The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-07
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Hon. T. s. BabcOcs, Speaker of the
House Of representatives, O. S. A: SIR
have the honor 10 submit herewith my
third annual report of the condition OF
| this department. The operations of this
branch of the Confederate service have
/ been chiefly confined TO preparations for
Kidding our waters of the enemy's yes
sells now blockading our seaports. We
have also been engaged in building,
arming and equipping iVon-clads and
! other steamers for service in our rivers
and inland sounds. Ga the Mississippi
many of these vessels have done valuable
service to cur cause, while others not yet
completed, were either captured by the
enemy or burned By our officers to pre-
We them from falling into the hands OF
the United States forces. On the first OF
January some ofour naval officers manned
a steamer and two schoOners, in which
they sailed forth from toe hsrbor of Gal
weston, and captured the United States
gun boat Harriet Lane, safely withdraw
Ing her out of the reach Of the other
United States vessels then blocksding
the port
The Harriet Lane has since been put
into complete order, and has on board a
sufficient number Of officers and men
ready for an opportunity to distinguish
themselves. Owing to the Vigilance of
the enemy, have not deemed it advisa-
ole TO give orders for this vessel to at
tempt any offensive operations. Ia &C
cOrdance with nv instructions the Con-
federa'e steamer Florida successfully ran
the blockade from Mobile on the 18th of
January, since which time she has been
engaged in operations against the COM
merce Of the enemy, capturing and de-
strOyiBg vessels and property amounting
already 20 several millions of d liars.
Ca the 18th Of the same month, the AL
ALBANIA destroyed the United States gun
boat Hatteras, in the Gulf of Mexico, for
which daring exploit her commander de-
serves the thanks Of Congress. On the
31st of the same month, three Of our
iron clad steamers, differed and manned
by some of the bravest men of our navy,
succeeded in infiicting serious injury
upon the blockadiDg feet off Charleston
harbor. Two of the enemy's vessels
were disabled, and although tDe of them
surrendered we were unable to secure
the fruits Of this victory, owing to the
injury sustained by our own vessels by
the collision that occurred
Had the commander of this expedi-
ton been careful to strike the enemy
amidships, his vessel would have remain
ed uniDiured, and our victory would
have been complete. | had ordered a
crew to he detached for service on the
steamer Nashville, designing to use her
for the purpose of harrassing the enemy,
while erecting batteries st the mouth of
TIE Ogeeche river, but unfortunately she
was destroyed by the enemy before my
plans were carried out On the 10Th of
April, the ram Queen Of the West, which
we had captured from the enemy, was
rscaptured, and her officers and crew,
numbering one hundred and twenty per-
sons, made prisoners. This occurrence
was the result of carelessness on the part
of the commander, who has since been
csshiered and dismissed from the SER
vice. Daring the months of May and
jane, our guDbOats on the Western wa
tiers actively c0-Operated with our land
forces, and although operating under
many Disadvantages, many gallant ex
ploits were performed by their officers
and crews.
Owing to the evacuation of Vicksburg
and the surrender f Port Hudson, |
deemed it avisable to give orders to with
draw all our vessels in thstregiOn TO safe
and secure hsrbcrs, and cease the con
structiOn Of those contracted for, the ma
cnineFy for which was being transported
TO the several depots. Some of this ms
chinery is now stored 81 various D ints,
and az it seems unlikely to be required
for the service at the West, and is unsuit-
able for use elsewhere, suggest that il
be sold, and the proceeds apple to other
purposes On the seas some of our small
priVateers have inflicted considerable in
jury upon the enemy's commerce. The
Tacony entered the harbOr Of Portland,
aud captured the United States revenue
cutter Caleb Gushing. Owing to igno-
rance of the harbOr, our officers were I'M
able to take the Gushing out to sea- and
she was sgsin recaptured on the 9th of
June by vessels,s sent in pursuit Her crew
were made prisoners. During the month
of July aud August sent twenty seven
commissioned officers and forty trust
worthy petty officers to the British Pro-
vinces, with orders to organize an expe-
dition and cooperate with army officers
in sn attempt to release the Confederate
prisoners confined on Johnson's Island,
in Lake Erie.
From time to time l learned that the
arrangements made were such as to in
sure the most complete success. A large
amount of money had been expended,
and just Us our gallant naval officers
were about TO set sail on this expedition,
the English authorities gave information
to the enemy, and thus prevented the exc
cutiOn of one of the best planned enter
prises of the present war. In accord
snce with the order Of the President, |
early in the present year, | despatched |
several agents to England and France,
with orders to contract for eight iron |
clad vessels, suitable for ocean service,
and oslcu atsd to resist the ordinary ar
mAment OF the wooden vessels of the en-
envy. These ships were to be provided |
with rams, and designed expressly to
break the blockade of such of the ports |
rs were not blocksded by the iron clad
Monitors Of the enemy. Five of these
vessels were contracted for in England,
and three in France. Due precautions
we're taken against contravening laws of
ngland in the construction and equip
nent of these vessels. Three have been
but owing to the unfriendly
of her neutrality laws, Eng
and stationed several war vessels at the
mouth Of the Mersey, and prevented their
departure from England. Subsequently
hey were seized by the British Govern
nent.
Another and larger vessel has since
been completed; but it is doubtful if she
will be allowed TO leave the shores of
England, although it is believed the pre-
,autlons taken are sufficient to exempt
ler from the fate Of her consoTts. The
'essels being constructed in France have
,een subjected to so many official vista
ions that | have forwarded instructions
o cease operations upon them, uAtil the
esult of negotiations now pending shall
permit our agent to resume work upon
hem. la this connection, it is proper
or me to state, that the great reyulsion
n popular sentiment, both in England