This Month in the Civil War: Mobile Bay, Wilson's Creek, Fort Sumter, Quantrill's Raid and Second Manassas

From the American Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

AUGUST 5, 1864

**  Battle of Mobile Bay

AUGUST 9, 1862

**  Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia

AUGUST 10, 1861

**  Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri

AUGUST 17, 1863

**  Federals begin the great bombardment of Fort Sumter, South Carolna.

AUGUST 21, 1863

**  Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence, Kansas

AUGUST 25, 1862

**  Second Battle of Reams Station, Virginia

AUGUST 28, 1862

**  Second Battle of Manassas, Virginia, begins.

AUGUST 29, 1862

**  Battle of Richmond, Kentucky begins.

--Old Secesh

What Civil War Site Would You Visit on a Busman's Holiday? And, What Is a Busman's Holiday Anyway?

This question was asked of the editorial staff of the December 2021 Civil War Times magazine.

Editor Dana B. Shoaf said Shiloh.  Others said Mobile Bay, Vicksburg and Lookout Mountain.

Of course, little ol' me would want to go to Fort Fisher, especially since I haven't been there since you-know-what hit.

(While reading the Civil War Talk site today, I came across an Obediah Joseph Syfrett, a member of the 25th South Carolina Infantry Regiment, who was captured at Fort Fisher and sent to Elmira Prison Camp, which he survived.  He and his family moved to Texas where he died in 1925.  Now, finding a tidbit of information like that sure does make my day.)

Well, in case you're wondering what a "busman's holiday" is, I looked it up.  I'd heard of it, but wasn't really sure.

Originated in Britain and refers to a period of leisure time where a person does something of a similar nature to his normal occupation.  In case you're wondering.  Now, I know.  You learn something new every day.

There's Old Obediah.  --Old Secesh

This Month in the Civil War: Today the Battle of Mobile Bay, Wilson's Creek, Quantrill, Manassas

From the August 2021 American Battlefield Trust calendar. The month's feature was on the Battle of Hanging Rock, South Carolina during the American Revolution.  The Trust now saves Hallowed Ground  other than the Civil War.  And that includes the American revolution and the War of 1812.

I wrote about it in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog today.

AUGUST 5

1864:  Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama

AUGUST 9

1862:  Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia

AUGUST 10

1861:  Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri

AUGUST 17 

1863:  Federals begin their great bombardment of Fort Sumter, South Carolina

AUGUST 21

1863:  Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence, Kansas

AUGUST 25

1864:  Second Battle of Ream's Station, Virginia

AUGUST 28

1862:  Second Battle of Manassas, Virginia, begins.

AUGUST 30

1862:  Battle of Richmond, Kentucky

--Old Secesh

Union Soldiers Buried at Hampton National Cemetery in Virginia

From the Dec. 16, 2013, Hampton (Va.) Daily Press "A landmark graveyard filled with poignant stories of sacrifices and courage" by Mark St. John Erickson.

This article originally attracted my attention because of 28 German U-boat sailors buried there after their U-85 was sunk during World War II. I wrote about them in my World War II blog. I have also used Mr. Erickson's articles on the War of 1812 on several occasions in that blog. He sure gets the interesting things to write about.

Alongside the Germans are several hundred Union soldiers who died on nearby battlefields and many additional who died at the vast Hampton hospitals. In addition, some 300 Confederates who died at the hospitals are buried at the Hampton National Cemetery as well.

Six of the Civil War dead were awarded Medals of Honor, including two sailors who received their medals for action at the Battle of Mobile Bay. In addition, Sgt. Alfred B. Hilton and Pvt. Charles Veale who served in the 4th USCT who were stationed at Yorktown and killed at the Sept. 29, 1864, Battle of Chapins Farm.

A 65-foot Union monument dominates the cemetery landscape and was erected partly as a result of the actions of Clara Barton.

--Old Secesh

Will the Real Thomas Ruffin Please Stand Up?

It happens more often than not, but, earlier today I blogged about a group of Confederate Veterans in Mobile, Alabama, going for a bay excursion and picnic at the grounds of Fort Morgan on the 48th anniversary of the Battle of Mobile Bay Aug 5, 1912.  Most of then had been at the battle.

The name of the UCV Camp No. 675 was Withers-Buchanan and I hadn't heard of it before so started doing more research.  That's when I came across the UCV Thomas Ruffin Camp in Goldsboro, North Carolina.  Never heard of it, but I was born and still have family there.  Had to check that out as well.  Never heard of Thomas Ruffin either.

Then, it was two hours later.

And, there were two Thomas Ruffins.  Imagine That?

No Wonder It Takes So long to Do These Dadburn Things.  --Old Secesh

Swords from Battle of Mobile in Question-- Part 1

From the Sept. 30th Macon.com (Georgia) "Man wants Civil War artifacts back from Cannonball House" by Joe Kovac, Jr..

This is the article that cost me so much time last week. But, I didn't know anything about the people or that aspect of the battle.

A lawsuit was filed Sept. 29th over a Confederate Naval officer's sword captured at the Battle of Mobile Bay by a man who wanted it back from the Macon museum. Also, the sword of Captain James E. "Fighting Jim" Jouett, who later became a rear admiral in the US Navy.

In the late 1800s, Jouett gave his sword and that of Confederate Navy Captain Peter U. Murphrey, who died in 1876, to Murphrey's daughter. Murphrey had surrendered his sword to Jouett when his vessel, the CSS Selma was captured by the USS Metacomet.

The suit was brought by Murphrey's great-great-great grandson, Michael H. Dunn of Atlanta. He contends that a flag, the two swords and other artifacts loaned to the Cannonball House decades ago should be returned to him. Some of them are in bad shape and others lost by the Friends of the Cannonball House.

The swords and artifacts were passed down for generations in the Mumphrey family until 1967, when they were loaned to the local United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter for display in the house.

More to Come. --Old B-Runner

US Naval Battery at Battle of Spanish Fort

While looking for information of Fort Huger, I came across mention of a Naval Battery that participated in the Union attack on Spanish Fort, Mobile Bay, Alabama.

Of interest, it was commanded by Lt.-Cmdr. James H. Gillis and his sailors from the monitor USS Milwaukee which had sunk a few days earlier after it struck a mine in the Blakely River.

Today, the site of the battery is located between two private homes on a deadend street of a Spanish Fort subdivision. The land rises at this point which makes it an ideal location for a battery. There is a Spanish Fort Battle marker at the site.

I have written about the USS Milwaukee before. Of interest to me since I'm also a roadie, is that after the war, the ship was raised and its iron used for the construction of St. Louis' Eads Bridge across the Mississippi.

From the Civil War Album.com. The marker reads:

"Manned work by sailors and commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Gillis of the USS Milwaukee, sunk by a Confederate torpedo in the Blakely River. Armed with two 4.2-inch Parrott rifled cannons firing projectiles weighing 30 lbs., these guns fired on Confederate Batteries Red Fort and Slocomb during the Battle of Spanish Fort March 26-April 8, 1865."

The USS Milwaukee sank March 28, 1865.

Lt.-Cmdr. Gillis also commanded the USS Commodore Morris when it was commissioned Nov. 19, 1862.

Finding Something Else for a Crew to Do After Their Ship Was Sunk. --Old B-R'er

USS Tecumseh

The Tecumseh was a monitor, 2,100 tons, 225 feet long, 43 feet wide, had a crew of 100 officers and men and mounted 2 X 15-inch Dahlgren guns. It was commissioned April 19, 1864 and sank August 5, 1864.

Om the Battle of Mobile Bay, it was the lead monitor and was turning to meet the oncoming ironclad CSS Tennessee, when, at 7:40 am, it struck a Confederate torpedo (mine) and began to heel rapidly. Men scrambled to get off. Commander Tunis A.M. Craven arrived at the foot of the ladder leading to the main deck the same time as the pilot John Collins, stepped back and said "After you, pilot." Collins hurried up the ladder, but the act of courtesy cost Craven his life.

The Tecumseh sank in 25 seconds. As she rolled over, two shells from Fort Morgan struck her unarmored side.

Along with Commander Cravin, 92 others died.

A Sad Loss. --Old B-R'er

USS Farragut Honor Civil War Dead on the USS Tecumseh

From the March 4th Mobile (Al) Press-Register.


The event was greeted with rough weather, lots of wind and 6-8 foot seas, but US Naval re-enactors Paul Leonard and Judson Locke rode aboard a launch out to the guided missile destroyer USS Farragut in the Gulf of Mexico off Dixey Bar, to lay a wreath over the wreck of the monitor USS Tecumseh which hit a torpedo (mine) at the Battle of Mobile Bay August 5, 1864. It sank quickly, taking 93 men to their deaths. They still remain in the ship.

The USS Farragut, named for the Union Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, who commanded at the battle, was on its way to dock at Mobile for the Mardi Gras celebration (Mobile is where the first Mardi Gras in the US was held).

This is the fifth ship in the US Navy to carry the name Farragut. The first four were commissioned in 1898, 1920, 1944 and 1965.

The 1898 ship was a torpedo boat. All the others were destroyers. The newest USS Farragut was commissioned in 2006.

For the ceremony, the crew manned the starboard side facing Fort Morgan while the two re-enactors three the wreath in the water off the aft deck. The Farragut then sounded a long blast on the whistle and a lone cannon boomed out from the fort.

David G. Farragut was famous for his quote "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" at the Battle of Mobile Bay. The Union fleet slowed down when it came to the Confederate mine field and Farragut ordered it to steam ahead regardless. The USS Tecumseh then hit a torpedo (mine) and sank. The battle ended with a Union victory.

The new USS Farragut calls itself "Full Speed" and is 590 feet long, 55 feet wide and has a crew of 265.

An Honor Well-Deserved. --Old B-R'er

USS Tecumseh Honored

From Feb. 24th Fox10 TV, Mobile. Alabama.

The USS Farragut, an Arleigh-Burke class guided missile destroyer, will make a stop at historic Fort Morgan in Mobile Bay to lay a wreath March 4th at the site where the monitor Tecumseh sank in action during the Battle of Mobile Bay Aug. 5, 1864.

The fated ship struck a Confederate torpedo (mine) and sank quickly becoming the final resting place of many of its crew.

The Farragut is on its way to Mobile to become the 2011 Mardi Gras ship.

An Honor. --Old B-Runner

The Battle of Mobile Bay-- Part 2

The anniversary of the battle of Mobile Bay, where Admiral Farragut's fleet passed by Forts Morgan and Gaines and into Mobile Bay, Alabama, was last Thursday, August 5th. That was 1864, 146 years ago.

The successful passage and capture of the Confederate ironclad CSS Tennessee, however, did not mark the end of fighting in Mobile Bay. The fort's still remained in Confederate hands and had to be captured.

Fort Gaines soon surrendered. On August 9th, Union troops landed at Navy Cove to the east of Fort Morgan, cutting the fort off from relief and then began pushing entrenchments westward. By August 20th, they were within 200 yards of Morgan. After a major bombardment on August 22nd, the fort surrendered.

Fort Morgan had been designed to withstand a siege for two weeks, which was how long the fort's engineers expected it would take a relief column to arrive and drive off any attackers.

There was, however, to be no relief, plus, those engineers could never have guessed how much more powerful cannons and ships would be by the 1860s.

Another Confederate Fort Falls. --B-R'er

"Big Red" Found?

October 2nd Charleston (SC) Post and Courier.

The Citadel University in Charleston believes it has located the original "Big Red", its Civil War flag that flew over its cadets on Morris Island when they fired upon the Star of the West which many consider as the actual opening shots of the Civil War, not the April 12, 1861 firing on Fort Sumter.

It was found in an Iowa museum to which it was donated by Willard Baker, a Union veteran in 1919. It has been in a storage closet ever since. The State Historical Society of Iowa owns it and now discussion are under way for its return.

Baker said he had gotten it in Mobile, Alabama, at the end of the war, but never gave the actual story. He had been in a unit involved in the capture of Fort Blakely near Alabama.

Captain James Culpepper, an 1854 Citadel graduate, and his battery were at Blakely. He was a student of Major Peter F. Stevens, who had been the Citadel's superintendent during the Star of the West incident.

In 1861, Hugh Vincent's family had designed the 10 by 7 foot flag and presented it to Stevens between January 1st and 4th, 1861 to be used by the Citadel cadets. It is likely that Culpepper had it at Fort Blakely.

Its location became known when a woman posted information about it on the internet in 2004 and a Citadel alumnus saw it.

Hope They Get It Back. --B-R'er

Wilson Brown and John Lawson

The last entry mentioned Wilson Brown who received a Medal of Honor at the Battle of Mobile Bay August 5, 1864. Another sailor, John Lawson also received one in the same action.

I looked him up and found an article in Wikipedia.

Brown was born in 1841 and died in 1900. He was a landsman on the USS Hartford, Admiral Farragut's flagship of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron.

On August 5, 1864, 18 Union ships engaged the guns of Fort Morgan and a small group of Confederate ships, led by the CSS Tennessee.

Brown and five other sailors were operating a shell whip, a device for lifting gunpowder up to the gun deck. A Confederate shell exploded among the men and Brown was blown through a hatch unconscious to the deck below. The body of one of the others landed on him. The only other survivor was John Lawson.

Lawson regained consciousness first and, although wounded, refused medical attention and returned to duty. Brown did the same when he came to. Both men were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions. A total of 12 received the medals for that fight.

JOHN LAWSON was born in 1837 in Philadelphia, Pa.. Like Brown, he was a black man (I wonder whether the entire shell whip crew were black).

He was buried at Mount Palace cemetery in Lawnside, NJ. Over the years, his tombstone was lost and a fire destroyed the cemetery's records, so the exact location of his grave is not known. On April 24, 2004, he was given a new tombstone along with 72 other Union veterans.

Brave Men, All. --B-Runner

Aftermath of the USS Chickasaw

The USS Chickasaw was at the Battle of Mobile Bay and was sold at auction in New Orleans in 1874. It then became a railroad ferry and later was converted to sidewheel propulsion and renamed the Goldsborough.

Shortly before its demise there was an effort to turn it into a museum, but it failed and it was turned into a work barge for the Bisso family near New Orleans.

It sank in the 1950s and was recently rediscovered. There was an article bout it in the 2004 Montgomery Advertiser.

I'm sure the ship has very little left of the original monitor, but still a good story.

Great to Find a Old Monitor. --B-Runner

USS Milwaukee

Still continuing with what started out as a look at the Napoleon cannon at Galena, Illinois, in Grant Park. This led to Cincinnati which eventually led to monitors built along the inland areas.

The monitor USS Milwaukee was launched by James Eads in February, 1864 and commissioned in August. It was sunk March 28, 1865. It was 1300 tons, 229 feet long, 58.8 feet beam, and six foot draft. It had double turrets mounting 4 X 11-inch Dahlgreen smoothbore cannons.

It was launched by James B. Eads at his Carondolet, Missouri, ironworks and commanded by Lt. James M. Magune. It was sent to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and in November, Lt. Cmdy. James H. Gillis.

On August 5, 1965, the Union Navy won the Battle of Mobile Bay, but the city remained in Confederate hands. It was decided to capture the town from the east. The key to that was Confederate fortifications along the Blakely River called Spanish Fort.

On March 27th, the Milwaukee and five other vessels crossed the Dog River Bar. The next day, the Milwaukee and the USS Winnebago steamed up the Blakely River to attack a ship resupplying Spanish Fort. After it withdrew, the Milwaukee dropped downriver, hit a torpedo and sank almost immediately. The entire crew was saved by the USS Kickapoo, which also came to the aid of the USS Osage when it met a similar fate the next day.

In 1868, the Milwaukee was raised and towed to St. Louis, where it was melted down and part reportedly used in the construction of the Eads Bridge.

From Monitor to Bridge. --Old B-R'er

Fort Morgan/Battle of Mobile Bay Anniversary

A big to-do is scheduled for this weekend at Fort Morgan to celebrate the 145th anniversary of what they're calling the largest naval engagement of the Civil War (I would have thought it was Fort Fisher, myself).

The actual battle began August 5, 1864. A siege then began of Fort Morgan until its surrender August 23, 1864.

It has been named one of the Top Ten Events by the Alabama Tourist Department.

Fort Gaines on nearby Dauphin Island will also be holding activities in conjunction with Fort Morgan.

There will be artillery duels, and a battle between the USS Manhattan and CSS Tennessee, both ironclads which fought at the battle. These are ships normally representing the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia on loan from the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia.

A $5 admission will be charged both today and tomorrow.

Sounds Like the Place to Be If You're in the Area. --B-R'er

USS Tecumseh Memorial Planned-- Part 2

Randy Atkins hopes to have the memorial in place by the time of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Mobile Bay, August 5, 2014. He was in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, last week drumming up support from the town and county as well as local Indian Nation.

The fact that just a single buoy marks the spot bothers him greatly.

After the Tecumseh sank August 5, 1864, it was largely forgotten until the US government sold salvage rights to a local firm for $50 which planned on using explosives to break it apart. However, relatives of the dead crew organized and it did not come to pass.

In 1974, there was thought of raising it. About 90% of the ship is covered with mud and as such, it is in excellent condition. However, it was estimated the project would cost $10 million so it was dropped. Today it would cost $80 million to raise.

An estimated 500,000 artifacts are aboard along with two 15-inch Dahlgren guns. In 1967, the Smithsonian Institution dove on the wreck and recovered the ship's anchor and dishes from the wreck.

Hats Off to Mr. Atkins!! --B-Runner

USS Tecumseh Memorial Planned-- Part 1

From the Tecumseh Countywide News, July 9th, Tecumseh, Oklahoma. "Drive Begins to Recognize Lost Crew of USS Tecumseh."

The USS Tecumseh, a Civil War Monitor ironclad sits at the bottom of Mobile Bay near where it sank off Fort Morgan as Admiral Farragut was running past the fort. His order to proceed full-speed ahead, regardless of torpedoes (mines) was followed, and the Tecumseh hit one and rapidly sank, taking 93 of her crew down. Only 20 escaped.

With few exceptions, it has mostly been forgotten, until now.

Randy Atkins visited Fort Morgan in 1986 and was surprised that only a single buoy marks the final resting place of the gallant crew. He has been back several times and now has permission to build a memorial. What he needs is money, which is estimated to be at between $5,000 and $250,000 depending upon how elaborate it will be.

He has a website at www.usstecumsehmemorialproject.com

Best of Luck to You Mr. Atkins. --Old B-Runner