From Wikipedia.
From Dec. 5, 1802. Died November 7, 1862. One of the oldest officers in the Union Navy during the war.
He was a flag officer on the USS Cumberland during the action at Gloucester Point and it was under his orders that Lt. Thomas O. Selfridge reconnoitered the Confederate defenses. He was the uncle of Austin Pendergrast, the hapless commander of the USS Water Witch when it was captured.
During the Mexican War, Pendergrast commanded the USS Boston He was also the commanding officer of the USS Merrimack (which later became the ironclad CSS Virginia) when it was commissioned.
Starting April 24th, the Cumberland and supporting ships began seizing Confederate ships and privateers off Fort Monroe in the Chesapeake Bay, capturing 16. The first major blockade operation of the war.
When the Cumberland was sunk by the CSS Virginia, Pendergrast was no longer the ship's commander.
In July, 1862, Pendergrast became a commodore and was assigned to the command of the Philadelphia Naval Yard where he died November 7, 1862, of a paralytic stroke.
He is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. Find-A-Grave shows a large obelisk with an anchor on it. It also says that Austin Pendergrast is buried at the same spot and that Garrett was his father.
I had Never Heard of Him. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Showing posts with label Garrett Pendergast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garrett Pendergast. Show all posts
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Battle of Gloucester Point
As usual, I find out about something I don't know, that will cause more research on the subject. And, more time.
From Wikipedia.
The battle in the last entry took place May 7, 1861, and no casualties were reported. Flag officer Garrett J. Pendergrast, the uncle of Austin Pendergrast, who surrendered the USS Congress to the CSS Virginia and later lost the USS Water Witch to a Confederate boarding party, for which he was severely reprimanded, ordered Lt. Selfridge to investigate the reports of Confederate guns at the point.
After the battle, Selfridge reported that all but two of the Confederate shells fired at the USS Yankee fell short. He believed the Confederates had "long 32s and an 8-inch shell gun." Actually, the southerners just had smaller six-pounder cannons.
However, a rush was made to fortify the point and by May 11th, two 9-inch guns were in place and two more were ready. By June 14th, the battery mounted 14 heavy guns.
Chance Lost for the Federals. --Old B-Runner
From Wikipedia.
The battle in the last entry took place May 7, 1861, and no casualties were reported. Flag officer Garrett J. Pendergrast, the uncle of Austin Pendergrast, who surrendered the USS Congress to the CSS Virginia and later lost the USS Water Witch to a Confederate boarding party, for which he was severely reprimanded, ordered Lt. Selfridge to investigate the reports of Confederate guns at the point.
After the battle, Selfridge reported that all but two of the Confederate shells fired at the USS Yankee fell short. He believed the Confederates had "long 32s and an 8-inch shell gun." Actually, the southerners just had smaller six-pounder cannons.
However, a rush was made to fortify the point and by May 11th, two 9-inch guns were in place and two more were ready. By June 14th, the battery mounted 14 heavy guns.
Chance Lost for the Federals. --Old B-Runner
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)