Gorham C. Taylor and His Trophy

[Mike Serpa]

NYSMM photo
Edit: add detail

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

(In case anyone's wondering, the illustration at lower right is a representation of the CSS Louisiana, though the drawing is pretty inaccurate.)

 

[Seduzal]

What does the index paper says, I can not make it out? (trophy)...

 

[Mike Serpa]

What does the index paper says, I can not make it out? (trophy)...

I'll look at it when I get more time.

 

[JohnDLittlefield]

What does the index paper says, I can not make it out? (trophy)...

Trophy_ -----
The Sword of the first [lieutenant- abbreviated], G__ of
the Rebel Gunboat Resolute (formerly the
Arizona [??]), he surrendered with his vessel, du-
ring the battle with forts Jackson and St
Philip below New Orleans, on the morning of April 24th
1862, to Master Mate Gorham C. Taylor of the
U.S. Gunboat Sciota, to whom it was pre-
sented by the Flag Officer Farragut, for [his]
gallantry in boarding the prize, and [hidden text]
her commander, under the fire of the [hidden text]
vessels, in the hottest of the [hidden text]

 

[JohnDLittlefield]

(In case anyone's wondering, the illustration at lower right is a representation of the CSS Louisiana, though the drawing is pretty inaccurate.)

Great recognition!
The name is printed just under the vessel, but only partially and you can barely make it out.

 

[Seduzal]

@JohnDLittlefield Thank you.

 

[JohnDLittlefield]

Trophy_ -----
The Sword of the first [lieutenant- abbreviated], G__ of
the Rebel Gunboat Resolute (formerly the
Arizona [??]), he surrendered with his vessel, du-
ring the battle with forts Jackson and St
Philip below New Orleans, on the morning of April 24th
1862, to Master Mate Gorham C. Taylor of the
U.S. Gunboat Sciota, to whom it was pre-
sented by the Flag Officer Farragut, for [his]
gallantry in boarding the prize, and [hidden text]
her commander, under the fire of the [hidden text]
vessels, in the hottest of the [hidden text]


View attachment 107696

A Little Background( I make no claim to accuracy!):
PART 2 --- CSS Resolute
SwRam:
cpl. 40;
a. 2 32-pdr. r., 1 32-pdr sb.

RESOLUTE, a side-wheel gunboat ram, had been a tugboat on the
Mississippi River before she was acquired by the Confederate Government.
Capt. J. E. Montgomery selected her to be part of his River Defense
Fleet [See Annex II]. On 25 January 1862 Montgomery began to convert her
into a cottonclad ram by placing a 4-inch oak sheath with a 1-inch iron
covering on her bow, and by installing double pine bulkheads filled with
compressed cotton bales.

RESOLUTE's conversion was completed on 31 March 1862. Under Capt. I.
Hooper, she was detached from Montgomery's main force and sent to Forts
Jackson and St. Philip on the lower Mississippi to cooperate in the
Confederate defense of New Orleans. There, with five other vessels of
Montgomery's fleet, all under Capt. J. A. Stevenson, she joined the
force under Capt. J. K. Mitchell, CSN, commanding Confederate naval
forces in the lower Mississippi.

On 24 April 1862 a Union fleet under Flag Officer D. G. Farragut, USN,
ran past Forts Jackson and St. Philip on its way to capture New Orleans.
RESOLUTE was run ashore a mile above Fort Jackson by her crew who raised
a white flag and then abandoned her. A party of 10 men under Lieutenant
T. Arnold, CSN, sent from CSS MCRAE, boarded her, hauled down her white
flag, and manned her guns. Later, while attempting to get her afloat,
RESOLUTE was attacked by long range Union fire and was pierced by
several rifle shot, some below her water line. RESOLUTE's damage could
not be repaired quickly, and since another Union attack was expected and
since she lay dangerously exposed to land and sea the Confederates
burned her on 26 April 1862 to keep her from falling into Union hands.

source: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/LUDDINGTON/2000-01/0948264757

 

[Legion Para]

In 2016 this would be considered a great trophy! ! ! ! !

I am surprised no one has really studied this photograph.

If you look closely the buckle on the belt is a Louisiana State Seal two piece sword belt plate. A pelican feeding her young.

You will also see a Confederate Staff and Field Officers sword made by Agrider H. Dufilho of New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

[tryagain]

Picture of the USS Siota
Captain Isaac Hooper is listed as the commander of the River Defense boat "Resolute" {Battles and Leaders of the Civil War Vol II .p.75}