Confederate Railroads-- Part 3: Three Major Operations

The  central Confederate government encountered problems dealing with the states throughout the war inn regards to railroads.

Another problem was that existing tracks and rolling stock were so often cannibalized for iron to put on naval ironclads

It took the Confederate government two years to get some semblance of a plan worked out for its railroads.  1863.  Railroads became under de facto control of the military, but there was no record that this ever became so.

Mr. Banks talked quite a bit about the Confederate use of railroads during the First battle of Bull Run (Manassas) Campaign as well as the Great Locomotive Chase and the moving of Longstreet's Corps to Bragg in the Chickamauga/Chattanooga Campaign.

Longstreet's soldiers experienced quite a series of rerouting and ended up going through North and South Carolina and Georgia to get there.

By 1865, the Confederacy's railroads were in ruins, however, they recovered very quickly as it was important to rebuild the South.

--Old Secesh

This Month in the Civil War: Battles of Green River, Corinth, Perryville and Tom's Brook and First Union Ironclad

From the American Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

OCTOBER 3, 1861

**  The Battle of Greenbrier River (Camp Bartow), Virginia (now West Virginia)

OCTOBER 4, 1862

**  Second Battle of Corinth, Mississippi,  begins.

OCTOBER 8, 1862

**  Battle of Perryville, Kentucky

OCTOBER 9, 1864

**  Battle of Tom's Brook, Virginia

OCTOBER 12, 1861

**  The first ironclad in the U.S. navy, the USS St. Louis, launched in Carondolet, Missouri.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County CW Round Table Meets Today: USS Merrimack

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, August 9, at the Woodstock Library at 7, both in person and via Zoom.

David Noe will speak on the USS Merrimack, the ship that was turned into the ironclad CSS Virginia by Confederates and fought the famous battle against the USS Monitor.  (Which ship were you pulling for?)

All are invited to attend.  You do not have to be a member, just have an interest in history.

There will also be several of us meeting at 3 Brothers restaurant in Woodstock (on Illinois Highway 47) at 5:30.  Come for dinner or dessert.

--Old Secesh

The Leeds Iron Foundry in New Orleans-- Part 2: Two Confederate Ironclads

After Louisiana's secession from the Union in January 1861,  the foundry manufactured arms for the Confederate Army.  They also had the contract to build two ironclads:  the Louisiana and the Mississippi for the Confederate Navy.

The ships were not finished when New Orleans fell to Union forces in 1862.  The Mississippi had not been built and the CSS Louisiana was towed down the river and used as a floating battery during Farragut's passing the forts.

New Orleans was seized in April 1862.

The building that remains of the company was designed by James Gallier in 1852 and is typical commercial construction.  The Gothic Street elevation is  of stuccoed brick ornamented with cast iron columns and window frames.  The building is located at the head of Diamond Street neutral ground (St. Mary's Park), giving it some prominence.

It currently houses the fascinating Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans.

--Old Secesh

Events in October: Corinth, Perryville, Tom's Brook and the USS St. Louis

From the American Battlefield Trust October 2021 calendar.

1862

OCTOBER 3

Second Battle of Corinth, Mississippi begins.

1862

OCTOBER 8

Battle of Perryville, Kentucky

1864

OCTOBER 9

Battle of Tom's Brook, Virginia

1861

OCTOBER 12

First Union ironclad, the USS St. Louis, launched at Carondelet, Missouri.

--Old Secesh

Fort Wool in Chesapeake Bay-- Part 5: The Sawyer Gun

The range of the Sawyer gun, with extended elevation, extended all the way to Confederate-held Sewell's Point in Virginia, 3 miles away (where Norfolk Naval Base is now located).  The Confederates had built an impressive fort there complete with  bastions, a redan and three artillery batteries mounting 45 guns.

The Sawyer gun was rifled and could fire a shot further and with more accuracy than the usual smoothbore cannons in use.  It was one of several rifled artillery pieces developed by Sylvanus Sawyer. Sadly for him, none of his designs were widely adopted by Union forces.

A weapon of  the type at Fort Wool was tested at nearby Fort Monroe in 1859.  Two different Sawyer weapons, a 24-pounder rifle and a 3.67-inch were used at the Siege of Richmond in 1864-1865.  The 24-pounder burst on the tenth fire and the 3.67 was rarely used.

Fort Wool had a ringside seat for the Battle of Hampton Roads between the CSS Virginia and USS Monitor during what is referred to as the Battle of the Ironclads on March 9, 1862.  The Sawyer gun fired on the Virginia, but no damage was done to the ship because of her armor.

--Old Secesh

Other Events Affecting the Civil War-- Part 5: Improvements in Artillery

**  A turning point of the war was the firing on Fort Sumter.  It didn't have to happen and made the Confederacy look like the bad guys for starting the war.

Fort Sumter would have had to surrender in a few days because of lack of provisions.

**  Incredible improvements in artillery velocity and accuracy made masonry forts obsolete.

**  Ironclads made wooden warships obsolete.

**  Incredible fortunes were made during the war.

**  After the war, the GAR had a huge impact on politics.

**  Was Albert Sidney Johnston as good of a general as everyone thought?

--Old Secesh

My 20 Most Significant Events Affecting the Outcome of the Civil War-- Part 1: Enlisting Black Soldiers

On July 29 our Mchenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group met at Panera Bread in Crystal Lakem, Illinois, with this as the topic of the day.

Interesting topic and some interesting ideas as to the significant events.

I took about 15-20 minutes to come up with my own list off the top of my head.

Here they are:

1.  Enlisting blacks in the Union Army/

2.  Northern industry superiority/ Southern industry's inadequacies and lack of

3.  Collapse of the Southern will to fight as the war progressed

4.  Advances in Naval architecture:  ironclads, turrets, steam power and bigger guns.

5.  Special-use warships (ferry boats and double enders) special-built blockade runners.

--Old Secesh

McHenry Civil War Round Table Discussion Group Meets Saturday, July 29: Topic Is the Twenty Most Significant Events Of/Affecting the Civil War

The McHenry Civil War Round Table will be meeting Saturday, July 29, 2017, at the Panera Bread Company in Crystal Lake, Illinois, at US-14 and Main Street.

The meeting will go from 10: a.m. to noon.

This month's discussion is a good one and should get a lot of input.  It is "The Twenty Most Significant Events of / Affecting of the Civil War."

I have my list already prepared and will give some of them.  The rest will be next week.

1.  The enlistment of blacks into the Union Army.

2.  Northern industry.

3.  Collapse of the Southern will to fight.

4.  Advances in Naval architecture:  growth of steam power, bigger guns, ironclads and turrets.

5.  Special use warships and blockade-runners.

Looking forward to hearing what others have to say.

Should be a Good One.  See You There.  --Old Secesh

Top Ten Civil War Innovations-- Part 3: Telegraph and Iron Gunships

6.  TELEGRAPH--  50,000 miles of telegraph wire had been strung by 1860.  Another 15,000 miles were added during the war.  Lincoln used it for real-time information.  By October 1861, the coast-to-coast telegraph had eliminated the Pony Express.  During the war, several patents improved distance and power of the original Morse telegraph.

7.  IRON GUNSHIPS--  The Confederate Navy couldn't match the U.S. Navy in numbers so needed a super weapon which they got with the ironclad CSS Virginia.  The USS Monitor was built in 90-days and had 40 patentable inventions by John Ericsson.

--Old Secesh

One Really Good Civil War Exhibit

Now that it's gone, I figure it's a good time to write about it. This past year, to commemorate the beginning of the Civil War, 150 years ago, the Lake County Discovery Museum in Illinois had a special exhibit called "Civil War High Tech."

I was able to get out to it during its last week and wish I'd gone a couple times.

It concentrated on technological break throughs during the war, including: repeating firearms, ironclad ships, reconnaissance balloons, telegraph, submarines and railroads.

I wrote about the ironclads in my Running the Blockade blog. But, it did have a full-size mock-up of the Monitor's turret, right down to the bolts.

The whole thing was really interactive with plenty of things to do and hands-on-activities. A summer camp group came while I was there and those kids had a ball touching and doing. I would have thought they'd be bored in the gourd.

One of the first things I came across was the basket of an observation balloon, called a gondola. The bottom was on some sort of a fulcrum so when you stepped into it, it moved. Sure gave me a jump. Once I got back into it, I could peer over the side and see a battle going on under me.

More to Come. --Old Secesh

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: Fort Fisher Fired On

From the Civil War Naval Chronology 1861-1865.

NOVEMBER 11, 1861-- Thaddeus Lowe made a balloon observation of Confederate forces from the Balloon Boat G.W. Parke Curtis anchored in the Potomac River. The early aircraft carrier was purchased for $150 and readied fr service at the Washington Navy Yard. It was towed to the site by the steamer Couer de Lion.

NOVEMBER 12, 1861-- The Fingal (later CSS Atlanta) purchased in England, ran the Savannah blockade with military supplies, the first ship to run the blockade on solely Confederate government account.

NOVEMBER 15, 1861-- Confederate commissioners Mason and Slidell disembarked from the USS San Jacinto, Captain Wilkes,at Fort Monroe.

NOVEMBER 16, 1861-- Confederate Secretary of the Navy Mallory advertised for plans and bids for construction of four seagoing ironclads capable of carrying four guns each.

Today, 1861-- The USS Monticello, Lt. Braine, engaged Confederate battery near New Inlet, North Carolina. That would be Fort Fisher. This is tye first action of read of at Fort Fisher in the Civil War Naval Chronology.


NOVEMBER 22, 1861-- The USS Niagara, Flag officer McKean, USS Richmond, Capt. Ellison, and Fort Pickens began two day bombardment against Confederate defenses at Fort McRee, the Pensacola Navy Yard and the town of Warrington. Much damage done to Confederate positions and USS Richmond.

NOVEMBER 24, 1861-- A landing party from the USS Flag, Cmdr. J. Rodgers, USS Augusta, Pochahontas, Seneca and Savannah took possession of Tybee Island, Savannah. Admiral Du Pont attributed the Confederate abandonment of the island without a fight was "due to the terror inspired by the bombardment of Forts Walker and Beauregard...."

Skeered Away Again. --Old B-Runner

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago

From the US Navy Civil War Chronology.

SEPTEMBER 16, 1861

The Ironclad Board reported to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles: "For river and harbor service we consider ironclad vessels of light draught, or floating batteries this shielded, as very important...Armored ships or batteries may be employed advantageously to pass fortifications on land for ulterior objects of attack, to run a blockade, or to reduce temporary batteries on the shores of rivers and the approaches to our harbors."

They recommended the construction of three ironclads: The New Ironsides, Monitor and Galena.

These ships and the ones that followed completely revolutionized naval warfare.


SEPTEMBER 16-17

Landing parties from the USS Pawnee destroyed guns and fortifications on Beacon Island, this closing Ocracoke Inlet. Hatteras Inlet had been closed in August. This deprived blockade runners of an important access to land and gave he Union an important foothold in North Carolina.

SEPTEMBER 17

Confederates evacuated Ship Island, Mississippi, and a landing party from the USS Massachusetts took possession, giving the Union an important staging area and base for operations along the Gulf Coast.

Thus, these two days were very important in the overall Union war effort. The taking of the NC inlets and Ship island are little-known today, but important nonetheless.

Of the three first ironclads, only the Galena proved to be ineffective.

Important Events. --Old B-Runner

Wings Over the Neuse II

From the August 12th Kinston.com.

Darn, I missed out on it again as it was held this past Friday. Two of my favorite things came together, bbq wings and the Confederate Navy in Kinston, North Carolina. I've written about it before. Maybe next year.

This was a fundraiser put on by the CSS Neuse II Foundation, a group of volunteers responsible for the full-size replica of the original CSS Neuse, whose hull is nearby.

The wings were served from 10:30 am to 6 pm or until run out and for $5 you get 5 wings, celery, carrots and dipping sauce. The good stuff could be picked up or eaten on the CSS Neuse II grounds. They plan to cook 5,000 wings in a tomato-based, mild, sweet, but not spicy. What? No Carolina bbq sauce?

The first Wings Over the Neuse was in 2009 to raise money for a memorial to Ted Sampley who was the driving force for the full-sized replica of the original ship. He had died earlier that year.

The second was for Alton Stapleford, the man responsible for designing and building the ship. This last one was to raise money to finish the Stapleford memorial and improve the landscaping on the grounds. Stapleford's memorial will be dedicated October 8th at another even called Breakfast on the Boat.

Eatin' and Supportin'. --Old B-R'er

Naval Affairs 150 Years Ago: Eads Ironclads, More River Help and Confederate Raiders

From the Civil War Naval Chronology.

August 7, 1861-- The War department contracted with J.B. Eads of St. Louis for construction of seven shallow-draft inronclads. The Eads ships, named after river cities: Cairo, Carondolet, Cincinnati, Louisville, Mound City, Pittsburg and St. Louis, were the core of Union Naval forces operating in western waters.

Constructor Samuel M. Pook, USN, assisted in their construction and the ships were sometimes referred to as "Pook's Turtles."


AUGUST 12, 1861-- Gunboats USS Tyler, Lexington and Conestoga, procured and fitted out by Commander J. Rodgers, arrived at Cairo, Illinois, to protect the strategic position at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.


AUGUST 13, 1861-- Commander Bulloch, CSN, wrote from London to Confederate Secretary of the Navy Mallory that he had inspected available vessels in England and had not come up with any that would be of service to the new country. Very few wooden ships in the British service "...and their iron ships, though fast, well-built, and staunch enough for voyages of traffic, are too thin in the plates and light in the deck frames and stanchions to carry guns of much weight. I therefore made arrangements to contract with two eminent builders for a gun vessel each...."

One of these would be the CSS Alabama.

Lots Going on Back Then. --Old B-Runner

A Big Day in Naval History Today: Naval Aviation and Steel Navy

From the Civil War Naval Chronology for August 3, 1861, 150 years ago.

I've been getting this off the web, but it turns out I also have the book.

This date, 150 years ago:

** JOHN LaMOUNTAIN ascended from a balloon from the deck of the USS Fanny at Hampton Roads to observe Confederate batteries at Sewell's Point, Virginia. This would be the beginning of Naval Aviation.

** Also this date: Congress authorized Secretary of the Navy Welles to "appoint a board of three skillful naval officers to investigate the plans and specifications that may be submitted for the construction or completing of iron or steel-clad steamships or steam batteries...there is hereby appointed...the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars."

Commodore Joseph Smith, Captain Hiram Pauling and Commander Charles H. Davis appointed to the Ironclad Board August 8th. The beginning of the steel navy.

Also this date:

** The USS Wabash, Captain Mercer, recaptured the American schooner Mary Alice, which had been taken by the Confederate privateer Dixie. It also captured the blockade-running brig Sarah Starr, off Charleston, SC.


** The USS South Carolina, Commander Alden, engaged Confederate batteries at Galveston, Texas.

Quite a Day for the US Navy. --Old B-R'er

Fort Fisher Medal of Honor Winner

Boatswain's Mate James Burnum, USN.

Won his Medal of Honor during action at Fort Fisher, NC Dec. 24-25, 1864 and Jan. 13-15th, 1865, while on the USS New Ironsides.

The New Ironsides led the ironclad division into action versus Fort Fisher. The ship opened fire with its starboard battery and its well-directed fire caused several fires, explosions and dismounted Confederate guns during the December attack.

On Jan. 13, 1865, the ship fought all day, taking on ammunition at night despite severe weather conditions.

On the 15th, when the enemy came out of their bomb proofs to defend the fort against the landing party, the ship's battery had disabled nearly every in the fort facing the shore before the order to cease fire was given from the flagship.

Boatswain Barnum was commended for highly meritorious conduct during this period.

A Brave Man. --Old B-R'er

USS Monitor Engine Returns to Civil War Appearance-- Part 1

From the December 10, 2010, Daily Press.

The last time anyone set eyes on the engine the way it looks today was back on Christmas Eve 1862, a total of nearly 148 years ago.

Back in 2001, the engine, turret and other parts of the Monitor were brought up from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The years had produced a thick layer of marine concretion. Sand, mud and corrosion had combined with minerals to cover every feature of Swedish-born John Ericsson's ingenuous 30-ton machine.

For the past nine years, the engine sat in a tank receiving a desalination treatment.

Earlier in the week, conservators at the Mariners Museum and USS Monitor Center drained the 35,000 gallon tank and began the intensive removal of the 2-3-inch concretion with hammers, chisels and other hand tools.

Remove That Crud!! --Old B-Runner

USS Monadnock

The USS Monadnock took part in both battles of Fort Fisher, using its four 15-inch guns to batter the fort.

It was the first of a two-ship class of 3295 ton double turret Monitors built at the Boston navy Yard and commissioned in 1864.

After Fort Fisher, it went to Charleston and took part in the final operations at that place and then served a short stint on the James River before going to Havana, Cuba. to keep an eye on the Confederate ironclad Stonewall.

In October 1865, it was refitted for a voyage to California where it appears a structures were added to the top of the turrets and the free board raised. This was the longest cruise by any monitor up until that time.

In 1874, the Monadnock's wooden hull was broken up as part of a program to modernize Civil War monitors into modern ones. It essentially became a whole new ship but kept the name Monadnock.

It was launched in 1885 and commissioned in 1895 and took part in the Spanish-American War. It was sold in 1923.

The History of a Monitor. --Old B-Runner

Confederate Ironclad at Tarboro, NC

I had an alert from the HMdb about the Union assault on Tarboro, NC, in 1863. The enemy force destroyed a Confederate ironclad on the stocks where it was being built. I had never heard of this one.

Doing some research, I found out that it was to be a sister ship to the CSS Albemarle with similar dimensions. It might have been named the CSS Pamlico had it been completed.

There was another one being built in Tarboro but it was destroyed to prevent capture in April 1865.

Of course, I am familiar with the CSS Neuse, CSS Albemarle, CSS North Carolina, CSS Raleigh and CSS Wilmington which were all North Carolina-built ironclads.

There was another one being built at Edward's Ferry which was to be an improved and larger version of the CSS Albemarle and to mount four guns, but it was destroyed to prevent capture April 7, 1865. The author of the Civil War Ironclads and Blockade Runners site believes it might have been named the CSS Roanoke had it been completed.

Most info from the Civil War Ironclads and Blockade Runners site.

Some Stuff I Didn't Know. --B-R'er