runner

USS Bermuda-- Part 7: Capturing Blockade Runners

On August 14, 1863, on her second voyage, while steaming from Brownsville, Texas, to Galveston, the Bermuda spotted a ship and overtook it.  It was the British schooner Artist with a cargo of medicines, liquors and wine and took her as a prize.

That evening, the Bermuda captured another blockade runner, the Carmita with a cargo of cotton.

On the next cruise, the Bermuda again had good luck in the prize money department when it captured the blockade runner Florrie with assorted cargo including medicine, wine and saddles on October 2, 1863.  Thus was the subject of my timeline on Oct. 2.  The captain acted like he did not know where he was.  Not falling for it, the Bermuda sent the ship to New Orleans for prize court.

--Old B-Runner

USS Bermuda-- Part 2: As A Blockade Runner

The Bermuda was an iron-hulled steamer built in 1861 in England to make money on the huge profits that could be made running the blockade.  It was eventually sold to Messrs.  A.S. Henckle and George Alfred Trenholme of Charleston, S.C..

It was chartered to Frasier Trenholme & Co. in England, which served the Confederate government as uts financial and commercial agent there.

The Bermuda left England in August 1861.  It crossed the Atlantic under British colors and ran into Savannah, Georgia, with a million dollars worth of war material.  She loaded 2,000 bales of cotton on board when she left and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to Liverpool, England.

--Old B-Runner

Blockade Runner Alabama

From the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

The first three steamers to run the blockade out of Mobile were the locally owned Alabama, Cuba and Fanny (a captured ship that had been the Fox).  Between may 1862 and September 1863, these three ships were responsible for carrying more than 4,000 bales of cotton to Havana, Cuba.

Using the figures of one of the Alabama's runs to Havana in June 1863 as a base figure, with a cotton bale weighing about 510 pounds and cotton selling for  32 cents a pound, a little more than $3 million in cotton was exported in 16 months.  Even so, this was just one-seventh what had been exported before the war from Mobile.

The Alabama, Cuba and Fanny were lost by mid-September 1863, however.  The Cuba was burned to prevent capture in May 19, 1863; the Alabama was captured on September 12 and the Fanny was burned the same day to prevent capture.

--Old B-R'er

June 19, 1863: Buy a Blockade Runner in England

From Civil War Naval Chronology.

JUNE 19, 1863:  Secretary Mallory wrote to Commander Bulloch in Liverpool:  "I have heretofore requested you to purchase upon the best terms you can make a very fast steamer suitable for blockade running between Nassau, Bermuda, Charleston, and Wilmington.

"A capacity for stowing from 600 to 1,000 bales of cotton upon not over 10 feet draft would be desirable.  With such a vessel I can place exchange for our use in England every month."

This mean money to Confederate coffers in England to buy more blockade runners and cruisers.

--Old B-Runner

April 24, 1863: USS De Soto Has a Really Good Day

From the Civil War Naval Chronology.  All of these 155th anniversary posts come from it.  If you're into the Naval history of the Civil War, this book is the one for you.

APRIL 24TH, 1863:  The USS De Soto, Captain William M. Walker, captured blockade running schooners General Prim and Rapid, bound from Mobile to Havana, and sloops Jane Adelie and Bright with cargoes of cotton in the Gulf of Mexico.

Four Prizes in One Day Meant Very Good Prize Money for the Crew.  --Old B-Runner

155 Years Ago, January 19, 1862: Blockade Runner Captured Off Florida

JANUARY 19, 1862:  The USS Itasca, Lt. Charles H.B. Caldwell, captured schooner Lizzie Weston off Florida en route to Jamaica with cargo of cotton.

--Old B-Runner

Black Market Cotton?

NOVEMBER 7, 1864:  Upon learning that Confederate officers were quartered in a house on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River near Island 69, Acting Lt. Frederic S. Hill led an expedition from the USS Tyler to capture them.  However, they had departed.

The mother of one of them boldly showed Hill her permit to transport cotton up the Mississippi and a request, officially endorsed by Major General Cadwallader C. Washburn, USA, for gunboat protection.

Hill reluctantly complied with the request, remarking to Rear Admiral Lee: "...in the face of all these documents, as I was upon the spot and a steamer then at hand ready to take the cotton, I considered it proper to give her the required protection, although with a very bad grace.

"Permit me, admiral, respectfully to call your attention to the anomaly of using every exertion to capture rebel officers at 2 a,m,, whose cotton I am called upon to protect in its shipment to a market at 10 a.m. of the same day, this affording themselves with every comfort money can procure ere they return to their brother rebels in arms with Hood."

Wondering What Washburn's Cut Was?  --Old B-Runner

Blockade's Impact on Confederate Medicines

NOVEMBER 1, 1864:  Dr. W.A.W. Spotswood, Surgeon in Charge, Office of medicine and Surgery, CSN, reported the effect of the continuing blockade:  "It affords me much satisfaction to report that, by the operations of the purveyor's department, an ample supply of medicines, instruments, and everything to meet the wants of the sick has been furnished up to the present time, but owing to the strict blockade of the seacoast and harbors of the Confederacy, rendering it impossible to procure medical supplies from abroad, I feel that there will necessarily be much difficulty in procuring many valuable articles soon required for the sick.

"Every effort has been made to procure a large supply, but in vain, and it is to be regretted that the
supplu of cotton placed in the hands of the Navy agent at the port of Wilmington can not be sent to Bermuda to purchase more or to pay for the medicines that have been received."

Things Are Going to Get Even Worse and Soon.  --Old B-Runner

Rear Admiral Lee Reports Capture of the Blockade-Runner Elsie

I wrote about the capture of this ship on Sept. 5th  and 6th.

From the September 13, 1864, New York Times.

"Rear-Admiral LEE, in a dispatch dated Beaufort, Sept. 7, says: 'The Elsie ran out of Wilmington on the 4th inst., and was captured the next day by the Keystone State [???] Quaker City.  The Elsie was seen and fired upon when she ran out by the Niphon and Britannia, and was chased off by the Santiago de Cuba until lost in the darkness.

'At 10:30 the next day she was seen and captured, without papers or flag.  A shell from the Quaker City exploded in the foothold of the Elsie, and destroyed about 150 bales of cotton.  Part of the cargo was thrown overboard in the chase and there are now about 250 bales on board.

'The prize will be sent to Boston.  The Elsie is a new steamer of light draft and fair speed, of the Rothesay Castle class, and this is her first trip.

'She will be made a useful vessel on blockade duty.  The blockade is close and vigilant, but it is impossible to prevent its violation on dark nights by steamers built for the purpose.'"

What better ship to catch a blockade-runner than another blockade-runner.

I was unable to find out if the Elsie did become a Union ship.

--Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago-- April 21st, 1864: Capture of USS Petrel

APRIL 21ST, 1864: Union ships attack Yazoo City and came under fire. The USS Petrel was disabled and captured. Confederate Gen. Wirt Adams wrote: I removed her fine armament of eight 24-pounder guns and the most valuable stores and had her burned to the water's edge.

**  Boat crews from the USS Ethan Allan landed near Murrell's Inlet, SC and destroyed a large salt work. The Union sailors mixed the 2,000 bushels of salt into the sand and then burned the four salt works and 30 other buildings.

**  Boats from USS Cimarron destroyed a rice mill and 5,000 bushels of rice stored at Winyah Bay, SC.

**  Boat expedition from the USS Sagamore took over 100 bales of cotton and destroyed an additional 300 near Clay Landing, on the Suwannee River, Florida.

--Old B-Runner