A Well Built Tug

Rear Admiral Francis Gregory

The USS Buckthorne was purchased for the Union Navy December 22^nd 1863.

The USS Buckthorne was a wooden hulled screw steamer, outfitted with one mast, she was 87 feet long.  She was built in East Haddam, Connecticut, and was purchased for $26,500 from George W Jewett on December 22^nd 1863 by Union Rear Admiral Francis Gregory.  The Buckthorne was commissioned April 7^th 1864 at New York City under the command of Lieutenant W Godfrey.

The Buckthorne was well built and was placed in service as a tug.  She served as a part of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and was present during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5^th 1864.  She was used to carry dispatches and as a tender for the rest of the fleet.

When the war ended the Buckthorne was moved to the Pensacola Navy Yard.  She was sold for $3,000 on September 7^th 1869.

The Western Fort Surrendered

A Siege against Fort Gaines, a part of the Battle of Mobile Bay, came to an end on August 8^th 1864 after six days.

Union Major General Gordon Granger landed a force on Dauphin Island on August 3^rd 1864.  The 3,300 men moved against Fort Gaines located on the western side of Mobile Bay.  The Fort was of pentagonal design and was built in the mid 1800’s.  It was held by about 820 Confederate soldiers under the command of Colonel Charles A Anderson.  Anderson’s commander Confederate Brigadier General Richard Lucian Page gave him orders not to surrender the Fort.

On August 5^th 1864 Admiral David G Farragut’s Union Navy fleet of 18 ships, ran past Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan; the other fort defending the Bay, defeating the Confederate ships in Mobile Bay.  Seeing this Anderson decided he couldn’t hold the Fort if attacked by both Granger’s force and the Union Navy.  He surrendered the Fort August 8^th 1864.

Closing The Bay

A part of the Battle for Mobile Bay, Fort Morgan fell on August 23^rd 1864 to Union forces.

The Confederate navy in Mobile Bay was defeated by Union Admiral David Glasgow Farragut on August 5^th 1864.  Fort Gaines which protected the western side of the Bay surrendered to a land force under the commanded of Union Major General Gordon Granger.  The Union command then turn their attention to Confederate held Fort Morgan.  The Fort was under Confederate Brigadier General Richard Lucian Page, who had about 600 men in his command.

Granger’s soldiers began moving siege artillery into range of the Fort on August 9^th 1864.  Farragut had his ships guns turned toward the Fort.  For the next two weeks the Union guns fired on the Fort, keeping up consistent bombardment.

Page was forced on August 23^rd 1864 to unconditionally surrender the Fort.  Refusing the turn over his sword to the Union, Page broke it over his knee.  He had his cannon spiked before surrendering and turning the Fort over.  The fall of this Fort shut down Mobile Bay as a port for the Confederates.

A Triple Clad Ship

The ironclad ram the CSS Tennessee was commissioned February 16^th 1864 under the command of Lieutenant James D Johnston.

The hull and other woodwork of the Tennessee was done by Henry D Bassett in October 1862.  The following February she was towed to Selma, Alabama where her engine and armor was installed.  The armor on the Tennessee was made up of 2 foot by 10 foot plates in a triple thickness.  When she was completed she weighed 1273 ton.

The CSS Tennessee was the flagship of Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan.  She was commissioned February 16^th 1864.  The Tennessee was heavily engaged at the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5^th 1864.  When Union Admiral David G Farragut’s ships moved up the bay the CSS Tennessee pursued them.  She rammed several Union ships before her steering was knocked out.  The Tennessee was unable to maneuver, two men were killed and Admiral Buchanan and eight others were wounded.  The CSS Tennessee was forced to surrender.

Following the surrender of the Tennessee, she was placed under the command of Union Volunteer Lieutenant Pierre Giraud.  She would serve on the Mississippi River until the end of the Civil War.  On November 27^th 1867 the Tennessee was sold to J F Armstrong for scrap.

A Fort Falls

A part of the Battle of Mobile Bay, the Siege of Fort Gaines ran from August 3rd 1864 to August 8th 1864.


Union commander Major General Gordon Granger landed troops on Dauphin Island August 3rd 1864 and moved against Fort Gaines. Fort Gaines guarded the western side of Mobile Bay. Granger had about 3,000 men. The fort was under the command of Confederate Colonel Charles D Anderson. Anderson had about 800 men, and had been ordered not to surrender the fort.

On August 5th 1864 the Union fleet defeated the Confederate ships in Mobile Bay after running the guns of Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan. Anderson decided he would not be able to hold Fort Gaines against a combined land and water attack, and he surrender on August 8th 1864.

If you are looking for more information on this subject check out A Guardian of Mobile Bay