CSN Muse Jr., William Templeman

William Templeman Muse Jr.​

Born: April 1, 1811

Birthplace: Pasquotank County, North Carolina

Father: William Templeman Muse Sr. 1769 – 1823

(Buried: Beaver Hill Cemetery, Edenton, North Carolina)​

Mother: Mary Blount 1779 – 1813

(Buried: Beaver Hill Cemetery, Edenton, North Carolina)​

Wife: Priscilla Jane Gantt 1822 – 1893

(Buried: Maplewood Cemetery, Wilson, North Carolina)​

Children:

John Blount Muse 1843 – 1861​

(Buried: Old Warrenton Cemetery, Warrenton, North Carolina)​

​

William Templeman Muse III 1850 – 1908​

(Buried: Maplewood Cemetery, Wilson, North Carolina)​

​

Edward Gantt Muse 1854 – 1926​

(Buried: Maplewood Cemetery, Wilson, North Carolina)​

​

Margaret Muse Chalk 1856 – 1917​

(Buried: Pineview Cemetery, Rocky Mount, North Carolina)​

​

Georgie Muse 1860 – 1861​

(Buried: Old Warrenton Cemetery, Warrenton, North Carolina)​

Occupation before War:

1828 – 1834: Midshipman in the United States Navy​

​

1828 – 1833: Served on U.S.S. Dolphin in the Pacific Squadron​

​

1834: Graduated from New York Naval School​

​

1834 – 1840: Passed Midshipman in the United States Navy​

​

1834 – 1836: On Leave from the United States Navy​

​

1836 – 1841: Served on Old Ironsides​

​

1836 – 1841: Served on the Mediterranean, and Pacific

​

1840 – 1850: Lt. in the United States Navy​

​

1842 – 1845: Served on the frigate U.S.S. Raritan with Brazil Squadron​

​

Served on leave and shore duty for the United States Navy​

​

Served on the U.S.S. Susquehanna with the East Indies Squadron​

​

Served in the voyage to China​

​

1852 – 1855: Assigned to the USNO​

​

1855 – 1861: Commander in the United States Navy​

​

1855 – 1856: Saw no duty with the United States Navy​

​

1857 – 1861: Seconded to the USCS​

​

1861: Stricken from the roll of the United States Navy on April 2nd​​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1863: Commander in the Confederate States Navy​

​

1861: Commander of the C.S.S. Ellis​

​

Participated in the Defense of Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina​

​

1861 – 1864: Commander of Steamers C.S.S. Caswell, C.S.S. Arctic, and C.S.S. North Carolina​

​

1861 – 1864: Served at Confederate Navy, Wilmington Station​

​

1863: Helped oversee construction of ironclad ram C.S.S. North Carolina ​

​

1863 – 1864: Commander Confederate Provisional Navy​

​

1864: Captain of C.S.S. North Carolina in the Cape Fear River​

Died: April 8, 1864

Place of Death: Wilmington, North Carolina

Cause of Death: Typhoid Fever

Age at time of Death: 53 years old

Burial Place: Old Warrenton Cemetery, Warrenton, North Carolina

 

[Pollaco]

An obituary called William Muse a "Gallant and Meritorious officer and a Noble and High-toned gentleman".

 

[ErnieMac]

OR Naval Series 1, Volume 9, Pages 809-810
Enclosure.] Statement of John B. Patrick, seaman, lately belonging to the C. S. ram Albemarle, taken before Fleet Captain John S. Barnes, U. S. Navy, June 26, 1864.

FLAGSHIP MALVERN,

James River, June 27, 1864.​

............​

After leaving Charleston I came to Wilmington and entered the Navy, and went on the North Carolina about seven months. Captain Muse then commanded her. He died and Porter took her. He was the executive officer. She is a ram, four guns, just like those at Richmond. Her engines are very bad , always out of repair. The Raleigh was run on a bank by the captain purposely. He thought it would not hurt her; when the tide fell her back broke. They set fire to her and burned all the woodwork out of her. They have but the North Carolina now; she never got down far without breaking something and had to be towed back. I have heard that she escorts blockade runners out, but don't know it. Don't know how much she draws.​

 

[Pollaco]

I can picture a ram,like the North Carolina, escorting blockade runners out of a harbor.If you could keep the engines working.

 

[Pollaco]

One of the ships he commanded was the C.S.S. Artic.It makes one wonder how such a name was chosen in the "Not-So-Artic" South.

 

[ErnieMac]

CSS Arctic was originally USS Arctic. It was seized at the beginning of the War, but kept the Arctic name.