In the last post, I mentioned a Confederate ship named the Indian Chief in connection to Joseph Ridgaway, a crew member of the doomed submarine Hunley.. I didn't know anything about it so did some more research.
The CSS Indian Chief was the receiving ship for Charleston and many naval recruits served on it. The ship was also involved in mine laying operations and was described as a schooner. It was burned during the Confederate evacuation of Charleston on February 18, 1865 in Town Creek.
In 1929, its wreck was leveled with dynamite and clamshell dredging..
--Old B-Runner
Friday, December 11, 2015
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Seaman Joseph Ridgaway of the Hunley-- Part 2
His new duties as second in command was to secure the aft hatch, manning the seventh crank operating the aft pump, seacock and flywheel.
He was one of the most experienced seamen on board the Hunley.
His body and those of the others were not found until 1995.
During the Hunley's excavation, his body was found with a slouch hat, pencil and wooden pope. But the most interesting artifact found on his remains was an id for a Union soldier named Ezra Chamberlin who died at the Battle of Morris Island in 1863.
Best guess as to how it came into Ridgaway's possession was that he picked it up at some point when he was on picker duty at Morris Island. probably while he was assigned to the CSS Indian Chief. Four other members of the Hunley's crew had also been on that ship.
After the Hunley didn't return from its attack on the Housatonic, a friend of Ridgaway's from the Indian Chief, James Joiner, brought his personal possessions back to his family in Maryland and eventually married one of Ridgaway's four sisters.
Joseph Ridgaway and the other Hunley crew members are buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, S.C..
--Old B-R'er
He was one of the most experienced seamen on board the Hunley.
His body and those of the others were not found until 1995.
During the Hunley's excavation, his body was found with a slouch hat, pencil and wooden pope. But the most interesting artifact found on his remains was an id for a Union soldier named Ezra Chamberlin who died at the Battle of Morris Island in 1863.
Best guess as to how it came into Ridgaway's possession was that he picked it up at some point when he was on picker duty at Morris Island. probably while he was assigned to the CSS Indian Chief. Four other members of the Hunley's crew had also been on that ship.
After the Hunley didn't return from its attack on the Housatonic, a friend of Ridgaway's from the Indian Chief, James Joiner, brought his personal possessions back to his family in Maryland and eventually married one of Ridgaway's four sisters.
Joseph Ridgaway and the other Hunley crew members are buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, S.C..
--Old B-R'er
Seaman Joseph Ridgaway, of the Hunley-- Part 1
From Find-A-Grave.
Seaman Joseph F. Ridgaway.
second in command of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley when it sank the USS Housatonic in 1864. Born late 1833 to James and Elizabeth Ridgaway of Talbot County, Maryland. He earned his experienced seaman certificate at age 16.
On August 29, 1862, he joined the Confederate States Navy in Richmond, Virginia.
Eventually he ended up in Charleston, S.C. and served on the CSS Indian Chief and later the submarine H.L. Hunley where he initially only had the duty to operate a crank used in its propulsion. But, when William Alexander, one of the sub's builders, was transferred back to Mobile in early 1864, Lt. Dixon, its commander, promoted Ridgaway to second in command.
--Old B-Runner
Seaman Joseph F. Ridgaway.
second in command of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley when it sank the USS Housatonic in 1864. Born late 1833 to James and Elizabeth Ridgaway of Talbot County, Maryland. He earned his experienced seaman certificate at age 16.
On August 29, 1862, he joined the Confederate States Navy in Richmond, Virginia.
Eventually he ended up in Charleston, S.C. and served on the CSS Indian Chief and later the submarine H.L. Hunley where he initially only had the duty to operate a crank used in its propulsion. But, when William Alexander, one of the sub's builders, was transferred back to Mobile in early 1864, Lt. Dixon, its commander, promoted Ridgaway to second in command.
--Old B-Runner
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Seaman Joseph Ridgaway, Submarine Hunley
Another Marylander from Talbot County, Maryland, like Admiral Buchanan, was Joseph Ridgaway who was serving on one of his father's merchant ships at the outbreak of the Civil War.
He saw service in the Confederate Navy and in 1864, was second-in-command of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley in its famous attack on and sinking of the USS Housatonic. He also disappeared with that ship.
--Old B-R'er
He saw service in the Confederate Navy and in 1864, was second-in-command of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley in its famous attack on and sinking of the USS Housatonic. He also disappeared with that ship.
--Old B-R'er
Admiral Franklin Buchanan, CSN-- Part 2
Continued from Dec. 1st, 2015.
Franklin Buchanan commanded the CSS Virginia on the first day of battle at Hampton Roads, Virginia, but was wounded and Catesby ap Jones commanded the ship in its battle against the USS Monitor.
He was promoted to admiral and the ranking officer in the Confederate Navy and sent to Mobile to command the fleet there. he oversaw construction of the ironclad CSS Tennessee and fought Union Admiral Farragut at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Fort Fisher's formidable Battery Buchanan was named after him.
After the war, he served briefly as president of the Agricultural College of Maryland and the manager of an insurance company.
Admiral Franklin is described as "a champion of unsurpassed ability and bravery" and "a man of heroic mould, and one whose acts will be the theme of historians, and whose character will be the study and admiration of coming years."
--Old B-Runner
Franklin Buchanan commanded the CSS Virginia on the first day of battle at Hampton Roads, Virginia, but was wounded and Catesby ap Jones commanded the ship in its battle against the USS Monitor.
He was promoted to admiral and the ranking officer in the Confederate Navy and sent to Mobile to command the fleet there. he oversaw construction of the ironclad CSS Tennessee and fought Union Admiral Farragut at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Fort Fisher's formidable Battery Buchanan was named after him.
After the war, he served briefly as president of the Agricultural College of Maryland and the manager of an insurance company.
Admiral Franklin is described as "a champion of unsurpassed ability and bravery" and "a man of heroic mould, and one whose acts will be the theme of historians, and whose character will be the study and admiration of coming years."
--Old B-Runner
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Fort Fisher Celebrating 2015 Holiday Open House Today
From the Fort Fisher site.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015, today, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the free and open to the public open house will e held at the visitor's center at the fort, located at 1610 Fort Fisher Boulevard in South Kure Beach.
It is sponsored by the Fort Fisher Chapter 2325 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the friends of Fort Fisher and their sustaining members.
Seasonal refreshments, decorations and entertainment will be offered all day. Holiday musical selections will be provided by the Murray Middle School Jazz Band. Also storyteller and musician John Golden and John Bennett and Masonboro Parlor will be on hand. The group consists of local musicians who combine lively dance and period music.
In addition, today there will be a 20% discount on all merchandise at the museum store.
--Old B-Runner
Tuesday, December 8, 2015, today, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the free and open to the public open house will e held at the visitor's center at the fort, located at 1610 Fort Fisher Boulevard in South Kure Beach.
It is sponsored by the Fort Fisher Chapter 2325 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the friends of Fort Fisher and their sustaining members.
Seasonal refreshments, decorations and entertainment will be offered all day. Holiday musical selections will be provided by the Murray Middle School Jazz Band. Also storyteller and musician John Golden and John Bennett and Masonboro Parlor will be on hand. The group consists of local musicians who combine lively dance and period music.
In addition, today there will be a 20% discount on all merchandise at the museum store.
--Old B-Runner
Fort Fisher Pillars
From the Oct. 29, 2015, Wilmington (NC) Star-News "Fort Fisher Pillars."
Two photos and a caption accompanied were included. These are the two pillars standing on either side of US-421 north of Fort Fisher. The actually fort, however, does not begin at this point. The newspaper is not sure, but think the two pillars were erected in 1932 at the same time the Fort Fisher monument was built at Battle Acre by the North Carolina Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
The pillars were once surrounded by trees and brush, but now by homes because of the build up.
Two photos accompanied it. One shows the pillars in the 1930s-1940s. The other one is current.
Several comments accompanied the article. One says he will do more research on it, several more eluded to the Confederate Flag controversy.
This article is part of the Star-News Throwback Thursday series.
--Love Those Pillars. --Old B-R'er
--
Two photos and a caption accompanied were included. These are the two pillars standing on either side of US-421 north of Fort Fisher. The actually fort, however, does not begin at this point. The newspaper is not sure, but think the two pillars were erected in 1932 at the same time the Fort Fisher monument was built at Battle Acre by the North Carolina Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
The pillars were once surrounded by trees and brush, but now by homes because of the build up.
Two photos accompanied it. One shows the pillars in the 1930s-1940s. The other one is current.
Several comments accompanied the article. One says he will do more research on it, several more eluded to the Confederate Flag controversy.
This article is part of the Star-News Throwback Thursday series.
--Love Those Pillars. --Old B-R'er
--
Despite Bill, the "Rocks" Going Nowhere Anytime Soon
From the October 20, 2015, Wilmington (NC) Star-News by Cammie Bellamy.
The North Carolina General Assembly debated the future of the New Inlet Dam for months. Now there is a provision in the budget for the removal of part of it, though it could stay open for years and possibly never removed.
The dam was built across the much-used by blockade-runners New Inlet to the Cape Fear River and Wilmington after the Civil War. Fort Fisher was built to guard New Inlet.
Discussion began in April for its removal of part of it south of Zeke's Island. The Senate Bill 160 was introduced by Senator Michael Lee, Republican, of New Hanover. It stalled in committee and ended up as funding for a study on its removal.
Any actual removal could not start until a study is completed.
--Old B-Runner
The North Carolina General Assembly debated the future of the New Inlet Dam for months. Now there is a provision in the budget for the removal of part of it, though it could stay open for years and possibly never removed.
The dam was built across the much-used by blockade-runners New Inlet to the Cape Fear River and Wilmington after the Civil War. Fort Fisher was built to guard New Inlet.
Discussion began in April for its removal of part of it south of Zeke's Island. The Senate Bill 160 was introduced by Senator Michael Lee, Republican, of New Hanover. It stalled in committee and ended up as funding for a study on its removal.
Any actual removal could not start until a study is completed.
--Old B-Runner
Monday, December 7, 2015
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor-- Part 2: Western Michigan Men There
LOUIS J. HAMMOND JR.-- Hesperia, US Army Air Corps, died Dec. 19, 1994.
FLOYD HENRY-- Grand Haven, died April 27, 1996.
MAX D. JENSEN-- Hesperia, US Army Air Corps, deceased.
LEO V. JOHNSON-- Norton Shores, Staff Sergeant, US Army Air Corps, 92
FLOYD HENRY-- Grand Haven, died April 27, 1996.
MAX D. JENSEN-- Hesperia, US Army Air Corps, deceased.
LEO V. JOHNSON-- Norton Shores, Staff Sergeant, US Army Air Corps, 92
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor-- Part 1: Western Michigan Men at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941
Every year, I observe this date in all my blogs.
From the Dec. 3, 2012, M Live.
Western Michigan Men at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, WITH DARE OF DEATH:
HARRY BRILL-- Muskegon, died Oct. 1, 1981.
RUSSELL E. BURKHARDT-- Twin Lake, US Army Master Sergeant, died Jan. 18, 1973.
JOHN CATES-- Muskegon, USN, Fireman 1st Class, died July 27, 1980.
JAMES E. FERRO-- Muskegon, nurse at Schofield Barracks, died Oct. 26, 1996.
From the Dec. 3, 2012, M Live.
Western Michigan Men at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, WITH DARE OF DEATH:
HARRY BRILL-- Muskegon, died Oct. 1, 1981.
RUSSELL E. BURKHARDT-- Twin Lake, US Army Master Sergeant, died Jan. 18, 1973.
JOHN CATES-- Muskegon, USN, Fireman 1st Class, died July 27, 1980.
JAMES E. FERRO-- Muskegon, nurse at Schofield Barracks, died Oct. 26, 1996.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
The End of the CSS Florida-- Part 1
From the November 27, 2015, Daily Press (Newport News, Va.) "Civil War raider sinks off Newport news" by Mark St. John Erickson.
The captured CSS Florida, Confederate commerce raider, steamed into Hampton Roads in November 1864. For two years this ship had savaged the American merchant marine fleet, seizing and burning dozens of them.
The ship's very questionable capture by the Union Navy caused huge foreign diplomatic problems, especially with Brazil, where it was captured. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, France and Britain denounced the capture in Brazilian waters.
Hampton Roads Naval museum curator Joe Judge said, "As far as the North was concerned, the CSS Florida had been built by a foreign country under the shadiest of circumstances-- skirting international law and a full diplomatic outcry-- then unchivalously preyed upon the weakest of vessels while never standing up to a Union warship in a fair fight."
The CSS Florida was at sea even before the CSS Alabama.
--Old B-R'er
The captured CSS Florida, Confederate commerce raider, steamed into Hampton Roads in November 1864. For two years this ship had savaged the American merchant marine fleet, seizing and burning dozens of them.
The ship's very questionable capture by the Union Navy caused huge foreign diplomatic problems, especially with Brazil, where it was captured. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, France and Britain denounced the capture in Brazilian waters.
Hampton Roads Naval museum curator Joe Judge said, "As far as the North was concerned, the CSS Florida had been built by a foreign country under the shadiest of circumstances-- skirting international law and a full diplomatic outcry-- then unchivalously preyed upon the weakest of vessels while never standing up to a Union warship in a fair fight."
The CSS Florida was at sea even before the CSS Alabama.
--Old B-R'er
Irvine Stephens Bulloch-- Part 4
After the war, he was denied amnesty and remained in Liverpool working as a cotton merchant with his half brother, James Bulloch.
In 1869, his sister Mittie and the Roosevelt family toured Europe and a joyous reunion took place. Teddy Roosevelt, future president, was with his mother Mittie who had filled him with stories of the sea and his uncles. He later wrote "The Naval War in 1812."
Irvine Bulloch's sword is at the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool. He lived the rest of his life in England, dying at age 58 and is buried at Toxteth Park cemetery in Liverpool.
Quite an Interesting Life. --Old B-Runner
In 1869, his sister Mittie and the Roosevelt family toured Europe and a joyous reunion took place. Teddy Roosevelt, future president, was with his mother Mittie who had filled him with stories of the sea and his uncles. He later wrote "The Naval War in 1812."
Irvine Bulloch's sword is at the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool. He lived the rest of his life in England, dying at age 58 and is buried at Toxteth Park cemetery in Liverpool.
Quite an Interesting Life. --Old B-Runner
Friday, December 4, 2015
Irvine Stephens Bulloch-- Part 3: Promoted, But No Country to Serve
Continued from November 21st.
After the loss of the his ship, the CSS Alabama, Irvine Bulloch returned to Liverpool and set out on the ship Laurent on October 1864 to join the CSS Shenandoah as its sailing master. It was Bulloch who navigated the ship from off San Francisco when they found out for sure that the war was over, to Liverpool where the ship surrendered to English authorities on November 6, 1865.
Once there, he found that he had been promoted to lieutenant, but he now had no country to serve.
--Old B-Runner
After the loss of the his ship, the CSS Alabama, Irvine Bulloch returned to Liverpool and set out on the ship Laurent on October 1864 to join the CSS Shenandoah as its sailing master. It was Bulloch who navigated the ship from off San Francisco when they found out for sure that the war was over, to Liverpool where the ship surrendered to English authorities on November 6, 1865.
Once there, he found that he had been promoted to lieutenant, but he now had no country to serve.
--Old B-Runner
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Admiral Franklin Buchanan, CSN-- Part 1
From The Star Democrat "Newspeak vs. The 'Talbot Boys' by Philip Carey Foster.
Recounting Marylanders fighting for the Confederacy.
Franklin Buchanan joined the U.S. Navy shortly after the War of 1812 and served as a midshipman on a ship commanded by Commodore Perry. He volunteered for service in the Mexican War and participated in the capture of Vera Cruz. Later he served as second in command for Commodore Perry's expedition to Japan and is believed to be the first American officer ever to set foot on Japanese soil.
He became persuaded that the Navy needed a school like the Army had at West Point to properly train officers which led to the establishment of the Naval Academy. As such, he served as its first superintendent, overseeing the development of both its academic and military aspects.
Maryland was ambivalent about which side it was on at the outbreak of the Civil War, but he resigned after the Baltimore Massacre, but soon afterward tried to recall it.
--Old B-R'er
Recounting Marylanders fighting for the Confederacy.
Franklin Buchanan joined the U.S. Navy shortly after the War of 1812 and served as a midshipman on a ship commanded by Commodore Perry. He volunteered for service in the Mexican War and participated in the capture of Vera Cruz. Later he served as second in command for Commodore Perry's expedition to Japan and is believed to be the first American officer ever to set foot on Japanese soil.
He became persuaded that the Navy needed a school like the Army had at West Point to properly train officers which led to the establishment of the Naval Academy. As such, he served as its first superintendent, overseeing the development of both its academic and military aspects.
Maryland was ambivalent about which side it was on at the outbreak of the Civil War, but he resigned after the Baltimore Massacre, but soon afterward tried to recall it.
--Old B-R'er
The Exploits of Confederate John Yates Beall-- Part 2
Beall and his men attempted a raid on the prison at Johnston Island in September 1864 as they commandeered a ferry boat to transport those who they were attempting to rescue. The raid failed when an informant tipped off Federal authorities.
Not to be denied, Beall decided to instead derail a passenger train carrying other Confederate officers. That plan also failed and he was arrested in Niagara, New York. He was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death.
He had friends, however, in high places. Six U.S. Senators and ninety-one members of Congress signed an appeal to have the conviction overturned, but President Lincoln did not intervene and Beall was hanged on February 24, 1864.
There is a tale about John Wilkes Booth being a friend of John Yates Beall and that he killed Lincoln partly because of his refusal to intervene but this has never been substantiated.
Beall is buried in the Zion Church Cemetery in Charles Town, West Virginia.
--Old B-Runner
Not to be denied, Beall decided to instead derail a passenger train carrying other Confederate officers. That plan also failed and he was arrested in Niagara, New York. He was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death.
He had friends, however, in high places. Six U.S. Senators and ninety-one members of Congress signed an appeal to have the conviction overturned, but President Lincoln did not intervene and Beall was hanged on February 24, 1864.
There is a tale about John Wilkes Booth being a friend of John Yates Beall and that he killed Lincoln partly because of his refusal to intervene but this has never been substantiated.
Beall is buried in the Zion Church Cemetery in Charles Town, West Virginia.
--Old B-Runner
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