JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
Battle of Fort Jackson, April 24th 1862. USS Varuna never made it past those forts on the Mississippi but it wasn't for lack of effort. This era image, from Harper's image is wonderful. Captain Boggs kept his guns firing as the ship was going down. Seaman- Seaboy, Oscar Peck was there.
USS Varuna, is a long story albeit terrific. April 24th, 1862 Union Navy's Captain Bogg's ship was rammed four times in battle. CSS steamer Governor Moore twice, same, CSS cottonclad Stonewall Jackson. Boggs didn't quit- the Varuna pulled back, already sinking but kept firing until her decks were submerged. It has to be a thread here already, if not USS Varuna's story would take a better naval historian than me to do it justice.
Captain Boggs must have been an amazing guy- all heck in front of those Mississippi forts breaking loose, ships firing so close Confederate Lt. Captain Kennon, fired a hole through his own ship because he couldn't depress cannon far enough. " Withering fire " is heard a lot in Civil War discussions- from accounts USS Varuna's gun kept up a withering fire after being doomed. In the middle of this watery shambles, Boggs took note of a singular seaman's singular actions. He left us this. The account was picked up by Miller's post war.
13 years old. Goodness.
I won't re-post the most famous photo we have of a powder monkey, it's so famous the boy gets a little lost. You just know that image is a lot like Oscar Peck.
" I report myself on board ". I hope Peck married someone wonderful, they had 3 great kids and he stayed out of the water post war.