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Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War. 158 0 Browse Search
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing) 105 3 Browse Search
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) 76 0 Browse Search
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1. 68 0 Browse Search
James Barnes, author of David G. Farragut, Naval Actions of 1812, Yank ee Ships and Yankee Sailors, Commodore Bainbridge , The Blockaders, and other naval and historical works, The Photographic History of The Civil War: in ten volumes, Thousands of Scenes Photographed 1861-65, with Text by many Special Authorities, Volume 6: The Navy. (ed. Francis Trevelyan Miller) 62 4 Browse Search
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2. 58 0 Browse Search
Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 11. (ed. Reverend J. William Jones) 48 0 Browse Search
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 4. (ed. Frank Moore) 40 2 Browse Search
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 3. (ed. Frank Moore) 40 2 Browse Search
Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 13. (ed. Reverend J. William Jones) 36 0 Browse Search
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metimes cannonade at long range, and attempt to silence us: when their convoys arrived abreast of some patch of wood, an unknown battery would suddenly open, and sink them with apparent ease. For many weeks no vessels could pass; and down in Hampton Roads a perfect forest of masts was gathered, waiting opportunities to ascend. Thus, instead of besieging the rebels in Richmond, as had been so often promised; instead of driving us to the wall, breaking the backbone of rebellion, or the terriess noise and bluster than formerly. Of the fortifications at Yorktown and elsewhere on the peninsula, it is desirable to say a few words, otherwise it will be impossible to understand the movements that occurred there. The occupation of Hampton Roads by large fleets, and the menacing appearance of Fortress Monroe, with its immense number of troops and munitions of war, rendered it necessary for some force to watch the peninsula. This duty was assigned to General Magruder, who often ventu
locality and of the positions occupied by the rival armies. Richmond is situated at what may be considered the head of the Yorktown peninsula. On the south side the peninsula is washed by the James River; on the north, by the York River, to within seventy miles of the capital. The York River is continued by its tributary the Pamunkey River, which approaches within a few miles of the capital. At the foot of the peninsula, where the James flows into Chesapeake Bay, are Newport News and Hampton Roads. So much for the general geography of the Richmond peninsula, as shown on ordinary maps. The approaching battle-fields may be represented by an imaginary square, the sides of which indicate the four quarters. At the bottom or south will be Richmond, and the rear of our army; the upper side, or north, will represent the rear of McClellan's forces. We must now suppose that a river rises in the south-west, and runs easterly, but in the centre of the diagram flows rapidly north-eastwa
icent rams and iron-clads watching for her at the mouth of the Yazoo, or drawn up in parallel lines to receive her when passing the channel of the great river. She was large, rough, strong, and ungainly-vulnerable in many places, and the top imperfectly covered; so that should a stray shell drop through the roof, her destruction was almost certain, as the magazine was somewhat exposed. Many were desirous of commanding, as it was hoped she might eclipse the doings of the old Merrimac in Hampton Roads, which sank two large frigates and damaged the Monitor; but, after a little reflection, Commodore Lynch gave her in charge of a Mississippian, late of the old naval service, whose name was Brown. This officer grumbled much at the deficiencies apparent in the craft, and particularly at the engines, which were old and of doubtful capacity. Do you refuse to command, sir? ask Jed the little Commodore; if there is any thing you object to in her, state it, and I will go myself-either yo
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., Ellet and his steam-rams at Memphis. (search)
mter. Beauregard (sinking). Lovell (sunk). the battle of Memphis, June 6, 1862 (looking north). retreat of the Confederate fleet. After a sketch by rear-admiral Walke. On the 8th of March, 1862, occurred the memorable catastrophe at Hampton Roads. The possibility of such a disaster had been repeatedly urged in warning terms by a gentleman who had vainly endeavored to avert it. I refer to the late eminent civil engineer, Charles Ellet, Jr., the inventor of the steam-ram. as a vehicle, so far as I know, in course of construction, able to cope at all with a well-built ram. If the Merrimac is permitted to escape from Elizabeth River, she will be almost certain to commit great depredations on our armed and unarmed vessels in Hampton Roads, and may even be expected to pass out under the guns of Fortress Monroe and prey upon our commerce in Chesapeake Bay. Indeed, if the alterations have been skillfully made, and she succeeds in getting to sea, she will not only be a terrible s
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The Union and Confederate navies. (search)
unexampled speed. But the time which had been of the greatest value, namely, the six months from March to September, had been lost, and thus it happened that the new iron-clad was not finished in season to prevent the raid of the Merrimac in Hampton Roads, and the obliteration of the Congress and the Cumberland. In the battle of the 9th of March the presence of; the Monitor, which had arrived late the night before, saved the rest of the fleet from a like fate, to say nothing of other disasterwas gradually constructed and fitted out for the defense of Richmond. There were still in the river the Patrick Henry, which was soon after assigned to the use of the Confederate Naval Academy, and the Beaufort and Raleigh, which had come to Hampton Roads from the North Carolina Sounds after the battles of Roanoke Island and Elizabeth City. All three had taken part in the first day's engagement off Newport News, when the Merrimac (Virginia) had destroyed the Congress and the Cumberland, after
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., chapter 14.55 (search)
e date of the order to General Sherman above quoted, Flag-Officer Du Pont (as officers in command of squadrons were then styled) left New York on board of the steam-frigate Wabash, followed by numerous men-of-war, among which were four small vessels, the Unadilla, Ottawa, Pembina, and Seneca, built in great haste and called ninety-day gun-boats, as the contract had required their completion within that time. Other vessels purchased and improvised for war purposes proceeded when ready to Hampton Roads, where the large troop transports had already congregated, as well as war vessels, regular, irregular, and defective. Among them were ferry-boats and the old steamer Governor, never in her best days adapted to a sea voyage, on board of which were six hundred marines, sent as a force to operate speedily and without embarrassment in conjunction with naval vessels. Twenty-five chartered schooners, laden with coal, were also on hand, and, after being partially lightened by filling the bunk
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The opposing forces at Port Royal, November 7th, 1861. (search)
nder), Commander F. S. Haggerty; steamer Bienville (8 32--pounders, 1 30-pounder rifle), Commander Charles Steedman; Augusta (8 32-pounders, I 12-pounder), Commander E. G. Parrott; Curlew (6 32-pounders, 1 20-pounder rifle), Lieutenant P. G. Watmough; Penguin (4 32-pounders, 1 12-pounder), Lieutenant T. A. Budd; R. B. Forbes (2 32-pounders), Lieutenant H. S. Newcomb; Isaac Smith (8 8-inch, 1 30-pounder rifle, originally, but the broadside battery was thrown overboard on the way down from Hampton Roads), Lieutenant J. W. A. Nicholson. The loss in the Union fleet, as officially reported, was 8 killed, and 23 wounded. Total, 31. Union land forces, Brig.-Gen. Thomas W. Sherman. First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Egbert L. Vield: 8th Me., Col. Lee Strickland; 3d N. H., Col. Enoch Q. Fellows; 46th N. Y., Col. Rudolph Rosa; 47th N. Y., Col. Henry Moore; 48th N. Y., Col. James H. Perry. Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Isaac I. Stevens: 8th Mich., Col. William M. Fenton; 79th N. Y., Lieut.-Col. Willia
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The first fight of iron-clads. (search)
The first fight of iron-clads. John Taylor Wood, Colonel, C. S. A. The engagement in Hampton Roads on the 8th of March, 1862, between the Confederate iron-clad Virginia, or the Merrimac (as she is known at the North), and the United States wooden fleet, and that on the 9th between the Virginia and the Monitor, was, in its re batteries at Sewell's Point, but the distance was too great to effect much. The first two, however, ran aground not far above Fort Monroe, and took Map of Hampton Roads and adjacent shores. but little part in the fight. The Minnesota, taking the middle or swash channel, steamed up half-way between Old Point Comfort and Newporeak we discovered, lying between us and the Minnesota, a strange-looking craft, which we knew at once to be Ericsson's Monitor, which had long been expected in Hampton Roads, and of which, from different sources, we had a good idea, She could not possibly have made her appearance at a more inopportune time for us, changing our plan
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., chapter 15.59 (search)
ngress. Henry Reaney, Acting Master, U. S. N. The Zouave was a tug-boat built in Albany, N. Y., for service on the Hudson River, of great power and speed for that class of vessel. On her purchase by the Government, she was delivered at Hampton Roads by her original owners to Admiral Goldsborough, at that time in command of the North Atlantic Squadron. The engineers and firemen who brought her from Albany entered the naval service, both the former being appointed acting second-assistant we ran down to her, leaving the Cumberland just as the Merrimac was passing her bows. We made fast to the port side of the Congress, passing our tow-line through a scupper, and with our breastlines through a gun-port, she lying headed toward Hampton Roads. There was hardly a breath of wind, so that her topsail and jib were of no account in moving her. It took us some time to get our lines fast, owing to the horrible condition of affairs on the gun-deck, which was on fire. The cries of the wo
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., chapter 15.60 (search)
, 1861. Flag-officer F. Forrest. Sir: You will proceed with all practicable dispatch to make the changes in the form of the Merrimac, and to build, equip, and fit her in all respects according to the design and plans of the constructor and engineer, Messrs. Porter and Williamson. R. S. Mallory, Secretary of the C. S. Navy. This and a similar order were construed by Mr. Porter to credit him with the origin of the plan, and served as a basis to a published claim after the action in Hampton Roads, which led to a call by the Confederate House of Representatives, upon the Secretary of the Navy, for information as to the origin of the plan, and to the settlement of the question by a patent, No. 100, granted me by the Confederate States, 29th July, 1862. This patent is still in my possession. Lexington, Va., October, 1887. Ii. John L. Porter, Naval Constructor, Confederate States. In June, 1861, I was ordered to Richmond by Secretary Mallory, and carried up with me a mode
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