"C.S.S. Tallahassee" Makes Daring Escape.

by Ron Low.

Who could have imagined that a visit to Halifax by a Confederate sailor in 1864 would result in his coming back here to live?

This has to be one of the most thrilling stories of the American Civil War insofar as the people of Halifax are concerned. You will soon discover that it also had a number of interesting ramifications.

The blockade runners on both sides of this terrible conflict were using the port of Halifax on a fairly regular basis. Because of the close proximity to the theatre of war on the high seas, and the excellent harbour facilities, Halifax was a natural choice.

During a brilliant 19 day raid, from her home port of Wilmington, North Carolina, and return, the Tallahassee created absolute havoc with Union commerce along the Atlantic seaboard. In this short period, she destroyed 26 vessels and captured 7 others that were bonded or released. The 13 knot, twin-screw, man of war, with a complement of 120 officers and men, had sailed in early August to engage in this mission of destruction.

The cruiser's Master was Captain John Taylor Wood, a grandson of Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States. Captain Wood appears to have been well connected, because he was also a nephew of Jefferson Davis, who at the time was President of the Secessionist States.

Captain Wood had sailed the Tallahassee into Halifax Harbour to take on bunker coal and water. Two Federal war ships, the Nansemond and Huron, had chased her north. They now dropped anchor in the main shipping channel at the mouth of the harbour thus blocking her escape.

Under the terms of Queen Victoria's proclamation affecting Civil War belligerents using British ports, the Tallahassee had 48 hours to complete the bunkering process, and then she had to leave. The two Union ships, aware of these terms, patiently waited for her fully expecting to engage the cruiser and blast her out of the water. However, it was not to be.

Local papers of the day were reporting these events on a daily basis. And the citizenry were excited at the prospects of watching a naval battle on their own doorstep. Many of them either walked or rode their horses out to a good vantage point to witness what they fully expected would be the end of the Tallahassee.

Captain Wood agonized over the route he should take to attempt an escape. Providence now began to play a part. After looking at marine charts, he made a bold decision to make his getaway through the seldom used eastern passage on the far side of McNab's Island.

Late at night on August 20, 1864, Captain Wood took on a local harbour pilot by the name of Jock Flemming. He was from Eastern Passage, a community and body of water that's comprised of several small islands, and he knew these waters well.

From the diaries of Captain Wood, we know that a mild argument took place. The skipper was concerned about the depth of the water, and the rocks, whereas the pilot was uneasy about the length of the cruiser, as they would have to make many turns in the narrow crooked channel.

Captain Wood said to the pilot, "you just find me the water, and with the twin-screws I have, I can turn her like a ruler."

Somewhat reassured, Flemming replied to John Taylor Wood, "Captain, I'll find you the water where the only thing you'll feel under the keel is eel grass." [See important notice at the end of this page, relating to this particular incident.]

And so over the next hour, Wood and Flemming began their harrowing task. The lights were extinguished on the Tallahassee, and Wood sent a crew member ahead in a small boat with a hand light to signal when turns were required.

Photographs of Jock Flemming, in his later years, taken about twenty years apart.
[Images contributed by his great great granddaughter, Linda-Gray LeBlanc, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.]

Flemming guided the Tallahassee carefully through the crooked channel where at high tide there would only be a few feet of water under the keel. Painstakingly they eased past Lawlor's Island, twisting and turning, and then Devil's Island to where the ship would be in open water. At this point, the Captain and the pilot bade their farewells, and Flemming got into his rowboat and started to pull towards shore.

Map of the Eastern Passage, with arrowed line showing the path of the CSS Tallahassee.

As he began to steer a course south, John Taylor Wood looked back across the water, and in the distance he could see the lights of the two unsuspecting Union ships as they lay in wait for him. And as they say, "the rest is history."

At dawn the next day, the Union vessels were still sitting at the mouth of the harbour long after their elusive enemy had vanished.

Does the story end here? Well not exactly, because Captain Wood must have seen something here that he liked. Following the collapse of the Confederacy in 1865, he came back to Halifax and took up permanent residence. Or was he perhaps disillusioned that the South had lost the war? History has not recorded his most inner thoughts in this regard, or his reasons for doing so.

We do know this. John Taylor Wood went into the marine insurance business for himself, became a prominent citizen, and lived in Halifax for just about 40 years, passing away in 1904.

Through his descendants, the Tallahassee Skipper has made a contribution to his adopted country that may not be equalled by any other foreign national.

Sadly, his youngest of 11 children, Charles Carroll Wood made the supreme sacrifice. He went to Royal Military College in Kingston, joined the army, and was the first Canadian Officer to fall in battle during the Boer War in 1899.

A grandson, Donald Taylor Wood, was killed overseas in 1944, flying a Halifax bomber with 431 Squadron in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

A great-grandson died in a car accident while on duty with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

On a much happier family note, beginning with John Taylor Wood's oldest son, Zachary Taylor Wood, 4 generations of the family contributed 103 years of meritorious service with the R.C.M.P. and its predecessor police forces. During this period, one of them rose to the position of Assistant Commissioner, and another to the top rank of Commissioner.

Today in Nova Scotia, the exploits of John Taylor Wood and his ship are remembered. In Eastern Passage, where the daring escape took place, we have the Tallahassee Primary School.

Occasionally when I am in the general area of Eastern Passage, I go out of my way, and take great delight in going down close to the shore where the crooked channel is at its narrowest. I like to stand there and imagine the Tallahassee slowly gliding through this strip of water as she gives the slip to her pursuers. Sometimes when I am there, I can actually see the ghost of this valiant ship quietly making her way along the surface of the water. One such day, not long ago, someone on board smiled and waved to me. I like to think that it was John Taylor Wood.

Escape route used by the CSS Tallahassee, showing how narrow the passage was, and still is.

Another view of the escape passage, looking north. Lawlor Island is to the left.

Important Notice: In an e-mail message to the web site administrator, dated November 6, 2001, the great, great grand-daughter of Jock Flemming, Linda Gray-LeBlanc, has provided the following corrective notes: [Jock Flemming] was born In Ketch Harbour, Halifax County in 1811, the son of John Flemming and Bridget Henneberry. He died in Ketch Harbour on July 10, 1908, aged 97, and is buried in Ketch Harbour. In the Morning Chronicle Newspaper of his obituary it says: Captain J. Taylor was in a predicament. Jock Flemming was sent on board to take the vessel out and he decided to try the Eastern Passage. "If you will steer her, I'll find the water. You won't touch anything but the eel grass," was his answer to Captain Wood, when the latter expressed doubt of there being enough water in the passage for the cruiser. Jock Flemming was my Great Great Grandfather and his story is of great detail to us and to everyone in tthe Ketch Harbour area and would like to keep his story correct.

Note: Mr. Ron Low, in an e-mail dated August 1, 2004, admits that he had erred in writing that Flemming had come from Eastern Passage, when he had actually come from Ketch Harbour. It should be noted, however, that the gist of the story is correct, and is supported by documentation, including, it should be noted, John Taylor Wood's personal diary, held at the University of North Carolina. Also, it should be added, newspaper accounts are usually rather unreliable, and should be approached with caution.

See also the roster of the CSS Tallahassee on a separate page.

© Ron Low.

May, 2001 (Updated August, 2004).