President Taylor's Grandsons Fought for the Confederacy-- Part 3: John Taylor Wood

Zachary Taylor's daughter, Ann Mackall Taylor Wood, married Robert Crooke Wood, who remained with the Union during the war.  They had two sons and a daughter, Robert Crooke Wood Jr, who I wrote about in the last two posts.  Also there was a daughter, Sarah Knox  Wood (1835-1915).

John Taylor Wood led quite a life and compiled a remarkable record as a Confederate Navy officer during the Civil War.  I will write more about his service in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog.

A  short synopsis is here.

Served in U.S. Navy after graduating from the USNA in 1853.  Resigned his commission, but U.S. Navy dismissed him.  His family relationship with Jefferson Davis (his aunt was the first wife of Davis and the fact he was the grandson of a former president) gave him great influence in the Confederacy.

Was a second lieutenant on the CSS Virginia in the Battle of Hampton Roads and fight against the USS Monitor.  Led surprise attacks on Union ships in the Chesapeake Bay area.  Commanded the CSS Tallahassee on a commerce raiding expedition along the American coast and captured and destroyed 31 union ships, captured the Union warship USS Underwriter at New Bern, N.C..

He was also with Jefferson Davis at his capture in Georgia.  Escaping to Cuba, he then went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and lived there the remainder of his life.

--Old Secesh

U.S. Presidents with Confederate Ties-- Part 3: Zachary Taylor's Children

Some of the Civil War split between North and South involved the children of U.S. presidents.

One of President Zachary Taylor's sons, Richard, rose to the rank of lieutenant general in the Confederate Army and was a top figure in the Trans-Mississippi theater of the war.  He surrendered his army on May 4, 1865, four weeks after Robert E. Lee.

Another of Taylor's children, Sarah, married future Confederate president Jefferson Davis in 1835 at the age of 21.  At the time, Davis was serving in the U.S. Army under Taylor and Taylor  forbade the relationship, saying, "I will be damned if another daughter of mine will marry into the Army."

Sarah came down with malaria later in 1835 and died.  Taylor, who did in office in 1850, reportedly never forgave Davis for her loss.

In addition, one of Taylor's grandsons, John Taylor Wood,  served on the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia in its famed battle with the USS Monitor in Hampton Roads in March, 1862.  He was the son of Taylor's eldest daughter Ann.  He also commanded the CSS Tallahassee in a very successful commerce raid along the U.S. coast.  That ship left out of Wilmington, North Carolina.

He also had a brother who served in the Confederate Army named Robert Crooke Wood, Jr.

--Old Secesh

CSS Tallahassee's Daring August Raid-- Part 2

Let's see, 19 days, 26 enemy vessels destroyed, 7 captured, eluding Union ships, and getting away with it, despite a really close shave at Halifax. Even got enough coal. Not a bad two and a half weeks. Just imagine if they got prize money. But, nonetheless, the adrenalin rush. Quite the cruise.

Stats of the Tallahassee: 220 feet long, 24 foot beam; armament: 1 rifles 32-pdr forward, 1 rifled 100-pdr amidships, 1 heavy Parrot aft.

Ran out of Wilmington on August 6, 1864 and chased by the USS Nansemond and USS Huron. Almost caught at Halifax by the USS Pontoosuc. (I also read that the first two Union vessels followed the Tallahassee to Halifax and blocked the channel in one account, but didn't find any confirmation anywhere else.

Then, there was running the blockade twice, plenty of excitement in that all by itself.

Sail Ho!! --Old B-R

CSS Tallahassee's Daring August Raid-- Part 1

On this date, August 18, 1864, the CSS Tallahassee, under Commander Wood, out into Halifax to replenish its coal supply after a raid up the Union coast. Over a 19-day period from August 6th, when she ran the Wilmington blockade, the Tallahassee destroyed 26 vessels and captured 7.

The Union government was immediately made aware of the Tallahassee's presence and Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, ordered the USS Pontoosuc to leave Eastport, Maine, where it had just arrived, and sail to Halifax to intercept her..

However, the Confederate ship left the night of the 19th and Pontoosuc arrived on the 20th.

Elusive Boat. --B-R