The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-31
PRESIDENT RoosEVELTS
. CONFEDERATE KINSMEN.
Advance Sheets of Confederate Veteran

Advance Sheets of Confederate Veteran
Comrade r. F. Armstrong of Halifax.
Nova Scotia. paid fine tribute to Captain
j. d. Bulloch, who died at Liverpool En-
gland. January 7, 1901. 1t was for copies
of The Veteran containing that sketch
President Roosevelt wrote cordial &C
acknowledgement and in which he SAID:
My uncle, Captain Bulloch. always
struck me as the nearest approach t.
Colonel Newcome of any man l ever met
in actual life"
lin the September Veteran you describe
an Outing with the President in when
you make alluslon to his esteemed and
very worthy uncle. Captain James d.
Rulloch President Roosevelt had two
uncles in the Confederate navy, both as
tinguished, but you mistake the one for
the other. Permit me to set you right as
to the services performed by these gallant
officers.
Captain James D. Bulloch was a Lieu
tenant in the old navy of the date of 1870
to 1871. and after serving several years
as Lieutenant, resigned his commission
and entered the merchant service, COM
manding a steamship running between
New York and New Orleans. Inc begin
ming of the war found him in command
of the steamship Bienville and overtures
were made to him by the Governor OF
Louisiana to turn the ship over to the
state authorities. These, however. he re-
sisted even to the extent of having his
and it was not until he had satisfied his
honor by delivering his ship to her own
ers in New York that he felt at liberty
to embrace the cause of his beloved
South
Captain Bulloch was Immediately APP
pointed commander of the Confederate
navy and sent to England to purchase
arms and ammunition for the army. lie
accomplished his mission successfully,
and with the steamship Fingall latter
wards the ironclad Atlanta), pointed the
way to that Illicit commerce, blockade
running, which afterwards became such
factor in our unequal struggle. Mr.. Da-
Wis knew the man, and Captain Buloch
was again sent abroad to build and equip
Confederate cruisers. The Alexandra.
Florida, Alabama, Shenandoah and IRON
clad Stonewall, all built and equipped by
him, show his interchangeable persever-
ance. and all these ships were eminently
suited for their purposes. Their success
full careers reflect great credit upon the
superior abilities of this famous naval
officer. The most meager details of the
work performed by Captain Bulloch would
occupy too much space in your magazine,
but when the history of the Confederate
navy comes to be written no name shall
stand higher on the roll of fame than
that of James Dunwodie Bulloch.
Irvine Stephens Bulloch. younger
brother, entered the Confederate navy as
midshipman,, and in 1856 reported on board
the Alabama as one of her Junior off,
GERS. BY SulCt aIleHllOu 10 uutS ne IOSS
rapidly. and acted as master or naviga-
ting officer during most of the cruise of
that ship.
After the fight off Sherbourg. and up
on the fitting out of the Shenandoah,
Young Bulloch was commissioned mas
ter, and performed the duties of navigat-
ing officer during that eventual land inn
mortaD cruise. W here you make the mis-
take is III confounding the elder Bulloch
with the younger. who it was that served
with Semmes on the Alabama.
While [ greatly admire the character
of Colonel Newcome, as depicted by
Thackeray, his chivalry. urbanity, high
sense of honor, etc. yet there always
seemed to me something weak in the por-
trait Now about Captain Bulloch there
was not a weak point, and l believe him
TO have been the best all round naval Of
ficer brought out by the stress of the
times in either navy. and l doubt II any
otner officer could have accomplished so
much for the Confederate cause, which
he loved SO we'll