Fred Johnson's three month prison
A Captive Sailor set adrift after a long Imprisonment by the enemy.
The N. O. Picayune. of Saturday, learns by a sailor, Mr. Fred.
Johnson, that the fishing shipschooner Achilles was captured on the morning of the 16th of June last, near Chandeleur light, by the Lincoln shipsteamer Massachusetts. The Achilles was going at the time from the Bay of St. Louis with the Assistant Lightkeeper to the Chandeleur Island, whom they had landed the previous night, when next morning they were boarded by a boat from the Massachusetts, and two fishermen, Austrians, besides Mr. Johnson, were taken on board the Massachusetts. These two men took the oath of allegiance to the Abolition Government, but Johnson refused. He was kept on board from that day until Saturday last, the 14th instant, having been on board nearly three months, when he was putover the side in a leaky yawl boat, which belonged to the Achilles, and sent adrift. About dark, after having had a hard pull of it, he was picked up by the fishing shipsloop Osceola, fifteen miles from land, and arrived here last night.
Chandeleur Island Light - 1856 model
The two Austrians were frequently taken aft for examination, and were permitted to go and haul the seme [?] at the Chandeleurs.–The light-house keeper frequently came on board the Massachusetts, and was offered by Capt. Smith, of that vessel, to remain, if he thought proper, as his provisions ashore were getting short.
On September 17th landing parties from the USS Massachusetts took possession of Ship Island in the Gulf of Mexico,
thereby providing the Union Navy with a valuable shelter during storms and the base from which Admiral David Farragut would launch his attack on New Orleans, Louisiana. [USS Massachusetts link]
* Some people considered Fort Lafayette in New York harbor to Be America’s Bastille.
Ship Island and Fort Massachusetss - January 1862
