An Engineer to His Lady

By Bruce Allardice and Wayne Wolf · Originally published May 2019 · p. 18

During the Civil War, naval engineer George P. Hunt (1837–87) wrote numerous letters to his fiancé, Cordelia Eames (1833– 1900).1 The English-born Hunt entered the Union Navy in July 1861 as 3rd Assistant Engineer. By 1880, he had risen to the rank of Chief Engineer, and was rated an officer of “marked ability.” Much of his wartime service was on the USS Metacomet, a sidewheel steamer built in 1863. The 1,173 ton warship carried nine cannon. Posted to the Gulf Squadron, it distinguished itself in the Battle of Mobile Bay. The following letters detail Hunt’s service aboard the Metacomet. He references the capture of Fort Fisher, his views on the women of New Orleans, and the court martial involving future Admiral Pierce Crosby. None of these letters has been published before and each adds to the picture of the cares and concerns of the common sailor of the Civil War.

George P. Hunt. (www.historicalshop.com) Jan. 31st 1865 Sabine Pass Dear Miss Eames, I believe the Admiral calls here on his return from Rio Grande so just write a few lines to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 1st & the papers. Thanks. The “Augusta Dinsmore” [a navy transport] has just passed & brings New Orleans papers giving account of the capture of Fort Fisher. Good for Porter but Butler has got himself into disrepute. I feel pleased that they did not wait longer re the second attack was made, as they have done at other places. I should like to have been there very much. It must have been a grand sight.

Such a fleet. Our luck (that is, the Metacomet) somehow or other to use a slang phrase appears to be played out. We arrived off Galveston & the Capt. [James E. Jouett (1826–1902)] was detached. We came here for coal & have not as yet been able to take any in on account of the high sea. We have not coal enough to go to New Orleans, & so here we are. How long are we to be weather bound goodness only knows. There is a number of steamers running from Galveston. The day we left to come here a large Cotton Steamer was waiting to run out. Could see her laying behind the city. I wrote you of a book Templeton’s “Mechanics.”2 Never mind it as I have succeeded in recalling the rule I wished. I did think of asking for an exam 1st of March (my two years is up then) but now JONES IS GONE.3 I have partly given up the sea unless we get back to N.O. & I can have some surety of getting back to the Metacomet I shall have to postpone until I get North. I don’t wish to leave the M [Metacomet] now that everything is to my satisfaction, after having had all the work let someone else come & reap the benefit. They say the “double enders” [Sassacus class warships] are to return to the North the coming summer. Hope so. I am obliged to you for your offer to send me the Naval Journal. I paid one year’s subscription to that & to the Scientific American, & also for the Franklin Institute Journal (Magazine published at Phila. MONTHLY) out of the first two I have not recd. six of each. Of the latter five are missing. I would suggest that if you send it to put a good large wrapper on so to hide it as much as possible same as you wrap the daily papers you send. Naval & Military News are always acceptable, the former especially. By the way speaking of the turkey bone you spoke of having sent me, I concluded it was lost & forgot to mention it. I thank you for it all the same. Am glad the candy came safe & that you liked it. I did not see any ladies in N.O. that I liked well enough to give them my card. What do you think of Admiral F’s [Farragut’s] Carte-de-Visite. I presume you must have seen him ere this. I wrote your Father of the Admiral but as he went towards the Rio Grande this will probably arrive by the same. Excuse the few lines. I hope I shall be able to write some good news from off the Campechy Banks ere long. Any kind of news is scarce here just now. I have been suffering from a cold for several days past. The weather had been changeable. Had 3/4 of an inch of ice off Galveston. That was horrid. Convey my regards to all Good Night George (P. Hunt) Metacomet Mobile, Ala. June 24, 1865 Dear Miss Eames: I have just recd. your letter of the 4th, have received all your papers, also for which I return my thanks. I am sorry to hear that your Mother is not so well. Please give my regards to her & your sister when you write. You must excuse me writing at great length this time. Had a long letter written but it is so stale that I was ashamed to send it. I will write again in a few days. The weather is getting hotter and hotter every day. Mosquitoes more & more numerous. Tell Johnny I am much obliged the picture of Jeff. There are several vessels to return North from this place, all are leaving except the famous “Metacomet” & the flagship. I have applied 3 days ago for one of them, whether the Admiral [Henry Thatcher (1808–80)] will notice my application I know not. Now that we have a regular mail between N.O. & this place we can obtain all the papers, Navy Journals, &c. So do not put yourself to any further trouble or expense in forwarding me papers. I am under many obligations to you for your favors during this cruise & trust I shall not be forgetful of them when home. Fortune allows me to a turn North once more. I wish that your dream would soon come true but they say that dreams go the contrary, if it should nevertheless come true I hope never to see the Gulf again for at least 7 or 8 years. The heat is insufferable. 82 [degrees] is nowhere. We have it at 96 to 100 in the shade of the awning on the deck & 118 to 120 in the sun. I believe this capt. [Pierce Crosby (1824–1902), later a rear admiral] could get the vessel home if he choose but he is afraid to come North. He reported a Commander to the Dept. & on a court martial could not sustain the charges he made so is on the black list & whenever he should return home he will

USS Metacomet at Pensacola, August 20, 1864. doubtless have the most disagreeable billet that can be found as he has never stood very high at the Department.4 I think if the Admiral considers his own welfare he would send me North out of the way. I came pretty near sinking him in his barge in crossing the river the other morn. We were both pulling lively, he going up & I crossing. I did not see him until the collision took place, ‘twas a wonder one of the boats was not sunk. I thought I was in for a court martial sure but I have not heard anything of it since. I apologized through our Captain, pleaded sickness as the cause of my neglecting to keep a proper lookout. After that I think he ought to let me go North.5 Well 4th of July will soon be here & I expect I shall be in Mobile. If so I hope you will let off a few crackers for me. Give three good cheers for the Union, an everlasting heavy groan for everything & everybody Secesh from Jeff Davis down. I expect we shall fire a salute for the Admiral

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is some on solutes, target firing & &. Most sincerely yours, George Endnotes: 1. 2.

They were married in New York in December of 1865. William Templeton’s The Operative Mechanic’s Workshop Companion. “Jones” isn’t otherwise identified. The authors cannot find further details on this court martial. On July 14, 1865, Crosby and the Metacomet were ordered north.

Bruce S. Allardice is Professor of History at South Suburban College in Illinois. He is a past president of the Civil War Round Table of Chicago. Wayne L. Wolf is past president of the Lincoln-Davis Civil War Roundtable.