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Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Volume 4., The Confederate cruisers. (search)
The Confederate operations in England did not suffer motions so much from the penalty inflicted upon the guilty parties as from the scandal and notoriety caused by the prosecution and the light which it threw upon the methods of the purchasing agents. Notwithstanding all this, Commander Maury was not deterred from making a second attempt, which was even less profitable. During the latter part of 1863, several condemned dispatch boats belonging to the royal navy were offered for sale at Sheerness; one of these, the Victor, was bought by an agent of Maury's. In such cases it was usual to allow the purchaser to put in the equipment of the vessel and overhaul her machinery at the dock-yard; but, whatever the practice may be, it is of course necessary that a neutral government should take care that it is not thereby instrumental in turning over a ship-of-war to a belligerent. The real ownership of the Victor was carefully concealed, and, wittingly or unwittingly, the dock-yard officia
Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War., Chapter 56: commerce-destroyers.-their inception, remarkable career, and ending. (search)
inister, the Georgia and Rappahannock got to sea in 1863. The career of the latter was brief. She had been a dispatch vessel in the Royal Navy, and was sold by the British Government to persons acting for the Confederacy. She was refitted at Sheerness under the direction of employees of the Royal Dock Yard; but the Government proposing to inspect her, in order to avoid detention she hastily put to sea with but a small portion of her crew on board, and these had been enlisted by the connivancged in hostilities against the Federal Government. A year later she returned to Liverpool, was dismantled and sold to a British subject, the bill of sale being signed by Captain James D. Bullock, of the Confederate Navy. The Rappahannock left Sheerness in haste as a merchant vessel, with workmen still on board, who were carried off against their will. She assumed the character of a Confederate cruiser while crossing the British Channel, and sought admission into the port of Calais as a ship-
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 7: (search)
rmerly the Victor, and had been a despatch-vessel in the British Navy. The Government, finding her unserviceable, sold her on November 10, 1863, to private parties, who were acting for the Confederates. After the sale, the vessel remained at Sheerness, refitting under the direction of persons connected with the Royal Dockyard. Suspicions were aroused as to her character, and inquiries were set on foot; and the vessel, to escape detention, hastily put to sea, with the workmen still in her, at vessel does not appear. She was soon after sold to an English subject, the bill of sale being signed by Bullock, just as the Sumter had been sold at Gibraltar, when Semmes found that he could not take her out to sea. The Rappahannock left Sheerness in haste as a merchant-vessel, with her workmen still in her, assumed a public character in the run across the channel, and sought admission at Calais as a ship-of-war in distress. The Tuscaloosa, a prize of the Alabama, entered the harbor at
The Daily Dispatch: October 19, 1861., [Electronic resource], The Trial trip of the English iron Ship Warrior. (search)
look of the vessel." The Warrior set forth with only half a dozen observers on board, and drawing twenty five feet nine inches forward, and twenty-six feet three inches aft. The Thames was blocked with craft, and only the Warrior's ready obedience to her helm saved her from various unpleasant chances of grounding or of running over vessels. The engines were moving easily at thirty-four to thirty- six revolutions, but, after passing Gravesend, the rate was increased to forty. Off Sheerness, an admiral was saluted with fifteen guns from the Warrior's sixty-eight pounders.--The Times says: Much interest was evinced by those on board to observe the effect of the concussion of these heavy ordnance on the great ship, and, above all, to see what foundation there was for the rumor that her narrow ports would keep in smoke enough to almost suffocate the men on the main deck. The result, as usual, quite upset the predictions of the alarmists. The shock of each gun was sharp
The Daily Dispatch: December 16, 1863., [Electronic resource], Latest from Europe. (search)
Latest from Europe. The steamship Canada, with Liverpool dates of the 29ths ult., has arrived at Halifax. We give the following summary of her news: Confederate privateers. The steamer Rappahannock, under the Confederate flag, arrived at Calais on the 26th ult. Additional advices from Calais say that the Rappahannock was seized by the French custom authorities. She sailed from Sheerness, England, on the 26th of November, in an unfinished State. She had a gang of carpenters on board. She is pierced for eight guns. The Confederate steamer Georgia has gone into dock at Chesburg to repair some small damages. The Yankee thanksgiving in London. In pursuance of Lincoln's proclamation the Yankees in London observed the 26th of November as a day of thanksgiving. Business was suspended at the Yankee legation and consulates, and a grand banquet given at St. James's Hall, under the presidency of Robert J. Walker. The banquet was attended by Mr. Adams, the s
The Daily Dispatch: December 28, 1863., [Electronic resource], Attempted escape of Confederate officers from Fort Warren. (search)
ced the decree of condemnation of the British bark Springbok by the New York District Court as illegal and vexatious, and Lord Lyons was instructed to remonstrate. The Globe newspaper contains strong comments on the Springbok's condemnation. The Government organ is the owner of the Springbok. A letter in the Daily News says it is understood that the new rebel privateer Rappahanock is still believed to be at Calals. She is very fast, and it charges that it was well understood at Sheerness what she was intended for. The Pope of Rome received a deputation from the Confederates, who presented a letter from Jeff. Davis. It is believed the reception had no official character, and that the letter was merely complimentary. The great meeting at Preston passed resolutions in favor of continued neutrality. It is reported and undoubted that a ram was lately launched at Hull with steam up, and put to sea with sundry Southern looking gentlemen. It is reported that t
The Daily Dispatch: January 9, 1864., [Electronic resource], The Confederate steamer at Calais. (search)
Rappahannock, is upwards of 1,000 tons burden, built of wood, with engines of 300 horse power. The London Time, says: When the Admiralty sold the Victor, it was stated that she was intended for the China Gade, and she was ostensibly fitted out with that view, while her name was changed to Scylla, of London. Several suspicious circumstances, however, occurred, and the dock yard officials felt it their duty to make a report to the Admiralty. The result was the receipt of an order at Sheerness directing her to be stopped. The order, however, arrived a few hours too late. Those in charge of the vessel evi- dently suspected the intention of the Government, and had her taken out of the harbor a few nights since. She immediately afterwards hoisted the Confederate flag. She is of horse power, but, owing to some slight defect in the construction of her engines and machinery, her rate of steaming was never very high, which was the principal reason for the Admiralty directing her
The Daily Dispatch: January 23, 1864., [Electronic resource], The New Confederate cruiser Rappahannock. (search)
about thirty years of age; his officers not more than twenty to twenty- four. The majority of them were in the old United States navy, but on the breaking out of the war resigned, and east their lots with those of their section. That age does not give experience of war fare, but often most loft acts of heroism are performed. Gen. Bonaparte was but twenty five when he made the first campaign of Italy. The Captain of the frigate Glory, in his five brilliant engagements off the coast of troland with the English in 1798, was but twenty nine. Imagination becomes inflamed with love of country and disenthralled of an odious yoker; nance it is not difficult to conceive that these young Americans, finding themselves similarity situated as their fathers were in 1776, will battle fiercely with their brothers of yesterday, but to-day enemies. We are told that orders have been received from Paris to give the Rappahannock full liberty as to her movements. The vessel is from Sheerness.
The Daily Dispatch: February 8, 1864., [Electronic resource], Another movement of the enemy from the Peninsula. (search)
lions of Schleswigers and Holsteins are to be distributed among the Danish regiments. The first Prussian troops are expected here to day. American Affairs. The investigation into the circumstances of the fitting out and departure from Sheerness of the rebel privateer Rappahannock, late H. M. S. gun vessel Victor, had terminated. It was ascertained that certain officials at Sheerness dockyard had been guilty of a gross neglect of duty, and at the same time committed an unwarrantable vSheerness dockyard had been guilty of a gross neglect of duty, and at the same time committed an unwarrantable violation of the centrality laws, and the Government has decided on prosecuting the principal offender. A warrant was therefore issued for the apprehension of William Rumble, principal engineer and inspector of machinery afloat. The accused was apprehended, but liberated by the Rochester bench on heavy bail. No proceedings had yet been ordered against any one of the other officials, nor against the Government pilot who piloted the Rappahannock from the Nore. The Right Honorable F. Peel,
The Daily Dispatch: May 2, 1864., [Electronic resource], The "Shanghai" iron Clads in France. (search)
purpose only twenty-four hours is allowed, and the Georgia seems to be making more than a twenty-four hours stay at Bordeaux. The distance from Bordeaux to the sea is seventy miles, and the occasion seemed so good a one to entrap the Georgia, that the American Minister at Paris immediately telegraphed Capt Winslow of the fact, and the Kearsage, which lately had been stationed in the channel, has by this time probably arrived off the mouth of the Gironde. The twenty fours' start will be here allowed, of course, to the Georgia, but the exit from the river is narrow in comparison to other harbors, and it is easier to keep informed of the movements of the blockaded vessel in a river than in an open bay The French Government, finding that there was an intention on the part of the Confederates to run the Rappahannock out of the port of Calais and to go to sea, as they did at Sheerness with French leave, have enclosed the vessel in a dock, and placed a man of-war in front of it.