French ships at City Point, 1864?

trice

Colonel
Joined
May 2, 2006
I saw this while looking in the OR for something else. Does anyone know what was up with these French ships?

PETERSBURG, April 24, 1864.​
General S. COOPER,​
Adjutant and Inspector General:​
The two French men-of-war and two merchantmen at City Point have been ordered out of the river by General Butler, saying their convention terminated on the 23d. At the request of Captain Marivault, commanding squadron, I send him to Richmond to-night by special train.​
G. E. PICKETT,​
Major-General, Commanding.​
 
I saw this while looking in the OR for something else. Does anyone know what was up with these French ships?

PETERSBURG, April 24, 1864.​

General S. COOPER,​
Adjutant and Inspector General:​
The two French men-of-war and two merchantmen at City Point have been ordered out of the river by General Butler, saying their convention terminated on the 23d. At the request of Captain Marivault, commanding squadron, I send him to Richmond to-night by special train.​
G. E. PICKETT,​
Major-General, Commanding.​

All about the tobacco.

See p.1124, Butler gave the French warship TISIPHONE and the British ship BIDWELL (under French charter) permission to head to City Point - letter dated May 4th 1864.



This from JP Benjamin (immediately above in the ORs)

It is to be observed that Mr. Paul announced in his letter of 29th July, 1863, that his Government had obtained from our enemy a free passage for the tobacco of the Imperial Régie out of the waters of Virginia, and that this statement was the basis of the arrangements concluded in my letter of the 5th August, 1863. Mr. Paul departed from Richmond for the avowed purpose of chartering neutral vessels to take the tobacco, but several months elapsed and the whole matter was apparently abandoned, as nothing further was heard on the subject. At a late date in the autumn we were informed unofficially that the delay arose from the fact that the license given by the blockaders was only intended to cover tobacco purchased prior to the establishment of the blockade, but that all the tobacco of the Régie has been bought subsequently to that period, so that application had become necessary for a modification in the terms of the license in order to give it effect. . No further communication to Mr. Paul on this subject was received till last month. He arrived at City Point on board the French war steamer Tisiphone (with two merchantmen in convoy) about the 15th April, 1864, more than eight months after having concluded his understanding with his Department. In my No. 35 of 16th April, I advised you of this arrival and added that they came “doubtless for the purpose of taking the tobacco belonging to the Imperial Government, and which will be delivered in accordance with our promise.” In my No. 36 of 30th April I further informed you as follows: “The original convention between the French Government and that of the ine mess this is we are in the munited States provides that the tobacco should be shipped in five months from the date of the agreement, viz, the 23d November, so that the delay expired on the 23d instant. In the meantime it was discovered that the convention would prove inoperative, as
it included only tobacco purchased before the war and none such existed. After some delay consent was given on the 7th March that tobacco bought during the war should be taken out, but nothing was said about any extension of time. The French agents chartered vessels in New York and got them into James River in the beginning of this month, when the captain of Tisiphone, who had convoyed the merchantmen, was informed by General Butler that the time would expire according to convention on the 23d, and that he had no authority to extend it. The captain immediately wrote to the French minister at Washington (and Butler to his Government) for instructions. The vessels reached City Point and Captain de Marivault (I believe this is his name) remained without further communication till the 23d instant, when he received a message from Butler by flag of truce stating that the time was out and summoning him to withdraw, and the vessels were forced to leave with but 100 hogsheads of tobacco out of some 7,000 belonging to the French Government.” This statement was made on information received verbally from Mr. Paul and Commander de Marivault, who called at the Department for the purpose of explaining their sudden departure. They both seemed to consider the proceeding as one purely vexatious on the part of General Butler, and expressed the confidence that the period would be extended to the 7th August; that is, five months from the date of the second convention.
 
Looks like the Adonis stuck around. The December 23, 1864 Richmond Whig has a brief mention of the Adonis ascending the James in early December 1864. I've attached the relevant portion of the article here.
 

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