The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-04-19
THE VOLUNTEER NAVY.
From New York to Fortress Monroe in the
Commodore Hull.
MI.

MI.
In nv last | think | was detached
from the Midnight by reason of promo
ton and ordered to the frigate North
Carolina. In few days | was detach-
ed from her and ordered to the Old
frigate Savannah as a watch officer
The Savannah had been fitted up as a
school ship for volunteer officers for
drill in gunnery and sword practice. L
remained on board this ship about six
weeks and was then ordered to the new
steam gunboat Commodore Hull. All
though this vessel was new she was not
designed for gunboat nor butt by the
Governments: but when converted into
a vessel of war she made one OF the
most effective vessels in the service,
and right royalty did she sustain the
honor of her gallant old namesake,
Commodore Hull, who so ably fought
the old frigate Constitution. She had
to her credit the honor OF being under
the fire of the rebel guns more times,
of remaining under fire longer, and re-
ceiying more rebel shots, than any other
vessel in the [. S. Navy during the war
of the Rebellion, either big or little,
with the exception of few of the iron
clads, known as the monitor class.
The Commodore Hull was built by
John English i Son at Greenport. New
York. in 1861 She was built for a
party in Cuba to run from Havana to
place at the head of the bay about
four miles distant from the city. She
had a keel and regular SHIPS Dottom
and her draft OF water was ABOUT elght
feet. She had sponsors and was very
broad of beam, with tlarng bow and
stern built so that loaded teams could
drive on and off, and with rudder at
each end like ferry boat. In fact, she
was a ferry boat with ships keel
Her name was the Sonora Del Regela,
or Lady of the Regelies. Her CABINS,
though small, were elegantly ilnlSned
and furnished. In each panel of the
woodwork was beautiful landscape
painting.
The steamer cleared from the New
York customhouse i'll November, 1861,
for Havana with a miscellaneous cargo,
but instead of running for her home
mort She made all speed for port in
The southern Confeder3cy. She had Sc
lected Port Royal as her destination,
but unfortunately for her, and fortu-
uatelv for us it proved to be the wrong
port. for between the time of her sail
ing from New FORK and her arrival at
Port Royal. Admiral Dupont had gone
in and captured that place, and steamer
and cargo tell into our hands. Sue was
condemned as a prize To the t. :. Gov
eminent and converted into a double
ender guuhuat. and was superior to the
class Of douoIe-endeTs built by the Gov
eminent about that time, though rot
as large she was plated all ABOVE
water with "A inch boiler iron. and
though not Cl3sSed as an IRON clad was
made impervlous to bullets, which
saved many OF our lives no doubt, for
We had a habit of getting in among the
rebel bullets when an opportunity
offered. and that was quite often. The
armament of the ship was one 30
FOUNDER Parrot rifle gun forward: one
5O-pOunder rifle gun aft; and four 24-
FOUNDER Dahlgren broadside guns-two
on side. We sailed from New \ ork
for Hampton Roads November %, 1862,
with the following officers: Acting
Master Commanding, William g. Sal
tonstall of Salem, Mass, Acting Mas
ter and Executive Officer, Francis Jos
celyn OF Camden, Me; Acting Ensign,
sailing Master and Navigator, John o.
johnson of Belfast; Acting Ensign,
James of Harrisburg, Pa; Chief
Engineer d DEL VI I ~" iei u
Mass 20 aSS.i Eligiheel; i Ia ~ ~
Eile Oh b3ln Me pa, 1851. HlIs iiiecl
MeIVin .. oIl!lsoli VI Me- W.; nii''
LMEee masters mates lal1ep ia. ll.aa ~
W Xxx h'oh ana bo"eh' ! 3"i ~ lo tfoi-
Ten theI lIsV Names anu "Iso .lieif
nalilng poIIsi WIN tLle FAcePti2a "
lIhiHSoIi, VINO oe2IlS9'1 IN " llli"lii? =
ourg, y. - ana rts4t heIe Pe Il ~
IS proper ~ s:"te ma tlIls MGIi.. 11,,
nave oeel tltIell llau IL iloC '1 1f g io
tof my o.u 3liP WI; % ai ii ~ yI3
TREND, baNld H. WYE tIlell vi ~
Bath, no" utdo- ne hheN' as ulC1
every man on oodi1 we sup LIZ III I','''
IL not oeeil loI ne tlle sIlll Mu;Iu ii'' e
Loundefeu ana a. Oh boalu pelloileo Vll
ape liaIVelaS III II - 3ouVng"st s"!e on d
December Hisht. ne Il"u many 'itl! res
asked me 10 permit mn ~ " Ilte IL q
TOT the press ou! l. thinning 'ial d
man was no: tlItitieu 20 Nelf ni i;aI
credit TOT saving ms owl me llotN IN IlI-
STANDING thtfe was an ANNEX ;'t VI I ~.
llVes, the SNIP npdn5 qtllS I TO OH
GERS ana men ana goou SNIP IFS ar
9umehl was LIES l % were Iiie oili !
man on poafo VIZ cou ~ nave qone ~.
W men ne ieaIheo IidV tapt. 9dltollstall
nad neglecteu 10 report the lilciueLu W
The Departihett; Ihlnhlhg the peoPle
OF Name snoulo Know ~ ne, III tHe
goodness Oh his ledfl, collu NOV Iel RAIN