Personnel of the Privateer "Jeff Davis,"

Louis M. Coxetter, commanding.

by Terry Foenander.

The following list of names (including the Unknowns at the end of the list) was compiled mainly from the listing included in the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, series 2, volume 1, pages 364-365. Additional information has been extracted from several other sources, with references to these sources as indicated against each name.

The Jefferson Davis, or Jeff Davis, originally named the Putnam, had been built in Baltimore in 1845, and was being used as a slaver, under the name Echo, when she was captured by the USS Dolphin, lieutenant John Newland Maffitt (later to find fame in the Confederate States Navy), in August, 1858. The vessel was auctioned off, and reverted to her original name of Putnam, operating out of Charleston, South Carolina, just before the war. Under a letter of marque issued by the Confederate States government, the vessel was commissioned a privateer, Louis M. Coxetter commanding, on June 18, 1861. The vessel captured several prizes in the two months of her privateering career, but was grounded and wrecked off St. Augustine, Florida, in mid-August, 1861. At least two of her prizes were recaptured by the Union Navy or her allies, and the brutal account of the repossession of the S.J. Waring can be viewed on a separate page. [DANFS, 2, 539] Several officers and men also later served aboard the privateer Beauregard, which was briefly in service, off Charleston, South Carolina, in October-November, 1861. [Scharf, 86.]

Although the Jeff Davis was never commissioned into the Confederate States Navy, the issue of a letter of marque should qualify her as quasi-Navy.

Montague H. Amiel, a Charleston pilot; prize schooner S.J. Waring, July 7, 4 p.m.; met a ghastly death, at the hands of the cook of the prize vessel (see account from Scharf on separate page). [Scharf, 79.]

W.H. Babcock, second surgeon and secretary.

William Baya, lieutenant of marines; born St. Augustine, Florida, January 23, 1834; entered Florida state service, January, 1861, as a sergeant major; later in state marine service before being transferred into the Confederate Army as captain of company D, 8th Florida; promoted lieutenant colonel in January, 1863; wounded in action and captured at Fredericksburg, Virginia, December, 1862; wounded in action again at Bristoe Station; captured at Sayler's Creek; released in July, 1865; resided in Jacksonville, Florida, after the war; died July 1, 1903. [Krick, 42-43.]

Patrick Burns, marine.

John Cameron, bark Alvarado, July 22.

Robert Campbell, ship steward.

J.F. Carlsen, helmsman; may have later served in the German Artillery, captain Wagener commanding, of Charleston, South Carolina, and was one of the volunteer crewmen aboard the submarine H.L. Hunley, when she attacked the USS Housatonic in early 1864. [ORN 1, 12, 309 and 1, 15, 337.]

Patrick Cassidy, Santa Clara, August 5.

J. Clark, boatswain, bark Alvarado, July 22, July 9 (1861).

James Conley.

R. Connor, bark Alvarado, July 22.

Louis Mitchell Coxetter, born Nova Scotia, Canada, 1818; captain; resident of, and died in Charleston, South Carolina, 1873. [ORN 2, 1, 363; CDAB 207.]

Robert Cross, helmsman.

Felix Dolan, prize brig John Welsh, July 6, 11 a.m.

J. Dugan, prize John Welsh, July 6, (ord.), 11 a.m.

John Dulaney.

T. Du Lyon, bark Alvarado, July 22.

E. Dumas, boatswain's mate.

H. Dutch, (July 23, 1861).

Felix C. Dutneux, seaman. [Dutneux's account of the destruction of the Jeff Davis was originally published in the Richmond Enquirer (Virginia), which was republished in the New York Daily Tribune of Sunday, September 8, 1861.]

F. Fallen, Santa Clara, August 5.

J. Finegan, seaman, Santa Clara, July 9, August 5.

D. Flynn, seaman.

James Gordon, gunner's mate.

C. Greelish, marine.

Daniel Griffin, marine.

Gilbert Hay, prize master, bark Alvarado, July 22; later commanded the privateer Beauregard, which saw brief service off Charleston, South Carolina, before being captured by the USS W.G. Anderson, November 12, 1861. [Scharf, 86,]

Henry Holmes, bark Alvarado, July 22.

John Horton.

C. Howe, captain of hold.

Andrew Jackson, (July 23, 1861).

Clare Jefferey.

John Kelly.

James Kendall, prize schooner Enchantress, July 6, 5 p.m.

Frank Lalis, captain of maintop.

Jules Lavergne, mate.

Malco[l]m Liddy, prize S.J. Waring, July 7, 4 p.m.; met a ghastly death, at the hands of the cook of the prize vessel (see account from Scharf on separate page - his name is listed in Scharf's account as Malcolm Siding).

H. Lubrecht, captain of foretop.

James Madden.

J. Mather, cabin boy, John Welsh, July 6.

Albert H. Mazgar, prize brig John Welsh, July 6, 11 a.m.

John F. McCowen, (July 23, 1861).

John McLay, bark Alvarado, July 22.

Samuel Miller.

James B.G. Milnor (ord.), seaman, schooner S.J. Waring, July 7; captured, and held at Fort Lafayette; released May, 1862. [ORA 2, 3, 611.]

Loro. Mollen, prize brig John Welsh, July 6, 11 a.m.

John Morgan.

William G. Morrow, bark Alvarado, July 22.

W. Morton.

Daniel Mullings, seaman, schooner Enchantress, July 6, 5 p.m.; captured by USS Albatross, and held at Moyamensing Prison, Philadelphia; transferred, February 7, 1862, to Fort Lafayette; released May, 1862; had a brother, Henry Mullings who resided in Charleston, South Carolina. [ORA 2, 3, 246, 397 and 611; ORN, 2, 1, 381.]

George Page, (July 23, 1861).

H. Papton, carpenter.

J.G. Parry, helmsman.

Peter Parry.

W. Powers, (July 23, 1861).

William Ross Postell, first lieutenant; supposed to have been a midshipman in the United States Navy, in 1831 or 1832, but is not listed in the Navy Register; captured aboard the steamer Ida, July 8, 1864, by the USS Sonoma. [ORN, 1, 15, 562.]

Thomas Quigley, prize schooner Enchantress, July 6, 5 p.m.;captured by USS Albatross, and held at Moyamensing Prison, Philadelphia; transferred, February 7, 1862, to Fort Lafayette.. [ORA 2, 3, 246 and 397.]

Charles Relford, cook's mate.

Samuel Reynolds, prize brig John Welsh, July 6, 11 a.m.

E. Rockford, seaman, prize brig John Welsh, July 6, 11 a.m.; captured by USS Albatross, and held at Moyamensing Prison, Philadelphia; transferred, February 7, 1862, to Fort Lafayette; released May, 1862. [ORA 2, 3, 246, 397 and 611.]

William Rones.

John Rotchford, schooner Enchantress, July 6, 5 p.m.

J.W. Rumley, bark Alvarado, July 22.

Fred. Sandvrie [Sanfrau], captain of marines.

Edward M. Seabrook, first surgeon.

Franklin Sears, (July 23, 1861).

G. Simmons, prize bark Alvarado, July 22.

James Smith, prize brig John Welsh, July 6, 11 a.m.

T. Smith, prize schooner S.J. Waring, July 7.

Walton [Walter] William Smith, seaman, schooner Enchantress, July 6, 5 p.m.; captured by USS Albatross, and held at Moyamensing Prison, Philadelphia; transferred, February 7, 1862, to Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor; released May, 1862; possibly the same person who was appointed, August 20, 1862, from the state of Georgia, as pilot, Confederate States Navy; served on CSS Georgia, Savannah Squadron, 1862-63; paroled February 11, 1865, at Fort Warren. [ORA 2, 3, 611 (shown as William Smith in this source); ORA 2, 3, 246 and 397; CSN Register, 184.]

George Stephens, helmsman, schooner S.J. Waring, July 7; met a ghastly death, at the hands of the cook of the prize vessel (see account from Scharf on separate page).

J.W. Stevens, prize brig John Welsh, July 6, 11 a.m.

A. Stone, helmsman (Santa Clara), August 5.

R.H. Stuart, second lieutenant.

L.T. Swan.

James Thurston, seaman.

Thomas Tompson, captain of forecastle, bark Alvarado, July 22.

J. Vollant.

F. Williams, cook (Santa Clara), August 5.

Unknown, third lieutenant.

Unknown, sergeant of marines (left in Charleston).

Unknown, schooner Enchantress, July 6, 5 p.m.

Unknown, schooner Enchantress, July 6, 5 p.m.

Unknown, schooner Enchantress, July 6, 5 p.m.

Unknown, boatswain.

Unknown, carpenter's mate.

Unknown, coxswain.

Unknown, captain of foretop.

Unknown, captain of maintop.

Unknown, marine.

Sources:

CDAB - Concise Dictionary of American Biography, second edition, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1977.

CSN Register - Register of Officers of the Confederate States Navy, 1861-1865, originally published, 1931, by the Office of Naval Records and Library, United States Navy Department, Washington, D.C.; reprinted 1983, by J.M. Carroll & Company, Mattituck, New York 11952.

DANFS - Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, volume 2, published 1963, reprinted 1977; Navy Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History Division, Washington, D.C.

Krick - Lee's Colonels: A Biographical Register of the Field Officers of the Army of Northern Virginia, by Robert K. Krick; Morningside Bookshop, Dayton, Ohio, 1979.

ORA - War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. in 128 volumes; U.S. Government Printing Office.

ORN - Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. reprinted 1987, National Historical Society, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Scharf - History of the Confederate States Navy, by J. Thomas Scharf; reprinted 1996, by Gramercy Books, a division of Random House Value Publishing, Inc., Avenel, New Jersey.

© Terry Foenander.

May, 2001 (Updated June, 2005).