Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Post image for Cruise of the U.S. Flag-Ship Hartford – From the Personal Journal of Wm. C. Holton

Cruise of the U.S. Flag-Ship Hartford – From the Personal Journal of Wm. C. Holton

January 19, 2012

Cruise of the U.S. Flag-Ship Hartford–Wm. C. Holton,The American Civil War

U. S. Flag-Ship Hartford,

Philadelphia, Jan. 19, 1862.

This morning, at 10 o’clock, the U. S. screw sloop Hartford was put in commission as the flag-ship of the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron. The following is a list of officers ordered to join her:

Flag Officer—David G. Farragut.

Fleet Captain—Henry H. Bell.

Commander—Richard Wainwright.

Lieutenant and Executive Officer—Jas. S. Thornton.

Lieutenant and Ordnance Officer—Albert Kautz.

Surgeon—W. Maxwell Wood.

Assistant Surgeon—Joseph Hugg.

Paymaster—George Plunkett.

Master—John C. Watson.

Acting Masters—D. S. Murphy, C. Desames, Jos. G. Lewis .

Marine Officers-1st Lieut., John L. Broome; 2d Lieut., Geo. Heisler.

Flag Officer’s Secretary—Thomas Walden.

Flag Officer’s Clerk—B. S. Osbon.

Acting Midshipmen—H. B. Tyson, E. C. Hazeltine, Jno.

H. Reed, H. J. Blake.

Engineers—Chief, J. B. Kimball; 2d Assistant, Jno. Purdy,

E. B. Latch, F. A. Wilson; 3d Assistant, C. M. Burchard,

Isaac Degraff, A. K. Fulton, C. J. COOPER.

Boatswain—James Walker.

Gunner—Jas. Duncan.

Acting Carpenter—J. H. Conley .

Acting Sailmaker—Jno. A. Holbrook.

Clerks—Captain’s, A. D. Bache; Fleet Captain’s, T. B. Waddell; Paymaster’s, F. C. Plunkett.

Master’s Mates—E. J. Allen, Thos. Mason, Lewis S. Locke.

The first business of the crew was to put the ship in sailing order, which, with taking on board provisions and the like, occupied several days. We dropped down to Newcastle, Del. and remained a couple of days, and then went back to Fort Mifflin and took in powder, which is said to be the last article taken on board before sailing, and the first article discharged on returning from a cruise. We then dropped down to Newcastle again, and after receiving on board the Flag Officer and the Fleet Captain, Henry H. Bell, with a salute, proceeded to sea.

Post image for A Diary of American Events.

A Diary of American Events.

January 19, 2012

The American Civil War,The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

January 19.—A battle took place to-day at Mill Springs, near Somerset, Ky., between the National forces under command of General Geo. H. Thomas, and the rebel forces, commanded by General F. K. Zollicoffer, resulting in the utter rout and defeat of the rebels. The Confederates commenced the attack at half-past five in the morning. The fight lasted till late in the afternoon,

when the rebels were driven off the field in great confusion, their leader, General Zollicoffer, being among the slain. On reaching their entrenchments, a few miles distant from the scene of action, they were cannonaded until dark, by the National batteries, and during the night succeeded in making good their escape across the Cumberland River. About one hundred and fifty rebel prisoners were taken, and ton guns, about one hundred wagons, upwards of twelve hundred horses and mules, large quantities of small arms, with subsistence and hospital stores captured. Besides these a large number of flags were taken on the field of battle, and in the deserted entrenchments.—(Doc. 16.)

— This evening the United States gunboat Itasca captured the schooner Lizzie Weston, of Apalachicola, Fla., loaded with two hundred and ninety-three bales of cotton, one hundred and fifty-two thousand five hundred pounds, bound for Jamaica or a market. She was sent in charge of a prize crew to Philadelphia.

—Colonel Williams’ regiment of Pennsylvania cavalry passed through Louisville, Ky., on their way to Munfordville, where they will take a position a few miles beyond Green River. They are well supplied with arms, though their horses are not generally up to the requirements of active service.—Louisville Journal, January 20.

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