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Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Volume 2., Early operations in the Gulf. (search)
t of the blockade. Hitherto the vessels in this quarter had formed a part of the Home Squadron, under Flag-Officer Pendergrast; but on June 8th, 1861, Flag-Officer William Mervine assumed command of the station, his vessels constituting the Gulf Blockading Squadron. Already the blockade had been set on foot by the Powhatan, at Mobile, and by the Brooklyn, at New Orleans; and soon after Mervine arrived in the steamer Mississippi, he had twenty vessels in his fleet. On July 2d, Galveston, the third port of importance in the Gulf, was blockaded by the South Carolina. The first collision occurred in August, when one of the tenders of the South Carolina, lls were accidentally discharged into the town, but the affair was in no sense a bombardment of Galveston. In September Flag-Officer William W. McKean replaced Mervine in command of the squadron. Shortly after, the blockading vessels off the mouths of the Mississippi, commanded by Captain John Pope, moved up to the Head of the
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Volume 2., Early operations on the Potomac River. (search)
ussell Soley, U. S. N. The first active naval operations of the war were those on the Potomac River, in May and June, 1861. At this time the larger vessels of the navy were engaged in setting on foot the blockade of the coast, in pursuance of the President's proclamations of April 19th and 27th. The Niagara, Minnesota, Roanoke, and Susquehanna on the Atlantic coast, under Flag-Officer Silas H. Stringham, and the Colorado, Mississippi, Powhatan, and Brooklyn in the Gulf, under Flag-Officer William Mervine, took the initial steps to render the blockade effective. Smaller vessels were sent to the blockading stations as rapidly as they could be prepared. The Potomac River, although officially within the limits of the Atlantic Squadron, became early in the war a nearly independent command, owing to its distance from the flag-ship, and its nearness to Washington. In May the Potomac flotilla was organized, under Commander James I. Ward. It was originally composed of the small side-
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1., Chapter 23: the War in Missouri.-doings of the Confederate Congress. --Affairs in Baltimore.--Piracies. (search)
months later, there were forty-three armed vessels engaged in the blockade service, and in defense of the coast on the eastern side of the continent. These Gideon Welles. were divided into two squadrons, known respectively as the Atlantic and the Gulf Squadron. The former, under the command of Flag-officer Silas H. Stringham, consisted of twenty-two vessels, and an aggregate of two hundred and ninety-six guns and three thousand three hundred men; the latter, under command of Flag-officer William Mervine, consisted of twenty-one vessels, with an aggregate of two hundred and eighty-two guns and three thousand five hundred men. Report of the Secretary of the Navy, July 4, 1861. The commanders of the squadrons had been instructed to permit the vessels of foreigners to leave the blockaded ports within fifteen days after such blockade was established, and their vessels were not to be seized unless they attempted, after being once warned off, to enter an interdicted port. And before
Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume I., chapter 36 (search)
confided to Col. Harvey Brown. A formidable Rebel force, ultimately commanded by Gen. Braxton Bragg, was assembled, early in the war, at Pensacola, and long threatened an attack or bombardment, which, on our side, was eagerly awaited. Com. William Mervine, commanding the Gulf Blockading Squadron, having observed that a schooner named the Judah was being fitted out in the harbor of Pensacola as a privateer, with intent to slip out some dark night, prepared to cruise against our commerce, planned an expedition to destroy her. During the night of Sept. 13th, four boats, carrying 100 men, commanded by Lieut. Russell, put off from Com. Mervine's flag-ship Colorado, approaching the schooner at 3 1/2 A. M., of the 14th. The privateer's crew, duly warned, opened a fire of musketry as the boats neared her; but were speedily driven from her deck by our boarders, and she set on fire and burned to the water's edge, when she sunk. Her gun, a 10-inch columbiad, was spiked, and sunk with her.
Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume I., Analytical Index. (search)
and Slidell, 606. McIntosh, Francis J., burnt by a mob, 134. McLean, Judge, decision in Margaret Garner's case, 219; opinion in the Dred Scott case, 260. Mecklenburg Declaration, the, 35. Memphis, Tenn., celebration of South Carolina's secession at; Senator Johnson burnt in effigy, etc., 407. Memphis Appeal, The, citation from, 597. Memphis Avalanche, The, citation from, 597. Meigs, Henry, vote on Missouri Compromise, 80. Memminger, Chas. G., of S. C., 34-1; 429. Mervine, Com. Wm., destroys the Judah, 601-2. Methodists, the, and Slavery, 120-21. Mexico, 148; 176; war with, 186-7; 188; 190. Milwaukee, Wisc., fugitive-slave case at, 215. Milton, John, of Fla., in Dem. Convention, 314. Milledgeville, Ga., Military Convention at, 337. miles, Wm. Porcher, of S. C., 337; 448. miles, Col. D. J., at Bull Run, 552. Milroy, Gen., (Union,) 527. Minnesota, 300; 301. Mississippi, 128; 157; 211; Foote chosen Governor, 211; withdraws from the D
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 74 (search)
f the first of them, the Atlantic squadron, has been confided to Flag-officer Silas H. Stringham, and the second, or Gulf Squadron, is under command of Flag-officer William Mervine. Before either of these gentlemen could appear on the station assigned him, Flag-officer Pendergrast, in command of the Home Squadron, established nwas directed to proceed to the Gulf for that purpose; and the Harriet Lane was ordered to Charleston, to take the place of the Niagara before that port. Flag-officer Mervine left Boston in the Mississippi in advance of his flag-ship, the Colorado, and arrived in the Gulf on the 8th of June. Previous to his arrival, an embargo , under the command of Flag-Officer S. H. Stringham, consists of 22 vessels, 296 guns, and 3,300 men. The squadron in the Gulf, under the command of Flag-Officer William Mervine, consists of 21 vessels, 282 guns, and 3,500 men. Additions have been made to each of the squadrons of two or three small vessels, that have been ca
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 3. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 50 (search)
Doc. 49. destruction of the privateer Judah, September 13, 1861. Flag officer Mervine's report. United States flagship Colorado, off Fort Pickens, September 15, 1861. sir: I have the honor to inform you that a boat expedition was fitted out from this ship on the night of the 13th instant, consisting of the first launist of all engaged in the affair, with the names of the killed and wounded in each boat. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, William Mervine, Flag-officer Commanding Gulf Blockade Squadron. P. S.--By a strange inadvertency, my mind being so much engrossed with the expedition itself, I omitte of the Navy issued the following acknowledgment of the gallantry of the Federal forces: Navy Department, October 4, 1861. Sir: The department received Flag-officer Mervine's report of the boat expedition despatched by him from the Colorado on the night of the 13th of September, under the command of Lieutenant John H. Russell,
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 3. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 123 (search)
papers were letters from the commander of the Sumter and her officers, giving some idea of her future movements, and indicating that her cruising ground was to be down on the Spanish Main. In two or three hours the schooner had a prize crew on board, and the Powhatan was off for Pensacola to notify the flag-officer of the Sumter's whereabouts, the Niagara remaining to blockade the South-west Pass. On the 14th August, at sunset, we arrived at Pensacola. The captain communicated with Flag-officer Mervine, and in half an hour we were steering south after the Sumter. Rather a lame duck the old Powhatan, in her present condition, to send after a clipper-steamer; but it will be seen that lame ducks on occasions get along as well as some that are not lame. There was, I assure you, a high state of excitement on board the Powhatan at the idea of going after the Sumter, and a great deal of satisfaction expressed at getting away from the mouth of the Mississippi, where the ship had laid at a
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Navy of the United States (search)
nths after President Lincoln's administration came into power, there were forty-three armed vessels engaged in the blockade of the Southern ports, and in defence of the coast on the eastern side of the continent. These were divided into two squadrons, known respectively as the Atlantic and Gulf squadrons. The former, under the command of flag-officer Silas H. Stringham (q. v.), consisted of twenty-two vessels and an aggregate of 296 guns and 3,300 men; the latter, commanded by Flag-Officer William Mervine, consisted of twenty-one vessels, with an aggregate of 282 guns and 3,500 men. Before the close of 1861, the Secretary purchased and put into commission no less than 137 vessels, and had contracted for the building of a large number of steamships of a substantial class, suitable for performing continuous duty off the coasts in all weathers. The Secretary recommended the appointment of a competent board to inquire into and report on the subject of iron-clad vessels. Calls for rec
James Russell Soley, Professor U. S. Navy, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 7.1, The blockade and the cruisers (ed. Clement Anselm Evans), Chapter 4: (search)
e are several vessels in the waters of the Chesapeake to aid you, and others which are being equipped will soon arrive out and report. The names, officers, crews, and armaments of these vessels are not yet reported in full to the Department, in consequence of the haste and activity necessary to get them afloat at the earliest moment. Some of the vessels can, it is believed, aid in blockading the Mississippi and Mobile. But much must be committed to your judgment and discretion. Commodore Mervine will shortly proceed to the Gulf with the [steamer] Mississippi and other vessels will be speedily despatched to reinforce the blockading squadron, and close Galveston and other ports. No time was therefore lost in making a beginning. But for the first three months it was only a beginning; and at some points it cannot be said to have gone so far as that. The Niagara, under Captain McKean, had arrived at Boston, April 24, and was sent to New York for necessary repairs. These were
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