Is This a Cannon?-- Part 3: Fort Caswell

J.D. Shadduck of Oak Island, N.C., said he was fishing at  Caswell Beach Sunday when he spotted the object.  "It was my first time there fishing.  The tide was low, so that's how I saw it," he said.  "It looks like a cannon to me."

Fort Caswell is in Brunswick County and was built on the eastern tip of Oak Island between 1826 and 1838, according to NCpedia.  However, it was not fully armed until the Civil War when it became one of the main Confederate defenses on the Care Fear River guarding Wilmington.

The U.S. Army took control of it until after World War I, when it was sold.

Since 1949, it has been owned by the Baptist  State Convention of NC and serves "as a facility for programs and ministries of the Convention, according to the Fort Caswell website.  The fort, however, is not open to the general public.

--Old B-Runner

June 4, 1864: Gloucester Asks for Fishing Fleet Protection

All of these dates in Civil War naval history are from the "Civil War Naval Chronology 1861-1865" book.

JUNE 4TH, 1864:  The success of the CSS Tacony against shipping off the New England coast the previous year (20-27 June 1863) prompted a committee from Gloucester, Massachusetts, to address a request to Secretary Welles:  "In behalf of the citizens and businessmen of this town interested in the fishing business, to ask your attention to the necessity of some protection for our fishing fleet the coming season...

"It is necessary that a steamer, properly armed, should be detailed for the special service of cruising in the Gulf of St. Lawrence until the close of the fishing season,"

Welles ordered the USS Ticonderoga, Captain Charles Steedman, on this duty.

--Old B-Runner

Back Then, Impending Attack on Fort Fisher-- Part 4

As bad as the sand and insects were, there were several good things about being stationed at Fort Fisher.  off duty, the garrison could go swimming in the ocean or river, fishing and plentiful clams and oysters.

Chris Fonvielle quotes William A. Burgess of Co. A, 40th North Carolina (3rd N.C. Artillery) in a letter to his parents, "We fare a grate deel better than the soldiers in other parts of the Confederacy."

Troops who got leave could go to Wilmington where there were plenty of folks ready to take their money.  However, the leaves to Wilmington became increasingly hard to get after the appearance of yellow fever there in 1862

Scott Nunn says he will next write about the "notorious General Braxton Bragg, replacing Whiting as Wilmington's commander.  (However, i have used up my "free" articles to the Wilmington Star-News, so most likely won't write about Bragg.)

--Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago-- June 4-5, 1864: Fishing and Runners

JUNE 4TH, 1864:  The success of the CSS Tacony against shipping off New England in the previous year (June 20-27, 1863) prompted a committee in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to write Welles:  "In behalf of the citizens and businesses of this town interested in the fishing business, to ask your attention to the protection for our fishing fleet for the coming season."  Welles ordered the USS Ticonderoga to this duty.

The USS Fort Jackson captured the blockade-running steamer Thistle at sea east of Charleston.  All her cargo except a cotton press was thrown overboard in the six-hour chase.

JUNE 5TH, 1864:   The USS Keystone State seized blockade-running British steamer Siren off Beaufort, NC, with cargo including hoop iron and liquor.

--Old B-R'er