Manning (1914) -- Discussion: Questions, Comments and Coordination

[Hanibal94]

Wild guess: "main court".

[ggordon]

I found a possible match a few days later.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0223.JPG

An entry at 5:00PM says, "delivered to W.R. Christiansen, assistant master at arms, copy of charges and specifications preferred against him by 3rd Lieutenant D. P. Marvin."

Based on this, I'm guessing that they were to be brought before a Marvin court. I agree that the word "court" is questionable too, but this writer seems to be rather free-form in his style of handwriting.

[ggordon]

June is complete. I reserved July.

The primary mission seems to be watching for seals and illegal seal hunting around Kodiak and Sitka. The month ended with target practice at Saddler's Mistake. Did they choose that location so that if they missed the target they could say it must be due to Saddler's Mistake?

[Michael]

[Randi]

[ggordon]

On the 4th of July at Noon:

fired 21 gun salute. Expended 20 rounds blank and one round armor piercing six pound ammunition. Received 21 empty cartridge cases.
Held battery drill. M. Anderson, seaman, slightly cut over eye by sight of gun in firing salute.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0238.JPG

[Michael]

[Randi]

[ggordon]

The following was logged on July 10:

Received the following radiograms from the Commanding Officer of the Bering Sea Patrol Fleet at 10:30 p.m.

To Govt. R. C. Manning
Should Manning call at Unga deliver following message marshall Cassel quote Brenneman request me to advise you salary of jail guards a day from July first.
Hasting unquote unnecessary to make special trip to deliver message.

To Govt. R. C. Manning
Reported eruption probably off Pavlof see if people at Pavlof Bay and vicinity need assistance acknowledge.

To Govt. R. C. Manning
Have you investigated conditions Pavlof as per my radiogram of sixxth make traverses over Shumagin, Saunak and Davidson Banks reach Unalaska via Unalga pass on fifteenth, acknowledge.

Sent the following radiogram in reply to the Commanding Officer of the Bering Sea, Patrol Fleet at Unalaska at once.

To Capt. Reynolds, Unalaska.
Manning fifteen miles south of Sannak Island, your radiograms of the fifth, sixth and tenth just received ten thirty p.m. will investigate conditions at Pavlof Bay and vicinity at once, arrive there about
two p.m. tomorrow.

[Randi]

Sounds like the radiogram sender was slacking
(or Manning's receiver was)

[Michael]

They should have used Sat phones.

[ggordon]

Additional log entries concerning the volcano on July 11:

12:30 Commanding officer landed at Belkofsky Village to investigate report that Pavlof Volcano had been in eruption; found that it had been active for about
half a day on July 5; no damage was done at Belkofsky, and the people there had no knowledge of harm done elsewhere.
3:15 received the following radiogram from the U.S. Coast Survey vessel "Patterson" at Karpa Island; "About a ton of ashes fell on the ship and it was as dark
as night. We did not investigate the damage on mainland."
6:30 off position indicated for Pavlof village water shoaling rapidly to 6 fathoms, backed out, turned and stood out of bay there being no evidence of any
volcanic disturbance and no signs of a village. The locality very poorly charted and soundings not agreeing with the chart shaped course S3/4E to stand
on reverse course out of bay.

Took a quick look ahead and there will be more entries concerning the volcano. Unfortunately that will have to wait as I have other responsibilities calling me away for now.

[Michael]

[AvastMH]

These events always surprise me. Sailing in to, potentially, rescue victims of a volcano must have been nerve wracking at times. Changing shoals and possibility of another explosion

[ggordon]

The final log entries concerning the volcano were on July 12.

Sailing up Unga Strait:

6:30 Noticed fresh volcanic ash on the east slope of Pavlof volcano but no ash on any of the surrounding country nor in the water.

Passing Cape Swedania:

10:40 No volcanic ash or other evidence of a recent volcanic disturbance was to be seen on the peninsula or any of the islands passed.

The next few hours navigated around Karpa, through Gorman and Korovin Straints and High Island.
Meridian to 4PM:

Examined the islands for traces of volcanic ash, but saw no traces.

Anchored off Sand Point:

5:10 Commanding Officer conferred with settlers and learned that a light fall of black volcanic ~~~~~ had taken place on the 5th instant for a period of one hour,
the fall occurring at Sand Point at 3:00 p.m. and at Simeonof Island at 7:00 p.m. The fall did no damage and all traces were nearly obliterated by rain fall.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0248.JPG

[ggordon]

On July 29:

8PM to Mid The Commanding Officer sent a radiogram to the Commanding Officer of the Bering Sea Patrol Fleet requesting permission to land 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers
A. H. Bixby at Unalaska en route to Atka he being sick and unfit for duty. His transfer to shore was advised by ship's surgeon.

Log pages for several days prior have contained entries saying that he was sick and unfit for duty.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0267.JPG

[ggordon]

July is complete.

There were entries on several pages that mentioned the crew working on building pens for deer. Then on July 31 at the mouth of the Ugashik River:

10:00 AM anchored to await the arrival of Doctor French who is in charge of the reindeer.

10:00 PM Doctor French came aboard to confer with the Commanding Officer with regard to getting reindeer aboard. Made arrangements for going up the river on the next high tide at 3:30 a.m. tomorrow.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0269.JPG

[Randi]

That's the fun part. Cleaning up after unloading is less fun.

[Michael]

[ggordon]

A few more days and still no reindeer aboard.

August 1:

3:30 AM
weather thick, impossible to see any distance, decided to wait until the next tide before attempting to go up the river.
8AM to 4PM
Dr. French and Mr. Fuller came on board and conferred with commanding officer in regard to delivery of reindeer; it was decided that there was too much swell and the distance was too great for transportation, and the commanding officer agreed to take the ship about 1~ miles up the Ugashik River, to facilitate getting the deer on board; Dr. French to furnish a competent pilot free of expense to the Govnt. Sent hobbles ashore for reindeer.
At 3:30 Dr. French and Mr. Fuller left the ship.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0275.JPG

August 2:
The ship went about five miles up the Ugashik River and anchored.

8AM to 4PM
Vessel at anchor awaiting arrival of reindeer.
4PM to Mid
Mr Smith, cannery superintendent, came on board and informed Commanding Officer that Dr. French and a Mr Fuller had gone up river with a lighter for
reindeer and expected to return with the deer tomorrow afternoon.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0276.JPG

August 3:

Mid to 8AM
Vessel at anchor awaiting arrival of reindeer.
8AM to 4PM
Vessel at anchor awaiting the arrival of the reindeer.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0277.JPG