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Levy County, Florida |
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Seahorse Key
The following has been provided by Edward Milligan [emilligan@earthlink.net] Burials at Sea Horse Key The Log of the USS Fort Henry for 20 July 1863 reads in part: At 1045 launch in charge of Chief Boatswains Mate Gillespie returned from the Wacassassac River having been fired into by the enemy instantly killing Patrick Doran (Seaman) by a shot through the neck, and John Bishop (Seaman) by a shot through the body. /s/David Axe On 21 July 1863 an entry says At 5 sent carpenters to Depot Key for lumber for coffins. Sent party on shore to dig graves. At 210 Carpenters finished making coffins, placed the dead bodies in them prepatory to interment. At 430 the corpses (followed by men, officers and Capt.) left the ship for Seahorse Key. Colors at half-mast. At 525 the dead were buried with military honors. The Marine guard firing three volleys over the graves. Set colors at gaff. At 540 Officers & men returned to ship. 1 Apparently losses created a stir back then also. For we find the following report. Admiral: In obedience to the order contained in your dispatch of the 29th ultimo. I communicate the following as details of the reconnaissance in which P. Doran (Seaman) and J. Bishop (Seaman) lost their lives. On the 29th ultimo at early daylight, the launch was fitted out with ten days rations and ordered “to proceed off Bayport, to keep out of sight during daytime behind an island there and at night time to endeavourer to intercept the blockade runners. Two of my officers being sick, another away in charge of a prize and needing the services of a fourth for other duty I was obliged to put the launch in charge of the Chief Boatswains Mate. I forbade the ascent of Crystal River little imagining a necessity of the kind in respect to the Waccassassa. In passing the latter a large amount of loose cotton floating down the stream attracted the attention, and the probability of making a good cotton capture induced Boatswain’s Mate Gillespie to pull up the river. Coming to a narrow part they were fired into from both banks by about 50 or 60 rifles. Doran and Bishop sprang to their gun. The former received a rifle ball through the neck severing the carotid artery and expired instantly; Bishop was shot thru the body and lived about half an hour. The launch was protected by her spars in cranes; none of the rest of the crew was materially hurt. On receiving a return fire the Rebels decamped. In a few minutes, The launch pulled out of range and returned alongside at midnight. On the afternoon of the 21st the deceased were buried in the cemetery on Seahorse Key with customary ceremonies. I have the honor to be Sir, your most obedient servant. E. Y. McCauley, Lieutenant Commander US Navy commanding USS Fort Henry Rear Admiral Theorodus Beckley Commanding Eastern Gulf Coast Blockading Squadron 2)
The following has been provided by Edward Milligan [emilligan@earthlink.net] A USN Casualty This material comes from USN deck log entries of the schooner USS Beauregard (Beau) and the gunboat USS Fort Henry. (FH) Entries are brief, almost telegraphic in style. It is likely that neither vessel had a Surgeon or a sickbay. The island was a handy isolation ward for a fever victim. Neither log says where he was buried. I assume it was on Sea Horse Key near the light. On 26 May 1863 Beau notes: “ Sent Owen Collins (Sea) aboard Fort Henry for medical attendance.” On 29 May 1863 the FH log says “Received Owen Collins for medication from U.S. Schr Beauregard “. Later in the day “Sent Owen Collins (Sea) from Schr Beauregard sick on shore to light house and P. Cotton (Ldsm) to wait upon him. On 1 June the FH Log says At 3 Owen Collins died at Light House on Sea Horse Key of Typhoid Fever. On 2 June, the Beau Log says: “… between 4 and 8 AM Act. Masters Mate Kierstead went ashore with four men to dig a grave for the deceased Collins.” Later that day the FH log says “…Buried Owen Collins (Sea) with Military Honors.” The personal info as listed in the FH Log : Owen Collins 21 year old Seaman born in Ireland, enlisted for one year at Boston on 17 Feb 1863. Was on the USS St Lawrence before arriving on the FH. Owen listed Maine as his residence. Interestingly, On 16 May 63 an entry in the Beau log says “ Sent Patrick Cotton to FH for medical treatment.” It appears that FH opted to use the sick Cotton from Beau to assist his shipmate Owen. RG 24,Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Entry 118: Logs of Ships and Stations 1801-1946; Logs of US Naval Ships 1801-1915. USS Beauregard 1861-1864, Vol 2; and USS Fort Henry 1863-1864 Vol. 2. NAB
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