Can any CW history buffs help me fill in the blanks on some facts and some hard to read handwriting from a CW Pension application? Before and after the war, this gentleman was a chief engineer for Merchants and Miners' Transportation company. For the latter part of the war he worked on the government steamer George Peabody.
First question: He states that he "was ordered to Savannah GA in 1860 & 61 and on the on the 1st day of January this ship was set fire and burned to water's edge. I was ordered to stay by her and save all I could but before I was ready to go the Blockade was ordered." He never names the ship. Does anyone know what ship it might have been? I believe the Blockade was put into effect in April, 1861 so the fire had to be Jan 1, 1961.
Second question: He becomes Chief Engineer for the George Peabody and was ordered to join the expedition of Gen'l Butler at Fort Hatteras, Gen'l Burnside at Roanoke Island, cattle to Fort Pickens, then a load of oats? to New Orleans.
They were stationed in New Orleans "for some time" until he had orders "to join Gen'l Banks expedition at the capture of" and I can't read the next word.
Can anyone tell me what event this was?
Third question: This next section I am having a really hard time with. This is what I have so far: "and after that we were ordered ___ to Galveston, Texas to New Orleans until Gen'l ____ was ready. We were ordered to join his expedition for his Capture of ____" I'm having trouble with these 3 words. Perhaps this is the capture of Mobile (Alabama) but I can't find a General named Steil or Steel that was involved in that.
Any help, hints or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
First question: He states that he "was ordered to Savannah GA in 1860 & 61 and on the on the 1st day of January this ship was set fire and burned to water's edge. I was ordered to stay by her and save all I could but before I was ready to go the Blockade was ordered." He never names the ship. Does anyone know what ship it might have been? I believe the Blockade was put into effect in April, 1861 so the fire had to be Jan 1, 1961.
Second question: He becomes Chief Engineer for the George Peabody and was ordered to join the expedition of Gen'l Butler at Fort Hatteras, Gen'l Burnside at Roanoke Island, cattle to Fort Pickens, then a load of oats? to New Orleans.
They were stationed in New Orleans "for some time" until he had orders "to join Gen'l Banks expedition at the capture of" and I can't read the next word.
Can anyone tell me what event this was?
Third question: This next section I am having a really hard time with. This is what I have so far: "and after that we were ordered ___ to Galveston, Texas to New Orleans until Gen'l ____ was ready. We were ordered to join his expedition for his Capture of ____" I'm having trouble with these 3 words. Perhaps this is the capture of Mobile (Alabama) but I can't find a General named Steil or Steel that was involved in that.
Any help, hints or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
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