Showing posts with label USS Alfred Robb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Alfred Robb. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Capture of the Alfred Robb

A Tennessee river pilot, who appears to be a wide awake fellow, gives an amusing account of the manner in which the rebel steamer Robb was captured by our gunboats.

It seems a government steamer, heavily ladened with government stores in wending her way up the river, got aground.  News of this mishap quickly reached the confederates, and about 200 of them took possession of the Robb, put a light field piece on board, and started down the little stream in which she has been concealed since the first expedition of our gunboat up the Tennessee river, for the purpose of bagging a rich prize.  The Robb arrived in the vicinity of the federal transport, still hard aground, after night.  The soldiers were concealed in the thickets, on shore, and the little privateer hunting a snug resting place quietly awaiting the approach of daylight for the consummation of her intentions.

During the night, a couple of gunboats – regular night hawks, they do most of their going after dark – possibly suspicioning mischief, came sneaking up the river.  One of them anchored a short distance below where the rob was concealed, and the other passing up on the opposite side of an island in the river was not detected by those on board the Robb, and going up the river a short distance she, too, came to anchor and awaited daylight.

Conceiving the coast to be clear, early the next morning the Robb started out to take possession of her prize.  Before reaching it, however, one of the “Lincoln sneaks,” as they are called in Dixie, was discovered creeping after her.  Greatly alarmed the little rebel steamer turned her head up stream, and went off sputtering and puffing at an alarming rate.  The gunboat paid the usual compliments of the morning, by sending a couple of shells, which exploded near the skedadling little steamer, to which it lacking in politeness, paid no attention beyond raising more steam and puffing with more vigor.  Rounding an abrupt bend in the river, all on onboard the rebel craft were horror-struck at finding themselves immediately under the broadside of another gunboat, which appeared to be waiting their approach.  Though surprised the party on board the Robb did not lose their presence of mind, and as if by instinct, every man on board seized table cloths, towels, and whatever other white substance on which they could lay their hands, and waived them with frantic vigor, amidst despairing shouts of “don’t shoot, we surrender.”

The gunboat didn’t shoot and directed the rebel steamer to follow in her wake, quietly made her way to headquarters, when the privateer was handed over to the proper authorities.

The Robb was the last rebel craft in the Tennessee, and we doubt not the gunboats will take care that many years will elapse before a flag hostile to the general government is ever again spread to the breeze on that beautiful stream. – Evansville Journal.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, May 6, 1862, p. 2

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

From Cairo

The steamer Belle of Memphis has arrived from the Tennessee river, bringing very important intelligence from Pittsburg. She left there at 5 o’clock Thursday morning, and upon reaching Savannah her passengers heard heavy firing in the direction of Pittsburg. The cannonading was brisk and gradually grew heavier, being heard for miles this side of Savannah.

The belief that a general engagement was brought on is strengthened by the fact that on Wednesday significant preparations were made by Halleck for an attack.

The rain that we had here since Monday did not reach Pittsburg, and the roads were fast improving. A hot sun was drying up the mud and on Wednesday the roads were quite favorable for an advance movement.

Persons who left on Thursday morning, report that a skirmish occurred the day before; that four companies of Michigan cavalry, having been ordered out on a reconnoissance towards the enemy’s lines, were scouring the country, when they met a superior mounted force of the enemy, whom they repulsed with little loss.

The Memphis on her way down the river was fired into 35 miles this side of Pittsburg by a small guerilla force posted behind three houses on the river bank. A number of shots were fired, one of them killing a negro boy who was standing near the pilot house. The woods along the Tennessee are infested by a guerilla band who practice firing on the steamers as they pass by. After firing on the Memphis they burned the houses before alluded to and decamped.

Gen. Strong, on receiving this information, advised Gen. Halleck of what had transpired, so that measures might be taken for putting a stop to further proceedings of this character.

The gunboats on the Tennessee had effected a passage over the Muscle Shoals, near Florence, and had penetrated as far as Huntsville, Ala., were they captured a quantity of commissary stores belonging to the rebels.


Times’ Dispatch.

The steamer Lady Tyler, formerly the Alfred Robb, Captured from the rebels, arrived from the upper Tennessee this morning and reports that the heavy firing proceeded from a short skirmish with the enemy yesterday morning. No further particulars.

The steamer McGill left Pittsburg at 5 o’clock yesterday morning, and had heard nothing of it. The steamer Emma, left the landing at four p. m. yesterday and says that up to that hour not a shot was fired.

Col. Steadman, of an Alabama regiment, at New Madrid, arrived here on his parole, to report himself at St. Louis. He expresses the utmost faith in the success of the rebellion.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, April 28, 1862, p. 1

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

PITTSBURG LANDING, April 23, [1862]

The gunboat Tyler, while reconnoitering up the Tennessee river, captured the rebel steamer J. Robb near the mouth of Crane Creek. This is one of the boats which eluded out first expedition up this river, after the fall of Ft. Henry. Her name has been changed to Lady Tyler. Weather rather more pleasant.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, April 25, 1862, p. 2

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Rebel Steamer Captured

PITTSBURGH LANDING, April 23. – The gunboat Tyler, while reconnoitering up the Tennessee river, captured the rebel steamer J. Robb [sic], near the mouth of Crane creek. This is one of the boats which eluded our first expedition up this river after the fall of Fort Henry. Her name has been changed to Lady Tyler.

Weather rather more pleasant.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 3