Cruising with USS Montgomery-- Part 6: There Were Six Ships in U.S. Navy By That Name

As I said in the last post, whenever I'm doing a story about a ship, I like to see of there have been other ships by that name.

Wikipedia is an excellent quick source of information, because by the  ship's name, they have a spot for "Other ships with the same name."  Click on it and a list will come up.

Even though I had never heard of a ship on the U.S. Navy by the name of Montgomery, I found that the new USS Montgomery (LCS-9) is actually the sixth ship to bear that name.  Those names stretch back to the American Revolution and cover much of the country's history.

And there was one from the Civil War, which is why I was making the presentation in a series of Civil War talks.

And, as part of the RoadTrip experience, I will take a look at each of the USS Mongomerys.  I will look at the ship's history, and I am also very interested in for whom or what the ship was named.

--Old B-Runner

Top 10 Civil War Sites in Eastern N.C.-- Part 3: Fort Raleigh, Fort Macon, Bentonville, Averasboro

7.  FORT RALEIGH  NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE in Manteo.

Contains the remains of Roanoke Colony (The Lost Colony) the first English settlement in the New World (before Jamestown).  Visitors center and museum about the colony as well as the Freedman's Colony established there during the war for former slaves liberated by Union Gen. John G. Foster.

8.  FORT MACON STATE PARK in Atlantic Beach.

Site of the April 1862 Battle of Fort Macon.    In tact fortifications and masonry.

9.  BENTONVILLE BATTLEFIELD in Four Oaks (near Goldsboro).

The Battle of Bentonville fought March  19-21 was the largest fought in the state.  This was a final attempt by Confederates to stop Union Gen. Sherman's onslaught across the Carolinas.

10.  AVERASBORO BATTLEFIELD MUSEUM in Dunn.

The Battle of Averasboro was fought in 1865 to slow the Union advance of Fayetteville during Sherman's Carolinas Campaign.

--Old B-R'er

Top 10 Civil War Sites in Eastern N.C.-- Part 2: Fort Anderson, Battle of Kinston and Roanoke Island

4.  BRUNSWICK TOWN / FORT ANDERSON in Winnabow (near Wilmington).

Brunswick Town was a Colonial era town.  Fort Anderson was built across its remains to protect Wilmington along the Cape Fear River.  Visitor center, walking trails and preserved earthen fortifications.

5.  FIRST BATTLE OF KINSTON CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD PARK in Kinston.

The park was the site of the First Battle of Kinston fought in late 1862 pitting some 2,400 Confederates against 12,000 Union soldiers.

6.  ROANOKE ISLAND in Outer Banks, Dare County.

The Battle of Roanoke Island took place early in 1862.  More than 20,000 soldiers and close to 60 vessels took part on the two sides.

--Old B-Runner

Top 10 Civil War Sites in Eastern North Carolina-- Part 1: New Bern, and Fort Fisher

From the September 8, 2021, New Bern (NC) Sun-Journal by  Todd Wetherington.

1.  NEW BERN BATLEFIELD PARK in New Bern.    

Includes more than 30 acres of the battlefield which took place March 14, 1862.  There is a history walk now which includes 35 interpretive panels of the battle and impact on New Bern.

2.  NEW BERN ACADEMY in New Bern.

Located four blocks from the Tryon Palace, built in 1809 as a school for boys and girls.   Used as a hospital during the war and recruitment place for the 35th USCT.   Today it is a museum.

3.  FORT FISHER in Kure Beach.

You might say I've written a little bit about this place.

--Old B-Runner

It's Been 200 Years As a State for Illinois: Navy Medal of Honor Recipients

From Illinois Civil War

"Illinois Civil War Medal of Honor Recipients"

Five Illinoisans received the Medal o Honor for their Naval service:

Charles Asten

Henry Dow

John Hyland

Michael McCormick

Hugh Malloy

--Old B-Runner

N.C. Timeline, April 1863: Action At Washington, N.C.

APRIL 6--  Skirmish at Nixontown   (1st NC Union)

APRIL 7-10--  Expedition from New Bern for relief of Washington     (3rd, 5th, 8th, 17th, 43rd, 44th Mass.; Battery H 3rd NY Light Artillery, 85th, 96th, 132nd, 158th NY; 101st, 103rd, 158th, 171st, 175th Pa.; 5th Heavy Art., Battery F 1st Light Art.)

APRIL 9--  Action at Blount's Creek   (17th, 43rd NY; 3rd Cav.; 3rd Light Art.; 158th  1st Light Art.  Union losses: 10 wounded.

APRIL 13-21--  Expedition to Swift Creek Village   (3ed NY Cav.; 1st Light Art.; 158th, 168th, 171st, 175th Pa.;

APRIL 15--  Skirmish at Washington   (44th Mass.)

APRIL 16--  Affair at Rodman's Point   (U.S. Navy)

APRIL 16--  Affair at Hill's Point   (USS Ceres, USS Commodore Hull)

--Old B-Runner

N.C. Timeline, April 1863: Skirmishes and Engagements

Frtom the North Carolina Civil War sesquicentennial site.

I also found a listing of Union troops and ships involved in the actions at the N.C. Research Online site and have included it here.

Civil War events taking place in North Carolina 155 Years Ago.

APRIL--  Marcus Erwin and the Buncombe County militia flush 80 anti-Confederates from Laurel Valley.  Western part of the state.

APRIL 1--  Engagement at Rodman's Pond   (USS Commodore Hull)

APRIL 2--  Engagement at Hill's Point   (U.S. Navy)

APRIL 3--  Skirmish at White Forks   (3rd New York Cavalry)

APRIL 3--  Skirmish at Washington   (44th Massachusetts)

APRIL 4-5--  Engagement at Rosman's Pond   27th Mass, 3rd NY Cav,  USS Ceres)

APRIL 4-6--  Operations on the Pamlico    (5th Mass, 23rd Ind. Light Battery, 101st Pa, 175th Pa, USS Smithfield, USS Ceres, USS Whitehead, USS Seymour)

--Old B-Runner

N.C. Timeline, March 1863-- Part 2: Confederates Attack New Bern

MARCH 6-10--  Expedition from, New Bern to Trenton, Pollocksville, Young's Crossroads and Swansborough.

MARCH 7--  Skirmish at Core Creek

MARCH 7--  Skirmish near Dover

MARCH 7-10--  Expedition from Newport Barracks to Cedar Point

MARCH 7-14--  Expedition from New Bern to Mattamuskeet Lake.

MARCH 8-16--  Confederate expedition against New Bern and Federal naval operations.

MARCH 10-13--  Demonstration on New Bern

MARCH 13-14--  Skirmishes at Deep Gully and New Bern

--Old B-Runner

National Cemeteries in Illinois: Veterans Day 2017

From the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Here is a list of National cemeteries in Illinois.  Anyone of these would be a good place to visit today or any day to pay your respects to those who fought, died or risked their lives in defense of your freedom.

Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery--  Elwood  (on Route 66)

Alton National Cemetery

Camp Butler National Cemetery--  Springfield

Danville National Cemetery

Mound City National Cemetery

Quincy National Cemetery

Rock Island National Cemetery

And here are three cemeteries administered by the Veterans Affairs:

Confederate Mound, Oakwood Cemetery, Chicago

North Alton Confederate Cemetery

Rock Island Confederate Cemetery

There are also Confederate soldiers buried at Camp Butler

That's right, Confederate soldiers ARE AMERICAN SOLDIERS!!

Something to Think About the Next Time You Desecrate a Confederate Cemetery or Statue.  --Old B-Runner

U.S. Navy Rear Admirals: Navy Grade and Pay Regulations 1862-- Part 2

Level of Navy officers and number allowed

1st  Rear Admiral  (9)
2nd  Commodore  (18)
3rd  Captain   (36)

4th  Commanders   (72)
5th  Lieutenant-Commanders  (144)
6th  Lieutenants  (144)

7th  Masters  (144)
8th  Ensigns  (144)
9th Midshipmen (144)

Vessels in the Navy to be divided into four classes with the best ships as First Rates.  This determined ranks to command these ships.

FIRST RATE--  Commodores
2ND RATE--  Captains
3RD RATE--  Commanders
4TH RATE--  Lt. Comanders

--Old B-R'er

Civil War Naval Innovations

Tomorrow, the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group meets at Panera Bread in Crystal lake, Illinois, to talk about Civil War innovations.

Me being a Navy guy, I went with Naval innovations.

1.  Gun turret

2.  ironclads

3.  Monitors

4.  mines, both land and water

5.  submarines

6.  coal torpedoes

7.  Disease warfare--  yellow fever

8.  commerce raiders

9.  Whitworth cannons and rifles

10.  Armstrong guns

11.  Large and small-scale Army-Navy cooperation.

Well, and John Ericsson was an innovation all by himself.

--Old B-Runner

Newport, Rhode Island's Fort Adams-- Part 7: More Notables Serving There

HENRY JACKSON HUNT--  Civil war general, Chief of Artillery of the Army of the Potomac.

JOHN B. MAGRUDER--  Confederate general.

FRANKLIN PIERCE--  14th president of the United States.

WILLIAM S. ROSECRANS--  Union general

ISAAC INGALLS STEVENS--  Union general killed at the Battle of Chantilly

THOMAS W. SHERMAN--  Union general wounded so badly at battle of Port Hudson in 1963, he was not expected to survive.  His hometown newspaper in Newport, Rhode Island, printed an extensive obituary.  He survived though, but had his right leg amputated and served the rest of the war on administrative duty.  After the war commanded Fort Adams for awhile.

--Old B-Runner

Newport, Rhode Island's Fort Adams-- Part 6: Notables Who Served There

Notable persons who served at the fort:

Pierre G.T. Beauregard

Ambrose Burnside

George W. Cullom--  Civil War general and West Point superintendent.  Wrote the Biographical register of Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy.  I am using this for my current blog entries in my War of 1812 Blog Not So Forgotten.

Henry Algeron de Pont--  Medal of Honor winner at Battle of Cedar Creek, Oct. 1864.

Robley D. Evans--  navy rear admiral.  I have already written about him in these blogs.

John G. Foster--  Union general.  Commanded expedition at the 1862 Battle of Goldsborough Brideg.

William Gates.  Served in the War of 1812, Mexican War and Civil War.  (I mentioned him in my War of 1812 blog yesterday.  Long-serving officer, obviously.)


--Old B-Runner

Confederate Navy Vessels Operating in South Carolina Waters-- Part 4: Torpedo Boats and Submersibles

TORPEDO BOATS AND SUBMERSIBLES IN SOUTH CAROLINA WATERS

DAVID--  steam-powered torpedo boat, 50 feet long.  Captured at the fall of Charleston..

MIDGET DAVID--  Same as above.

H.L. HUNLEY--  Hand-cranked submarine which sank the USS Housatonic and then sank itself.

LARGE DAVID--  160 feet long and under construction and captured at the fall of Charleston.

--Old B-Runner

Confederate Navy Vessels Operating In South Carolina Waters-- Part 3: Privateers

I see that three cannons from the CSS Pee Dee, from yesterday's post, will be raised from the Pee Dee River.

STONO--  Burned on evacuation of Charleston.   Captured from US Navy, formerly the USS Isaac Smith.

THEODORA--  Sidewheel iron privateer, 500 tons.  Formerly the Carolina, name changed to Gordon and then to Theodora.


CONFEDERATE PRIVATEERS OPERATING FROM SOUTH CAROLINA

BEAUREGARD--  schooner, 61 tons.  Captured November 12, 1861 by USS W.G. Anderson.

DIXIE--  schooner 111 tons.  Captured April 15, 1862, by USS Keystone State off Georgetown, S.C..  Name changed to Kate Hale when it became a blockade-runner then later to Success.  (Captured by Union, sold and became a blockade-runner.)

JEFFERSON DAVIS--  full-rigged brig, 187 tons.  Formerly the slaver Echo.

SALLIE--  170 tons

SAVANNAH--  schooner, sails, 53 tons.  Captured by USS Perry June 3, 1861.  Formerly Pilot Boat No. 7 at Charleston, S.C..

--Old B-Runner

Confederate Naval Vessels Operating in South Carolina Waters-- Part 2

INDIAN CHIEF--  Receiving ship, burned when Charleston was evacuated.

LADY DAVIS--  Steamer, tug, iron, Its machinery was put on the Palmetto State and the vessel sold.

NASHVILLE--  Sidewheel cruiser merchant ship, 1,221 tons.  Sold to private parties and became the blockade-runner Thomas L. Wragg and then the privateer Rattlesnake.  Destroyed by the Union in the Ogeechee River in 1863.

PALMETTO STATE--  ironclad.  Burned at Charleston evacuation.

PEEDEE--  wooden screw gunboat sunk in the PeeDee River.  Its machinery was brought over from England.  It was to have four 32-pounder cannons and two pivots.

--Old B-Runner

Confederate Naval Vessels Operating in South Carolina Waters-- Part 1: Ironclads

From the 16th South Carolina Volunteers Camp, SCV.

CSS AIKEN--  Revenue Cutter, 82 tons.  Sunk July 28, 1861, by frigate USS St. Lawrence.  The name had been changed to Petrel when it became a privateer.

CSS CHARLESTON--  ironclad,  Destroyed by Confederates during evacuation of Charleston.

CSS CHICORA--  ironclad,  Destroyed by Confederates during evacuation of Charleston.

CSS COLUMBIA--  ironclad.  Hit submerged wreck and broke in two.

CSS GRAY--Steamer.  name changed to Lady Davis when became a privateer.

CSS HUNTRESS--  Sidewheel steamer, 500 tons, became a blockade-runner.  Burned off Charleston on Jan. 18, 1863.

--Old B-Runner

Another Look at the January 1, 1865, NABS

Most of the ships were listed as 3rd and 4th class, mounting between one and ten guns.

I'll go through the list of 2nd and 1st Class Ships.  Name, class, guns, where stationed and commander:

Brooklyn, 2nd, 26 guns, off Beaufort, Captain James Alden
Colorado, 1st, 50 guns, off Beaufort, Commodore H.K. Thatcher
Dictator, 1st, 2 guns, Hampton Roads (ironclad), Commodore Jno. Rodgers

Fort Jackson, 2nd, 11 guns, Off Wilmington, Captain B.F. Sands
Juniata, 2nd, 14 guns, Off Beaufort, Captain W.R. Taylor
Minnesota, 1st, 46 guns, Beaufort, Commodore J. Lanman

New Ironsides, 1st, 20 guns, off Beaufort, Commodore W. Radford
Powhatan, 1st, 24 guns, off Beaufort, Commodore J.F. Schenck
Quaker City, 2nd, 7 guns, off Wilmington, Commander W.F. Spicer

Rhode Island, 2nd, 12 guns, Beaufort, Commander S.D. Trenchard
Shenandoah, 2nd, 6 guns, Beaufort, Captain D.B.Ridgely
Susquehanna, 1st, 18 guns, Beaufort, Commodore S.W. Godon

Santiago de Cuba, 2nd, 11 guns, Beaufort, Captain O.S. Glisson
St. Lawrence, 1st, 13 guns, Naval magazine Norfolk, Commander D. Lynch
Ticonderoga, 2nd, 14 guns, Beaufort, Captain C. Steedman

Vanderbilt, 2nd, 16 guns, Beaufort, Captain C.W. Pickering
Wabash, 1st, 44 guns, Beaufort, Captain M. Smith

I Wonder What Happened to the Monitors Involved With the Attack on Fort Fisher?  --Old B-R'er

List of Vessels Attached to the North Atlantic Squadron, January 1, 1865

This was the Navy department's attempt at keeping up with their huge fleet of ships.  Each squadron ghad to comple one of these several times a year.

The report for this day listed 156 ships of all classes.  Of course, this squadron had been beefed up for the impending renewal of its attack on Fort Fisher guarding Wilmington.  The first attack on Christmas Day had ended in failure and many of the ships had returned to Beaufort, N.C. to prepare for the next attack, but there were still a lot of ships on station off Wilmington.

Ships reported at Beaufort or off Beaufort, N.C., as well as those off Wilmington were going to mostly be involved in the upcoming attack on Fort Fisher, Jan. 13-15, 1865.

I went through the list of ships on present duty or station to come up with these places.

Norfolk Va. Repairing--  3
Off Beaufort, N.C.--  11
James River, Va.--  29

Hampton Roads, Va.-- 5
Off Wilmington N.C.--  24
Not Reported--  6

Beaufort NC--  34
Sounds NC--  13
Norfolk, Va.--  11

Craney Island, Va.--
New York Navy Yard--  1
Norfolk Navy Yard, Va.-- 3

Naval Station Norfolk, Va.--1
York River, Va.--  33
Hatteras Inlet, NC-- 1

New Bern, NC--  1

Repairing at Baltimore--  1
Baltimore, Md.- 1
Repairing at Boston--  1

Supply Steamer--  1
Naval Magazine Norfolk, Va.--  1
Boston, Mass.--  1
Savannah, Ga.--  1

Kind of An Interesting Breakdown.  --Old B-Runner

Shipwrecks in the Cape Fear Civil War Shipwrecks District

* denotes a blockade-runner

NEW INLET UNIT

Modern Greece*
CSS Raleigh
Condor*
Unknown vessel
USS Louisiana
Arabian*
USS Aster
Stormy Petrel*

LOCKWOOD'S FOLLY INLET UNIT

Elizabeth*
Bendigo*
USS Iron Age

CAROLINA BEACH UNIT

Venus*
Lynx*
Hebe*
Duro*
(Not sure why the Beauregard isn't in this unit as it is off Carolina Beach's Southern Extension.)

INDIVIDUAL WRECKS

Phantom*
Wold Dayrell*
Sophia*
Beauregard*
USS Peterhoff
Ella*
Ranger*

--Lots of Ships.  --Old B-Runner