Treachery of a Union Gunboat Commander.

by Terry Foenander.

The USS Rattler was a stern wheeled steamer of about 165 tons, originally built in Cincinnati as the Florence Miller in 1862, and purchased by the Navy Department on November 11, 1862. Three and a half weeks later she was renamed the Rattler and commissioned at Cairo, Illinois, on December 19, 1862, with Acting Master Amos R. Langthorne in command. [1]

The vessel was attached to the Mississippi Squadron and played an active part in several expeditions on the Mississippi and her tributaries. She was involved in the bombardment and capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas, in January 1863, and the attack on Fort Pemberton, on the Tallahatchie River, in March, 1863. Her subsequent career consisted of patrols along the Mississippi River, mainly around Rodney, Mississippi.

On September 13, 1863, her then commander, Acting Master Walter E.H. Fentress, and a number of men of the Rattler, went ashore at Rodney, to attend church services, as they were regularly inclined to do each Sunday. This habit having been noted by Confederate army observers in the vicinity, was soon placed to their (the Confederates) advantage by a dash upon the church, on that date, and the capture of Fentress, as well as Acting Ensign Simon H. Strunk; Arthur Rodgerson, Gunner's Mate; John A. Roycroft, Ship's Corporal; C.C. Devinney, Paymaster's Steward; Noah Parks, Quartermaster; Oloff Nelson, Quarter Gunner; James Robertson, First Class Fireman; Edwin Corbett, Thomas Brown, Frederick Plump, John Stark, Thomas Burns, John D. Masten, Walter Keef, Daniel Ryan and Maurice Ivory, Seamen. Six other officers and men who also attended the church service were able to escape and return to the vessel. Rear Admiral David D. Porter, on hearing of the capture, severely criticised the actions of some of his naval officers in allowing officers and men to go ashore in Confederate held territory, without adequate protection and support covering fire. [2]

Shortly after the capture of Acting Master Fentress, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant James Laning was placed in command of the Rattler, and he remained in command until he was ordered to report Admiral Porter at Cairo, Illinois, in June, 1864. Acting Master Daniel W. Glenney then took command of the vessel.

Prior to the war, Glenney had been a mate aboard a vessel which sailed out of New York, and was appointed Acting Ensign in the naval service on October 8, 1862. He was promoted to Acting Master a year later. He had served in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and aboard the USS Cambridge. After assuming command of the Rattler, he was instructed to cruise in the vicinity of Bruinsburg, St. Joseph and Rodney, Mississippi, and to obtain coal from Grand Gulf, when required. In July, 1864, Glenney was instructed to proceed to Hurricane Island, and to patrol in that vicinity while the USS Forest Rose, the regular patrolling gunboat for that area, was away on other matters.

On the night of September 4, 1864, Glenney sent Acting Third Assistant Engineer James H. Hume and a party of 22 men ashore to the residence of Mr. Joshua James, at Carthage Bayou, Louisiana, not far from Hurricane Island, in an attempt to capture James' two sons, who were known to be officers in the Confederate Army and also known to visit home each night.

On reaching the shore, Hume, and all of his party, except two African American sailors, who were left behind to watch the cutter in which they had reached the shore, proceeded towards the James residence, about two miles distant. About half an hour after leaving the cutter, Hume and his party heard several shots coming from the direction of where he had left the two sailors to look after the cutter, and shortly after a whistle was blown from the Rattler, as a signal for the gig, which was on duty at the Mississippi shore, to return. Hume immediately called off the expedition and headed back towards where he had left the cutter, and shortly before arriving there he was called upon to surrender by a large party of Confederates. Hume then gave the order to fire upon the enemy, which was immediately returned, wounding one of his men. The party was then surrounded and ordered to surrender, which order was immediately acceded to, with the exception of Hume and two others, who managed to escape.

In the meantime, the cutter, which had been seized after the killing of the two sailors, was manned by Lieutenant Jonathan H. Carter of the Confederate Navy and several of his men (all of whom had been sent down from the CSS Missouri). Carter and his men attempted to approach and capture the Rattler, but were foiled when a dinghy with an armed crew from the Rattler, under the command of the executive officer, Acting Ensign H.N. Wells, were sent from the vessel to investigate the commotion. Wells had made out the cutter approaching the vessel and attempted to hail her, but on receiving an unsatisfactory answer in return, he fired upon the cutter, and at the same time hailed the commander of the Rattler, advising that the cutter had been captured by the enemy who were attempting to use it to board the vessel. Lieutenant Carter then cancelled his plans and immediately headed towards the Louisiana shore. Meanwhile the Rattler slipped her chain and proceeded in the direction of where the cutter was last sighted. Unable to locate the cutter or any of her men the vessel rounded to and headed back to her original station. Mr. James was then seen on the bank near where his residence was situated. He was asked if any of the men from the Rattler had called at his home that night, to which he answered in the negative. A short time later Engineer Hume and the two other escapees were taken aboard the vessel after Hume had hailed the vessel. The vessel then took up her anchorage close to where the cutter had previously landed.

On the morning of September 5th, Acting Master Glenney and several other men from the vessel procured a guide on shore, and made for the Confederate encampment to attempt a parole of the captured sailors. The arrangement was successful, and the captured men were released the next day. Later, that evening, Glenney reported to Lieutenant Commander Thomas O. Selfridge giving details of the capture of his men, after which, instead of returning to his vessel, he headed upriver to Vicksburg, where he loitered around for a few days. It became apparent at a later point that he was communicating with some of the Southern sympathisers in Vicksburg. His actions and movements at Vicksburg were noted by some of the Union Army officers at Vicksburg, and intelligence of this was communicated to Lieutenant Commander Selfridge.

Selfridge ordered Glenney to be placed under close arrest, but after a short while released him from arrest, instead placing him in close confinement.

In early October a deserter from the Confederate States Navy was received aboard the USS Benton and on being interrogated, advised that he had heard some of the CS Naval officers at Shreveport discussing the matter of the USS Rattler and how her commanding officer had made contact with Confederate forces ashore indicating that he was willing to lessen security aboard his vessel in order for her to be taken by the Confederates, in exchange for some form of payment. Admiral Porter, on being advised of this fact, had Glenney re-arrested and confined. Having been able to influence the then executive officer of the USS Rattler, Acting Ensign E.P. Nellis, Glenney was able to desert the vessel, together with Nellis, in the early hours of November 4, 1864. After his desertion, several factors emerged to show his true nature, including a letter he had addressed to a Miss Winnie Wilcox (or Wilcore), at Rodney, Mississippi, in which he had addressed her as 'cousin.' In it he advised that he would avenge himself against the Federal government for the perceived wrongs done against him.

Even while he was still in custody, an incriminating letter was sent to Lieutenant Commander Phelps of the United States Navy, at New Orleans, Louisiana by M.N. Lynn and L. Beatty, dated at Goodrich's Landing, Louisiana, October 27, 1864, a transcript of which follows:

Sir: I feel it my duty to make you the following statement: I am a U.S. citizen; was captured some four months since near this place by the rebel troops under Colonel Harrison, and, after some delay, was sent to Alexandria, La., to await some disposition, which came by forwarding me through the lines by the last exchange of prisoners made between Colonel Dwight and Colonel Szymanski. During my stay in guard house in Alexandria became acquainted with the following facts (from various sources and from the frequent canvassing of the matter in the room adjoining me, being occupied by Major A.W. McKee, being guarded by a rebel corporal and sergeant). Our acquaintance, Colonel Moffit, from Shreveport, corroborated our information, and since arriving in our own lines we find the intelligence gained on the rebel side fully identified by parties on this side. We know that such a matter was contemplated, and hence watched our opportunity to give information on the subject. The rebels, under Generals Walker, Taylor, and Polignac, about two months since, attempted to cross a force of nearly 7,000 men and 2,600 head of cattle to the other side of the river. (The cattle they crossed by making them swim.) To enable them to work with dispatch, they commenced negotiating with a U.S. commander of a gunboat there, lying at or near Mr. Joshua James's residence, Carthage Bayou, La. The commander came upon terms for performing his services, for what I understand he has received his pay (my authority being from the C.S. officer canvassing the matter). Said commander was to deliver up his boat to the Confederate officers by a certain strategy to cover any suspicion should his maneuver fail, and in view of the negotiations the Confederate authorities have conveyed to the spot the entire crew of the C.S. gunboat Missouri, they lying at Shreveport to have them in readiness to take charge of the abandoned U.S. boat. (From our men in prison at Shreveport we learn that the crew of the C.S. gunboat Missouri did leave Shreveport about that time, and one of their number came back badly wounded.) We learned that the U.S. commander arranged with the C.S. commander to go ashore with his entire crew of officers under pretense of capturing Captain James, and while under the expedition the C.S. forces would capture the boats with only a negro sailor each for a guard, and they would immediately proceed to the U.S. boat, then without officers, and unsuspicious, proceed to the capture. We learn that after visiting the house of Mr. James they went forth to a frolic or dance, but one or more of the officers, not thinking all was right, unknown to the balance, proceeded to his boat and immediately gained his vessel, communicating his distrust and clearing the ship for action only in time to frustrate being taken by the other two boats now manned by C.S. sailors, who proceeded near the vessel, but did not proceed to attack, seeing demonstrations for a blind reception. After the C.S. sailors returned ashore, they proceeded to capture and parole the entire crew then ashore. During the taking of the two boats by C.S. sailors from guards, we understand they killed the guards, but they, in their resistance, severely wounded the commanding officer of the Missouri crew. The delay in the negotiations and the subsequent failure of the plan made it impracticable for the C.S. troops to cross in large numbers, hence but few crossed. Being but a private citizen, and not knowing that this will even be read by you, yet I think, from the matter mentioned, should such a case of traitors exist, your superior facilities of comparing notes will enable you to bring such a party to justice, should he be guilty of betraying the county.

Although incorrect in some details, the letter confirmed suspicions that something was amiss about the attempted capture of the Rattler on the 4th of September. An exchange of messages between officers of the Confederate Army in the area further incriminated the commander of the Rattler, and, although in denial of his treachery, his desertion further fuelled the evidence against him. Glenney's subsequent movements are unknown except for a brief entry in the Naval Official Records which indicate that he had been seen in April, 1865, around the Port Gibson, Mississippi, area, and a cavalry detachment was being sent out in an effort to capture him. The outcome of this expedition is unknown. [3]

Sources:

[1] Details of the Rattler's construction from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Volume 6, page 41, which incorrectly notes that the vessel was a side wheel steamer, but this is not borne out by contemporary photographs of the vessel, which clearly show her as a stern wheeler.

[2] The capture of Fentress and his men is covered in the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 25, pages 404-411. A newspaper report included in the ORN notes that Fentress was a Virginian, whose father and brother were in the Confederate Army. Although Admiral Porter was indignant that Fentress should be dismissed the service, after his humiliating capture, Fentress continued in service until his honorable discharge from naval service, two years after the end of the war.

[3] Copies of the records relating to the treachery of Glenney can be found on pages 536-551, Series 1, Volume 26 of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. The attempt to capture him is mentioned in a message sent by Major General Napoleon J.T. Dana to Brigadier General J.W. Davidson, commanding the District of Natchez, dated Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 1, 1865, a transcript of which is found on pages 177-178, Series 1, Volume 27 of the same set.

Copyright, Terry Foenander.

November, 2000.