CSS Shenandoah ... Melbourne remembers

[PeterT]

This mural (the larger of the two) needs some restoration work.

1865. The CSS Shenandoah arrives in Melbourne in the British colony of Victoria on January 25th. The ship had been a major problem for the US merchant fleet. Supplies were needed and repairs required. Britain was neutral, so this caused the colonial masters no end of concern, but allowed the repairs to go ahead. The residents of Melbourne, in the age of a huge gold rush, were intrigued. Thousands came to view the ship at the nearby port of Williamstown. The officers were entertained with functions and a gala ball held in their honour.

So how is the event remembered in Melbourne? I was aware of the murals in Williamstown, but had not seen them. These are the photos I took recently.

One building has two murals. One mural on each side, and one of these is almost obscured by an apartment complex being constructed next door. There is also a plaque above the doorway of this building.

 

[PeterT]

A few miles away back towards Melbourne there is another mural near the Newport railway station. It depicts the Shenandoah in a bottle!

 

[JOHN42768]

Thank you

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

@PeterT, great photos !

For those interested in more information about the CSS Shenandoah, there are a lot of threads about the ship in the naval forum.

Here's one of many:

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-shenandoah.92723/#post-764258

 

[Carronade]

Thanks for posting! The one mural looks like something from War of 1812, except for what looks like the Confederate Battle Flag. Incidentally sailing ships in battle would usually have their courses - lower sails - furled for reasons of visibility and safety.

Any idea what the Shenadoah nameplate over door number 17 signifies?

 

[PeterT]

Incidentally sailing ships in battle would usually have their courses - lower sails - furled for reasons of visibility and safety.

That's probably artistic licence!

 

[PeterT]

Any idea what the Shenadoah nameplate over door number 17 signifies?

No I don't. I will try to find out. This plate was on the building, but it offers no clues.

 

[JohnW.]

Great post!!! Thanks @PeterT

 

[MaryDee]

Thanks, @PeterT! As I've mentioned before, the Shenandoah caused no end of panic in my part of the US, the Pacific NW. Nobody knew where she was, and the residents of Portland, OR fully expected her to come sailing up the Columbia River, guns blazing, at any minute! Just fallout, mostly rumor of course, from her truly epic voyage! Of course, as we all know now, she was actually up in the Bering Sea attacking the New England whaling fleet.

 

[Carronade]

Incidentally sailing ships in battle would usually have their courses - lower sails - furled for reasons of visibility and safety.

That's probably artistic licence!

I suppose it could represent a pursuit, with the ship on the right having just gotten close enough to turn and fire a broadside. Nice piece of art, just not Civil War.

 

[PeterT]

The officers were entertained with functions and a gala ball held in their honour.

The gala ball was held at Craig's Royal Hotel in Ballarat, about 1 1/2 hours drive from Melbourne. I am working in Ballarat on Monday. I'll stop into the hotel and have a look around. I'll see if they have any memorabilia of the event.

 

[MaryDee]

Photos, please!!!

 

[PeterT]

Bumping this thread, as it is 155 years ago today on January 25th 1865 that the CSS Shenandoah arrived in Melbourne for urgent repairs and supplies.

The arrival caused a great deal of fuss among the population of Melbourne. The US Consul and the "neutral" British colonial officials were certainly running here and there trying to work out what to do with the raider.

Thousands of Melbournians came to view the ship at the nearby port of Williamstown. The officers were entertained with functions (a notable one was a dinner at the prestigious Melbourne Club) and a gala ball held in their honour at the gold mining town of Ballarat (more on the ball later when I post on the 155th anniversary of that grand event).

The whole story of the CSS Shenandoah is amazing … the voyage around the globe with all its happenings; the 42 stowaways that boarded in Melbourne and "joined the Confederacy"; the political machinations around whether the ship should be allowed to leave Melbourne at all (the resident inept British Governor was a ditherer and just wanted the problem to go away); the hilarious conclusion to the voyage back in Liverpool when all on board stated they were American nationals (with accents that varied from broad Scottish brogue to the developing Australian accent) and so on.

I have the following books on the CSS Shenandoah that I can recommend:

Australian Confederates by Terry Smyth ... "How 42 Australians joined the rebel cause and fired the last shot in the American Civil War"

The Last Shot by Lynn Schooler ... "The incredible story of the CSS Shenandoah and the true conclusion of the American Civil War"

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Thousands of Melbournians came to view the ship at the nearby port of Williamstown. The officers were entertained with functions (a notable one was a dinner at the prestigious Melbourne Club)

Those Confederate Naval Offivers were "Rock Stars" in Melbourne, according tp newspaper reports of the day.

The enlisted sailors also seem to have been a hit with the Melbourne girls . . . as well.

 

[PeterT]

Those Confederate Naval Offivers were "Rock Stars" in Melbourne, according tp newspaper reports of the day.

The enlisted sailors also seem to have been a hit with the Melbourne girls . . . as well.

Yes indeed. A couple of married ladies apparently were front and center to seek the company of the officers at the ball. And they went to the train station in Ballarat to bid them farewell the next morning. I guess not much sleep was had.

 

[Seduzal]

Thanks for sharing this awesome article. Enjoyed reading it.

 

[rebelatsea]

Yes indeed. A couple of married ladies apparently were front and center to seek the company of the officers at the ball. And they went to the train station in Ballarat to bid them farewell the next morning. I guess not much sleep was had.

Just begs the question - what happened 9 months or so later?

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Yes indeed. A couple of married ladies apparently were front and center to seek the company of the officers at the ball. And they went to the train station in Ballarat to bid them farewell the next morning. I guess not much sleep was had.

Just begs the question - what happened 9 months or so later?

 

[Pollaco]

Is there any truth to that "Son-of-a-Gun" myth? A ship docked ,A curious passerby, an innocent enough conversation like"hey lady, want to come see my gun?" And 9 months later you have a Son (or daughter) of a Gun.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Is there any truth to that "Son-of-a-Gun" myth? A ship docked ,A curious passerby, an innocent enough conversation like"hey lady, want to come see my gun?" And 9 months later you have a Son (or daughter) of a Gun.

I've always heard that phrase has a lot of truth behind the myth.

But it seems to date back to the Royal Navy during the Nelson era.

1790's to around 1805.