Hughes and John Fowles Follette at Richmond?

georgew

First Sergeant
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Oct 1, 2010
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southern california
Were John Hughes and John Follette engaged in naval construction at Richmond after the fall of New Orleans? Hughes, owner of the largest dockyard at Algiers pre-war, owner of a hotel and major stockholder in the New Orleans and Algiers Ferry Company (1856 to 1862) along with his close friend and co-worker John Follette were reported in Hughes' obituary to have fled New Orleans and employed in "...the Confederate Navy Yards" for the balance of the war. Both men were reported to have fled to Richmond. Both were very experienced. Follette had been employed in Tift's shipyard working on the Mississippi, Hughes company had converted the Manassas. If they did arrive at Richmond and put to work in ship construction, which projects? It appears that a majority of the shipbuilders (senior) ended up in Alabama, most working on ironclads. It would be interesting to know what these two were doing. Follett was "...often foreman in Hughes and Stockton's shipyard at Algiers, and was a partner in the Vettel & Follett Dry Dock Co...Follett was one of a committee of Algiers shipbuilders responsible for sinking four of the largest dry docks to prevent their use by Union forces. Narrowly escaping capture himself, he then went to Richmond with his former partner John Hughes and remained in Confederate service till the surrender..." The Velasco Times (Tx), Vol 1, No. 42, pg 4, Thursday, June 30, 1892. Another source indicates that Hughes initially tried to stick it out in Algiers, but left because of the activities of Gen. Butler and finding himself under suspicion. Neither are believed to have returned to Louisiana until after the war.
 
To all intents and purposes John Hughes seems to have become part of the scenery after New Orleans, whereas many other "names" can be found, as you say in Alabama. William Graves flits about between Savannah, Charleston and Richmond. I'm sure John L Porter put him and Follette to some use but what I don't know.
 
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