NAVAL OPERATIONS AT CHARLESTON. BY CAPT. JAMES H. TOMB, JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
The Juno was a Clyde built steamer and could make over fifteen knots. She ran the blockade into Charleston, S. C., and was bought by the Confederate States Navy Department to bring in supplies for the service. Lieut. Phil Porcher, C.S. N., was placed in command, and I was instructed by the flag officer to see that the engine department was ready to go to sea at any moment, and I was to go out as her chief engineer. While awaiting orders to take on a cargo of cotton, we attached a spar to the bow, with a torpedo containing sixty-five pounds of powder, and lashed a cotton bale to the stern just above the water line, to act as a cushion if we struck one of the monitors. As we lay a short distance below Fort Sumter one night, on picket duty, and in a light fog, we were hailed from a large launch and told to surrender, and the next moment a shot from a twelve-pound howitzer passed over our bow. We headed for the launch, but under moderate speed, striking the launch so she came around on our port side just forward of the wheel, and they opened fire on us with small arms as they started to come over the rail. We returned the fire, the engine department assisting the deck crew. After the exchange of a few shots, the officer in command of the launch said, ''We surrender,'' and, as he came over the rail, he held his sword in one hand and one of his boots in the other, no doubt getting ready to go overboard. Sullivan, one of my foremen, took the boot from him and would have taken the other also had I let him, but I made him return it. Boots at that time would cost in Charleston $200, and were worth the saving. It was quite a bunch of them that we took aft, and, looking over the side of the ship, I saw the heads of more in the water. I called Lieutenant Porcher's attention to them, and he wanted to pick them up, but the pilot said if we did the ship would be lost on the shoal, as the heavy launch just forward of the wheel would not let the Juno turn up stream, and we could not stop. All these men except two were picked up by the other picket boats of the navy. The next morning, when taking the launch and prisoners to the flag ship, I was seated between the master and the coxswain of the captured launch, and the latter said, loud enough for us all to hear him: ''This comes of putting us under an officer who gets us into trouble, but can't get us out.'" The officer said nothing.
Admiral Dahlgren, U.S. N., sent in a strong protest against our firing on men in the water, but Flag Officer Tucker gave a report that we did not fire on them in the water, etc.
While we were still in the harbor waiting for that cargo of cotton, General Beauregard requested the flag officer to send the torpedo boat David to North Edisto and attack the United States steamship Memphis, at anchor there. While attached to the Juno, I was also in command of the David. I reported for that duty, as the Juno would not be ready to sail before I got back. The David left Charleston under my command, with Pilots J. W. Cann and T. Acoste, and Fireman J. Lawless.
On the night of March 5, 1864, we got in sight of the Memphis, when one pump gave out and we had to return up the river to Church Flat; then on the night of the 6th, when in about the same position, the pump again gave out. We made fast to the marsh, repaired the pump, and proceeded on down the river, and about 12 o'clock we came up to the Memphis, swinging in the flood tide. We got under her quarter before they saw us, and they could not use their heavy guns, but gave us a hot fire from sinall arms. However, as I had placed steel plating over the upper portion of the hull, the shot did us
no harm. We struck the Memphis a good blow, some eight feet below the surface. The torpedo contained ninety-five pounds of rifle powder, but it failed to explode. We turned and came back at her, striking a glancing blow, and the torpedo again failed to explode. We headed up the river under a heavy fire of their heavy guns, but we were not struck.
When we got back to Charleston, we found that the Juno was ready to go to sea, and, as I had not reported, Chief Engineer Clark, of the Chicora, was sent to take my place. She passed out of Charleston harbor that night, but, striking a heavy sea, parted amidship and went to the bottom with all her crew except Pilot W. Buck and Engineer Dent, who were picked up from a portion of the bridge the next day.
As an example of the generous spirit of the people of Charleston, I requested permission of Flag Officer Tucker to take up a collection for the family of Chief Engineer Clark, who had placed his family in my care when he took my place on the Juno. I succeeded in raising $5 in the fleet. When Capt. Theo Stony found out what I was doing, he took it up and in a few days gave me $5,000 and a pass from President Ravenel, of the railroad, for all the family to Virginia. Can you wonder why every naval officer of that time was attached to Charleston?