"DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP"

USS Chesapeake and HMS Shannon at battle

The Flag of the War of 1812

In the Trinity Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia there is a monument which bears this inscription.
“Neither the fury of battle, the anguish of a mortal wound, nor the horrors of approaching death could subdue his gallant spirit, his dying words were “

“Don’t Give Up The Ship”

Buried here is the famous Captain James Lawrence, who was mortally wounded in the combat that lost to the United States the Frigate Chesapeake to HMS Shannon.

But this is not the story of Captain Lawrence, but of a Schuylkill Countian who was onboard the Chesapeake and was the last remaining officer to put up a fight. This little story is about Francis B. Nichols.

To get a grasp on what happened on that June afternoon in 1813

The Chesapeake left Boston Harbor on June 1st, 1813. The two ships sailed several miles off shore, where the Shannon slowed to await the Chesapeake, who was flying a special flag that proclaimed “Free Trade and Sailors Rights” in recognition of America’s pre war of 1812 against British Policy. Around 6 PM the ships opened fire on each other, both getting hits, but the Shannon’s guns were doing more damage than the Chesapeake’s. Casualties were crippling on the quarterdeck of the Chesapeake. Captain Lawrence was mortally wounded by small arms fire and had to be taken below giving his final order, “Don’t Give Up the Ship.”
The two ships came to together; The British boarded the quarterdeck of the Chesapeake, where they meet a fierce resistance. Casualties were heavy, 60 killed on the Chesapeake and about 30 on the Shannon. The British showed great abilities in boarding and hand to hand fighting. The Chesapeake was captured and taken to Halifax Nova Scotia.

The story related by Nichols son Henry is another one of those great historical tidbits that seem to be lost and forgotten.

MEMOIR OF FRANCIS BOUDE NICHOLS.
BY HENRY KUHL NICHOLS.


Francis Boude Nichols was the eldest son of Major William Nichols, of the Continental army. He was born November 5, 1793, in Pottstown, Montgomery county, Pa.; baptized Francis and adopted the middle name of Boude, being the maiden name of his grandmother Hillegas ; died at Pottsville, Pa., June 30, 1847. He was appointed a midshipman in the United States navy June 18, 1812; served in Perry's flotilla at New London, Conn.; also served under Captain Evans, and then transferred to frigate Chesapeake, Captain James Lawrence, and was in the engagement between that ship and the Shannon, off the Massachusetts coast, June I, 1813 ; was severely wounded in the breast by a musket ball, which he carried to his grave; was taken prisoner to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and paroled June, 1813. His wound compelled him to resign from the navy, when he took up the study of medicine. In 1820 he removed to Orwigsburg (then the county seat of Schuylkill county), when he was appointed by Governor Heister register and recorder of deeds, etc., to the county. He bought a large body of coal lands, where the present town of Saint Clair* now is, which he started to develop and became a miner of coal, and lost most of his property in the panic of 1837. He was the first president of the Miners' Bank, of Pottsville; first captain of the First Schuylkill County Cavalry, and district deputy-grand-master of the Masonic Order; a devout Episcopalian, and many years senior warden of Trinity Church, Pottsville. He married January 30, 1814, in Christ Church, Philadelphia, by Right Rev. William White, D. D., Anna Maria Nichols (his cousin), daughter of General Francis Nichols, of the Continental army. The following incident seems too romantic to put in print: but being directly connected with the affair, I can readily vouch * for it. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the last name of the party, as he always went by the name of " Billy," but I called him " Daddy Whitebeard," owing to the fact that his head and beard were snow-white. It was a very cold night in the winter of 1843, snowing terribly. I was sitting with my father in the parlor, where we were toasting our feet in front of the grate (in those days houses were not heated throughout), when the doorbell rang, and being so stormy my father directed me to answer the bell, not waiting for the servant. I went to the door and found a small man literally white from head to foot. I was so startled that I shut the door in his face and returned to the parlor. My father asked me who was there, and on my telling him, he directed me to admit the man at once, as the storm was very severe. I returned, and allowed the man to come in ; took him into the parlor just as he was, and then kept a respectful distance from him, as he looked much like Santa Claus. After warming him up, my father asked him what he was doing in Pottsville, etc. He replied that there were some of his connections working in the mines, and that he had left England to find them and obtain work. Father asked him what life he had led, and his reply was, " Been a sailor all my life." After questioning him, he stated he had been a sailor on the frigate Shannon, and was in the engagement against the Chesapeake. As my father was fully advised as to this particular fight, he questioned the fellow very closely, and he described the fight accurately. He said one thing he regretted was killing a little "middy," who had charge of the Chesapeake at the close of the fight, as all the higher officers were either killed or disabled. My father asked him to describe the position on deck that the " middy " had when shot, and where he was. He said: " I was in the shrouds and he was pretty well aft, giving orders to several sailors." The description tallied so accurately that my father laughingly replied : " The ' middy' still lives ;" and, taking the old sailor by the hand, told him that he was the boy that he had shot, and showed him the wound in his breast. "Billy" spent the night at our house, and the next day my father took him to the mines, put him in charge of the stables and mules, and kept him till he died.

Jenkin Evans 15th Kings Hussars

Jenkin Evans Discharge, Held at the HSSC

A member of the 15th KIngs Hussars re-enactment group
http://www.xvld.org/ The 15th Web site.
This is the uniform that Jenkin Evans would have worn.


Jenkin Evans of the 15th Kings Hussars

In the October 5, 1839 issue of the Pottsville Miners Journal was a lone obituary which had the headline:

DIED
In this borough on Thursday last, Mr. Jenkin Evans, aged 61. His funeral will take place, without further invitation, at 4 o’clock this afternoon.
In his humble walk of life, Mr. Evans will be much missed in our community, he was one of those persons of all work, so often seen in small towns, as it were identified with it, always employed and understandably performing his duty. He was a native of Wales and had served for 25 years in the British Army, as a private in the 15th Hussars. He was at the battle which decided the fate of Napoleon, and often showed his Waterloo Medal, with all the pride of an old soldier. On the last anniversary of this engagement, he wore it, with a proud and glowing spirit, and recounted to us many interesting anecdotes of the day. Having obtained, after the continental war, an honorable discharge from the service, on account of age, he immigrated to this country, and has resided some years in this vicinity. Notwithstanding his age, with youthful ardor, he joined the First Troop of Schuylkill County Cavalry, and sat his charger on the last parade, as firmly as the youngest member.
By his own desire, the war warn veteran we be buried with military honors, and buried in compliance with his dying request, in such a manner, that when the partner of his life is called to follow him her coffin may repose on his! “Alas poor Jenkin!” If a warm heart, an honest conscience, and an affectionate disposition, can command the countersign to pass into the camp of eternal peace, the old soldier has now grounded arms before the mercy seat of heaven.

NOTICE.

The funeral of Jenkin Evans will take place this afternoon from his late residence in Adams Street. The Troop, National Light Infantry and the Washington Yeager’s, will parade at their several Quarters at 3’o’clock, and the funeral will move precisely at 4 o’clock. The citizens generally are invited to join the procession without further invitation.
The Troop parade dismounted, the Yeager’s with side arms, and the Light Infantry fully equipped, with three rounds of blank cartridges.

In the Historical Society of Schuylkill County is Jenkin Evans actual military discharge, printed on a cloth like material with the original Royal Seal. Also held in the Society is his Waterloo Medal.
This medal was the first award issued to all ranks, and set a precedent for the issue of campaign medals. It was awarded to all those who served at the battles of Ligny, Quatre Bras and Waterloo 16th-18th June 1815.The battle is well-known, and a wealth of literature on the subject is available. The most sought-after awards are, as usual, those to officers and to casualties. In addition, medals to cavalry regiments are popular, especially those to the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys), who made a famous charge during the battle. Awards to members of Colville's Division consisted of the 35th, 54th, 59th and 91st Foot. Some 39,000 of these medals were issued, 6000 were issued to Cavalry; 4000 to Guards; 16,000 to Line Regiments; and 5000 to Artillery. In addition, there was the usual contingent of supply personnel, and a 6,500 strong contingent of the King's German Legion. This latter group played an important part in the battle and suffered high casualties, The medal itself was always issued in silver and is unusual in that the head of the Prince Regent is shown, whilst all other campaign awards show the head of the relevant king or queen. The reverse depicts the figure of Victory. Originally, the suspension was by a steel clip and ring, but as this was unattractive and prone to rust, many recipients had suspenders fitted privately. The naming is always in large impressed Roman capitals, with stars at the beginning and end of the naming to fill up any free space. The ribbon is of crimson, with blue edges. - This roll is a list of recipients of the Waterloo Medal, issued to all who took part in the battle, including the King's German Legion. Lists are arranged by regiments/corps, placed in order of precedence, and in most cases broken down into companies or troops (cavalry) within regiments and battalions, each identified by its officer commanding. In some units casualty details are given. The staff are shown separately.
According to his discharge Jenkin enlisted in the 15th Kings Hussars on April 3, 1803 at the age of eighteen. His discharge also states that he served in the Army for the space of 24 Years and 50 days. From the 25th of May 1803 to 13 May 1827. And that he was discharged in consequence of .... age and being worn out!...... That his General Conduct as a soldier has been...Extremely Good. And he served in the Peninsula at Corunna, and in all the campaigns of 1813 and 1814! At the time of his discharge he was 43 years of age.
When Jenkin enlisted in the 15th they were known as Light Dragoons and in 1805/7 they were converted to Hussars. The hussars were a prominent cavalry force in the Napoleonic wars (1796 - 1815). As light cavalrymen mounted on fast horses they would be used to fight skirmish battles and for scouting. Most of the great European powers used the hussar within their military forces. The armies of France, Austria, Prussia and Russia had included hussar regiments since the mid-18th century. In the case of Britain four light dragoon regiments were converted to hussars in 1805. Hussars were notoriously impetuous and Napoleon was quoted as stating that he would be surprised for a hussar to live beyond 30* due to their tendency to become reckless in battle, exposing their weaknesses in frontal assaults. The hussars of Napoleon created the tradition of sabrage the opening of a champagne bottle with a saber, something that is still popular in France to this day the uniform of the Napoleonic hussars was made up of the pelisse: a short cloak which was often worn slung over one shoulder and fastened with a cord. This garment had a fur edging and was extensively adorned with braiding (often gold or silver for officers) and several rows of multiple buttons. Under this was worn the dolman or tunic which also was decorated in braid. On active service the hussar normally wore reinforced breeches which had leather on the inside of the leg to prevent them from wearing due to the extensive riding in the saddle. On the outside of such breeches, running up the outside was a row of buttons, and sometimes a stripe in a different color. In terms of headwear the common hussar wore either a shako or fur Busby the colors of dolman, pelisse and breeches varied greatly by regiment, even within the same army. The Napoleonic hussar was armed with a brass hilted sabre and sometimes with a brace of pistols although these were often unavailable.
Jenkin would have served with 15th throughout the whole of the Napolenoic War, serving in Penninsula, Spain and Portugal and the famous battle of Waterloo. I wonder what stories and tales old Jenkin could have told. I can only imagine sitting down and listening to a man who served for nearly 25 years in the cavalry. Oh for the want of a time machine.
Jenkin was initially buried in the cemetery behind the Episcopal Church. Actually the church is now on top of where is grave would have been. At the back entrance to the church.
Jenkin was married to Sara Hand at the beautiful church of Saint Martin in Birmingham, England on the 13th day of February 1817. By C.W. Wineford Minister.

Unknown Schuylkill Haven Soldier

Unknown Soldier from Haven or surrounding area.

I just picked up this CDV on Ebay, primarily because the fellow was from Schuylkill Haven, as the back of the CDV states. But no name, maybe somewhere out there in the world someone might know who it is. I HOPE. Anyway the badge on his hat looks like it might be a Ninth Corps badge, although it is hard to see, which would make him either a member of the 50th PVI Co. C probably or the 48th PVI. Anyway it was a good find. I like that Chin beard.

THE ALLISON BROTHERS AND THE BEAUMONT BROTHERS FIGHTING BROTHERS FROM SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

The Allison Brothers And The Monument In Port Carbon

THE ALLISON BROTHERS AND THE BEAUMONT BROTHERS

FIGHTING FAMILIES FROM SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.

During the Civil War their were many families who supplied sons to the Union cause. Here in Schuylkill County we had two families that supplied 4 members of the same family the Allison family from Port carbon and the Beaumont family from St. Clair. The first family is an interesting story. The Allison Brothers and Mrs. Allison.

Almost all Civil War Historians have heard the story of the letter President Lincoln wrote to the mother of supposed 5 sons slain in battle. Mrs Lydia Bixby.

In the fall of 1864, Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew wrote to President Lincoln asking him to express condolences to Mrs. Lydia Bixby, a widow who was believed to have lost five sons during the Civil War. Lincoln's letter to her was printed by the Boston Evening Transcript. Later it was revealed that only two of Mrs. Bixby's five sons died in battle (Charles and Oliver). One deserted the army, one was honorably discharged, and another deserted or died a prisoner of war.
The authorship of the letter has been debated by scholars, some of whom believe it was written instead by John Hay, one of Lincoln's White House secretaries. The original letter was destroyed by Mrs. Bixby, who was a Confederate sympathizer and disliked President Lincoln. Copies of an early forgery have been circulating for many years, causing many people to believe they have the original letter.

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.
Dear Madam,--
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.
I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.
I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln

By rights this letter should have been addressed to Mrs. Agnes Allison, because she did have four sons who were killed in battle. And they were all from Port Carbon.







Mother Allison and the Allison Brothers.

Agnes (Smart) Allison:
Born Scotland 1809
Married Andrew Allison, 1828 in Aragask, Scotland
Andrew died August 2, 1845
She lived in the U.S. for 30 years:
July 4, 1908 monument was erected in her honor at Port Carbon, Pa. For being the mother of
4 sons lost in battle during the Civil War, by her granddaughter Anna Starrett Brown.



Alexander Allison: 96th Pennsylvania Volunteers Company C.

1. 26yrs old
Occupation a blacksmith.

2. Member of the Marion Rifles, of Port Carbon. 1861

3. Enlisted on 7 Sept. 1861, 96th P.V.I. Co. C

4. Mustered in as a Sgt. on 23 Sept. 1861, 96th P.V.I. Co. C

5. 2nd Lieut. 1 May 1863. 96th P.V.I. Co. C

6. Alexander was promoted to 2nd Lieut. when Lt. Sam Russel took command of Company H., two days before he was wounded in action at Salem Church, whence he would die from the effects of a musket ball passing through his right side. He died in the Union Hospital at Potomac Creek Bridge on the 5th of May, 1863.

7. Never married, was responsible for the support of his widowed mother, Agnes, whom he sent $10. 00 a month to.

Obituary June 6, 1863
Miners Journal, Pottsville Pa.

We regret to learn of the death of Lieut. Alexander Allison, of Co, C, 96th Reg. P.V. which occurred May 5, at Acquia Creek hospital, from the effects of a wound received while in action, at Salem Heights, near Fredericksburg, on May, 3. Lieut. Allison served during the three months service in the 6th regiment, under Col. Nagle. After their return he enlisted in the 96th regiment, and was in all the engagements on the Peninsula and before Richmond. He was severely wounded at the storming of Cramptons Pass. In the late attack at Fredericksburg, while the regiment was in line and under a severe fire from the enemy’s batteries he received his commission as 2d Lieut. of his company. He was with the regiment for its gallant charge on the 3rd of May, by which an important position was gained, and on the same day, in the terrible encounter in the woods near Salem Church, he received a ball in his right side, causing a mortal wound. His brother, Corporal John Allison, of the same company, was killed in the same action. The company is commanded by Capt. I.E. Severn, and suffered severely in this engagement. Out of twenty-two men including officers, who went into action, one officer and three privates were killed and five wounded. The death of Lieut. Allison and his brother is deeply regretted. Their kind dispositions and fine soldiering qualities made many warm friends who mourn their loss. At the time they enlisted they both resided in Port Carbon with their mother, who has still two sons in the service.



John Allison, Corporal, 96th Pennsylvania Company C.

1. 23 years old

2. Enlisted on 4 September 1861, 96th P.V.I. Co. C

3. Mustered in as a Corporal 23 September 1861, 96th P.V.I. Co. C

4. Killed in action at Salem Church, Fredericksburg Virginia, May 3, 1863.

George Allison, Sgt. Co. K 56th Pennsylvania Volunteers.

1. 33 years old.

2. Enlisted 1861

3. Mustered in 1861

4. Died from the effects of wounds received at Spotsylvania Court House May 23, 1864.


James Allison. Pvt. 48th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Company G.

1. 28 years old.

2. 5’6” Light complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair.

3. Member of the Keystone Rifles of Port Carbon April, 1861 3 month volunteer.

4. Occupation a boatman.

First enlistment:
1. 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company M: Enlisted Jan. 1, 1862
2. Discharged January 15, 1863 by reason of being thrown against the pommel of his
saddle very hard, causing the retention of urine requiring the use if a catheter for 4
months.
3. Enlisted in 48th, P.V.I. Company G February 1864.
4. Killed in Action Grove Church, Va. June 3, 1864


THE ENGAGEMENTS

Salem Church, May 3, 1863
On May 3, 1863 after a short rest the 96th P.V.I. received orders to attack confederate positions along the wooded ridge west of Fredericksburg near the old Salem Church. The 96th was placed to the left of the Orange plank road leading west out of Fredericksburg. On their left was the 5th Maine and on their right was the 121st N.Y. along with the 23 N.J. just touching the road. Also on the right of the road consisted of the 1st N.J. and 3rd N.J with the 16th N.Y, 95th Pa. and 119th Pa in reserve. 6 companies of skirmishers advanced in there front. Leading the ten companies of the 96th was Lt. Col Lessig. This fight would prove to be one of the most costly the 96th would engage in. Advancing in line of battle the 96th entered a heavy wooded area. Concealed in trenches beyond the woods were soldiers of Gen. Cadmus Wilcox’s Alabamians. As the 96th exited the woods a heavy volume of musket fire erupted from the trenches as men of the 8th Alabama stood in two ranks and opened fire on the advancing 96th. Capt. Jacob Haas company commander of G Company described the fight:
As we got in the edge of the woods I saw a few rebels
Skirmishers popping at our skirmishers. I told my men
to take plenty of room and leave a pace between each
file. We passed on and within 30 paces of the field on
the other side of the woods, suddenly I saw two lines of
battle of the “Rebs” rise to their feet. I ordered my men
to put a volley which they did with fine effect. And then
the circus commenced. We fired as fast as we could and
Johnny reb done the same.
Volley after volley was fired but the 96th could not break the rebel position, during this fight Lieut. Alexander Allison was ordering his men to load and fire, at some time a rebel soldier fired his musket and a musket ball entered his right side knocking him down with a painful wound that would cause his death two days later. Its not known whether John Allison was killed before Alex was wounded. But during this heavy fire fight with Minnie balls flying in every direction John was dropped and instantly killed. William Madara another Corporal of Company C was hit squarely between the eyes and instantly killed.
The fight was very costly to the 96th having 16 men killed and 54 wounded, and 9 men listed as missing or captured. Retreating back through the woods the 96th would fire a final volley at the rebels in defiance. Alex was probably carried back to the hospital at Acquia Creek were he was laid out with the rest of the wounded from fighting in and around Fredericksburg. He would die two days later on the 5th of May with the grief in his heart at the fact of knowing that his younger brother was also killed. In all probability William Madara and John Allison were left on the field of battle and buried by the rebels. Sometime in May Mrs. Allison would receive the news that two of her sons were killed in battle.

George Allison
Spotsylvania Court House
May, 1864

George Allison served for three years with the 56th P.V.I., he served in all the campaigns that the 5th Corps was involved in, George was also a Gettysburg veteran. In the Spotsylvania campaign of 8-21 May, 1864 George would be severely wounded and die in hospital on the 23rd of May, 1864 the third son of Mrs. Allison to die in combat.

James Allison
Company G, 48th P.V.I.
Killed in Action at Grove Church, Va.
June 3, 1864


After serving over 2 years in the military, and being seriously injured, what made James Allison re enlist will never be known. Although one can speculate that it had something to due with the death of his three brothers. James had spent his first enlistment as a cavalry man with the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry, being severely injured in 1863. In February 1864 he would march off to battle as an infantry man with Company G, of the 48th P.V.I. and his career with this regiment would be short lived. On March 12, 1864 the 48th left Pottsville and rendezvoused with the 9th Corps in Annapolis Md. On May 3rd 1864, the Army of The Potomac crossed the Rapidan and began a series of battles in the Wilderness and around Spotsylvania were his brother George had been killed. On May 5, the Battle of the Wilderness would begin and last throughout the month, James would be engaged in many fights with the 48th throughout this time period. Then on June 3rd James and Company G would be involved in a very severe engagement with the rebels near a place called Grove Church, Va. were the regiment would suffer 10 men killed and over 60 men wounded. Robert Reid a member of James’s company wrote a brief narrative of the fight that took the life of the final Allison brother:
“ Skirmishing and artillery firing took place daily, and
on the 3rd of June we were very actively engaged at
Shady Grove Church. It rained a little the night before
and after breakfast of coffee and hardtack we dried our
blankets at the fire, and at seven o’clock in the morning
had formed line of battle, company “E” being deployed
as skirmishers to the front. The Ground over which we
were ordered to advance was a clear field, and at once
we were ordered to advance, guide center, the skirmishers
in our front. They crossed the gully which intervened
between us and the enemy; we followed closely after;
and, as the skirmishers arose on the high ground again,
they meet those of the enemy, drove them back on their
entrenched line of battle and took a few prisoners out
of an old log house, who had not had time to get
away. Before we got into action we could see the
skirmishers, dropping fast from the destructive fire
of the enemy. We were ordered to halt and commence
firing, the enemy being about eighty yards to our front,
behind a line of breastworks, with a battery. Things
soon became lively for all hands.
“In addition to heavy infantry firing from the enemy,
we were subjected to a galling fire of grape and canister.”

While crossing that open field on the morning of June 3rd, James was struck by either a musket ball or piece of canister and instantly killed. He would become the last and final Allison killed in the line of duty, and bring grief and sorrow to his mother for the last time during this Civil War.