Brotherly (Tough) Love - USS Quaker City
From The New-York Times May 19, 1861:
LETTER FROM ON BOARD THE QUAKER CITY.
The following letter from a person on board the Quaker City, has been handed to us for publication:
UNITED STATES STEAMSHIP QUAKER CITY, OFF CAPE HENRY, Wednesday, May 15, 1861.
DEAR —–: Having a few moments leisure, I thought I would send you a few words from the “seat of war,” just to show you that although we are going it strong for “Uncle Sam and glory,” and seeking that bauble, reputation,” at the mouth of a great many cannon, yet we do not forget “old folks at home.”
We left New-York, as you are aware, on Sunday evening, the 28th ult., and have been occupied nearly all the time since in cruising off Cape Henry overhauling every vessel bound in or out of the Chesapeake. In doing so, we ascertain their nationality and locality, and then warn them not to enter any port of Virginia, nor any port of the United States to the south of it, and indorse the whole of this on their register. Occasionally we are relieved by the gunboat Monticello, and sent to guard the mouth of the James River.
USS Monticello - helping blockade Jefferson's state
On this station we have to watch the movements of the rebels ashore to prevent any communication between the opposite shore of Hampton Roads, and especially guard against being surprised during the night. We can see the fellows at work like beavers in the old Norfolk Navy-yard. When that Yard was destroyed, there were about 2,000 cannons there, almost all of large calibre. These were nearly all spiked, but being done in a hurry, were, I suspect, also imperfectly done, and they have since been engaged in drilling them out. They are removing those cannon as far as possible, and all them enacting formidable batteries on the Elizabeth, James and York Rivers. We can frequently hear them trying their ranges after having mounted them. When on any of those out-stations, we have to be very vigilant, as the enemy are very bitter against us, calling us Goths, Vandals, barbarians[?] , &c., &c.
Virginia state flag flies on ship reclaiming the runaways
On the 8th inst., we captured six runaway negroes in a boat, was stated that they belonged to the Virginia south shore; that the people had a very “peculiar flag’ that they wished them to fight for, and threatened to whip and imprison them if they did not. We kept them on board until the 11th, when we returned to the flag-ship off Old Point Comfort. Soon after our arrival there, a small, high pressure steam-tug was seen coming out of Norfolk, with a large white flag at her fore, and a Virginia State flag at her main, and it proceeded to the symbol flag-ship. In a little time a boat pulled a [???] the Quaker City, and your friend Capt. HUNTER, formerly of the Ariel and North Star, came on board, characterized by a profusion of hair down his back, mustache, &c., and brought as an order for the delivery of the negroes and boat for restoration to their owners. The poor darkies did not seem to relish their return to that “peculiar flag,” but we are glad to get rid of them, for, although they were ready to fight, bleed and die for the flag of the Union, we don’t wish to be stigmatised as negro stealers.
South Side Fortress Monroe 1861
Fortress Monroe is a magnificent fortification, covering about 15 acres[?], surrounded by an impregnable wall, and [???]. I visited it twice and found the Massachusetts brigade lying off there in fine style, literally in clover. Hundreds of them were suffering severely” by lying on the grass under the fine shade trees, while hundreds of others were being drilled in the fine parade ground, with the magnificent band praying meanwhile. It was instead a very fine sight. There were several companies of regulars from the First, Second and Third Artillery who keep guard at the strangers, and help drill and instruct the volunteers in handling the heavy guns.
The Minnesota arrived the other morning, and is anchored off the fortress. The Harriet Lane is guarding the month of the James River, and Capt. FAUNCE is [???] to get a shot at the scoundrels.
We are well armed for a vessel of our description, having two long 32-pounders, of 5,732 lbs. each, and plenty of SHARP’s rifles, boarding pikes, howitzers and other destructive arms for the entertainment of any refractory cases we happen to meet with. The ship is very fast, is well manned and capable of managing anything in a small way which may come along,
CANNISTER.
Cape Henry looking east-southeast
The USS Quaker City is said to have been an active and effective blockade ship.
Gabor Eszes’ photo of Cape Henry is licensed by Creative Commons.
