The complete issue
Vol. XV, No. 6
(40 pages)
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Inside
Cover image
A selection of navy images, the main theme of this first issue dedicated to this branch of the military.
Editor’s Desk (p. 1)
The editor introduces this first all-navy issue, thanks the many contributors who submitted images, and explains that even though the page number has been expanded to 40 all the photos could not be published.
Mail Call (p. 3)
The letters to the editor includes further discussion of the mystery woman holding the Stars and Stripes pictures in the January/February issue and the identification of a Confederate colonel published in the last issue.
Passing in Review (pp. 4-5)
Five publications are mentioned, including In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead (Hyperion Books) by James Lee Burke, Duel Between the First Ironclads (Stackpole Books) by William C. Davis, Gettysburg: Culp’s Hill & Cemetery Hill (University of North Carolina Press) by Harry W. Pfanz, A Captain’s War: The Letters & Diaries of William H.S. Burgwyn, 1861-65 (White Main Publishing) edited by Herbert M. Schiller and The Class of 1846: From West Point to Appomattox (Warner Books) by John C. Waugh.
The Photograph Album of Lt. John Grimball, C.S.N with commentary by John Mills Bigham (pp. 6-8)
The album, made available by Sam Howell IV and the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum, showcases 13 images. One is a group portrait of seven unidentified “CSN officers sent to England during war” and the other 12 are individual portraits. All are identified: Capt. James Iredell Waddell, Lt. Richard Felder Armstrong, Acting Master Irvine S. Bullock, 1st Asst. Engineer William H. Codd, Midshipman John T. Mason, Engineer Matthew O’Brien, Lt. William F. Carlin, Acting Paymaster William Breedlove Smith, Acting Midshipman Joseph David Wilson, Lt. William Conway Whittle, Lt. Thomas Lardner Dornin and officer William Pinckney Mason.
The Lady of the Lakes: U.S.S. Michigan by Theodore J. Karle (pp. 9-11)
A history of the warship, which spent the Civil War as master of the Great Lakes, appears here, along with a view of the vessel during the period. Also included are four images of the vessel from 1913. By this time, she had been completely refurbished and was known as the Wolverine.
Gunboat Cavalryman: Peter Ole Hill, 4th Illinois Cavalry and U.S.S. Cairo by Leonard Jacobs (pp. 12-13)
A vignette of this soldier and sailor leaves the author with an impression that Hill loved adventure. The narrative is illustrated with a portrait of Hill, a scrap of paper that lists the members of the Cairo’s Mess No. 4, and photos of two ships on which Hill served, the Cairo and the Forest Rose.
All the Ships at Sea: An Overview of Union Naval Vessels by (pp. 14-17)
A brief introduction sets up a survey of 12 navy images, which includes an impressive view of the hull of the ironclad Puritan at the Continental Iron Works of Greenpoint, N.Y., the converted river steamers Lafayette and Choctaw, the monitors Neosho and Osage, and more.
Your Devoted Son…The letters of William Jackson, Midshipman, CSN edited by David Wynn Vaughan (pp. 18-19)
A carte de visite of William Congreve Jackson accompanies excerpts of letters written by him while at the U.S. Naval Academy and, after the start of the Civil War, as a junior officer on the Ellis. He was mortally wounded on Feb. 10, 1862, during an engagement off the North Carolina coast.
Bluejackets: Sailors of the Union Navy (pp. 20-30)
A survey of 47 portraits, of which eight are identified: William Helden of the Santiago de Cuba, Seaman Louis Laybourne, Seaman James Hill of the Clara Dolsen, Midshipman Geoffrey Wilde, Midshipman Clayton Richmond, Acting Cmdr. George U. Morris of the Cumberland, Cmdr. Charles S. Boggs of the Varuna and Surg. Benjamin Gibbs.
Death of an Ironclad: A brief history of U.S.S. Tecumseh by Jerry Harlowe (pp. 31-32)
The story of the Canonicus class monitor that struck a torpedo and sunk during the Battle of Mobile Bay on Aug. 5, 1864, is illustrated with the only known photo of the vessel, taken on the ways of the Secor Ironworks of Jersey City, N.J.
A Navy Victorious: A naval review in New York Harbor, from the collection of Christopher Jordan (pp. 33-35)
The massive naval review held on Sept. 29, 1899, to honor Adm. George Dewey is represented by a series of images from glass slides made by the New York Camera Club.
Flying Salts from the Early Days of Naval Aviation: Photographic survey by John Stacey (pp. 36-37)
Portraits of six pioneer pilots are pictured, including Lt. Cmdr. Godfrey Chevalier, Ensign Frank Eidmann and Chief Printer J.A. Burnham.
Stragglers (p. 38)
A single photo of an ironclad original published with an erroneous caption identifying the vessel as the Monitor at Charleston is pictured in this regular column.
Sutlers’ Row (pp. 39-40)
Back cover
A selection of four navy-related images.
