Posted inMaritime & Naval History US Civil War

October 8, 1861 – News From Cairo

(Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.)

Cairo, Oct. 7.

The gunboats Tyler and Lexington had an active engagement to-day with rebel shore batteries at Iron Banks, three miles this side of Columbus. The boats left here at 9 o’clock for down the river, on a reconnaissance. Arrived at Lucas Bend, they got sight of the rebel gunboat Jeff Davis, which on, chase being given, put about with all possible dispatch for Columbus. The Lexington and Conestoga, while in chase, and throwing shot, were suddenly fired upon from masked batteries on each side of the river. The rebel shots, however, generally fell short. A battery of rifled cannon on the Iron Banks threw balls over and around the gunboats, cutting close, but fortunately doing no damage. Parties on board represent the scene for a time as particularly exciting. Shot and shell were flying about in uncomfortable proximity, making the air ring with music. The guns of our boats were admirably managed, every shot going home, and the shell bursting in air over the rebel quarters, causing a big commotion among them. The boats finally drew off and returned to Cairo. It is not known what damage was done to the rebels, but many of them are thought to have been killed.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History US Civil War

September 28, 1861 – Important from the Head of the Passes

The following dispatch, by the Balize Telegraph Line, from Fort Jackson to Major General Twiggs, was received yesterday :

Fort Jackson, Sept. 2-0, 1861. Major General D. E. Twiggs:

Mr. Fulda, the telegraphic operator at the head of the Passes, arrived here this morning from that point. He reports an engagement between the C. S. steamer Ivy and the U. S. steamer Water Witch, without injury to the Ivy.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History Shipwrecks & Nautical Disasters

Women and Children Castaways on Island

Photo of SS Aeon

Passengers and Crew of the British Steamer Aeon Are Shipwrecked In Southern Waters.

Victoria, B. C Cable advices from Fanning Island state that the steamer Aeon, which left San Francisco July 6 for Auckland via Apia and was considered overdue, was carried on Christmas Island by the strong currents setting in shore and became a total wreck. The ship’s company, fifty in all, took to the boats and landed at a small settlement, all safe.

There are four women and two children, mostly wives of officers of the United States battleship squadron who took passage to join their husbands in Australia. All are camping on Christmas Island awaiting rescue.

Posted inDaily News Maritime & Naval History

The Whale’s Strength

A whale striking Essex on November 20, 1820, depicted in a sketch by Thomas Nickerson

The most dreadful display of the Whale’s strength and prowess yet authentically recorded, was that made on the American Whale ship Essex, Captain Pollard, which sailed from Nantucket for the Pacific Ocean, in August 1849 [sic – it was 1819]. Late in the fall of the same year, when in the latitude forty of the South Pacific, a school of sperm Whales were discovered, and three boats were manned and sent in pursuit. The mate’s boat was struck by one of them, and he was obliged to return to the ship in order to repair the damage.

While he was engaged in that work, a sperm Whale, judged to be eighty three feet long broke water twenty rods from the ship on her weather bow. He was going at the rate of about three knots an hour, and the ship at nearly the same rate, when he struck the bow of the vessel just forward of her chains.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History Ship Histories Shipwrecks & Nautical Disasters

Collision Between the Steamers Black Swan and Luna

Illustration of the collision between the Black Swan and the Luna, showing the two steamers collided with the vessel to the left, the Black Swan, going down by the bow. Rescuers row boats toward the disaster.

The steamer Black Swan, belonging to the Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company, left the Queen’s’ Wharf, Melbourne, at 10 o’clock on Tuesday, morning, 16th July, for Launceston, and had at 11 o’clock got nearly abreast of the breakwater running off from Williamstown, when the steamer Luna, coming from Geelong, reached the same spot. The two vessels then came into collision, the Luna striking the starboard bow of the Black Swan stem on, cutting into her to a considerable distance. So great was the force of the shock that it was with difficulty the Luna could, by backing astern, extricate herself, and the Black Swan‘s head was forced from the course she was going right round.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History US Civil War

September 14, 1861 – Latest News

The U. S. gunboats Conestoga and Lexington, on Tuesday, attacked a rebel battery of sixteen suns, on the Missouri side of h Mississippi river, near to Lucas bend, and, after an action silenced the battery, and disabled the rebel gunboat Yankee.

Charles H. Foster, a loyal member of Congress, from North Carolina, called on President Lincoln, and tendered to him a full brigade of loyalists from that State.

The lower house of the Kentucky Legislature yesterday adopted, by ayes 71, noes 26 resolutions directing the Governor to issue his proclamation ordering the rebel troops to evacuate Kentucky. The Legislature also refused to receive a resolution directing a proclamation to be issued for the departure of both the United States and rebel troops.