Today marks the 155th anniversary of the explosion of the USS Tulip. Each year near the anniversary of the explosion and sinking of the Union gunboat the USS Tulip, Naval officers and men from the nearby Patuxent Naval Air Station hold a memorial service for those who perished at the site of the USS Tulip Memorial and burial site along the St Mary's River in St. Inigoes, MD.
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| photo credit T. Jackson |
THE TERRIBLE CALAMITY ON THE LOWER POTOMAC
Blowing up of the Gunboat Tulip- Sixty Persons Killed Instantly- Capt. Smith and other Officers Blown to Atoms- Full Particulars of the Terrible Affair
The Ella dispatch boat arrived at the Navy Yard this morning with dispatches from the flotilla and with Messrs. Wagstaff and Davis of the gunboat Tulip.
We learn from this arrival the following particulars of the disastrous explosion on the Tulip, which took place Friday evening off Ragged Point, about 14 miles this side of St. Mary's River, in the Potomac, whereby over sixty lives were lost:
The gunboat Tulip attached to the Potomac flotilla, left St. Mary's at 3p.m. on that day for the Navy Yard here for repairs, and when passing Ragged Point at 6 o'clock and 20 minutes, the boilers exploded with a terrific crash, rending the upper portion of the vessel to atoms, scalding the officers and crew and throwing them in all directions. Seceral of those who escaped without serious injury ran immediately to lower the gig, but before they could get it down, the wreck of the Tulip sunk, carrying down with her most of those in board.
Some of the officers and men seized what they could lay their hands on, and succeeded in keeping afloat for above an hour, until their condition was discovered by the tugboat Hudson, Capt. James Allen and Engineer R. Granger, which picked up ten, who are all that escaped from the ill-fated vessel. The ten picked up were:- Ensign Wagstaff, executive officer, and Master's Mate Davis, (the only two who escaped injury;) Master's Mate Reynolds, with leg broken, and Engineer Teel, very badly wounded, with six men.
The Hudson's officers searched diligently among the floating pieces of wreck, but succeeded in finding no others than those mentioned above and steamed on to St. Inigoes.
Messrs. Wagstaff and Davis took the Ella for this city, and the others were sent to Point Lookout, where two of them died on Saturday. The Hudson's officers and men, when the survivors were got on board, immediately prepared coffee and refreshments for them, and gave them the kindest attention.
There were on board the Tulip at the time of the accident 69 officers and men, including the following: Acting Master W.H. Smith, who hails from Philadelphia; Ensign Wagstaff, Acting Master's Mates Davis, Reynolds, Roffenburg, Hammond and Simons, Engineers Parks, Gordon and Teel. We understand that when she started there was steam on but one boiler, but before proceeding far, steam was raised on the other, and the boat was proceeding slowly up the river. The first intimation of danger was a cry from Mr. Gordon, who was the engineer on watch, to run to the safety valve and he made his way to the engine room, but scarcely had he gone through the door when the explosion took place. At this time Captain Smith, the pilot James Jackson, Master's Mate Hammond, and the quartermaster were on the bridge over the boilers, and must have been blown to atoms. The only trace left of Capt. Smith was his hat.
As but ten persons were picked up, 59 persons must have lost their lives instantly, and two of those saved, died before the Ella left St. Inigoes. Two or three others of the ten saved are not expected to live, among them, we regret to learn, Ensign Teel.
Capt. Smith has been attached to the flotilla for about two years past, and was a much esteemed young officer. He hails from Philadelphia, and after receiving his orders on Friday before leaving, he telegraphed to his wife that he would meet her at the Depot this morning, but alas his expectations were vain! Engineer G.F. Parks, who was in charge of the engines, and went down in the wreck, hails from Brooklyn, where he leaves a wife and three children, with an aged mother. Engineer John Gordon, who was also also lost, hails from Philadelphia, where he leaves a family.
The Tulip was one of the vessels built at New York, for Mandarin Ward, of China, and after his death, the Government, purchased the Tulip and the Fuschia, another of Ward's vessels.
Both vessels were fitted up here for service in the flotilla, Acting Ensign Sluyter being the first commander of the Tulip. Acting Ensign Shurlett succeeded Capt. Sluyter, but was afterwards transferred to the Commodore Read, on being relieved by Capt. Smith. The Tulip was a fine staunch propeller (4th class) of 183 tons, carrying 5 guns, but at the same time of the explosion had not the full compliment of men. It has been some months since she has had and overhauling and it is stated that some parties at least considered her boilers unsafe. Four months ago two engineers who were attached to her- Jeremiah Riddle and John T. Buckley- reported her boilers unseaworthy and it is stated refused to run the boat and they were suspended for a time and assigned to subordinate positions. Doubtless the Department will order and investigation into the circumstances of her loss.
The next day on 15 November 1864 the official findings were printed in the Evening Star. There were 57 officers and men aboard the Tulip when she exploded. Of those 57, 10 were saved, however, 2 of the 10 later died bringing the total dead to 49. The Tulip was ordered to leave St. Inigoes and travel to the U.S. Naval Yard, Washington to undergo repairs to the starboard boiler that had been deemed unsafe. The Captain was told under no circumstances was the starboard boiler to be used. Unfortunately, that order wasn't followed, and the firing of the starboard boiler was the cause of the explosion. Here is a letter from the U.S. steamer Juniper that was tasked with searching for remains printed in the Evening Star along with the official cause of the explosion:
U.S. STEAMER JUNIPER, Potomac Flotilla Nov 13- F.A. Parker, Com'd'r Commanding Potomac Flotilla- Sir: In obedience to your orders of the 12th inst., I proceeded to Ragged Point in search of the bodies and remains of the U.S. steamer Tulip, which was blown up by steam on the eve of the 11th instant off that point. I sent out two boats and landed on the beach, where I found large fragments of her remains. I found a trunk belonging to Acting Master's Mate Reynolds, of that vessel, a valise belonging to the pilot, a coat, bag, ad several blue shirts and a number of officers' caps. I also found two sponges, a lot of letters marked U.S. steamer Tulip, large portions of her deck, the top of her pilot house, and her first cutter lay on the beach, but up to the present time I have not been able to find any bodies.
Very respectfully your ob't serv't
Philip Sheriden
Acting Ensign Commanding
Eventually bodies and body parts starting finding their way to shore. Remains were buried at a farm on Ragged Point (referred to Stinking Point due to the smell of the decaying bodies) after the pigs started eating them. The farmer agreed to have his slaves bury them if he could take personal items off the bodies. Eight bodies, or pieces of bodies were found along the St. Mary's river, and these were interred on the shore in St. Inigoes, now the site of the smallest Federal Cemetery in the United States.
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| Photo credit T. Jackson |
I love that this memorial continues to keep not only Civil War history alive, but also our family's history as well.
