Not the CSS Slidell

[Trout and Apples]

Pink Varble #2 was apparently seized by the Confederates in 1861 and still at Nashville when the Yankees took the city. If she was converted into a Confederate gunboat, it had to be during that period. It appears she was a US Army gunboat when caught by Wheeler's raid in January 1863 and burned at or near Harpeth Shoals.

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XX/1 [S# 29]
JANUARY 8-14, 1863.--Wheeler's raid, including affairs at Mill Creek,Harpeth Shoals, and Ashland, Tenn.
NO. 4.--Report of Brig. Gen. Robert B. Mitchell, U.S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS,​

Nashville, January 13, 1863.​

MAJOR: The steamer Charter was burned last night about 8 o'clock, with her cargo. But two regiments have arrived from Gallatin yet; two locomotives have given out. Stanley went on the Hillsborough pike, as you directed. I think our force should have been sent nearer the train. **** the railroad, say I! ​

ROBT. B. MITCHELL, ​

Brigadier-General, Commanding.​

Major GODDARD. ​

-----​

NASHVILLE, January 13, 1863.​

GENERAL: Charter was loaded principally with commissary stores. She was 5 miles this side of the shoals, near Ashland. Ewing's brigade has not arrived. The last of Harlan's brigade has just arrived. There is "something rotten in Denmark" with the management of the railroad. Harlan's brigade is moving out on the Charlotte pike to-night. General Fry is here, and will go out in the morning. Stanley says the enemy have two full batteries and 4,500 men.​

ROBT. B. MITCHELL, ​

Brigadier-General, Commanding.​

General ROSECRANS. ​

-----​

NASHVILLE, January 13, 1863.​

GENERAL: The rebels are burning everything on the river. There are at least four more freight boats destroyed, and the Sidell taken and burned.​

ROBT. B. MITCHELL, ​

Brigadier-General.​

General ROSECRANS. ​

-----​

NASHVILLE, January 14, 1863.​

GENERAL: One of the gunners of the gunboat Sidell has arrived, and confirms the report of the burning of the boat. He says the pilot left the wheel, which was the cause of the disaster. He furthermore says that they knocked out the side of the boat next the enemy with their own guns, endeavoring to elevate their pieces to reach the enemy on the high bank. Van Dorn is a prisoner; the balance were paroled by Wheeler.​

ROBT. B. MITCHELL, ​

Brigadier-General.​

General ROSECRANS. ​

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XX/1 [S# 29]
JANUARY 8-14, 1863.--Wheeler's raid, including affairs at Mill Creek,Harpeth Shoals, and Ashland, Tenn.
NO. 4.--Report of Brig. Gen. Robert B. Mitchell, U.S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS,​

Nashville, January 13, 1863.​

MAJOR: The steamer Charter was burned last night about 8 o'clock, with her cargo. But two regiments have arrived from Gallatin yet; two locomotives have given out. Stanley went on the Hillsborough pike, as you directed. I think our force should have been sent nearer the train. **** the railroad, say I! ​

ROBT. B. MITCHELL, ​

Brigadier-General, Commanding.​

Major GODDARD. ​

-----​

NASHVILLE, January 13, 1863.​

GENERAL: Charter was loaded principally with commissary stores. She was 5 miles this side of the shoals, near Ashland. Ewing's brigade has not arrived. The last of Harlan's brigade has just arrived. There is "something rotten in Denmark" with the management of the railroad. Harlan's brigade is moving out on the Charlotte pike to-night. General Fry is here, and will go out in the morning. Stanley says the enemy have two full batteries and 4,500 men.​

ROBT. B. MITCHELL, ​

Brigadier-General, Commanding.​

General ROSECRANS. ​

-----​

NASHVILLE, January 13, 1863.​

GENERAL: The rebels are burning everything on the river. There are at least four more freight boats destroyed, and the Sidell taken and burned.​

ROBT. B. MITCHELL, ​

Brigadier-General.​

General ROSECRANS. ​

-----​

NASHVILLE, January 14, 1863.​

GENERAL: One of the gunners of the gunboat Sidell has arrived, and confirms the report of the burning of the boat. He says the pilot left the wheel, which was the cause of the disaster. He furthermore says that they knocked out the side of the boat next the enemy with their own guns, endeavoring to elevate their pieces to reach the enemy on the high bank. Van Dorn is a prisoner; the balance were paroled by Wheeler.​

ROBT. B. MITCHELL, ​

Brigadier-General.​

General ROSECRANS. ​

You said "Pink Varble #2 (built in Louisville, 1859) did go to Nashville in 1861, sometime after Fort Sumter, to deliver machinery from New Hampshire to a cotton mill in McMinnville. Mr. Varble was a famous riverboat pilot. It sounds like the Pink Vardle #2 was grabbed by the Confederates after delivery and was still in Nashville when the city fell in February 1862."

and

"Pink Varble #2 was apparently seized by the Confederates in 1861 and still at Nashville when the Yankees took the city."
Correct.

And last night I found the missing piece to this jigsaw puzzle.

The Pink Varble, like several other vessels, was abandoned and not destroyed by the Confederates when Nashville fell.
The Federals then retook possession of the Pink Varble and apparently (because I am still not 100% positive) sometime later converted her into the armed gunboat W.H. Sidell, which later, January 13, 1863 was again captured by Confederates at Harpeth Shoals on the Cumberland River.

This is the newspaper article which gives us the "new" information referred to above.


The Buchanan County Guardian (Independence, Iowa)

March 11, 1862 Tuesday

Page 2 Columns 5 & 6


Special Dispatch to the Chicago Post


CAIRO, March 1. —The following additional particulars of the occupation of Nashville on Sunday morning will be of interest.

Thirty-two transports left Paducah with Gen. Nelson's and a part of Gen. Crittenden's brigade for Nashville.

In their passage up the Cumberland their fuel gave out, and they were compelled to make use of staves and fence rails, which they found along the river.

The rebels had destroyed all of their wood boats, and a great many were floating down the river.

On Tuesday morning, at daylight, the fleet arrived at Fort Zollicoffer, situated on the bluffs on the west bank of the Cumberland, seven miles this side of Nashville.

As it had not been definitely ascertained that this fort had been abandoned, the gunboat Cairo was sent in advance to reconnoiter. Finding the fort deserted, a signal was made, and the fleet went on.

The fort mounted eighteen or twenty guns, thirty-two's and sixty-fours. These had all been left by the rebels, some pointing landward, while others, with their carriages, had been thrown over the bluffs, and were lying near the water's edge.

The steamers May Duke, Gen. Anderson, J. Fisher, Pink Varble, Hailman and Runyan were left unburned by the rebels, and have been seized by our forces. The Hailman and Runyan were loaded with jeans for military clothing. The May Duke was loaded with molasses.

The Pink Varble was the boat which, under permit of Secretary Chase, took a load of cotton gins to persons in Nashville, claiming to be loyal, last fall.

Quite a find, don't you think?

 

[trice]

You said: "Pink Varble existed, and was intended to become Slidell - check.
In my opinion this is not correct. I do not agree.
The Pink Varble existed, no one can question that.
I cannot say whether the P V became the US gunboat W.H. Sidell or not.
My hunch is that it did. But I cannot be sure. People have said the PV became the CSS Slidell, but it did not. Since they get the Slidell and the Sidell mixed up, maybe the PV actually became the W. H. Sidell.

Here's what the Navy had to say about the W. H. Sidell in the Navy OR:

 

[trice]

You said "Pink Varble #2 (built in Louisville, 1859) did go to Nashville in 1861, sometime after Fort Sumter, to deliver machinery from New Hampshire to a cotton mill in McMinnville. Mr. Varble was a famous riverboat pilot. It sounds like the Pink Vardle #2 was grabbed by the Confederates after delivery and was still in Nashville when the city fell in February 1862."

and

"Pink Varble #2 was apparently seized by the Confederates in 1861 and still at Nashville when the Yankees took the city."
Correct.

And last night I found the missing piece to this jigsaw puzzle.

The Pink Varble, like several other vessels, was abandoned and not destroyed by the Confederates when Nashville fell.
The Federals then retook possession of the Pink Varble and apparently (because I am still not 100% positive) sometime later converted her into the armed gunboat W.H. Sidell, which later, January 13, 1863 was again captured by Confederates at Harpeth Shoals on the Cumberland River.

This is the newspaper article which gives us the "new" information referred to above.


The Buchanan County Guardian (Independence, Iowa)

March 11, 1862 Tuesday

Page 2 Columns 5 & 6


Special Dispatch to the Chicago Post


CAIRO, March 1. —The following additional particulars of the occupation of Nashville on Sunday morning will be of interest.

Thirty-two transports left Paducah with Gen. Nelson's and a part of Gen. Crittenden's brigade for Nashville.

In their passage up the Cumberland their fuel gave out, and they were compelled to make use of staves and fence rails, which they found along the river.

The rebels had destroyed all of their wood boats, and a great many were floating down the river.

On Tuesday morning, at daylight, the fleet arrived at Fort Zollicoffer, situated on the bluffs on the west bank of the Cumberland, seven miles this side of Nashville.

As it had not been definitely ascertained that this fort had been abandoned, the gunboat Cairo was sent in advance to reconnoiter. Finding the fort deserted, a signal was made, and the fleet went on.

The fort mounted eighteen or twenty guns, thirty-two's and sixty-fours. These had all been left by the rebels, some pointing landward, while others, with their carriages, had been thrown over the bluffs, and were lying near the water's edge.

The steamers May Duke, Gen. Anderson, J. Fisher, Pink Varble, Hailman and Runyan were left unburned by the rebels, and have been seized by our forces. The Hailman and Runyan were loaded with jeans for military clothing. The May Duke was loaded with molasses.

The Pink Varble was the boat which, under permit of Secretary Chase, took a load of cotton gins to persons in Nashville, claiming to be loyal, last fall.

Quite a find, don't you think?

BTW, Major W. H. Sidell (15th US Infantry) was a Union Army officer, an AAG on Buell's staff and later Rosecrans, serving in Kentucky and Tennessee in 1862. The gunboat was commanded by Lieutenant Van Dorn.

Here's the last think I see in the OR about the fate of the W. H. Sidell:

CLARKSVILLE, April 15, 1863.​

Brig. Gen. JAMES A. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff:​

​

I have barricaded the ferry-boat Excelsior with hay, and used it as a gunboat. Convoyed fleet above the Shoals with it; recovered the starboard gun from the wreck of the Sidell; dispersed rebel band at the Shoals, who were waiting to fire on unprotected boats. Captured several of the men belonging to Woodward's command.​

​

S. D. BRUCE, ​

Colonel, Commanding.​

 

[DaveWoodchuck]

I enjoy when a thread runs itself in a circle. Also, it seems that a little bit of ad hominem is creeping in, so let's try to remain casual. I don't know about you guys, but this is my hobby. I make no claim of special authority. However, please read what I post before quote mining it to criticize me.

Okay, let's circle back all the way to what I said:
The US Army boat existed. The Pink Varble existed. DANFS info cannot be taken as gospel. The "January 1863" reference in DANFS is, in my opinion, not referring to the PV, but the US Army boat. If someone can show me a non-DANFS reference to the loss of the PV or any CSS Slidell, I can happily change my opinion. No problems here, I trust?

I said we need to positively identify the origin of the US Army gunboat, and that I could not find enough to let me feel that it was definitively the same ship. Nothing that has been presented changes that. I already characterized my one post as "hypothetical upon hypothetical. Fun for discussion, but useless for history."

There's hardly been a tornado of incorrect speculation. Maybe a light breeze of informed speculation at worst.

And no one here said CSS Slidell ever entered service - she very conclusively did not. Having plans and intentions is a far cry from having the work done.

 

[DaveWoodchuck]

I am happy to see that we did solve two questions, and justified one of my speculations in doing so: the Pink Varble was indeed captured earlier in 1862, and we know how she got past the Union at Cairo, Mound City, and Paducah. She had papers. Now, the authenticity and circumstances for how those papers got issued is a new matter.

Both Grampus and Mohawk were seized by the Confederates in Memphis around the same time that Pink Varble was there un July 1861. That seems to imply that she was given permission. This is what I meant about digging deeper bringing up more headscratchers.

 

[Lubliner]

I am happy to see that we did solve two questions, and justified one of my speculations in doing so: the Pink Varble was indeed captured earlier in 1862, and we know how she got past the Union at Cairo, Mound City, and Paducah. She had papers. Now, the authenticity and circumstances for how those papers got issued is a new matter.

I am sure you saw this post above, #21 by Trout and Apples;
"The Pink Varble was the boat which, under permit of Secretary Chase, took a load of cotton gins to persons in Nashville, claiming to be loyal, last fall."

Here is a good starting point for the paper chase.
Lubliner.

 

[Trout and Apples]

You said "Pink Varble #2 (built in Louisville, 1859) did go to Nashville in 1861, sometime after Fort Sumter, to deliver machinery from New Hampshire to a cotton mill in McMinnville. Mr. Varble was a famous riverboat pilot. It sounds like the Pink Vardle #2 was grabbed by the Confederates after delivery and was still in Nashville when the city fell in February 1862."

and

"Pink Varble #2 was apparently seized by the Confederates in 1861 and still at Nashville when the Yankees took the city."
Correct.

And last night I found the missing piece to this jigsaw puzzle.

The Pink Varble, like several other vessels, was abandoned and not destroyed by the Confederates when Nashville fell.
The Federals then retook possession of the Pink Varble and apparently (because I am still not 100% positive) sometime later converted her into the armed gunboat W.H. Sidell, which later, January 13, 1863 was again captured by Confederates at Harpeth Shoals on the Cumberland River.

This is the newspaper article which gives us the "new" information referred to above.


The Buchanan County Guardian (Independence, Iowa)

March 11, 1862 Tuesday

Page 2 Columns 5 & 6


Special Dispatch to the Chicago Post


CAIRO, March 1. —The following additional particulars of the occupation of Nashville on Sunday morning will be of interest.

Thirty-two transports left Paducah with Gen. Nelson's and a part of Gen. Crittenden's brigade for Nashville.

In their passage up the Cumberland their fuel gave out, and they were compelled to make use of staves and fence rails, which they found along the river.

The rebels had destroyed all of their wood boats, and a great many were floating down the river.

On Tuesday morning, at daylight, the fleet arrived at Fort Zollicoffer, situated on the bluffs on the west bank of the Cumberland, seven miles this side of Nashville.

As it had not been definitely ascertained that this fort had been abandoned, the gunboat Cairo was sent in advance to reconnoiter. Finding the fort deserted, a signal was made, and the fleet went on.

The fort mounted eighteen or twenty guns, thirty-two's and sixty-fours. These had all been left by the rebels, some pointing landward, while others, with their carriages, had been thrown over the bluffs, and were lying near the water's edge.

The steamers May Duke, Gen. Anderson, J. Fisher, Pink Varble, Hailman and Runyan were left unburned by the rebels, and have been seized by our forces. The Hailman and Runyan were loaded with jeans for military clothing. The May Duke was loaded with molasses.

The Pink Varble was the boat which, under permit of Secretary Chase, took a load of cotton gins to persons in Nashville, claiming to be loyal, last fall.

Quite a find, don't you think?

I have been meaning to come back to this thread one final post for 4 or 5 days, but just been too busy to do so.

In summary:


The Pink Varble, a commercial steamboat as has been described previously by others, was seized at Nashville by Confederates, as you said, after delivering machinery for a cotton mill in 1861.

When the Confederates abandoned Nashville in February 1862, they did not destroy the Varble as well as several other vessels.

The Federals took possession of her and at a later date, (presumably) converted her into the US army gunboat W.H. Sidell.

On January 13, 1863, at Harpeth Shoals on the Cumberland, the Sidell was again taken by Confederates and destroyed by fire.



I am curious if the Pink Varble did actually become the Sidell (very probably.)

I would also be very interested to know a detailed history exactly how the Confederates utilized the Varble between her 1861 seizure and her abandonment in February 1862.

Also the detailed history of the Varble from February 1862 until January 13, 1863. Timeline, etc.



However, the object of my research is not the Pink Varble/W.H.Sidell.

As interesting as that has become to me, it is the CSS Slidell that I am interested in.

My sole object here has been to determine if the CSS Slidell was destroyed on the Cumberland River.

The answer is no, that was the W.H.Sidell, a US armed vessel.

I am satisfied that is the correct information.

The Pink Varble/W.H. Sidell story is an interesting one. I hope someone (Trice, maybe?) will pursue a more complete history of it.

My next question is "What is the true and accurate history of the CSS Slidell?"

Adios