Sons of Confederate Veterans Col. Isaac Williams ... - Scvportland.org
Sons of Confederate Veterans Col. Isaac Williams ... - Scvportland.org
Sons of Confederate Veterans Col. Isaac Williams ... - Scvportland.org
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Page 7<br />
<strong>Confederate</strong> History: <strong>Confederate</strong> Privateer Jefferson Davis<br />
The Bayonet<br />
When the townspeople <strong>of</strong> St. Augustine awoke on August 17,<br />
1861, they saw "a black painted brig with dark canvas sails beating<br />
towards the harbor entrance". The ship was the Jefferson<br />
Davis, a <strong>Confederate</strong> privateer seeking food and water stores.<br />
This 187-ton brig was built in Baltimore in 1845 as a merchant<br />
vessel and was being illicitly operated as a slaver when she was<br />
captured <strong>of</strong>f Cuba in 1858 by USS Dolphin. The U.S. Government<br />
sold her to a Charleston shipping merchant in January 1859<br />
but with the outbreak <strong>of</strong> the Civil War she was soon granted a<br />
letter <strong>of</strong> marque by the <strong>Confederate</strong> government, designating her<br />
a privateer in the war on Union commerce. Despite her brief career,<br />
cut short by the shallow bars <strong>of</strong> St. Augustine's inlet, she<br />
Sketch <strong>of</strong> CSS Jeff Davis<br />
remained the most successful privateer <strong>of</strong> the Civil War.<br />
Built in Baltimore as the 187-ton merchant brig Putnam in 1845, she was renamed Echo, and was illegally<br />
used as a slaver. She was captured by USS<br />
Dolphin <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> Cuba in 1858; her cargo <strong>of</strong><br />
271 enslaved people was returned to Africa.<br />
The U.S. Government sold her to a Charleston<br />
shipping merchant in January 1859. At<br />
the outbreak <strong>of</strong> the War Between the States,<br />
the brig was granted a letter <strong>of</strong> marque<br />
signed by Jefferson Davis himself, designating<br />
her a privateer or privately operated<br />
commerce raider.<br />
Under Captain Coxetter <strong>of</strong> Jacksonville,<br />
Jefferson Davis' first raiding cruise, described<br />
as "the last truly classic cruise in the<br />
history <strong>of</strong> private-armed sea power," succeeded<br />
in capturing nine northern merchant<br />
vessels in just seven weeks <strong>of</strong>f the coast <strong>of</strong><br />
New England, making her the most successful<br />
<strong>Confederate</strong> privateer <strong>of</strong> the war. Needing<br />
water and supplies, she attempted to enter<br />
St. Augustine's inlet on August 17, 1861<br />
where she ran aground and was abandoned.<br />
Though she has never been located, her<br />
compliment <strong>of</strong> iron cannons will register as<br />
a distinctive target during planned magnetometer<br />
surveys <strong>of</strong> the old channel CSS Jefferson Davis, 1861<br />
entrance.<br />
<strong>Confederate</strong> Factoid: Lt. Simeon Cummings<br />
If you’re standing on the front steps <strong>of</strong> Elm Springs and look 90-degrees to the right you will see a very<br />
small cemetery. Immediately noticeable is the white marble <strong>Confederate</strong> headstone and iron Cross <strong>of</strong> Honor<br />
facing the old manor. For 131 years <strong>Confederate</strong> Navy Lieutenant Simeon W. Cummings held the distinction<br />
<strong>of</strong> being the only <strong>Confederate</strong> killed during the war and buried outside <strong>of</strong> the United States. On August 3,<br />
1863, a hunting party consisting <strong>of</strong> three <strong>of</strong>ficers was returning to the CSS Alabama from Saldanha Bay in<br />
South Africa. When re-boarding the Alabama that evening, Lt. Cummings’ loaded rifle caught on something<br />
and discharged, killing him. He was disinterred in 1994 and reburied with full military honors at Elm Springs.