Francis Tuft, CSN.

by Terry Foenander.

When the Confederate cruiser Shenandoah, commanded by Lieutenant James I. Waddell, arrived in Port Phillip Bay, off Melbourne, on the southern summer's afternoon of January 25, 1865, Francis Tuft, ship's carpenter, had been serving aboard the vessel for six weeks. He had previously served in the same position aboard the American whaler Edward, which was taken as a captive by Waddell on December 4, 1864, and burned the next day, about 50 miles southeast of Tristan da Cunha. When it was noted that Tuft was a carpenter, he was advised that a man of his talents was required aboard the Shenandoah and encouraged to enlist in the Naval service of the Confederacy, with the promise of excellent prize money. How could he turn down such an alluring offer? He was the only crew member of the Edward to join the Confederate Navy. Waddell, in a dispatch dated at Melbourne, January 25, 1865, and sent to Secretary of the Navy, Mallory, states, in part:

On the 5th [4th] of December captured and destroyed the bark Edward (whaler), of New Bedford. I removed a large quantity of stores from her. Her carpenter joined us - a man we much needed. [1]

Much later, Waddell would note:

The carpenter of the Edward joined the Shenandoah and a very excellent man I found him to be. [2]

At the time of Tuft's enlistment aboard the Shenandoah there were at least two other Confederate Navy carpenters aboard the vessel, but Irishman John O'Shey may have given advanced warning of his intention to resign at the next port of call, as this is exactly what he did when the vessel arrived in Melbourne.

English born Tuft must have taken a shine to the colony during the Shenandoah's stopover there, as, at a later stage in his life, he returned to Australia, where he lived his final years.

Meanwhile, he continued to serve aboard the Confederate cruiser until her surrender to the British authorities at Liverpool in November, 1865. Then he made his way back to England, where he married Caroline McKee at St. Mary's, Kirkdale, Lancaster County, on February 24, 1871. Some years later, the family moved to New Zealand, residing at Napier for some time before moving to New South Wales, in Australia.

A book written by his son in law gives a brief account of his service in the Confederate Navy. [3] Francis Tuft passed away in Sydney, New South Wales, on November 29, 1919, and is buried at the Church of England Cemetery, Prospect. At the time of his death he had fathered eight children, seven of whom were still alive. [4]

Sources:

[1] Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, (hereinafter cited as ORN) Series 1, Volume 3, page 760.

[2] ORN, Series 1, Volume 3, page 805.

[3] See pages 7-8, Chapter 2, of J.A. Porter's Roll The Summers Back, no date, published by the Jacaranda Press, Australia.

[4] Marriage and death information included in the English General Register Office Marriage Certificate of Francis Tuft, register number MXB 649090, and the New South Wales death certificate of Francis Tuft, registration number 1919/025600, copies of which are in the possession of the author.

Copyright, Terry Foenander.

August, 2000 (Updated, May, 2005).