Posted By: Walt Mathers on: 01/07/2006 02:31:47 ESTSubject: 1862 Hampton Roads. Relative to Vessels at
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Posted By: Walt Mathers on: 01/07/2006 02:31:47 EST Subject: 1862 Hampton Roads. Relative to Vessels at |
 The 1906 Steam Tug BALTIMORE'S namesake was built in 1857-8 and therefore would have been operating during the Late Unpleasantness of 1861-65. Someday I hope we can find out more about what that first Steam Tug BALTIMORE may have been doing during the Whoah. In the interim, I can but offer you the following report and wonder all along, whether the vessel mentioned in the following despatch is the very same wroght-iron hulled tug that the current day 1906 BALTIMORE is modeled after. Walt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Louis M. Goldsborough to Gideon Welles, Tuesday, April 22, 1862 (Report) U. S. Flagship Minnesota Sir: Three white men, (one of them accompanied by his wife & two children), were picked up last night by the "Baltimore". They were in a boat & had, as they say, escaped from Norfolk. One of them has been working, for a long time past, in the Gosport navy yard. He described the "Merrimac" as being off the Yard, with a large gang of men working upon her, day & night, fitting shutters to all her ports. She has always had them, he says, to her end ports. He also informed me that four new wooden gun-boats have been completed at the Norfolk yard, and a fifth over in Norfolk, & that all are now ready for service. Furthermore, that, at the Norfolk yard, they are building rapidly a vessel just like the "Merrimac", in every respect, except in size, which is only to be about a thousand tons; that she is already far advanced toward completion in her woodwork, & has even the wood-work upon of her covering or house, finished. Neither her engines, nor any of her iron-plates have yet been put in place. It is expected that she will be ready for sea in about a month or so. This, he says, is the only vessel to be plated, that the enemy is preparing at Norfolk. Besides the above five gun-boats, they are now preparing there four more. I am perfectly satisfied of the truth of all these statements. I am, very respectfully Yr. Obt. Servt. N. B. By a late Norfolk paper, which I forward to the department to-day, it appears that a fight came off last Friday, near Elizabeth City, between some of Gen. Burnside's men and the enemy, & that the latter were driven half way to Norfolk. The object of the attack on our part was, I knew, to destroy the lock of the Dismal Swamp Canal, at "South Mills," which, I have no doubt has been accomplished effectually. With this lock destroyed, & the Currituck link of the Albermarle & Chesapeake Canal kept choked, no iron-clad or other gun-boats can go from Norfolk, to the sounds of North Carolina. No vessel drawing over three, or three & a half, feet of water, can pass through Currituck Sound from Norfolk, and so get into Croatan & Pamlico Sounds. I speak from positive information on this point, for I had the experiment tried in effect by Lieut. Jeffers, when he was dispatched by me, in charge of an Army stern-wheel boat, drawing only three feet or so of water, to destroy some salt-works at Old Currituck Inlet. Could Gen. Burnside be promptly reinforced with a body of 40,000 men, I am convinced that he could possess himself of Norfolk in a fortnight after their arrival at Roanoke island. This idea I have entertained ever since that island surrendered to our arms, & the more I think of it, the more I am confirmed in my belief. With the force the General would then have, he would, undoubtedly, use the roads leading from Powel's Point, Winton, & Gatesville, -- all three of which are good & practicable, & hold Roanoke Island and Winton, as bases of operation. These considerations may be of moment before a great while, if they are not so now. Most Respectfully |
Rootin' Tootin' Tugboat Man |
