Thursday, 25 May 1865
The reportedly unintentional "accidental explosion" of over 20 tons of gunpowder at the Confederate ordnance depot at Mobile, Alabama, causes an estimated $5,000,000 in damages to buildings, boats, and other property and kills and wounds approximately 300 people. The gunpowder was being stored in a warehouse used as an arsenal, and its detonation and fire directly led to many other blasts.
Second report: An ordnance explosion and the resulting fires causes extensive damage in Mobile. The explosion originated in Marshall's warehouse, which contained surrendered Confederate ammunition. Rear Admiral Henry Knox Thatcher noted that although the explosion occurred three quarters of a mile from the flagship, fragments of shell fell on board. Commander Edward Simpson was immediately dispatched with a number of sailors to render all possible aid. Simpson reported: "I visited the scene of the fire, and with a large force of sailors was enabled to do some service, the presence of the sailors in the neighborhood of the exploding shells tended much to restore a partial feeling of confidence to the firemen and others." He called particular attention to the bravery, of Quartermaster John Cooper who "...at the risk of being blown to pieces by exploding shells..." entered the fire and carried a wounded man to safety on his back. For this heroic deed, Cooper was awarded the Medal of Honor for a second time; his first award was for courageous devotion to duty on board U.S.S. Brooklyn at Mobile Bay in 1864. The tug U.S.S. Cowslip, commanded by Acting Master W. T. Bacon, towed three vessels to safety.
Francis Channing Barlow, U.S.A., is appointed Major General.
A Federal expedition travels from Bayou Boeuf to Bayou De Large, Louisiana, with a brief affair recorded at Bayou De Large, as the Yankees surprise the camp of 11 Confederates behind J. Terrion's plantation, capturing all of their weapons and provisions, as the partisans retreat into the woods.
Federal troops scout from Fort Ruby to the Humboldt Valley, Nevada, with a skirmish reported near Austin, Nevada, with the Piute and Bannock Indians who were committing deprivations against ranchers' livestock, about Austin, Grass Valley and in the Reese River Valley.
Because of his activities as a Confederate agent abroad and his torpedo activities, that many Northerners considered dastardly, Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury decided he would not be granted amnesty. Before the War, when he headed the United States Naval Observatory and was world famous for his pathfinding in oceanography, he had corresponded with many leaders from Europe including Heads of State. One of them had been Maximilian of Austria. In England he had renewed this correspondence and had dabbled in political intrigue with Emperor Napoleon and Maximilian before the latter proceeded in 1864 on his ill-fated venture as Emperor of Mexico. Hence Maury had continued on board Atrato which had departed Havana on the 24th for Mexico. This morning, Maury drafted a note to the United States Consul at Vera Cruz, enclosing a letter addressed "To the officer in command of the U.S. Naval forces in the Gulf of Mexico". He wrote:
"In peace as in war I follow the fortunes of my native old state [Virginia]. I read in the public prints that she has practically confessed defeat and laid down her arms. In that act mine were grounded also. I am here without command, officially alone, and am bound on matters of private concern abroad. Nevertheless, and as I consider further resistance worse than useless, I deem it proper formally so to confess; and to pledge you in the words of honor that, should I find myself before the final inauguration of peace within the jurisdiction of the United States, to consider myself a prisoner of war, bound by the terms and conditions which have been or may be granted to General Lee and his officers. Be pleased to send your answer through my son (Colonel R. L. Maury), a prisoner of war on parole in Richmond. In the meantime, until I hear to the contrary, I shall act as though my surrender had been formally accepted on the above named terms conditions."
Rear Admiral Thatcher reports that this date the defensive works at Sabine Pass, Texas, were evacuated and that the United States flag was hoisted at Forts Mannahasset and Griffin. The flags were raised by men from the U.S.S. Owasco, commanded by Acting Lieutenant Commander Lewis W. Pennington.
The U.S.S. Vanderbilt, commanded by Captain C. W. Pickering, arrives at Hampton Roads with the captured Confederate ram Columbia in tow. She was one of the largest ironclads ever built by the Confederacy, but had never seen service as she grounded when being outfitted at Charleston, South Carolina. Columbia was captured when Charleston capitulated and was subsequently salvaged.
The reportedly unintentional "accidental explosion" of over 20 tons of gunpowder at the Confederate ordnance depot at Mobile, Alabama, causes an estimated $5,000,000 in damages to buildings, boats, and other property and kills and wounds approximately 300 people. The gunpowder was being stored in a warehouse used as an arsenal, and its detonation and fire directly led to many other blasts.
Second report: An ordnance explosion and the resulting fires causes extensive damage in Mobile. The explosion originated in Marshall's warehouse, which contained surrendered Confederate ammunition. Rear Admiral Henry Knox Thatcher noted that although the explosion occurred three quarters of a mile from the flagship, fragments of shell fell on board. Commander Edward Simpson was immediately dispatched with a number of sailors to render all possible aid. Simpson reported: "I visited the scene of the fire, and with a large force of sailors was enabled to do some service, the presence of the sailors in the neighborhood of the exploding shells tended much to restore a partial feeling of confidence to the firemen and others." He called particular attention to the bravery, of Quartermaster John Cooper who "...at the risk of being blown to pieces by exploding shells..." entered the fire and carried a wounded man to safety on his back. For this heroic deed, Cooper was awarded the Medal of Honor for a second time; his first award was for courageous devotion to duty on board U.S.S. Brooklyn at Mobile Bay in 1864. The tug U.S.S. Cowslip, commanded by Acting Master W. T. Bacon, towed three vessels to safety.
Francis Channing Barlow, U.S.A., is appointed Major General.
A Federal expedition travels from Bayou Boeuf to Bayou De Large, Louisiana, with a brief affair recorded at Bayou De Large, as the Yankees surprise the camp of 11 Confederates behind J. Terrion's plantation, capturing all of their weapons and provisions, as the partisans retreat into the woods.
Federal troops scout from Fort Ruby to the Humboldt Valley, Nevada, with a skirmish reported near Austin, Nevada, with the Piute and Bannock Indians who were committing deprivations against ranchers' livestock, about Austin, Grass Valley and in the Reese River Valley.
Because of his activities as a Confederate agent abroad and his torpedo activities, that many Northerners considered dastardly, Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury decided he would not be granted amnesty. Before the War, when he headed the United States Naval Observatory and was world famous for his pathfinding in oceanography, he had corresponded with many leaders from Europe including Heads of State. One of them had been Maximilian of Austria. In England he had renewed this correspondence and had dabbled in political intrigue with Emperor Napoleon and Maximilian before the latter proceeded in 1864 on his ill-fated venture as Emperor of Mexico. Hence Maury had continued on board Atrato which had departed Havana on the 24th for Mexico. This morning, Maury drafted a note to the United States Consul at Vera Cruz, enclosing a letter addressed "To the officer in command of the U.S. Naval forces in the Gulf of Mexico". He wrote:
"In peace as in war I follow the fortunes of my native old state [Virginia]. I read in the public prints that she has practically confessed defeat and laid down her arms. In that act mine were grounded also. I am here without command, officially alone, and am bound on matters of private concern abroad. Nevertheless, and as I consider further resistance worse than useless, I deem it proper formally so to confess; and to pledge you in the words of honor that, should I find myself before the final inauguration of peace within the jurisdiction of the United States, to consider myself a prisoner of war, bound by the terms and conditions which have been or may be granted to General Lee and his officers. Be pleased to send your answer through my son (Colonel R. L. Maury), a prisoner of war on parole in Richmond. In the meantime, until I hear to the contrary, I shall act as though my surrender had been formally accepted on the above named terms conditions."
Rear Admiral Thatcher reports that this date the defensive works at Sabine Pass, Texas, were evacuated and that the United States flag was hoisted at Forts Mannahasset and Griffin. The flags were raised by men from the U.S.S. Owasco, commanded by Acting Lieutenant Commander Lewis W. Pennington.
The U.S.S. Vanderbilt, commanded by Captain C. W. Pickering, arrives at Hampton Roads with the captured Confederate ram Columbia in tow. She was one of the largest ironclads ever built by the Confederacy, but had never seen service as she grounded when being outfitted at Charleston, South Carolina. Columbia was captured when Charleston capitulated and was subsequently salvaged.
