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McLean Research Associates is dedicated to presenting little known facts about the US Navy in the Civil War, presentations on a myriad of astronomical topics,STEM workshops, and letterboxing.


In commemoration of the 160 years since the Civil War - or more appropriately in the vernacular of the day - The War of the Slaveholders' Rebellion - we are featuring a quote and picture of the day from the Naval Records


Period Picture
USS Hartford, RADM Farragut's Flagship
Sat Feb 11 1865

CDR Foxhall A Parker, Potomac Flotilla, writes LCDR Edward Hooker, 1st Division, Potomac Flotilla, "Proceed to the Rappanannock and resume your duties on that station, including within your jurisdiction the coast as far south as the Wolf Trap light-boat, to which you will be careful to give ample protection.
    Send one of your boats to the eastern shore for the protection of its light-houses, for which purpose the commanding officer must put himself in communication with the military authorities. Do not allow the Rappahannock to be ascended higher than Urbana, and avoid all appearance of a reconnoissance of that river."

LCDR A A Semmes, USS Lehigh writes RADM Jonathan Dahlgren, South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, from Stono Inlet "In obedience to your order of the 9th instant, I left Charleston Roads with this vessel at the earliest possible moment, and arrived here at 9 a. m. the 10th. Immediately upon my arrival Lieutenant-Commander A. W. Johnson informed me of the disposition of the naval force here, which, being the best that could be made, I did not meddle with. It was as follows: The McDonough, Lieutenant-Commander A. F. Crosman and the Dan Smith, bomb vessel, Acting Master Van Voorhis, with the Geranium as tender, were up Folly River; the Wissahickon, Lieutenant-Commander Johnson, and the C. P. Williams, Acting Master Parker, up the Stono. The two former covered the right and front of our troops, the two latter the left. With this vessel I took position a little farther up this river than the other vessels.
    When I arrived the vessels were keeping up a fire suitable to the object in view.
    In the afternoon I directed some shells to be thrown to the left of our troops, and some also on John's Island, to feel the batteries. There was no reply.
    Two army officers, aids to the commanding officer in the field, came off during the day to make arrangements and establish signals relative to our fire.
    A fire of one shell every fifteen minutes was kept up by the vessels in the Stono from 8 p. m. the 10th to 6 this morning, to the left of our line.
    This forenoon small squads of rebels showing themselves on the way from Battery Pringle toward our forces, I hastened their movements by one or two well-directed shells.
    Learning about 4 p. m. that the army had withdrawn, and feeling there was no necessity for remaining above the junction of the Stono and the Kiawah, I ordered the other vessels below and took the lead myself.
    We expended the following ammunition on board this vessel: 150-pounder Schenkle percussion shells, 11; 12-pounder Schenkle percussion shells, 13; 12-pounder Hotchkiss percussion shells, 33. Lieutenant-Commander Crosman remained up the Folly River until notified there was no further necessity, and then resumed his former station at the junction of the Kiawah and Stono.
    I judge, from the direction of the fire and from its rapidity, particularly in the Folly River, that the naval cooperation was satisfactory."

CDR James D Bulloch, CSN writes CSA SECNAV "I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatches of December 15 and 17, 1864. An immediate pressure of business prevents my saying anything more at this time than to assure you that the instructions and suggestions therein contained shall have careful attention. I am greatly pained to inform you that our ironclad Stonewall has been forced to succumb to a series of gales, the like of which have not swept even the stormy Bay of Biscay for many years, and has put -into Ferrol, Spain, for shelter and repairs. Captain Page writes me in a determined spirit as to the prosecution of his voyage, but shows that in the preparation and outfit of the ship we have been cheated and deceived by some of the parties in a manner which clearly justifies my original distrust of them. Captain Page telegraphs that he may be able to proceed upon his voyage, but the repairs can not be completed in less than ten days from yesterday. Upon this matter I shall make a special report as soon as office business will permit me to collect all the facts bearing upon the case. I forward by this opportunity duplicates of former dispatches not yet acknowledged, and invoices of goods shipped by sailing vessels John G. and Walkington for Nassau, to be forwarded by L. Heyliger to a Confederate port.
    The fall of Fort Fisher seriously disarranges our plans for sending in supplies, but all of us who are charged with such duties will speedily consult and make new and suitable arrangements."

LT William L Martine, USS Hibiscus, writes SECNAV from Key West, "I have the honor to report the arrival of this vessel under my command at this port last evening, from New York via Port Royal."

SECNAV writes RADM S K Stribling, East Gulf Blockading Squadron, "The Department hastens to advise you that information has been received of the transfer to the rebels of the ram built at Bordeaux.
    The dispatch from the consul at Nantes, communicating this infor- mation, is dated the 28th ultimo. The ram was then at the island of Houat and preparing to leave immediately. Her destination is doubtless ,some point on our coast, and it behooves you to be prepared against surprise, as she is represented to be formidable and capable of inflicting serious injury."

SECNAV writes RADM H K Thatcher, West Gulf Blockading Squadron, "The Department hastens to advise you that information has been received of the transfer to the rebels of the ram built at Bordeaux.
    The dispatch from the consul at Nantes communicating this information is dated the 28th ultimo. The ram was then at the island of Houat, and preparing to leave immediately. Her destination is doubtless some point on our coast, and it behooves you to be prepare against surprise, as she is represented to be formidable and capable of inflicting serious injury."

RADM Samuel P Lee, Mississippi Squadron, writes LCDR George Bacon, 6th District, Mississippi Squadron "I have revoked my order of February 9, assigning the Juliet to temporary duty in the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, and have notified her commander thereof. The Juliet will remain in the Sixth Division."

Teachers and Educators - we have several Civil War presentations covering the US Navy throughout the Civil War which include our portable museum, Submarines, and key naval and land battles. Check out our Civil War section for more details. We also have several presentations on astronomy for all age groups




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