The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-22
THE CONFEDERATE NAVY.
UHxT 1T ACCOMPLISHED DURING
THE CIVgL WAR;
a Very Interesting Paper Read BEFORE X.
y. Lee Camp by Mr.. Nirsini"s Se"fo".
Its superiority over tn Emmy.
lcontinuea from la.t sunaay.l

.ou bult iron-clads at Norfolk. Rich
r,ond. Wilmington. Charleston. Savan-
nah. Mobile. New Orleans, and on the
Mississippi
Wherever they were completed and
ynoat. before the advance OF The enemy
made their construction abortive. they
we're handled with skill. and did good ser
vice That they did no more. THAI they
achieved no lasting success. was due 10
causes beyond your ana cur control.
With your remarkable development IN
many lines OF industry. born Of an ur-
goat necessity YOU were no nearer the
buuling OF adequate marine engines at
tn. close. than IN the beginning OF the
MAR. in his lay the weakness aud in
enrlcncy OF an the vessels you built.
When New orleans was captured April
a. 1862 you had under construction two
sronclads. the Louisiana and the Arssis-
,.upi. either Of which IN the opinion Of
admiral Porter. Of the United States
navy. equipped with adequate engines.
especially the Mississippi. would have
swept. not only the gulf but your en-
fra scab0ard clear OF the Federal navy.
The Louisiana was FASTENED night and
DIV. and dropped below the city opposite
che forts. with carpenters still at work.
ard guns unmounted. 90 meet the ad-
vance % the Federal navy When put
into the stream. IL was found that her
engines. assisted by two tug boats lash
"a 70 her sides were incapable Of stem
ming The current in the river, ana her
utility became that simply of battery
located on the river front.
When Farracut had passed Forts Jack
son and ST. Phillip. his fleet Of twenty
four vessels OF war; mounting 22i guns,
engaged the Confederate fleet Of four
river steamers. the so-calied ironciad
Manassas. and the louisiana moorod to
the river bank: in all five vessels, mount
ing twenty cight gums.
BROKE THE BLocKADE.
January 81. 1853 your ironclads. Pal
n1ctto state and Chicor,. broke the block
ade al Charleston. 5. c.. dispersed the
Federal fleet. and secured the surren-
der Of two ships. the Mcsccdita and Key
stone State. but the victory was shorn
OF its triumphs by the ability Of these
vessels. subsequently,. 10 elude the pur-
suit Of our slow stcamlng ships
August SCH. 1860. when Farragut had
passed Forts Morgan and Gaines. guard
irr The entrance to Mobile Bay his fleet
az four monitors and fourteen ships
mounting l59 guns. engaged the Conicd-
crate armament. composed n the IRON
clad Tennessee. and three river steamers,
mounting twenty-onc guns. The latter
we're quickly placed hors de combat
leaving the Tennessee alone to meet the
whole force of the enemy.
Attacked on au sides by the three mon
itors and fourteen ships rammcd time
and again. run into a beam. at full
speed hammered with steel shot OF i4O
pounds weight thrown from the heavy
guns ~ the monitors at 200 yards dis
tant I'm vain ondcavoring 70 ram her
a1verearies. bat each time frustrated by
their superior speed. the Tennessee waged
this unequal contest until her rudder
chains We're shot away and thus unman-
agcahle. crippled and leaking she was
surrendered to the enemy.
Tier casemates (at an angle Of A. de-
erls covered with two feet Of solid
wood and five inches Of from. had been
pierced by the heavy shot fred by the
Monitor. The turrets of these vessels
were impenctrablc 10 the shot of the Ten
ras.sa. and after four hours of frutless
contest the issue had become that Of
further disaster and further fearful car
nase
GREAT DISPARITY or FORCES.
rn presenting to your consideration.
This great disparity Of the opposing FORCES
q. View Orleans. and Mobile Bay we do
fl. seek to pluck one leaf from the
crown OF the victor His conspicuous
gallantry on both occasions places MIN
fn the front rank Of the great Naval
Commanders. OF whom history speaks,
and makes his victories the more lneri-
f0Ii0us and unique, in that they were
vrasfad from forts and fleets combined.
Tine officers Of your navy were as fine
"a body Of men, as ever sought service
There was 70 lack of skill, no lack of
Initiative. no want Of gailantrN ina those
., fortunate as to secure commands.
rutnau. though near seventy years of
aac. at Port ROYAL. Savannah, and Hamp-
ton Roads. showed that the merry courage,
which had carried him in 1893 TO the as
Instance of the English and French at
peitro. in China, with the exclamation,
Blood il thicker than water sun am
mated his breast.
The services of buchanan IN the Merri-
mac in Hampton Roads. March and 3
1852 and August 8. 1861, In Mobile Bay,
need no recital here.
Ingram. who had won national fame IN
IS3 in protecting American citizenship
ln gmvrna in the KOstra case. az Char
lesion, 1863. and else~ here, showed no ue'
cline Of zeal ia the mairttr ance of his
cause
Cooke at Roanoke Island and Eliza
beth CITY. in February 1862. though
lrcasting a forlorn hope. showed the
same spirit that WOE him deserved pro
motion, I'm the successful career OF th'
Albemarle. i'm the engagement of Apri
le and May g. 1864, in the Albemarle
Sound
ACTION oF THE ARKANSAS.
Brown On the i'll equipped Arkansas,
on the Mississippi river. July 10, '62' ran
the gauntlet Of the Federal fleet OF
four ironclads. eight rams, four gun
boats and two ships of war; inflicted
much damage To- the enemy, put two OF
their vessels ashore In crippled condition.
and by his presence az Nicksburg brought
suspense and confusion 10 the movements
Of the enemy I'm that quarter.
A suspense so effective that when n
month later you abandoned. and blew
her up, in consequence of defective en-
zines. Farragut telegrapned the Navy
Department ut is the happiest moment
Of my life that / am able 10 inform the
Department of the destruction of the ram
Arkansas"
Classel in his daring attempt TO torpe-
do the new ironsides off the port Of
Charleston the night Of October 9. 1864
Read IN his captures on the nigh seas
lils daring intrusion into the harbor Of
Portland, Me- with the schooner Archer.
and capture Of the United States Reve-
nue. vessel Gushing. His subsequent dash
April -; 1865 in the river steamer Webb.
through the Federal fleet AT the mouth Of
the Red river; running the gauntlet of
The Federal fleet at New Orleans the
day after.
John Taylor Wood. in his many daring
captures by boarding. iculminating In
the boarding and capture Of the United
States gunbOat Underwater. in the Neuse