The New York Times Reports the Battle of Washington, NC-- Part 1

From the September 10, 1862 New York Times.

The steamer Gide had arrived in Hampton Roads from New Bern, NC, with news of the battle on the 6th.

It reported that 1,200 Confederates had attacked the town and after a two hour fight, were repulsed and pursued seven miles.

"The gunboat Louisiana rendered essential service in shelling the rebels out of the strong positions they had seized.

The gunboat Picket was blown up by an accidental explosion of her magazine, Capt. Nichols and nineteen men were killed and six wounded.

Our loss on shore was seven killed and forty-seven wounded.
Thirty rebels were killed and thirty-six taken prisoner."

Old Secesh

Some More Naval Activity 150 Years Ago

From the Civil War Naval Chronology.


OCTOBER 22nd-- Report that Confederate batteries commanded the Potomac River below Alexandria. Washington, DC, essentially blockaded, by water, anyway.

OCTOBER 23rd-- The crew of the Confederate privateer Savannah go on trial for "piracy" in New York City. This caused quite a diplomatic situation.

OCTOBER 25th-- John Ericcson began work on his Monitor. Less than five months later, it fought the CSS Virginia. Quite a remarkably fast construction time.

Flag Officer DuPont stresses the importance of training by the Navy for amphibious landings. Says he had landed a brigade of troops in a training exercise.

OCTOBER 26th-- The CSS Nashville escapes the blockade of Charleston, SC. Union intelligence incorrectly had Slidell and Mason on board the ship.

OCTOBER 27-28th-- Boat crews from the USS Louisiana burned three Confederate vessels at Chincoteagwa Inlet, Virginia. The Louisiana later became the powder ship exploded at Fort Fisher Christmas Eve 1864.

And, It Was an Amphibious Assault That Finally Did Fort Fisher In in 1865. --Old B-R'er

Butler's Folly at Fort Fisher

It was on this date, December 23, 1864, as a prelude to the first attack, that the powder ship USS Louisiana was towed by the USS Wilderness in close to shore at Fort Fisher, protecting Wilmington, NC, with the intention of blowing up with such force as to knock the fort's earthen walls down.

This was Union General Benjamin Butler, commander of the strike force, idea. Some 215 tons of gunpowder was placed aboard along with an elaborate system of fuses and detonation system.

The ship blew up at 1:40 AM Christmas Eve. The force of the explosion rattled the ships about 12 miles out to sea as well as the fort, but did no dame and came to be called "Butler's Folly."

The First Battle of Fort Fisher. --B-Runner

USS Louisianas, Specifically the One Blown Up Off Fort Fisher

There was one US Navy ship that was blown up to destroy a fort. Well, that was the plan any way.

There have been four US Navy ships by the name of the Louisiana, and one Confederate one. The newest is the SSBN-743 USS Louisiana, the 18th and last Trident submarine launched in 1996. The first was a sloop built Dec. 1812 that operated in the War of 1812 and helped protect New Orleans.

The second USS Louisiana is the one we're interested in which and was a side wheel steamer commissioned in 1861. It joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and helped defend Washing, NC, in Dec. 1862. It was blown up off Fort Fisher on Christmas Eve, 1864, in an attempt to knock the fort's earthen walls down.

It was 295 tons, 143 feet long. 27 feet beam, carried a crew of 85 and armed with an 18 inch Dahlgren smoothbore, 1 32-pdr, and 1 12-pdr D. rifle..

In 1994, a state underwater archaeologist and students from East Carolina University conducted a survey of wrecks off Fort Fisher and found many, but no trace of the Louisiana. Not surprising since it was loaded with gunpowder when ignited.

The third USS Louisiana was BB-19, a battleship that was commissioned in 1906.

Talk About a Show, --B-R'er