Two Confederate Naval Commanders

[OldReliable1862]

Many of us are aware of the famous photograph of Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston, when Lee traveled south to Savannah for his health - but have you seen its naval equivalent?

Here we see Franklin Buchanan and Josiah Tattnall, two of the main Confederate naval commanders. Buchanan commanded the Virginia before he was wounded as he took potshots with a rifle at Union troops. Later he commanded the naval defense of Mobile Bay, putting up a decent fight against David Farragut.

Tattnall, however, had a less distinguished career. As commander of the James River Squadron, he ordered the Virginia to be scuttled as Union forces advanced. He then became commander of the Savannah station, and quietly served out the rest of the war until taken prisoner by Sherman.

 

[Lubliner]

Do you happen to know when this photograph was taken? I have never seen the equivalent until now. I wonder if the photographer was one and the same?
Lubliner.

 

[reading48]

I was stationed on the U.S.S. Tattnall DDG-19 while in the Navy. I also visited his grave Ga.

 

[OldReliable1862]

Do you happen to know when this photograph was taken? I have never seen the equivalent until now. I wonder if the photographer was one and the same?
Lubliner.

I have not been able to find any information on when the photograph was taken, or took it. All I found was that it seems to have first appeared in The Photographic History of the Civil War in 1911.

 

[Poorville]

I have not been able to find any information on when the photograph was taken, or took it. All I found was that it seems to have first appeared in The Photographic History of the Civil War in 1911.

They are not in uniform, so timewise May 9, 1865, when Tattnall was paroled and his death in Savannah June 14, 1871. It looks like a studio shot but where?
Tattnall spent four of his last six years in Halifax, Nova Scotia, returning penniless to Savannah, briefly engaged as port inspector, where he died June 14, 1871.
Buchanan meanwhile was in Baltimore in 1868-69 as president of the Maryland Agricultural College, then he was in the insurance business in Mobile, Alabama until 1870. He then took up residence once more in Maryland where he was living at the time of Tattnell's death.
But without the help of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson I am unable to identify where their paths may have crossed..
Poorville

 

[DaveBrt]

They are not in uniform, so timewise May 9, 1865, when Tattnall was paroled and his death in Savannah June 14, 1871. It looks like a studio shot but where?
Tattnall spent four of his last six years in Halifax, Nova Scotia, returning penniless to Savannah, briefly engaged as port inspector, where he died June 14, 1871.
Buchanan meanwhile was in Baltimore in 1868-69 as president of the Maryland Agricultural College, then he was in the insurance business in Mobile, Alabama until 1870. He then took up residence once more in Maryland where he was living at the time of Tattnell's death.
But without the help of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson I am unable to identify where their paths may have crossed..
Poorville

One possible crossing could be in Savannah in 1870, as Buchanan was going from Mobile to Maryland.

 

[jvarnell]

Capt. Buchanan telling the boys were taking the Virginia out for a test run and then charging the Yanks.....ballsy my man, well done.

 

[NFB22]

Fun fact about Tattnall, the phrase "blood is thicker than water" is sometimes attributed to him.

 

[Poorville]

Fun fact about Tattnall, the phrase "blood is thicker than water" is sometimes attributed to him.

Josiah Tattnall seems to have spent his life at sea and was 65 yo at start of ACW. The New Georgia Encyclopaedia tells us that whilst Commander of the East India Squadron at Hong Kong he supported British action in 1859 attacking Chinese forts, in direct violation of US neutrality. He defended his action by quoting from a proverb that "blood is thicker than water." It's generally accepted that the saying comes from as early as the 12th​ century.

 

[RoadDog]

I was stationed on the U.S.S. Tattnall DDG-19 while in the Navy. I also visited his grave Ga.

Good thing the USS Tattnall is no longer in service or it would have to have the name changed.

RoadDog

 

[reading48]

And Our Sister ship the U.S.S. Semmes..named after Raphael Semmes...

 

[RoadDog]

Of course, Buchanan was never one to hold back. He motto seems to be "See Enemy, Attack Enemy."

 

[georgew]

Of course, Buchanan was never one to hold back. He motto seems to be "See Enemy, Attack Enemy."

Sort of a Nelson approach.

 

[Poorville]

Sort of a Nelson approach.

Like Nelson he took a few injuries along the way but I'm reminded of the Italian Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister of France in the 17th century, who said that one must not ask of a general "est-il habile?" ("Is he skillful?"), but rather "est-il heureux?" ("Is he lucky?").
Poorville