This third article focuses on another ironclad Civil War steamer/ship and the rare eye witness account of a battle which occurred on the James River in the early days of the Civil War. The letter is written to Captain John Faunce by the Commander of the U.S. Revenue [Cutter] Steamer, Naugatuck, Lieutenant D. C. Constable, USRM1, and was originally published in the New York Evening Post on May 23, 1862, and a few days later in the Saturday, May 31, 1862, edition of the New York Weekly Tribune. The published letter is important, primary historical source information that cannot be found elsewhere and it is published here on Fine Art Registry® for the first time since its original publication, nearly 150 years ago.
Bombardment of Fort Darling, Drewry's Bluff, Virginia, May 15, 1862. Contemporary pencil sketch by F.H. Wilcke, depicting the Union warships Galena, Monitor, Aroostook, Port Royal and Naugatuck (listed as shown, left to right), under the command of Commander John Rodgers, bombarding the Confederate fort at Drewry's Bluff.
THE GUNBOAT FIGHT ON JAMES RIVER
PRIVATE LETTER FROM THE COMMANDER OF THE NAUGATUCK
United States Gunboat Stevens
Hampton Roads, May 19, 1862
My Dear Captain:
We arrived here yesterday, from Norfolk, having brought down the killed and part of the wounded in our last action, and left them at the hospital there. The squadron to which we were attached, consisting beside the Stevens, of the Galena, Monitor, Aroostook, and Port Royal, worked our way up the James River, and at a battery at a place called Harding's Bluff (about five miles above Day's Point), we saw the Rebel steamers Yorktown and Jamestown, but they ran from us, ascending the river. When we arrived at City Point, we found the storehouses there, containing tobacco, etc., in flames, and nearly consumed.
On the evening of the 14 instant, we arrived about ten miles below Richmond. The Stevens had led the squadron, keeping about 200 yards ahead of the Galena, sounding out the channel, and looking out for obstructions and torpedoes. We were (on account of our light draft of water and the readiness with which the vessel worked) of great service to the squadron. From information which we had gained we learned that the enemy had, about two miles above us, heavy obstructions across the river, consisting of spiles and sunken vessels, defended by a very strong battery, on a high bluff called Ward's Hill.
This Ward's Hill was but eight miles below Richmond, and at a council of war held on board the flag-ship (the Galena), consisting of the commanders of the five vessels, it was arranged that the squadron should the next morning attack the battery in the order arranged. If successful in shelling them out, the Stevens was to handout the spiles, while men from the squadron spiked the guns. I was provided with a chain for the purpose, and intended pumping out aft and submerging forward until making fast, and heaving taut; then pump out forward, and submerge aft to loosen the spile in its hold, and then haul upon it until drawn, etc.
James River, Va. Effect of Confederate shot on Federal Ironclad GALENA – 1862 - Courtesy Library of Congress
We likewise learned that the enemy had rifle-pits well manned, and even while at anchor on the afternoon of the 14th we were fired at several times from musketry in the bushes along the shore. At the request of the Commodore, I threw a shell from our Parrott gun at quite a large force of the enemy on a hill about two miles distant, which started them off at "double quick," then threw two or three rounds of canister from our light guns into the bushes where the rifle shot had come from, and during the night we heard nothing further from them.
I fortunately learned that evening that the Galena had several large sheets of boiler iron not in use (6x3 feet). Twenty—five of these I procured, and fastened them on the outside of the pilot house and cabin, and to their protection we were all indebted for our lives in the action of the 15th.
The next morning, on the first of the ebb, the vessels moved up to their positions of attack, under a very annoying fire of rifles from the woods (the river being less than two hundred yards wide).
USS Aroostook, 1867 - Courtesy Wikipedia
We opened fire upon the battery with our heavy [Parrott4] gun, and threw shell and canister from our broadside ones into the woods. Our station was abreast of their rifle-pits, and was only forty feet from the shore, so that their sharpshooters had a fair chance at us. During the fight, and while our heavy gun was performing splendidly, it burst; but fortunately disabled but one man. It burst from the vent to the trunnions5 in two halves, throwing one half overboard on the port side, while the other half was landed on deck on the starboard side. The muzzle forward of the trunnions remained entire, and was thrown forward about two feet. The gun-carriage was destroyed, the pilot-house shattered, part of the upper deck crushed in, and some of the main deck beams started.
Example of Civil War era 100 Pound Parrott gun - Courtesy Library of Congress
How I escaped, God only knows. I was within two feet of the gun when it burst, having just sighted and trained it upon the battery. My speaking trumpet is completely crushed, and a fragment of the gun, weighing about 1,000 weight fell so close to me that it tore my coat. I was hit on the head by some part of the gun or carriage (I think it was one of the large rubbers), which stunned me for a moment, although I was able to keep the deck and superintend the fighting of our broadside guns (which were well handled under charge of Wilson), until the squadron fell back for want of ammunition, about an hour and a half after our gun burst. After heaving up our anchor I fainted away; but after being cupped behind the ears by the surgeon of the Aroostook, who came on board to look out for our wounded, I was able to resume the charge of the deck.
Example of Civil War era Speaking Trumpet - Courtesy VallejoGallery.com
Our little broadside guns did splendid execution, driving the enemy out of their rifle-pits, and clearing the shore of every enemy within canister range. By keeping the crew under the protection of our "iron-clad" cabin, and only exposing them for a moment while loading, our loss by their fire was only two wounded.
The Galena was hit forty-six times. Twenty-eight shots entered her armor and completely penetrated it, five passed through her smoke-stack, and three passed through deck-plating. One or two shot passed entirely through her. She lost seventeen killed and about twenty wounded. The other vessels received but slight injury; the Monitor none at all.
The vessels had to fight at anchor on account of the narrowness of the river.
Stereograph showing Union soldiers on deck by the turret of the U.S.S. Monitor seen from the stern,
1862 - Courtesy Library of Congress
The Stevens did not haul off until the Galena and Monitor set her the example. The Aroostook and Port Royal dropped down half an hour before we hove up. The Aroostook hove up, but the Port Royal slipped her moorings. Since I have been in command of the Stevens, I have always observed the precaution of having a man on deck to "feel home" the shot or shell after the muzzle of the gun is elevated, for fear that the shot or shell might start while the muzzle is depressed in the berth-deck. At the time the gun burst, this precaution was attended to under my own eye, consequently the bursting could not have been caused by the shot not being "home."
In making my report to the Commodore after the action, I requested him to appoint a board of officers to examine into the cause of the bursting. The Board so appointed examined the gun, etc., and report that they find an old flaw extending from the inside of the vent to near the outside surface of the gun, and that, therefore, they consider that the bursting was caused by the gun heretofore having been subjected to severe and protracted tests, etc., and fully clearing me from any want of attention or neglect. This I am glad of.
I am anxious to rejoin the James River squadron at once, although it has been decided that another gun cannot be fitted without considerable delay, and I have therefore offered the flag officer to return as I am, as Commodore Rogers told me when I left him at City Point that vessel, even in her present condition, could be of great service to him.
Sincerely yours,
D. C. Constable
Commander Constable was formerly second officer on the Harriet Lane. In a letter to his mother, he relates how a Rebel sharp-shooter made strenuous endeavors to take his life, and how finally the Rebel was disposed of. He says:
During the fight of the 15th instant, a rifle ball passed though my clothing, and lodged in a hemmock near me, and I now keep it as a memento of the fight. The ball was decidedly from an English 'Enfield' rifle, but the Rebel who fired it is no longer living. At least three well-directed shots had been fired at me from one spot, before I discovered where they came from; I then saw that they had been fired from a thick green bush, about 80 yards from me. Once I even caught sight of the muzzle of the rifle as it protruded through the bush to aim at me, and twice I raised a rifle to my shoulder to aim at him, but he dropped out of sight in a twinkling.
Finding that I must either shoot him or get shot myself, I tried another plan. I aimed one of our 12-pounders, loaded with canister, at the bush, and directed the captain of the gun to fire at the moment I raised my signal. I then took my former position, and watched the bush closely. Sure enough, when the fellow saw me standing without a rifle in my hand, he again thrust the muzzle of his gun through the bush, but before he could pull the trigger I raised my hand, "bang" went the 12-pounder, and when the smoke cleared away, rebel, gun, bush and all had been destroyed together.
"A Rebel soldier killed in the Rebel trenches before Petersburgh [sic]. The spots and marks on his face are blood issuing from his mouth and nose. The wound is in the head, caused by a fragment of shell." – Courtesy Library of Congress
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