Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-13
OF
sEDGWIck POST SPEAKS
Rev. G. w. Huntington Tells of His
Service in Civil War.

Rev. George w. Huntington, former
ly of Norwich, ex-chaplain of Sedg-
wick Post, No. 1, G. A. r. and still
mem1er Of the organization address,
ed the school children at the Wash
ington Street Grammar school, at
Newburg, N. Y, April 9, Appomatox
day, during which he said:
Il have been asked to speak con-
concerning my experience in the Unit
ed States Navy during the Civil War
I consented to oblige my friends and
not because I had anything remark
able or thrilling to relate. 1 was ap-
pointed assistant paymaster by the
secretary of the navy. I sailed from
Philadelphia on the supply steamer
Massachusetts, in company with
number of other officers who were to
join different vessels in the South At
! lantic squadron. Our first stop was off
the harbor of Charleston, S. c. This
was the headquarters of the squadron
and of the admiral in command, who
at that time was Admiral Dahlygren.
Our blockading ships at Charleston
were several miles from the city,
whose forts and church spires were
plainly visible. The Confederate flag
was flying over Fort Sumter and Fort
Moultrie, which up to that time had
successfully resisted the attempts of
our combined army and naval forces to
capture them. 1 may say passing that
these forts were never captured by
assault. They were abandoned by
their garrisons when General Sher-
mans army, moving northward after
its victorious march to the sea, would
have cut them off from the rest of the
| Confederacy.
when shortly after went over the
parapet Of Fort Sumpter it was in it's
battered condition stronger than be-
| fore a shot had been fired against it.
The entire front of the fort seaward
| was covered with tons Of broken
shells from the Union guns that
| strengthened it against assault. After
leaving the Charleston fleet, our sup
| ply steamer proceeded to Port Royal,
| S. c., which had been captured by our
navy earlier in the war. Here were
| numerous machine and repair shops
for our army and navy that were
| Utilized by both to great advantage.
Leaving Port Royal the supply steam
| er proceeded to a number of vessels
comprising the blockading fleet on the
| coast of Georgia, stopping just long
enough to furnish them with ice, fresh
least, their mail from home, which in
those days reached them ordinarily
but one a month or six weeks.
AT length the S. S. Massachu-
sets reached the bar at the mouth
of the st. Johns river in Florida,
where I Joined the ship that was to be
my abode for upward Of two years.
Much of that time while was attached
| to the Ottawa, she was engaged in
blockade duty. After the arrival of
blocka6ing the st. Johns river which
| is upward of 200 miles in length, and
at various points several miles wide.
| Quite force of Confederate soldiers
were in it's vicinity who, by means of
| torpedoes placed in a channel of the
river. blew UP and sank several OF
our army transports. To guard
| against further disasters Of this kind
| our ships for several months patroled
the river for distance Of 100 miles
from the sea, beyond which there was
not sufficient depth Of water for her
to go. At this point we came into
closer quarters with the enemy than
| at any time during my experience in
the navy. At other times when OUT
| ship was in action the firing on both
stance at a narrow part Of the river
| a masked battery suddenly opened
fire upon US and before our big guns
could silence 1t. the ship was struck
in many places by Shot and shell, but
fortunately without serious injury OF
| loss Of life.
Il have IL my possession an ugly
looking grape shot picked up danger
ously near me after the action
Occasionally our ship took part
| in offensive expeditions against Other
parts of the southern coast One
lions OF our feet in front OF
Charleston, 8. C. Here there was
much DONG but little progress cap
turing the city, or blockade runners
One day while there, dinned on board
the iron-c1ad Patasco, with the Pay
master, who joined the squadron
when did. A few nights later this
monitor went up near Fort Sumter
or picket duty, struck a. torpedo and
sank Immediately with nearly all or
board, including my friend the pay
master.
/ Later on. the OTTAWA was one OF