Commandant Samuel F. Dupont to Gustavus V. Fox, September 24, 1861

Private

Astor House 24 Sep. 61.

My Dear Mr. Fox,

I closed up things yesterday at Philad^a — where Turner is doing remarkably well; I took leave of the master workmen and held up the importance of economy to them.

To-day I have been around with Pook, Mr. Morgan, Bell and Drayton, hurrying up all I could. Pook is in advance of the Yard. Some of the steamers are getting along — the Alabama and Augusta will be ready by Saturday. I think however that Com. Breese should be informed that the Dept is anxious to have as many ships as possible ready by 10. Oct.

The Isaac Smith (Swiftsure line) will be a most formidable vessel, possibly the most efficient and powerful for certain purposes that has been purchased, but the cost is considerable. The second one is so light, that the alterations must be much less, and the third the Western World, had better be kept for a troop ship. She will carry two thousand five hd. A rifle gun forward and one gun on each broadside will be a suitable armament.

I have concluded to have two ferry-boats, and a Tug as tender with a rifle gun, Mr. Morgan to write about it, if you approve.

I wish The Adger could remain here and commence the nucleus of the expedition. They should anchor off the battery and after getting everything on board and their crews stationed I would send them to Sandy Hook to withdraw attention. Drayton would go down and put them through an exercise and see to their magazines and ammunition &c &c. With these new arms and rifle guns, &c, I am satisfied that one of the best things you did was to give me Drayton as ordnance officer — he is very au fait and he and Bell chimed right in. Bell is very earnest and feels the importance of exertion.

The Gunboats are well forward and Cap. Gregory and Comstock are also very active. I am going to try one of them tomorrow. They seem desirous I should go with them, and I thought it, though I feel the loss of a few hours even.

May I ask you to form the Expedition for me as soon as you can by giving these officers orders to report as soon as ready, that is that Com B. should do so. I told the latter I wished the Wabash not to come to the Yard but to lay off the battery, which pleased him much.

The Bienville is pretty well on. We had better let Lee have her, as the DeSoto is far behind her — the danger here is being top heavy — the guns sh^d have been on the middle deck.

Now for a little very private chat.

You have a rare party at that Yard just now — that Court of retired old gentlemen — and then the regular retiring board — a hot place for me to get into. Com. Paulding was cordial and hearty in the extreme. Farragut a little constrained. The others, I did not see — but Breese who was very cordial told me the theory which had been got up—

“That the younger officers had prevailed on the Dept. to adopt its course about the flag officers — and this was done in connivance with and in order to act upon the retiring board, that they would feel compelled to retire all above the flag officers!! Of course I am looked upon as the arch conspirator of the younger officers. I spoke right out to Breese, first in emphatic defence of the Dept; secondly in utter defiance and utter contempt of any aspersions upon me. He gave me to understand that Bell (C. H.) was the most sore. I said he had had a big Navy Yard and a Meditⁿ Squadron, and while feeling respect for him, as the Dept did, I could see nothing in his history that shd make him preferred to me, who had served as long and as faithfully as he ever had. Do not understand that Breese was sympathising in these complaints, not at all — he was disgusted I think with Stringham coming North.

I have seen Howell, he will be able to take a gun boat and will be a fine appt. All seemed delighted when I told them the Dept would probably give Crosby a gun boat, as a reward for his activity and zeal.

Send for Goldsboro and post him up, if you choose. I will meet him in Washington — perhaps it would be well we should arrange some things together. Sands speaks in highest terms of his industry and constant attention to duty. Sands seemed delighted with his appointment and mine and said he would be ready to come at any time and help us give those fellows a lick.

I return about Thursday to Philad — attend to my private affairs, pack up everything, make my will, and on Monday commence here and work to the end — by that time I hope Wabash will be in.

I have written more than you can read.

Truly Yr friend

S. F. DP.

SOURCE: Robert Means Thompson & Richard Wainwright, Editors, Publications of the Naval Historical Society, Volume 9: Confidential Correspondence of Gustavus Vasa Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1861-1865, Volume 1, p. 52-55

Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, September 22, 1863

But little additional intelligence from Rosecrans and the South. We have information of a failure on our part at Sabine Pass, where an attempt was made to capture formidable batteries with frail boats, the army as spectators. The expedition appears to have been badly conceived, planned, and executed. A large military force was sent to take these batteries. Neither General Halleck nor the Secretary of War consulted the Navy in this matter. General Banks appears to have originated it, and made a requisition on Commodore Bell, who readily responded, in the absence of Farragut, with light boats built for transporting passengers in Northern rivers. Admiral Farragut was at the Navy Department when dispatches were received from Commodore Bell, stating that application for cooperation and aid had been made on him, and how he had answered the call. When Farragut read the dispatch, he laid down the paper and said to me: “The expedition will be a failure. The army officers have an impression that naval vessels can do anything; this call is made for boats to accompany an army expedition; it is expected the Navy will capture the batteries, and, the army being there in force with a general in command, they will take the credit. But there will be no credit in the case, and you may expect to hear of disaster. These boats which Bell has given them cannot encounter batteries; they might cooperate with and assist the army, but that is evidently not the object. The soldiers should land and attack in the rear, and the vessels aid them in front. But that is not the army plan. The soldiers are not to land until the Navy had done an impossibility, with such boats. Therefore there will be disaster.” The news of to-day verifies his prediction. This Sabine expedition was substituted, I suppose, for that of Indianola, which I suggested, and we may now have the promised word of General Halleck. He will have heard from Banks.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 441-2

Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, May 12, 1863

We have information that Stonewall Jackson, one of the best generals in the Rebel, and, in some respects, perhaps in either, service, is dead. One cannot but lament the death of such a man, in such a cause too. He was fanatically earnest, and a Christian but bigoted soldier.

A Mr. Prentiss has presented a long document to the President for the relief of certain parties who owned the John Gilpin, a vessel loaded with cotton, and captured and condemned as good prize. There has been a good deal of outside engineering in this case. Chase thought if the parties were loyal it was a hard case. I said all such losses were hard, and asked whether it was hardest for the wealthy, loyal owners, who undertook to run the blockade with their cotton, or the brave and loyal sailors who made the capture and were by law entitled to the avails, to be deprived. I requested him to say which of these parties should be the losers. He did not answer. I added this was another of those cases that belonged to the courts exclusively, with which the Executive ought not to interfere. All finally acquiesced in this view.

This case has once before been pressed upon the President. Senator Foot of Vermont appeared with Mr. Prentiss, and the President then sent for me to ascertain its merits. I believe I fully satisfied him at that time, but his sympathies have again been appealed to by one side.

Mr. Seward came to my house last evening and read a confidential dispatch from Earl Russell to Lord Lyons, relative to threatened difficulties with England and the unpleasant condition of affairs between the two countries. He asked if anything could be done with Wilkes, whom he has hitherto favored, but against whom the Englishmen, without any sufficient cause, are highly incensed. I told him he might be transferred to the Pacific, which is as honorable but a less active command; that he had favored Wilkes, who was not one of the most comfortable officers for the Navy Department. I was free to say, however, I had seen nothing in his conduct thus far, in his present command, towards the English deserving of censure, and that the irritation and prejudice against him were unworthy, yet under the peculiar condition of things, it would perhaps be well to make this concession. I read to him an extract from a confidential letter of J. M. Forbes, now in England, a most earnest and sincere Union man, urging that W. should be withdrawn, and quoting the private remarks of Mr. Cobden to that effect. I had read the same extract to the President last Friday evening, Mr. Sumner being present. He (Sumner) remarked it was singular, but that he had called on the President to read to him a letter which he had just received from the Duke of Argyle, in which he advised that very change. This letter Sumner has since read to me. It is replete with good sense and good feeling.

I have to-day taken preliminary steps to transfer Wilkes and to give Bell command in the West Indies. It will not surprise me if this, besides angering Wilkes, gives public discontent. His strange course in taking Slidell and Mason from the Trent was popular, and is remembered with gratitude by the people, who are not aware his work was but half done, and that, by not bringing in the Trent as prize, he put himself and the country in the wrong. Seward at first approved the course of Wilkes in capturing Slidell and Mason, and added to my embarrassment in so disposing of the question as not to create discontent by rebuking Wilkes for what the country approved. But when, under British menace, Seward changed his position, he took my position, and the country gave him great credit for what was really my act and the undoubted law of the case. My letter congratulating Wilkes on the capture of the Rebel enemies was particularly guarded and warned him and naval officers against a similar offense. The letter was acceptable to all parties, — the Administration, the country, and even Wilkes was contented.

It is best under the circumstances that Wilkes should be withdrawn from the West Indies, where he was sent by Seward's special request, unless, as he says, we are ready for a war with England. I sometimes think that is not the worst alternative, she behaves so badly.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 297-9