MAY 31ST, 1862: Commander Rowan, commanding the USS Philadelphia, reported the capture of schooner W.F. Harris in Core Sound, North Carolina.
** The USS Keystone State, Commander LeRoy, captured blockade running British schooner Cora off Charleston.
--Old B-Runner
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
United States Colored Troops at Fort Fisher-- Part 1: 27th USCT
Honoring our military this Memorial Day 2017.
From North Carolina Historic Sites "Black Troops at Fort Fisher."
The 27th USCT regiment participated in the mop-up operations against Fort Fisher on the night of January 15, 1865 and were involved in the initial surrender negotiations.
The regiment was from Ohio and was just one day shy of having a year's service at Fort Fisher, having been organized at Camp Delaware on January 16, 1864.
They served initially in the IX Corps, Army of the Potomac before being transferred to the XXV Corps.
--Old B-Runner
From North Carolina Historic Sites "Black Troops at Fort Fisher."
The 27th USCT regiment participated in the mop-up operations against Fort Fisher on the night of January 15, 1865 and were involved in the initial surrender negotiations.
The regiment was from Ohio and was just one day shy of having a year's service at Fort Fisher, having been organized at Camp Delaware on January 16, 1864.
They served initially in the IX Corps, Army of the Potomac before being transferred to the XXV Corps.
--Old B-Runner
Monday, May 29, 2017
Memorial Day 2017: William Graham Hood
This 2017 Memorial Day I will post in all blogs about it today and tomorrow.
William Graham Hood, served in the U.S. Army in World War I. He never went overseas, though.
He was my grandfather.
William Graham Hood, served in the U.S. Army in World War I. He never went overseas, though.
He was my grandfather.
May 29, 1862: Four Blockade Runners Captured
MAY 29TH, 1862: The USS Keystone State, Commander LeRoy, captured British blockade runner Elizabeth off Charleston.
** The USS Bienville, Commander Mullany, captured blockade runners Providence, with cargo of salt and cigars, Rebecca, with cargo of salt and La Criolla, with cargo of provisions, off Charleston.
That made a total of four blockade runners captured off Charleston in one day.
In the case of the Bienville, this made five blockade runners captured since May 24. Not a bad haul of prize money.
--Old B-Runner
** The USS Bienville, Commander Mullany, captured blockade runners Providence, with cargo of salt and cigars, Rebecca, with cargo of salt and La Criolla, with cargo of provisions, off Charleston.
That made a total of four blockade runners captured off Charleston in one day.
In the case of the Bienville, this made five blockade runners captured since May 24. Not a bad haul of prize money.
--Old B-Runner
Thursday, May 25, 2017
May 28, 1862: Blockade Runner Nassau Captured Near Fort Caswell, N.C.
MAY 28TH, 1862: The USS State of Georgia, Commander Armstrong, and USS Victoia, Acting Master Joshua D. Warren, captured steamer Nassau near Fort Caswell, North Carolina, running into Old Inlet of the Cape Fear River.
--Old B-Runner
--Old B-Runner
May 27, 1862: USS Bienville Seizes a Blockade Runner in South Carolina
MAY 27, 1862: The USS Bienville, Commander Mullany, seized blockade running British steamer Patras off Bull's Island, South Carolina with cargo of powder and arms.
--Old B-Runner
--Old B-Runner
CSS Arkansas-- Part 2: Lt. Brown Puts a Rush On Completion
Nevertheless, with great energy to overcome shortages and difficulties of every nature, Lt. Brown completed the Arkansas, reinforced her bulwarks with cotton bales, and mounted a formidable armament of 10 guns.
Lt. George W. Gift, CSN, who served in the ship later recorded that "within five weeks from the day we arrived at Yazoo City, we had a man-of-war (such as she was) from almost nothing -- the credit for all that belongs to Isaac Newton Brown, the commander of the vessel."
A number of Army artillerists volunteered to cat as gunners on board the ram.
--Old B-R'er
Lt. George W. Gift, CSN, who served in the ship later recorded that "within five weeks from the day we arrived at Yazoo City, we had a man-of-war (such as she was) from almost nothing -- the credit for all that belongs to Isaac Newton Brown, the commander of the vessel."
A number of Army artillerists volunteered to cat as gunners on board the ram.
--Old B-R'er
May 26, 1862: Lt. Brown, CSN, Ordered to Take Command of CSS Arkansas-- Part 1
MAY 26TH, 1862: Lt. Isaac N. Brown, CSN, ordered to take command of the CSS Arkansas and "finish the vessel without regard to expenditure of men or money."
Captain Lynch after inspecting the unfinished ram reported to Secretary of Navy Mallory that: "the Arkansas is very inferior to the Merrimac[k] in every particular. The iron with which she is covered is worn and indifferent, taken from a railroad track, and is poorly secured to the vessel; boiler iron on stern and counter; her smoke-stack is sheet iron."
--Old B-Runner
Captain Lynch after inspecting the unfinished ram reported to Secretary of Navy Mallory that: "the Arkansas is very inferior to the Merrimac[k] in every particular. The iron with which she is covered is worn and indifferent, taken from a railroad track, and is poorly secured to the vessel; boiler iron on stern and counter; her smoke-stack is sheet iron."
--Old B-Runner
May 25, 1862: Action at Charleston
MAY 25TH, 1862: A Confederate gunboat under command of Captain F.N. Bonneau, guarding the bridge between James and Dixon islands, Charleston Harbor, exchanged fire with Union gunboats.
Captain Bonneau claimed several hits on the Union gunboats.
I will not be posting for several days, so will go ahead on the chronology.
--Old B-Runner
Captain Bonneau claimed several hits on the Union gunboats.
I will not be posting for several days, so will go ahead on the chronology.
--Old B-Runner
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
May 24, 1862: USS Bienville Captures a Blockade Runner
MAY 24TH, 1862: The USS Bienville, Commander Mullany, captured British blockade runner Stettin off Charleston, S.C..
--Old B-Runner
--Old B-Runner
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
USS Heliotrope-- Part 2: Activity in Virgina
The complement of the Heliotrope is not known. It was 134 feet long with a 24.6 foot beam and, important for operating in shallow rivers, just a 6.8 draught.
March 6-8, 1865, the Heliotrope participated in a joint expedition up the Rappahannock River to Fredericksburg where it destroyed railroad facilities, tracks and army supply depots.
After that the Heliotrope continued to patrol the Potomac River. On March 16, with other gunboats, it sent small boats with about 60 men up Mattox Creek and captured three schooners and various types of supplies were taken or destroyed.
The ship continued its work until mid-April when it steamed top New York City and arrived April 20, 1865. This is probably how black crewman Thomas Jefferson Davis ended up in the New York City area.
It was decommissioned on January 12, 1866, and was sold 17 June to the Department of the Treasury for use in the Lighthouse Service.
--Old B-Runner
March 6-8, 1865, the Heliotrope participated in a joint expedition up the Rappahannock River to Fredericksburg where it destroyed railroad facilities, tracks and army supply depots.
After that the Heliotrope continued to patrol the Potomac River. On March 16, with other gunboats, it sent small boats with about 60 men up Mattox Creek and captured three schooners and various types of supplies were taken or destroyed.
The ship continued its work until mid-April when it steamed top New York City and arrived April 20, 1865. This is probably how black crewman Thomas Jefferson Davis ended up in the New York City area.
It was decommissioned on January 12, 1866, and was sold 17 June to the Department of the Treasury for use in the Lighthouse Service.
--Old B-Runner
Monday, May 22, 2017
May 22, 1862: The USS Whitehead Captures Another Ship
MAY 22ND, 1862: The USS Whitehead, Acting master French, captured the sloop Ella D off Keel's Creek, N.C., with cargo of salt.
--Old B-Runner
--Old B-Runner
Friday, May 19, 2017
May 21, 1862: Boat Expedition in North Carolina
MAY 21ST, 1862: Boat expedition from the USS Hunchback, Acting Lt. Calhoun, and the USS Whitehead, Acting Master French, captured schooner Winter Shrub in Keel's Creek, North Carolina, with cargo of fish.
--Old B-Runner
--Old B-Runner
May 20, 1862: Action on the Stono River, S.C.
MAY 20TH, 1862: Union gunboats occupied the Stono River above Cole's Island, South Carolina, and shelled Confederate positions there. Flag Officer Du Pont reported to Secretary of the Navy Welles: "The Unadilla, Pembina, and Ottawa, under Commander Marchand ... succeeded in entering Stono and proceeded up the river above the old Fort opposite Legareville.
"On their approach the barracks were fired and deserted by the enemy.... This important base of operations, the Stono, has thus been secured for further operations by the army against Charleston...."
--Old B-Runner
USS Heliotrope-- Part 1
On May 2, I wrote about a house for sale on Long island, New York, that also had the grave of black Union sailor Thomas Jefferson Davis who had served during the war on the USS Heliotrope. I'd never heard of it, so went to good old Wikipedia.
The USS Heliotrope was 239 tons, 134 feet long steamer armed with a 12-pdr. cannon which served as a tug.
It was originally the Maggie Baker before being bought in New York City and commissioned 24 April 1864.
It was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and proceeded to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where it served as a tug and ordnance ship. It occasionally patrolled up the James River.
January 23, 1865, it was transferred to the Potomac Flotilla.
--Old B-Runner
The USS Heliotrope was 239 tons, 134 feet long steamer armed with a 12-pdr. cannon which served as a tug.
It was originally the Maggie Baker before being bought in New York City and commissioned 24 April 1864.
It was assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and proceeded to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where it served as a tug and ordnance ship. It occasionally patrolled up the James River.
January 23, 1865, it was transferred to the Potomac Flotilla.
--Old B-Runner
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