Boilers for Wilmington TBs

DaveBrt

1st Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
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Charlotte, NC
From National Archives, Chapter 2, Volume 336, Letters Sent by MG Whiting

"Head Quarters Defences of Wilmington
January 25th 1864

Hon James A. Seddon
Secretary of War
Richmond

Sir,
There are two locomotive boilers at Montgomery belonging to Memphis & Charleston R. R. The machinery was destroyed but the boilers are said to be good. I want them very much to put in my torpedo boats nearly ready. They are similar to that in which Lt Glassell made his attack & I am hurrying up to attack the Fleet here. Please to give an order that I may have them.
Very Respectfully
W. H. C. Whiting
Maj Genl"

I do not know which locomotives are referenced or whether they were provided. Does anyone know??
 
Just a note- Glassell also tried to attack New Ironsides in a rowed launch, and an attack by a small fleet of steam launches was also plannedfor April 1863, but the Union Navy learned of the attack and moved all the their vessels out to sea before the attack took place. The point is, I am certain the Wilmington torpedo boats were not David-Style, but steam launches (or larger), for which their is some evidence to support.
 
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From National Archives, Chapter 2, Volume 336, Letters Sent by MG Whiting

"Head Quarters Defences of Wilmington
January 25th 1864

Hon James A. Seddon
Secretary of War
Richmond

Sir,
There are two locomotive boilers at Montgomery belonging to Memphis & Charleston R. R. The machinery was destroyed but the boilers are said to be good. I want them very much to put in my torpedo boats nearly ready. They are similar to that in which Lt Glassell made his attack & I am hurrying up to attack the Fleet here. Please to give an order that I may have them.
Very Respectfully
W. H. C. Whiting
Maj Genl"

I do not know which locomotives are referenced or whether they were provided. Does anyone know??
Is Whiting referring to two boats that were reported burned in their shipyard? You wonder what they were using for engines?
 
I have no idea. He is referring to destroyed locomotives in Montgomery.
"The machinery was destroyed but the boilers are said to be good" intrigues me, unless the cylinders and motion had been deliberately smashed, I can't see how that would happen in accident or collision on bar framed locos without damaging the boilers and or fireboxes.
 
"The machinery was destroyed but the boilers are said to be good" intrigues me, unless the cylinders and motion had been deliberately smashed, I can't see how that would happen in accident or collision on bar framed locos without damaging the boilers and or fireboxes.
I've wondered that, too. If it were just one locomotive, I would say it might have been a run-off, where the drive parts were damaged, but the locomotive stayed upright -- but I don't see that happening two times in the same area. But, because we are told these are Memphis & Charleston RR locomotives, and because of the gauge problem with the Montgomery & West Point RR, these must have come by river boat or up the Montgomery & Eufaula RR (with destroyed wheels?). No way to do more than guess, unless someone has a document to help us.
 
I've wondered that, too. If it were just one locomotive, I would say it might have been a run-off, where the drive parts were damaged, but the locomotive stayed upright -- but I don't see that happening two times in the same area. But, because we are told these are Memphis & Charleston RR locomotives, and because of the gauge problem with the Montgomery & West Point RR, these must have come by river boat or up the Montgomery & Eufaula RR (with destroyed wheels?). No way to do more than guess, unless someone has a document to help us.
Perhaps someone tried to re gauge them and made a mess of it ?
 
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