Shenandoah (1873): links, questions, comments, coordination, ...

[ggordon]

March is complete.

After a brief stopover at Ville Franche, France, the remainder of the month was at Barcelona, Spain.

[Michael]

[ggordon]

April is complete. The entire month was in port at Barcelona, Spain.

[Michael]

[ggordon]

May part 1 is complete.

The last page was very difficult to transcribe because it looks like they ran out of log pages and used a hand drawn grid for the weather page. It was too irregular to line up with our grid.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 24-217.JPG

Hopefully with a new log for the next day it will get back to normal.

[Randi]

Hopefully...

[Michael]

They’re no fun. I had ten days like that on Omaha. I wonder why they don’t wait a day and put that day in the new book. It’s not like it’s the last day in the year.

[ggordon]

May is complete.

The month ended at Ville Franche, France, along with most of the fleet. Many men were transferred between the Brooklyn and Shenandoah.

Then on May 31:

Meridian to 4PM

Released from confinement James Phoenix (Lds) Daniel Roach (sea) and Oscar Crocker. (Lds) in Pursuance of an order of Rear Admiral Alden declareing a general amnesty in the squadron to those who are now. under charges, and directing that all unexpired sentences of imprisonment - and forfeiture of pay should be remitted

I had trouble with the last word. It looked like it might be "remitted," but that didn't make sense based on my understanding of the word. So I looked up the definition and found that its original meaning was to cancel something.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 26-031.JPG

[Randi]

[ggordon]

Out of curiosity I looked at the log of the USS Brooklyn for the same time and it had this entry:

Ino Desmond (Lds) was released from confinement in consequence of the general amnesty order of the retiring Rear Admiral.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/167157978?objectPage=58

The Wabash, Wachusett, and Congress were all at Ville Franche at this time, but none of their logs make any mention of the amnesty.

It seems odd for such a broad amnesty to be ordered. I wonder whether this was common practice at the time for a retiring Rear Admiral.

[Randi]

[ggordon]

June 12 at Barcelona, Spain:

6AM

one hundred caulkers came on board and commenced work upon spar deck.

8AM

Caulkers left the ship.

9:15AM

one hundred caulkers came on board and commenced caulking

10:20AM

one hundred (100) caulkers left the ship

2:10PM

one hundred (100) caulkers came on board and commenced work on spar deck.

4PM

Caulkers left the ship

https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 26-047.JPG

[Randi]

I can hardly wait for the next thrilling installment

[Michael]

I wonder if they apply caulking, wait for it to dry, and then come back to apply more, etc.

[ggordon]

June is complete. There were several short visits at cities along the Spanish coast, with Spanish and American dignitaries visiting the ship at each stop.

[ggordon]

I wonder if they apply caulking, wait for it to dry, and then come back to apply more, etc.

That's what I was thinking, but it seems like it would take so long to just get that many men on and off the ship that it would make more sense to just wait on board.

[Michael]

[ggordon]

July 19 at Malaga, Spain

8PM to Mid

Between the hours of 9 & 10 oclock Ludwig Ludwigson (sea) was accidentaly drowned while on shore. He was hauled out allmost immediatly after he went down A doctor from shore was on hand and tried every possible means to recuscitate him but to no avail. Ludwigson was on duty as boat keeper of one of the ship's boats.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 26-085.JPG

[Michael]

How sad...

[ggordon]

July 29

At Tangier, Morocco:
4AM to 8AM

Six (6) shipwrecked German seaman came on board for passage to Cadiz.

At sea:
1:40PM

Heard the firing of heavy guns in the direction of Cadiz.

At Cadiz, Spain:
4PM to 8PM

Sent six (6) shipwrecked seamen (Passengers) with their baggage to the Prussian frigate Elizebeth.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 26-095.JPG

Everything seemed normal upon arrival at Cadiz. So the guns heard earlier must have been normal activity.