The Loss of the "USS Lavender."
by Terry Foenander.
Several vessels of the Union Navy were lost, during the Civil War years, through natural disasters, such as the actions of storms. The most famous loss of this kind was, of course, that of the ironclad, USS Monitor, off Cape Hatteras, after midnight, on December 31, 1862.
Another loss through the actions of a storm was that of the USS Lavender around midnight of June 12, 1864, also off the coast of North Carolina.
The USS Lavender was a screw steamer, armed with two 12-pound rifles and two 24 pound howitzers, and with a complement of 23 personnel. She was built at Philadelphia, and purchased by the Navy Department on May 25, 1864. The vessel, under the command of acting master John H. Gleason, was ordered to proceed for duty, to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, off Charleston, and departed the Delaware Capes at 10 a.m. on June 11, 1864. As the vessel headed south from Cape Lookout Shoals, North Carolina, on the evening of June 12, she began to encounter rough seas and rain squalls. Heading south-west by south and perhaps some 50 or 60 miles from the Cape, at about 11 p.m. that night, the lookouts spotted breakers ahead and on both bows. Orders were immediately given to stop the vessel and reverse, but it was too late, as the vessel struck the reef. Attempts to extricate the vessel from her unfortunate position were entirely fruitless, and rough seas continued to pound the vessel. The engine room was awash and the fires had been extinguished. The vessel had, by then, begun to break up, and the crew took refuge on top of the wheelhouse. The boats were launched, but were immediately swamped by the rough seas, so the crew took shelter within the wheelhouse.
The next day the wheelhouse was carried away, and the crew retreated to the forecastle, which was the only part of the vessel left above water. That night four men were washed away and drowned, and on the 14th, five men died of exhaustion. It would have been a terrifying experience for all concerned, and the sight of a large side wheeled man of war, the next morning, seemed to bring some relief for those who remained. However, in spite of the frantic attempts to attract the attention of this vessel, by waving shirts and blankets, the vessel steamed away to the south. Later that same morning another steamer was sighted, and fortunately for all, their signals were acknowledged this time, and they were soon being taken aboard the army steamer John Farron. After the rescued personnel were provided with food and warm, dry clothing, they were conveyed, aboard the vessel, to New Berne, North Carolina, where they arrived on the morning of the 16th. After having reported to the commander of that station, they were then transferred to the USS Sassacus, and transported to Hampton Roads. Here the required reports were made, and those in need of hospital treatment were cared for, while the rest of the personnel were sent to other vessels of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.
Acting master Gleason's report of the circumstances of the disaster mentions that he was unable to give the names of the nine personnel who lost their lives, due to the fact that he had lost all his papers and the ship's records in the storm. However, it seems strange that he could not have obtained their names from the remaining members of the crew. Those who did survive the storm were named as:
Henry J. Derbyshire, acting master's mate.
Henry Drinker, landsman.
James Fitzpatrick, acting third assistant engineer.
Thomas Foley, acting third assistant engineer.
John H. Gleason, acting master, commanding.
William S. Lunt, ordinary seaman.
James H. McClune, acting master's mate.
Owen McGuire, seaman.
Samuel B. Roane, acting third assistant engineer.
Alexander Rogers, landsman.
A.B. Sheldon, ordinary seaman.
George Thompson, landsman.
Charles White, second class fireman.
John White, ordinary seaman.
Although the USS Lavender was only a small vessel, her loss and the loss of several personnel in the storm, should be considered no less tragic than those of any other vessel in such circumstances. The men suffered through hunger and thirst, as their supplies were underwater throughout the three days prior to their rescue. Gleason was dismissed from the Naval service on July 15, 1864.
Source Notes:
Details of the loss of the USS Lavender and subsequent actions are included in a dispatch sent by acting master J.H. Gleason to Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, and dated aboard the USS Sassacus, James River, Virginia, June 23, 1864, which is reprinted on pages 200-201, series 1, volume 10, of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. An account of the disaster, which also includes the names of those rescued, is printed in the Washington Chronicle of Thursday, June 23, 1864, although there are some errors in this account.
October, 2003.