Recovering the Hunley in 1863

OCTOBER 18, 1863:

The sunken submarine H.L. Hunley was found in nine fathoms of water by a diver in Charleston Harbor. 

Efforts were begun at once to recover the it, deemed vital to the defenses of Charleston.

--Old B-R'er

"Neither Known Nor Appreciated By the Public": Naval Operations Off Charleston

OCTOBER 18, 1863:

Rear Admiral Dahlgren, writing Secretary Welles that the role of the Navy in the capture of Morris Island was "neither known nor appreciated by the public at large." He noted that in the two-month bombardment of the city that the ironclads of his squadron had fired more than 8,000 shot and shells and had received nearly 900 hits.

"By the presence and action of the vessels the right flank of our army and its supplies were entirely covered; provisions, arms, cannon, ammunition....were landed as freely as if the enemy was not in sight, while by the same means the enemy was restricted to the least space and action.

Indeed, it was only by night, and in the line from Sumter (whose guns covered the operations), that food, powder, or relief could be introduced, and that very sparingly. The works of the enemy were also flanked by our guns so that he was confined to his works and his fire quelled whenever it became too serious."

Quite the boasting from the admiral, but what if the Confederates had had a fleet to match his at Charleston? Plus, look at what happened every time his ironclads seriously engaged Confederate fortifications. 

--Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago: October 17-18, 1863: Blockade Runners

OCTOBER 17TH

Boat crews from the USS T.A. Ward destroyed schooner Rover at Murrell's Inlet, SC, loaded with cotton. Three days later, a landing party from the Ward went ashore to reconnoiter and look for water. They were surprised by Confederate cavalry and ten were captured. Sometimes you win, sometimes not.

**  The USS Seneca reported that the blockade-runner steamer Herald had run the blockade from Darien, Georgia. The ship's commander reported also that one gunboat in a sound could not guard all the estuaries and creeks flowing into it especially since Confederates were looking for other ways to get supplies in and out after Charleston was effectually sealed.

--Old B-R'er

After the Hunley Sank for the Second Time

The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley sank on October 15, 1863, it was later raised and the bodies removed. It was the second time the submarine had sunk. It took little time to find a third crew to volunteer. and this time would be under the command of Lt. George Dixon of the Confederate Army (you'd have thought it would be a naval officer).

Under Dixon and Lt. William A. Alexander, the Hunley was reconditioned, but, as a safety precaution, General Beauregard ordered that the sub not dive again. The ship was also fitted with a spar torpedo.

Over the next four months, the Hunley ventured out into Charleston Harbor at night from her base on Sullivan's Island, but, until mid-February 1864, her attempts to sink a blockader came to no success.

Problems encountered were that blockaders frequently remained at station some 6-7 miles away; the condition of the tide, wind and sea and physical exhaustion of the crew.

But, All It Took Was One Shot At Them, And That Did Come. --Old B-Runner

Confederate Privateers on the West Coast?

OCTOBER 16, 1863

Mr. Jules David wrote from Victoria, Vancouver Island, " as president of a Southern asociation existing in this and the adjoining colony of British Columbia" to Confederate Secretary of State Benjamin wanting him to assist him and his organization in getting "a letter of marque to be used on the Pacific."

He said much damage could be done to the Union on the Pacific coast. He mentioned that his group had "a first-class steamer of 400 tons, strongly built, and of an average of 14 miles."

This, along with attacks by Confederate commerce raiders greatly worried Lincoln's government. But, nothing ever came of the plan as far as I know.

It Could Have Been a Great Plan. --Old B-R'er

150 Years Ago: October 16th-17th, 1863: Attack on Tampa and the Blockade-Runners

OCTOBER 16TH-17TH

It was learned that blockade-runners Scottish Chief and Kate Dale were loaded with cotton and nearly ready to sail from Hillsboro River in Florida (by Tampa), Rear Admiral Bailey sent Lt. Cmdr. A.A. Semmes commanding the USS Tahoma and the USS Adela to seize them. Alexander Alderman Semmes was the cousin of CSS Alabama commander Raphael Semmes.

According to Bailey, "It was planned between me and Captain Semmes that he should divert attention from the real object of the expeditionby shelling the fort and town [Tampa], and that under cover of the night men should be landed at a point in Old Tampa Bay, distant from the fort to proceed overland to the point of Hillsboro River where the blockade runners lay, and destroy them."

One hundred men from the two ships marched 14 miles overland and succeeded in the plan.

Alarm was given and a running battle took place back to the boats. Five were killed, ten wounded and five taken prisoner.

--Old B-Runner

H.L. Hunley and His Crew Drown Today, 150 Years Ago

OCTOBER 15TH, 1863.

The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley, evidently never accepted into Confederate Navy service since I don't usually see CSS in front of it, under the command of inventor and part-owner H.L. Hunley, sank in Charleston Harbor while making practice dives under the Confederate receiving ship Indian Chief.

A report of "the unfortunate incident" stated: "The boat left the wharf at 9:25 a.m. and disappeared at 9:35. As soon as she sunk, air bubbles were seen to rise up to the surface of the water, and from this fact it is supposed that the hole in the top of the boat by which the men entered was not properly closed. It was impossible at the time to make any effort to rescue the unfortunate men, as the water was some 9 fathoms deep."

Thus, H.L. Hunley and his gallant seven-man crew perished. The submarine had claimed the lives of its second crew.

The submarine was raised for a second time and, for a second time, the crew was buried.

Practice Makes Perfect, But At What Cost? --Old B-R'er

Talking About That Recruiting Poster-- Part 2

Continued from Sepember 26th.

What was the Navy offering? So far, it was safer, food and shelter guaranteed, and less time to be served. Then, the recruiting poster went on to list what the sailor could earn. Ordinary Seamen pay was comparable to the Army at $14 a month, but an experienced seaman could earn $4 more and landsmen (no sea experience) $2 less. And, as a bonus, sailors gor an extra $1.50 a month for Grog!!! I imagine if you didn't partake, you could sock that money away.

And now for the best thing, there was PRIZE MONEY to be had. The poster mentioned $50,000,000 in prize money given out to warships capturing blockade-runners so far in the war.

Sign Me Up. --Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago: October 13-15, 1863: Union Operations

OCTOBER 13TH-14TH:

USS Queen City, with troops, departed Helena, Arkansas, for Friar's Point, Mississippi, where the soldiers landed, searched warehouses and took 200 bales of cotton and made several suspects prisoners.

OCTOBER 15TH:

USS Commodore and Corypheus destroyed a Confederate tannery at Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, burned the building and destroyed a large amount of hides.

Union control of the water enabled them to incessantly attack and raid wherever they wanted.

--Old B-Runner

150 Years Ago: October 12-13th, 1863-- Don't Forget About Those Forts

OCTOBER 2TH

USS Kanawha and USS Eugenie attempted to destroy a steamer aground under the guns of Fort Morgan by Mobile Bay and were fired upon. The Kanawha was damaged during the engagement. Besides defending the Confederate ports from fleet attack, these forts were also to help blockade-runners.

OCTOBER 13TH

USS Victoria seized a sloop west of Little River, NC, with cargo od salt and soap. (Inbound).

**  Guard boat from USS Braziliera, captured a schooner near St. Simons' Ga.. Along with Union warships, blockqade-runners had to watch out for small launches that were out and about looking for them.

--Old B-Runner

The Sinking of the USS Madgie This Date in 1863

OCTOBER 11, 1863:

The USS Madgie, in tow of the USS Fahkee, sank in rough seas off Frying Pan Shoals, NC. That is what the CWNC had to say. Never heard of the USS Madgie, so looked it up in Wikipedia.

It was a wooden screw steam gunboat launched in 1851, acquired by the Navy Oct. 15, 1861, and sent to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron where it was fitted out at Port Royal, SC.

It was 220 tons, 122 feet long and mounted two cannons (one 8-inch and one 20-pdr.) On 20 June 1862, it sank a vessel off Barrett's Island and captured the schooner Southern Belle. In July, it joined the blockade of St. Simon's and reconnoitered the Ogeechee River and engaged Fort McAllister.

Repaired in March 1863, it then served off St. Catherine's Sound. It sank off Frying Pan Shoals in North Carolina while under tow on this date, October 11, 1863.

Again, Not a Lot of Information on This Ship. --Old B-Runner

Some More on the Douro

I wasn't able to find out too much about the ship, but did find that she was captured by the USS Quaker City on March 9, 1863, on a run out of Wilmington, NC, carrying a cargo of cotton, turpentine and rosin, much like she had when destroyed seven months later.

Also, there was a ship named the Douro that was built in 1853 and operated by the Bibby Line in England then was sold for use as a blockade-runner in 1862.

A second ship named the Douro was built in 1864, but not the ship in question.

It would be interesting to find out what happened to the Douri during the seven months between its capture, sale and destruction. Obviously, it must have run into Wilmington before its destruction. I wonder who bought it?

--Stuff I'd Like to Know. --Old B-R'er

Blockade-Runner Duoro: Captured Once, Then Destroyed the Second Time

OCTOBER 11TH

The USS Nansemond, Lt. Roswell Lawson, chased ashore and destroyed the steamer Douro near New Inlet, NC. It had a cargo of cotton, tobacco, turpentine and rosin. (Outbound) The Douro had been previously captured running the blockade on 9 March 1863 by the USS Quaker City, but after being condemned and sold by the prize court, its new owners made her a blockade-runner again.

Noting this, Commander Almy, senior officer off New Inlet, wrote, "She now lies a complete wreck...and past ever being bought and sold again." Rear Admiral S.P. Lee wrote Fox: "The Nansemond has done well off Wilmington. She discovered, followed & destroyed the Douro at night, the first instance of the kind, I believe." I'm not sure if here Lee is referring to the ship's second time as a blockade-runner or the fact that it was destroyed at night.

How Did This Happen? Have to Be Careful Who You Sell It To. --Old B-Runner

Confederate Privateer Jeff Davis-- Part 1

In the last post, I mentioned the William G. Anderson capturing a blockade-runner in the Gulf of Mexico named the Reindeer which used to be the Confederate privateer Jeff Davis.

It looks like that may have been wrong as I have now come across information that it sank while trying to enter St. Augistine, Florida, in mid-August 1861. I'll do some research.

--Old B-R'er

The USS William G. Anderson-- Part 2

Next, the Anderson went back to Farragut's West Coast Blockade Squadron. On June 14th, 1862, boat crews from the ship crossed the Mississippi Sound and went 15 miles up the Jordan River and seized the 60-ton Confederate schooner Montebello, then it went to the Galveston blockade and in August, captured the Lilly with 350 kegs of gunpowder.

After that, two other schooners were captured, including one, the Reindeer, which had once been the privateer Jeff Davis. Several more captures followed, so the crew was enjoying its prize money cut.

-- Old B-Runner