Showing posts with label USS Atlanta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Atlanta. Show all posts

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, January 24, 1865

President sent for me this evening. Found Stanton with him, having a dispatch from General Grant desiring him to request me to remove Commander Parker, the senior officer on the upper James. After some conversation, informing them that we had two gunboats above, and that the Atlanta and Ironsides had been ordered thither, I mentioned that Farragut was here, and the President sent for him. On hearing how matters stood, he at once volunteered to visit the force. The President was pleased with it, and measures were at once taken.

I rode down to Willard's after parting at the Executive Mansion and had a few additional words with Admiral Farragut and invited Mrs. F. to stop at our house during the Admiral's absence.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 230

Monday, March 25, 2019

Commandant Samuel F. DuPont to Gustavus V. Fox, December 25, 1861

Private
Wabash Port Royal
Christmas Day 1861
My Dear Mr. Fox

A Merry Christmas to you and Mr. Welles, and may the prodigious energies and labors of the Secy and yourself be crowned with success and peace for their results during the coming New Year.

The Department has kindly omitted heretofore to speak of the entrance of the Fingal into Savannah. My first act after the battle before its reverberations had ceased, was to dispatch the Augusta there, for I could see no ships in the offing the day I entered here. How the Monticello came to leave without orders (for Como Goldsboro' had told me to send her to him when I could spare her) I never could learn. But two days after the fight she entered in a dense fog, even our troops on Braddocks point did not see her. This went to my heart I confess and has given me periodical twitches ever since, for she brought the rebels great assistance — to our cost here.

My only comfort is that we have her pretty well sealed up; a contraband informed us she was loading with cotton and going to run out of Wassaw inlet, fearing lest the vessels blockading might be eluded I ordered Seminole and Pembina and Andrews to cross the bar; the former thumped, but they got inside just in time to run Tattnall's barge up a creek ashore1—the crew escaped, except two who hid themselves and made signals and were taken on board the Andrew. One of them a very intelligent and apparently perfectly reliable person has given us much valuable information — he is from Rochester N. Y. and belonged to Tattnall's ship — the Everglade. He had towed the Fingal round into Wilmington river, and has his other steamers and his hulk with the guns along — but he hitched on the Fingal and towed her back stern foremost, but on the Gunboats moving up after him, he fell back behind the fort at Skiddaway.

I have sent John Rodgers there, for I feel comfortable wherever he is — his boilers are repaired, some men can always overcome difficulties, while others do nothing but call for help, never putting their own shoulders to the wheel — but the Flag is very deep for inlet work and is long in turning owing to some defect in her rudder. If you could give him one of those new side wheel double rudder vessels she could not be in better hands; for there are few such officers in any service. I do not rate him over his cousin, because I have never met such a perfect officer and man as the latter.

Would it not be well in appointing the officers to the new Steamers, to give such men who have made their mark in the inferior vessels a lift, rather than keep down the list and give to some below them?

I have had to withdraw the Savannah from Tybee and send her blockading. She got thumping too hard. Drayton is there now, another prince of an officer, with Stevens in the Ottawa who is also very superior. The Wyandotte is also there, but this force is smaller than it ought to be.

In reference to the latter, I am sorry to tell you that she is no acquisition — her light 32's have no sphere here at all, and her machinery is good for nothing — but for the efficiency of the Chf. Engineer of this ship I should have a hard time with such craft.

But this is not all, her Captain is in a state of mental stupefaction from intemperance. Being one of the “Board victims,” I am moving in the matter with extreme caution and leniency. He was first reported officially through Davis by Parrott, for queer doings off Charleston, carrying Parrott 15 miles off his station and then firing guns, and when brought to an explanation seemed stupid. After getting here one of his Acting Masters reported him for frequent intemperance and bad conduct—then a Pilot I gave him to carry him out to Tybee he abused very much and the former an excellent fellow reported him in writing — then up comes a report from Drayton saying “the Captain of the Wyandotte seems quite stupid and I believe from drinking.” So soon as I can get him up here I will send him all the reports and ask him for his explanations, and will send the papers home. I think it would be well for Congress to authorize Flag Officers to order Courts of Inquiry on the home stations. I believe this poor man, ——, had a blow in his head once and a very small quantity of liquor affects him in a strange way.

The Prisoners taken in Wassaw gave us a good many items — they have 45 guns on Pulaski. The other deserters say the same. The rebels are kept perplexed as to our operations and have placed their forces between Brunswick and Savannah. No intrenchments going up around Savannah. An attack on Tybee just in the manner that Missroon said it would be made and of which he could not persuade our Dutch Col. ashore, was only prevented by Robt Lee telling them the ships would knock them all to pieces if they attempted anything of the kind. Gl. Wright is coming on bravely there and the defences are well through — he has a masked battery of rifled cannon beautifully placed and the support between ships and shore will now be mutual by his very clever engineering.

We still have many stories about my quondam Commodore and friend Tattnall — it seems he landed with his Marines on the day of the fight, (I saw him disappear) to help Fort Walker, but arrived to see only the disastrous flight, and then from excitement, he became senseless and was carried back. Maffitt was drunk when he approached near enough for Ammen to let him have the shell — and Tattnall turned him ashore and that is the last of that gentleman. I communicate through Scull creek with Tybee. Mather (smart fellow) made it the other day in 2½ hours in the Andrew. He went to St. Helena Sound in 5 h. We are waiting anxiously for the ferry boats, anything small to send inland. Please hurry the Forbes and give her to an active officer. Please think of a dispatch vessel. Now I ought to draw off a little from Charleston and increase further South, but I have nothing to send. Please tell Wise I will answer his friendly and sprightly letter very soon. It made me laugh heartily.

Faithfully Yrs
S. F. DuPONT
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1 They had come to see if the course was clear.

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. 82-6

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Lyman to Elizabeth Russell Lyman, June 16, 1864

June 16, 1864

At four in the morning they began to ferry over the 5th Corps; of this, two divisions were loaded from Wilcox's wharf and two from a wharf near the bridge; the bridge itself being in constant use for the passage of the main train. The 5th Corps would then march on Petersburg and take position on the left of the 9th.  . . . Our information was that part of Lee's army, quitting Malvern Hill, had crossed at Drury's Bluff and was moving on Petersburg. About nine o'clock the General, with Sanders and myself, went on board the ironclad Atlanta. The Captain sent a boat ashore and took us out in state. How sailor-like the Americans look, with their blue shirts and flat caps! And these poor infantry, artillery, and cavalry of ours, why, the more they serve, the less they look like soldiers and the more they resemble day-laborers who have bought second-hand military clothes. I have so come to associate good troops with dusty, faded suits, that I look with suspicion on anyone who has a stray bit of lace or other martial finery. . . .

At 10.30 General Humphreys and General Meade, taking only Sanders and myself, embarked on a boat with General Ingalls, for City Point. The boat started up the river with us, and we found it an hour's trip to City Point. The river is very pretty, or rather fine, with banks that remind one of Narragansett Bay, going to Newport, only they are, I think, higher.  . . . City Point is a jut of land at the junction of the Appomattox and the James. It must once have been a quite pretty place, and consisted of a large number of scattered private houses, several of them very good ones; especially that near which General Grant had his camp, which is just on the river. . . . Grant had gone to the front, some seven miles away, and we presently rode out on the Petersburg road, and met Grant returning,1 a couple of miles from the Point. It was on going out of the place that it occurred to me that someone had said that Hal's2 regiment was there; so, as I passed a shipshape-looking camp, I asked, “What regiment is that?” “Fifth Massachusetts Cavalry,” said the darkie. “Is Colonel Russell there?” "No, sa-ar. He's in der hospital. He was wounded yesterday!” I felt a quite cold perspiration, as I asked if he were badly hurt. The man thought not, but said he was hit in two places. It was tough to ride right past him so, but the General had but two aides; we were expecting a fight, and I had no business to stop in a road where I could not again find him. Meeting Colonel Rowley, however, I asked him to see that Hal had everything and to say that I would be in that night to see him. We rode on along an almost deserted road, till we crossed the rail, when we came on Burnside's column, moving wearily along. The men had done awful marching in a dry country, with a hot sun and midst a stifling dust. I hate to see troops so used up. Passing through some woods, we again got to an open country, then went a little way more in woods, and came full on an open space in front of the captured line of works.  . . . Just here Hancock had his flag and General Meade was soon busy consulting about an assault, which finally was ordered for six P.M.  . . . From the place we then stood I could see two or three spires of the town. Of this attack I saw more than of most previous fights, or rather of the cannonade. The line of our batteries was in plain sight, a little in front of where General Meade took his stand, because the Rebels had long since cut down a wide zone of timber in their front, to get a good field of fire. It was a most striking sight! The air, hazy with dust, gave a copper-red color to the declining sun, which was soon heightened by the powder-smoke that rose from the batteries. The firing was very heavy and there was the continual whiz of our shells or those of the enemy. It is curious, but the scene reminded me of one of those stiff but faithful engravings of Napoleon's battles that one sees in European collections; especially the artillerists loading and discharging their pieces. The musketry was pretty heavy too. Birney and part of the others carried the first line, but the assault was not a success such as we wanted; however, General Meade ordered a column of 5000 men to be prepared for a moonlight attack, which, as you will learn, took place at daylight next morning. The General had a quite narrow escape, as we stood watching; for a round shot came bounding over the country and hopped right in front of him and General Humphreys. The attack over, I asked leave to go in and see Harry, and the General told me I could have stopped when we came through had I asked then. So I got a fresh horse and two men and started. It was an elegant night, with a fine moon — quite perfect indeed. You could never have supposed yourself near a great army, after getting past the railroad. There was scarcely a soul on the route. As I got near the village there were some waggons going out to Butler, but these were pretty much all. Nobody halted me, though I rode past a picket guard and through the breastworks. It was not till I drew near Hal's camp that his sentry roared out in a military voice, indicating much study of phonetics: "Halt! Who goes there?" Then came a corporal of the guard in due style.  . . . I ascended the stairs of what had been a private house. It was about ten at night when I got in. There were a number of cots arranged in a large upper room, each occupied by a wounded officer. On the mantelpiece were medicine bottles, a pitcher of lemonade and a candle; and this was a ward. Master Hal lay fast asleep on one of the cots, quite unconscious of dusty brothers-in-law.  . . . He was mightily glad to see me, and we talked some time, in a low voice, not to disturb others. I remember there was a wounded lieutenant next us, a good deal under morphine, who had a great fancy that Lee had captured our whole supply train. Finally I departed with a humble gift of two oranges and some tea, which I had brought in my holsters. . . .

Then to Headquarters and found General Grant just going to bed. He sat on the edge of his cot, in shirt and drawers, and listened to my report. I told him the General would put in a column of 5000 men of the 9th Corps, by moonlight. He smiled, like one who had done a clever thing, and said, “I think it is pretty well to get across a great river, and come up here and attack Lee in his rear before he is ready for us!” He prepared a despatch to General Meade, which I took back.
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1 "Presently we met Grant and his Staff coming back. ‘Well,’ he said; ‘Smith has taken a line of works there, stronger than anything we have seen this campaign! If it is a possible thing, I want an assault made at 6 o'clock this evening!’” — Lyman's Journal.

2 Mrs. Lyman's brother.

SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness to Appomattox, p. 163-6