Some More On Ericsson's "Devil"-- Part 2: A Poem About the "Yankee Devil"

More than you ever thought you'd know about Ericsson's "Devil."

And, then someone wrote a poem about "The Devil."

"THE YANKEE DEVIL"  by W.F. Rivers

HURRAH!  Hurrah! good news and true,
Our woes will soon be past;
To Charleston, boys, all praise be due,
The devil's caught at last.

He's caught, he's dead, he's met his fate
On Morris Island's sands;
His carcass lies in solemn state,
The spoil of Rebel hands.

Hurrah!  Hurrah! let Dixie cheer!
What may not Charleston do!
The devil's caught at last, we hear;
A Yankee devil, too!

And, you didn't think this was a high-class blog!!

More Poetry Coming.  --Old B-R'er

Some More On the "Devil"-- Part 1: "That "Yankee Devil"

From Civil War Talk  "Francis Lee Wanted Iron for  the Torpedi Ram-- Question."

From "Rebel Rhymes and Rhapsodies" by Frank Moore  "The Yankee Devil".

"The  'Nondescript,' or 'Yankee Devil,' for clearing the harbor, was washed ashore on yesterday at Morris Island, and now in our possession.  It is described as a scow-like vessel, painted red, with a long protruding beak, and jutting iron prongs and claws, intended  for the removal of torpedoes.

"It was attached to the Passaic, and managed by her during the engagement."

From the Charleston Courier.

"The enemy are waiting for a new machine, ('Devil') to remove the torpedoes in the harbor, and to have everything in readiness before the attack."   Charleston Courier.

Old-B-Runner

USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 5: It's Still There By Morris Island

After Rodgers cut the "Devil" loose on April 7, it drifted behind Morris Island where the Confederates found it.  Engineers inspected the strange contraption and made a detailed sketch of it.  They later returned to procure any usable parts from the raft.  Captain Francis Lee requisitioned some ten tons of iron fittings from "the Yankee devil," intending to use it for his torpedo rams.

There is a copy of his requisition in the article along with the Confederate sketch.

Craig Swain, the blog writer of To the Sound of Guns, finds it amazing that the "Devil" still exists.  Several years ago he was on an excursion into the waters behind Morris Island in search of the Swamp Angel battery when it was mentioned that the remains of it were there.  He stomped over to it, saw it, but alas, had no camera.

But, a recent survey  of Civil War-related sites  around Charleston, conducted by the South Carolina Institute of  Archaeology and Anthropology for the American Battlefield Protection Program included the "Devil."

The survey team  visited the raft remains and took wood samples for analysis.

And, I'd Never Heard of It Before.  --Old B-Runner

USS Weehawkwn's "Devil"-- Part 4: Problems With the Raft

And, there were problems with the "Devil."  The Weehawken's chains had gotten fouled on the raft, causing a two-hour delay in the attack.

And then other problems.  One report said the  "sea converted the raft  into a huge battering ram which shook the vessel with every undulation."  Meaning, it was battering the ship it was supposed to be protecting.  The raft would rise when the monitor would be falling and vice versa, causing fears that the raft would end up in the deck or under the overhang.

When the Weehawken withdrew from the action, engineers noticed that several iron plates were damaged from the raft battering.  As a result, Rodgers cut the raft loose.

The next day, Rodgers attempted to use another one of the rafts to destroy the grounded USS Keokuk by using the spar torpedoes, but heavy seas caused the crew to be unable to rig the torpedoes.

After April there was still at least one of the rafts left with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, but even with a few more attempts there was no success and the whole thing came to naught.

Perhaps If They Arrached the Raft Even More Snugly.  --Old B-Runner

February 5, 1864: A Suspected Confederate Ship in Maryland

FEBRUARY 5, 1865:   J. L. McPhail, Maryland's Provost Marshall General, wrote Commander Foxhall A. Parker of the Potomac Flotilla, informing him that a known Southern sympathizer was the agent for schooner Ann Hamilton's owners.  He recommended that it be taken, but it later developed that the U.S. Revenue Steamer Hercules had already seized the Ann Hamilton off Point Lookout, Maryland on February 4.

A search of the schooner confirmed McPhail's suspicions:  quantities of salt and lye and more than $15,000 in Confederate money were found onboard.  Parker ordered her to Washington for adjudication.

Another source said that the Ann Hamilton was seized by the Cutter Hercules in conjunction with the USS Bacon.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 3: Also Could Mount Spar Torpedoes

Four chains would secure the raft  to the monitor.  There are references stating that when attached, the "Devil" played the devil with ill effects to the ship's steering.  However, the Weehawken's commander, in an  official report made a few weeks after the April 7 battle with Fort Sumter stated that the raft imposed no  noticeable effects on his ship's steering.

Reference books most often say the raft was designed to snag Confederate torpedoes.  The grappling hooks and chains would certainly  be effective with the torpedoes, but, the author believes that if this took place during a battle that it would not be likely anyone would want to be messing around with several hundred pounds of powder while under fire.  Good point.

Probably better, there was a frame on the front of the raft that could mount two spar torpedoes which might be even more effective at clearing the torpedoes by exploding them.

However, Rodgers did not have the spar torpedoes when he went into battle April 7.  The thought of navigating in the narrow channel with explosives on the front of his ship was too big of a challenge.  But, he was the only commander willing to attach a "Devil" to the front of his ship.  This is why the Weehawken was at the front of the naval column going in to attack as opposed to the USS Passaic, commanded by the more senior Captain Percival Drayton.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 2: Another Ericsson Invention

From To the Sound of Guns blog:  "The 'Devil' or the Ericsson Obstruction Remover, As You Prefer."    Craig Swan.

The "Devil" here was attached to the bow of the monitor USS Weehawken.

The "Devil" was an invention of the famous John Ericsson (USS Monitor, you know) as the request of the Navy to come up with a way of combating Confederate obstructions at the mouths of harbors.  He developed a raft that could be attached to the bow of his monitors.

The device was officially named the "Ericsson Obstruction Remover" but often just called "Ericsson's Raft.  However, Union sailors and Confederates came to calling it "the Devil" since it could be so hurtful to friend or foe.

The Navy sent four of these "Devils" to Charleston in the winter of 1863.  One was lost in route.

Never Heard Of It Before.  --Old B-R'er

The USS Weehawken's "Devil"-- Part 1: To Sweep Torpedoes (Mines)

Of interest, I found mention of this device that was attached at one time to the bow of the USS Weehawken.

From Historic Ships:  Extant Monitors.

The Weehawken was fitted with a large raft that was intended to sweep mines (called torpedoes) in Charleston Harbor.  The raft had a large notch that fit to the bow of the monitor, but it was very unwieldy.  As such the raft was eventually cut loose and drifted to a backwater area of Morris Island.

Confederates found it and called it "The Devil."

This anti-torpedo raft, "The Devil" was reported by Clive Cussler as being in a marsh somewhere around or on Morris Island.  The University of South Carolina also investigated the raft and Dr. Lee Newsom, of Penn State, reported taking wood samples for further analysis.

The results of the analysis are not known.

The Devil You Say.  --Old B-Runner

Was the USS Weehawken Raised?

I was wondering if the ship was raised from its watery grave.  Some think so, others not so sure.

From the Forum of Axis History site.  "Civil War Ships Being Raised."

One person thinks it was raised but will look onto it.  Reportedly in only 30 feet of water so not a difficult job.  Engines salvaged by wreckers.  Turret and pilot house destroyed prior to 1870.    Remainder of wreck removed after 1870.

From the Historic Ships:  Extant U.S. Civil War Monitors

Weehawken, like the USS Patapsco,  sold for salvage around 1870.  Benjamin Mallifert hauled away  at least 130 tons of metal from the wreck.  Clive Cussler reported finding the wreck in 1981 and said the ship was badly broken up.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking of Weehawken-- Part 6: Crew Later Scattered Throughout the Fleet

The Weehawken's yeoman was brought alive on board the flagship, and died in spasms a few moments afterward.  Various parties were picked up  and taken to the nearest vessel, where every provision was made for their comfort and restoration.

Those of the crew who were saved are now scattered in small squads throughout the fleet.  It is impossible to procure at present the names of those who were lost.

The Weehawken is lying in five fathoms of water, and it will soon be raised.  Until she is brought up, no one can tell  with certainty why she sank.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking Of the USS Weehawken-- Part 5: The Tale Below Decks

There were invalids in the sick bay, and to their relief, the surgeon sent his steward, who never returned.  There were firemen at the furnaces, to who vain shrieks for a helping hand at the pumps were made.  A few if the confident were rushing to their quarters to save their effects, jostling the timid on their way to the deck to save themselves.

It was in the midst of scenes like this that the Weehawken went down.

I believe that none of the officers perished save the four assistant engineers, who were overtaken by the flood before they could make any effort to escape.

Commander had only taken command of the Weehawken on Saturday, having been detached from the Paul Jones to relieve Commander Calhoun.  The officer's clothing, the paymaster's funds and papers of the ship sank with her.

--Old B-Runner

January 28, 1864: Wooden Sailing Ships On Foreign Duty

JANUARY 28, 1964:  Captaim Henry S. Stellwagen, commanding the USS Constellation, reported from Naples:  "It is my pleasant duty to inform you of the continued [friendly] demonstrations of ruling powers and people of the Kingdom of Italy toward our country and officers."

When the problems of blockading the hazardous Atlantic and Gulf coasts and running down Confederate commerce raiders compelled the Navy Department to employ its steamers in these tasks, sailing warships were sent out to replace them on foreign stations.

These slow but relatively powerful vessels, the historic Constellation in the Mediterranean, St. Louis west of Gibraltar on the converging trade routes, Jamestown in the East Indies, became available to escort merchant ships and, more important, to deter the approach of raiders.

Though they received but few opportunities to carry out their military missions, these veterans of the Old Navy rendered most effective service protecting American interests and maintaining national prestige abroad.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking of USS Weehawken-- Part 4: Overconfidant To the Peril

As many others were rescued from the surging waves by the launches if the flagship, the South Carolina and the tugboats Dandelion and Iris.  Thirty perished.

All day the Weehawken had labored heavily  in the seas, which had kept her decks constantly submerged, and which frequently swept in huge volumes into her forward hatch.  Towards noon the crew commenced playing out chain, to ease her; but, as accustomed as they were, in every gale, to the shipping of such seas, it is believed that they had grown confident and careless of danger, and paid no hewed to the encroaching waters until it was too late to resist them.

They dreamed of no peril till the waves had fairly yawned to swallow them.  Then, when it was known for certainty that the vessel was to be lost, a panic if fright and fear benumbed them, and the terror-stricken crew below had little power to help themselves.

There were men in irons between  decks, and the sergeant at-arms rushed frantically away to release them.  Poor fellows, they all went down.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking of the USS Weehawken-- Part 3: It Sank Suddenly

The Weehawken's Commander, Jesse A. Duncan, had scarcely left the admiral when the officer of the deck made out from the Weehawken a new signal, and immediately reported her to be sinking.

A moment later she settled quickly down by the head, careened slightly to starboard, and disappeared beneath the waves.

It is impossible to convey any idea of the appalling nature of this disaster.    It came with the suddenness of a thunderbolt.  When the first signal of distress was made no one divined how serious was the danger, and when, at length, the vessel went down,  it was difficult for those who saw her disappear to credit the evidence of their own senses.

The confusion on the flagship, arising mainly from the difficulty of launching her boats, and the desire of both officers and men to be first in them, was most intense and painful.  The wind was now blowing with great fury and the boats which hastened from all sides to the scene encountered great peril in picking up from the water the few who had succeeded in getting away.

--Old B-Runner

Sinking of the Monitor USS Weehawken-- Part 2: A Bad Storm Arises

Continued from December 20, 2018.

Saturday had been a bright and beautiful day, with scarcely a breath of air astir, and with a calm, unruffled sea.  --During  the night a breeze sprang up, and the wind blowing freshly at daylight on Sunday, increased by noon to a violent storm.

The iron-clad fleet was lying meanwhile at its usual anchorage.  The frigate New Ironsides was stationed off Morris Island, at a distance of about one mile  due east from Fort Wagner --, or as it is now called Fort Strong.  North of the Ironsides lay the flagship Philadelphia, distant about 100 yards.  The Weehawken was next, anchored about  two or three hundred yards off to the northward of the flagship.

The first signal of distress was made from the Weehawken, at a few minutes before two o'clock.  The signal was seen and answered at once by the flagship, from which four boats were sent to her assistance, and by the South Carolina, which sent two of her boats to the Weehawken's aid.

The tugs Dandelion and Iris were also called up, and with them commander Duncan, of the Weehawken, who chanced to be on the flagship, and in conversation with the admiral, when the signal was made, proceeded immediately  with the hope of running his vessel to the beach.

--Old B-Runner