| The Richmond & York River
Railroad connected, on the York River, with steamboats to Baltimore
and other cities. At the start of the war, the road owned the
steamboat West Point for that service. |
| Below, extracted from the
October 1st, 1864 Annual Report of that road is the story of the loss
of that steamboat from an act of sabotage. |
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It is with deep regret that your Directory have to report
the loss of the steamer West Point, belonging to this Company. On the
afternoon of the 29th of October, 1863, application was made to the
undersigned by the Quartermaster's Department C. S. A. for the use of
the steamer to transport to Chaffin's Bluff a portion of the forces of
the Confederate States. She had then been lying idle for sometime,
with only a watchman and negro man on board, and it being desired that
she should be ready to leave the wharf at an early hour the ensuing
morning, but a short time was allowed in which to obtain the services
of a commander and crew. At length, with the assistance of the
Quartermaster, a captain, fireman and crew were procured, and Capt.
Gifford, late of the steamer Glencove, was placed in charge, with the
crew and firemen above mentioned, taken from one of the gun-boats then
lying in James river, with Mr. Furguson, her engineer, in charge of
the engine. Thus manned, she was ready to leave her wharf at the
appointed hour, before which time it had been raining heavily, and a
very large number of troops rushed on board, and much to my surprise,
in great disorder and confusion, without any one in command to whom to
appeal could be made to restore and preserve order. Under these
circumstances nothing could be done but order the gang boards to be
drawn in and the steamer run out in the stream. This order was taken
to the captain by Mr. John McFarland, master of transportation, but
some delay ensured in executing it, by reason of the continued rush of
soldiers, officers and men, until, it is believed that largely over
one thousand had gotten on board. When the steamer had been gotten in
the stream, and not till then, it was ascertained that Major Henley of
the City Battalion, was the ranking officer on board, and he
immediately assumed command, and in some short time restored
comparatively good order, at least temporarily, and the steamer
proceeded on her trip down the river, to the wharf near Chaffin's
Bluff. When within a few miles of the Bluff, it was reported by Mr.
Furguson, the engineer, that the boat was taking in water very
rapidly, and by the time she had neared the wharf he further reported
that the fires had been extinguished, and she very soon thereafter
sunk, without having gotten fully up to the wharf, the water covering
a small portion of the main deck -- the troops in the meantime being
landed from her forward deck, without any accident whatever.
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Before leaving the wharf at Richmond, it had been
ascertained that the windows both of the forward and after lower
cabins were closed and fastened. When she was raised, they were most
of them found open, and it is believed they were opened by some
portion of the soldiers, who had gone below and engaged in playing
cards. It is reported, that while the steamer was proceeding down the
river a gun was fired from one of these windows, but with what truth I
have not been able to ascertain. From all the circumstances attending
the accident, the undersigned is very confident that the sinking of
the steamer was caused by water taken in at the port holes or windows
in the lower cabin, and that this was occasioned by the disorder of
the troops, preventing the captain keeping her properly trimmed.
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By the courtesy of the Hon'ble James A. Seddon, Secretary
of War, a force of some twenty-five men, some of whom were experienced
wreckers, was detailed from a company of heavy artillery then
stationed at Drewry's Bluff, to aid in raising the steamer, who, with
the assistance of one of the fire engines, procured from the city
council of Richmond, and its commander, Capt. Barnes, and one of the
gun-boats of the C. S. N., under command of Capt. Clarke, succeeded in
raising and placing her safely at her wharf in this city.
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As soon as arrangements could be made, and material
procured, a competent force was placed on board the steamer to repair
the damage occasioned by her sinking, and put her in complete order
for future use, as I expected to charter her to the War Department to
be used in transporting exchanged prisoners. The work was progressing
satisfactorily with the small force which we had at our command, when,
on the morning of the 24th day of February, 1864, she was again found
in a sinking condition, having nearly filled with water to her main or
lower decks, and was taken in tow by a gun-boat and carried out into
the stream near the mouth of the ship-lock of the James River and
Kanawha canal, where she very soon settled down to her main deck.
Immediate application was again made to the Hon'ble Secretary of War
for another detail of men to assist in raising her, -- it being
impossible to obtain a competent force except through the War or Navy
Departments. This request was immediately complied with, and Capt.
John Lewis, an old and experienced wrecker, with some twenty competent
men were detailed for the purpose. Capt. Lewis, with his men, reported
in a few days, and proceeded at once to procure the necessary material
and appliances required for raising the boat. But before the work
could be accomplished, a heavy freshet occurred in James river, the
heaviest for many years, and swept the boat from her then position,
further into and across the stream on a sand bar, where she remained
for two or three days, every precaution being taken in the meantime by
Captain Lewis to secure her from further accident, by the use of all
the chains, cables and ropes that could be obtained, but all proved
unavailing, for the force of the current in the river continuing to
increase, she was turned bottom upwards, and thus became an entire
wreck.
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It now only remained to take her hull to pieces and take
out the engine and other portions of the wreck, for future use or
sale. This Captain Lewis was preparing to do, when he and his men were
transferred from the War to the Navy Department, and ordered to report
at once at Plymouth, N. C. We were thus deprived of the only means at
our command to accomplish the object. It was then thought best to sell
the boat and fixtures as then lying in James river, and a sale was
accordingly ordered and advertised, but, very few bidders appearing,
she was not offered. Another effort was then made to raise the wreck,
and while this was being done, a sale of it was effected to one
Nathaniel S. Carpenter, of North Carolina, and the work of removing
the material at once abandoned. Mr. Carpenter failing to comply with
his contract to pay the amount of purchase money, say $31,000, a suit
has been instituted against him in the circuit court of the city of
Richmond, and it is believed that a sufficiency of his property has
been attached to answer the purposes of the suite.
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The cause of the last sinking of the steamer remained a
profound mystery until the last effort was made to get up the wreck,
when it was discovered that one of the large copper pipes used in
conducting the water from the river to the boiler had been nearly
severed by an axe, or some like sharp instrument, and piece several
inches in length and breadth cut entirely out, thus admitting the
water to the hold of the vessel. This was evidently done by design,
and the work of some one who, from experience, personal knowledge and
opportunity, had been bribed for the occasion.
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The cost of raising the steamer, after she was first
sunk, and damages sustained, amount to the sum of $4,822.75; for which
the Confederate States are justly liable. Application has accordingly
been made to have the claim audited, and it was referred to Major
Morris for a report. He has prepared one, I learn, adverse to the
claim, but upon further proofs, which will be laid before him,
am confident he will report favorably, and that the claim will
ultimately be paid.
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