Tuesday, October 25, 2016

CSS Lady Davis





History

Name: Lady Davis
Launched: 1858
Commissioned: March 1861
Decommissioned: 1862
Fate: served as private blockade runner 1862-1865; captured 1865
General characteristics
Displacement: 250 tons
Propulsion: steam engine
Armament: 1 24-pounder cannon, 1 12-pounder rifled cannon
CSS Lady Davis was a gunboat in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War.

Originally the Richmond iron steam tug James Gray, built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1858, Lady Davis was purchased in March 1861 by Governor Francis Wilkinson Pickens of South Carolina, who armed her and placed in command Lieutenant William Gaillard Dozier, South Carolina Navy, with orders to thwart reinforcement of Fort Sumter by Union troops.

On May 7, 1861 Lady Davis was purchased by the Confederacy for $32,000 and commissioned in the Confederate Navy, operating thereafter along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts. Lieutenant Thomas P. Pelot, CSN, took command about 5 days later, relieving Lieutenant Edward Cantey Stockton, South Carolina Navy. At that time, the little gunboat served as flagship of Commodore Josiah Tattnall's Savannah Defense Squadron, consisting of CSS Savannah, CSS Sampson and CSS Resolute.

On May 19, Lady Davis began her career with distinction by capturing and taking into Beaufort, South Carolina the A. B. Thompson, a full-rigged ship of 980 tons and a crew of 23 out of Brunswick, Maine, whom she encountered off Savannah while on an expedition seeking the U.S. armed brig Perry. The exploit culminated in acrimonious litigation to decide whether an Army captain and a dozen of his soldiers should share in the prize money. Captain Stephen Elliott, Jr., CSA, happened to be on board and acted as pilot during the capture and afterward, while his men claimed to have helped bring in the prize.

On the following day, the crew were reenlisted into the Confederate States Navy, the State officers being replaced by regulars between then and June 1. Lady Davis's rifled gun remained the property of South Carolina, on loan, while the other, a 24-pounder howitzer, was a gift outright to the Confederacy. By November, Lieutenant John Rutledge commanded her.

She joined in the battle of Port Royal, South Carolina on November 7, 1861. Although her engines were transferred to CSS Palmetto State late in 1862, well built iron hulls were in great demand and she was able to continue her successful career as a privately owned blockade runner out of Charleston, South Carolina. With the occupation of Charleston in 1865 by Federal forces, Lady Davis was captured and turned over to the Light House Board by Admiral John A. Dahlgren, who praised her hull, while noting that she was, again, minus her machinery, whose disposition is not recorded.


(From Wikipedia)

Monday, October 10, 2016

How Many ?


One of the things that always saddens me is the loss of an old tree
when a storm passes through.

A couple miles away from my house I saw one today.

So large I had to take two pictures and splice them together.


I wonder "How Many" stories were shared beneath it?

How Many swings were put in it ?

How many summertime Breaks were taken in it's shade ?

How many wildlife creatures made it their home ?

For me it's always a sad event.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Overlooking the Dedication !


One of the things the Floggers often tout is the ongoing protest at the VMFA. 
They consider it a defeat, because the flags have not returned.

Hmmmmmm ?  I look at it as an ongoing battle that shows the resilience and determination 
of the Virginia Flaggers.

Twice a week for 5 years the Flaggers show up ! 
Peacefully and respectfully our views are presented.
The Virginia Flaggers seem to have more Determination at Flagging than Levin does at Teaching.

Yes I said "Our" views because I consider myself a Virginia Flagger.



Now then, Despite the implications by Levin, Simpson and their followers
I have never met a White Supremacist at any of the functions I've attended.

I've never received any racist communications in my MANY E-mails with the group.

It has been 100% about honoring our Confederate Ancestors.

Levin in his typical fashion says 

"Of course there will be more flags, because there is no sign that communities across Virginia and the rest of the South have finished re-evaluating the appropriateness of Confederate iconography."

I see no need to re-evaluate The Confederate Battle Flag -

It is now what it has always been 

The Soldiers Flag !

It fly's  today to HONOR the men who followed it then !


Spin it any way you want, trump up any connection you can dream up,
and nothing changes.

It's about HONOR !