This narrative is neither mundane nor pointless. I never would have found it without the Threadspotting pointer, since I avoid MPSIMS threads generally.
Mods… doesn’t this particular thread seem better suited for Cafe Society?
Anyway, simply brilliant, malden. I’m gonna watch this one closely, no matter what subforum it’s in.
Subscribing immediately. This is great! Please keep it up, malden.
Interesting stuff. My SO and her sister published a book containing wartime letters from their ancestor who also fought for the North during the Civil War. It’s great to see these things through the writings of those who were there.
Despite the words “mundane” and “pointless,” many of the threads in this forum are neither – including, e.g., announcements of births, marriages, and deaths.
I think it’s fine where it is, notwithstanding your policy not to read MPSIMS.
Off the coast of Virginia
It has been a rough couple of days at sea, with gale-force winds and high waves. The galley, located between decks, has not been usable; the ship is rolling so much that fat in the pans has been running out onto the stove and setting fire to the deck. After several such incidents, the men-- those who could eat at all in these seas-- were reduced to eating bread and raw salted pork.
Forty-eight hours after departing from Brooklyn, Captain Lavender of the Saxon opened his sealed orders. The four transport captains were to rendezvous at Ship Island, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. They were also permitted to stop at Port Royal (South Carolina), Tortuga (Florida Keys), or Key West (Florida), if needed, to refuel or acquire provisions.
Thanks for the comments, everyone, esp. JKellyMap for the “threadspotting” nomination. That is a much more catchy title than the one I made up for the thread!
I have the unfortunate tendency towards literal-mindedness, but I can learn if taught. Looks like this episode teaches me not to judge fora by their titles.
Ignorance fought!
The men of Companies D, G, and I awoke to calmer seas this morning; the Saxon passed Cape Hatteras, North Carolina overnight on its way to Ship Island. The calm allowed the men to spend more time on deck.
There was some trouble tonight. Some of the men broke into an ice chest, helped themselves to some fresh beef, and cooked it in the galley. Despite the officers’ best efforts, no one seems to know the identity of the thieves. There’ll be hell to pay if the Colonel finds out who did it.
On the morning of the 9th, the thieves of the previous night were identified. A corporal from Company I led the theft; he had the chevrons stripped from his uniform and was put in irons. Two privates serving as cooks were also put in irons for not revealing the names of the thieves.
Yesterday, December 10, the ship passed a pod of whales in the morning. Other than that, the day was uneventful.
This morning the ship is off the coast of South Florida under clear skies.
OK, playing catch-up here as I have been traveling!
At 6 o’clock on December 11, the Saxon pulled into port at Key West, Florida to take on coal for the remainder of the run to Ship Island. Although Key West was part of the Confederate state of Florida, it had remained in Union hands throughout the war and was the site of a U.S Naval Station and Fort Zachary Taylor. It is not known if the officers and men of Companies D, G, and I were granted leave, but it is doubtful, because they left Key West early on the morning of December 12.
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(Posting a day late again… will try to get back to real time now!)
Shots fired on Saxon!
Early on the morning of December 15, a curious incident occurred on an otherwise uneventful run from Key West to Ship Island. In the early hours of the morning, the mate in charge got the Saxon off course and turned at the wrong point, sailing full-speed at the U.S. fleet blockading Mobile Bay. Around 2 a.m. they were hailed by a Union gunboat, and soon afterward a blank shot and a cannonball were fired in the Saxon’s direction from the U.S. gunboat Montgomery. At this, the mate halted the Saxon and, lacking a whistle with which to signal, simply waited for the other ships to approach. The Saxon was boarded by officers of the U.S. Navy, who informed the mate and other officers that they were off course, heading straight for Mobile, and inside the ring of picket boats that were part of the blockade.
Duly chastised, the Saxon corrected its course and proceeded for Ship Island, arriving at 9:00 a.m. The Saxon remained there until 5 p.m., when it left for New Orleans. By Tuesday morning, December 16, the ship was on its way up the Mississippi River, having entered though Southwest Pass. After passing Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip around noon, the Saxon proceeded upriver until about 9 p.m. and tied up for the night on the left bank of the Mississippi. Two sentinels were posted on the riverbank as lookouts for guerrilla activity.
Thank you so much for sharing this, malden! I am really enjoying reading the real experiences from the Civil War.
The *Saxon *has just arrived in New Orleans after a thirteen-day run from Brooklyn. The ship will be here for most of the day (perhaps Colonel Burrell is reporting in to General Banks, who had recently taken command of U.S. forces in the Department of the Gulf.) As far as I know, the men of the Forty-Second are confined to the ship.
The Saxon, containing Companies D, G, and I, is on the move upriver again. It’s a short run up to Carrollton, Louisiana (map), which was a separate town during this era, but was later annexed to New Orleans. Around 7 p.m. the *Saxon *set anchor at Carrollton, but the men would have to wait until tomorrow to set up camp.
The maps are a nice addition, thanks. Looking forward to the next post. 
After waiting on board the *Saxon *for most of the day, the three companies have finally walked ashore and set up camp in Carrollton. Not much to do today but wait-- orders are expected at any time.
Today, Colonel Burrell received orders via telegraph from General Banks in New Orleans: “Colonel Burrell, with his three companies of Massachusetts volunteers, will proceed to Galveston forthwith.” Colonel Burrell immediately ordered the men to strike camp and prepare to move.
Note that the the companies here in Carrollton (D, G, I) have not seen or heard from the other seven companies in the regiment since they boarded the four transport ships in Brooklyn. Apparently it has been decided to deploy the three available companies and follow up with the rest of the regiment when they arrive in New Orleans.
Well, unfortunately for the troops, there is no ship to board, as the Saxon was sent to New Orleans yesterday for repairs and has not yet returned to Carrollton. So the three companies will now have to put up their tents again and spend another night here waiting for their transport.
