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29 October 2024
Welcome back to our National Maritime Historical Society members and friends who share a love for naval history!
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Today marks the 210th anniversary of the launching of the Demologos, a wooden steam-powered catamaran gun battery designed to clear the approaches of New York harbor blockading British ships of the line. Renamed Fulton in 1815 to honor its designer, the late Robert Fulton, the unique vessel never saw action due to the conclusion of the war in early 1815. Converted to a barracks ship, Fulton suffered an unfortunate fate in 1829 when a gunpower explosion destroyed the vessel, killing 48 sailors. | |
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With that tragic end, in a week that features Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day, we turn to another tragedy at sea: the loss of HMS Captain. Dr. Howard Fuller’s article is below.
For this week’s Naval History Book Review we feature Lt. Cdr. Sean Walsh’s review of Thomas Wildenberg’s latest Naval Institute Press book, a dual biography of admirals Eli Reich and Wayne Meyer.
Tuesday Tidings is compiled by Dr. David F. Winkler and Jessie Henderson as a benefit for members of the National Maritime Historical Society and friends of naval history.
As always, comments and naval history news items are welcome at nmhs@seahistory.org.
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ITEMS OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST | |
7 November 2024 - Diplomats & Admirals
From Failed Negotiations and Tragic Misjudgments to Powerful Leaders and Heroic Deeds, the Untold Story of the Pacific War from Pearl Harbor to Midway
With Dale A. Jenkins (NMHS Virtual Seminar Series)
7 PM – 8 PM (EST) (Virtual)
8 November 2024 - Mariners’ Museum Monitor Legacy Program
The Guns of CSS Virginia
With John Quarstein
Noon – 1 PM (EST) (Live-virtual)
9 November 2024 - World War II Discussion Forum
“USS Langley – The Final Months”
With David F. Winkler, author of America’s First Aircraft Carrier
1 PM (EST) (Virtual)
13 November 2024 – Naval Order Monthly History Talk
King’s Navy: Fleet Adm. Ernest J. King and the Rise of American Sea Power
With Dr. David Kohnen, PhD
8 PM (EST) (Virtual)
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“Find the Captain”: The University of Wolverhampton’s Shipwreck Hunt
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The foundering of HMS Captain was the most infamous peacetime disaster of her day. This was not just because nearly the entire crew of this large capital ship was lost when she capsized and sank (7 September 1870), but because she was considered the pride of Queen Victoria’s navy. A potent symbol of British naval supremacy, the Captain was intended to reassure mid-Victorians that despite increasing technological developments on the one hand and the alarming nationalism in the 1860s of rival powers (including Imperial Russia and the United States) on the other, British national and imperial prestige was secure and not in decline. When the Captain sank, her loss was commemorated with large brass plaques in St. Paul’s Cathedral as well as a stained-glass window in Westminster Abbey. Both gestures were unprecedented.
Yet the Captain’s place in British naval affairs has been largely forgotten. The same might be said for the turbulent age in which this experimental turret-ship was conceived as something extremely “necessary” in the first place—even when key authorities at the Admiralty were doubtful of her design. HMS Warrior was restored in the 1980s, and the Mary Rose has been raised and carefully preserved at Portsmouth historic dockyard today; near both vessels is Nelson’s flagship from the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Victory. The Age of Sail tends to dominate Britain’s collective consciousness of her unique maritime history and national identity. The Warrior is simply billed as “Queen Victoria’s Deterrent;” as if Britain’s fortunes in the 19th century were relatively smooth-sailing. As such, few publications or academic studies have explored the Captain’s story; there are no memorials to the ship at Cape Finisterre, no mention of it in either National Museum of the Royal Navy at Portsmouth, the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, or the Merseyside Maritime Museum and Williamson Art Gallery & Museum in Birkenhead (where the vessel was constructed.) Despite the dreadful impact of her loss in 1870, HMS Captain is now the most famous shipwreck that no one has ever heard of.
As the Project Manager of the University of Wolverhampton’s Find the Captain initiative, my goal has been to help change this awareness—first by locating the remains of this iconic vessel, somewhere off Cape Finisterre, Spain. Few historical artefacts are more evocative than shipwrecks. The discovery of RMS Titanic in 1985 spurred a renewed interest in not just the ship’s sinking but life in the Edwardian era generally. The 1997 film drama was the most expensive film ever made and broke box-office records (exceeding $1 billion for the first time). Recently the discovery of Shackleton’s Endurance, in March 2022, was international headline news and now features in education platforms like Reach the World, for example. The National Geographic documentary has just been released theatrically worldwide.
Since the Find the Captain project began in Autumn 2021, there have been public talks, academic seminar papers and conference presentations, feature articles in the British press, a BBC interview, YouTube features, and podcasts with The Mariner’s Mirror (Society for Nautical Research) and British historian presenter Dan Snow’s popular History Hit series, for example. We commissioned legendary marine artist Geoff Hunt to do an oil-on-canvas of the terrible moment this Victorian wonder-ship reached her “vanishing point of stability.” We’ve also located the lost flag of the Captain, fished out of the water the morning after by stunned British sailors, and left in a parlous state in a quiet country church in Bedfordshire. Despite the University’s own financial difficulties these days, our Centre for Historical Research has proudly shouldered the costs of getting this professionally restored for public display.
And yes, in partnership with a local Galician documentary team, we managed to take a stab at actually finding the wreck in August 2022, having located via multibeam echosounder (MBES) an unidentified shipwreck close to Captain’s measurements and just on the edge of our search box area: depth of target only 151 metres/500-feet (too deep for scuba diving, and requiring an ROV for positive visual identification, if possible).
If the shipwreck is confirmed discovered, we will apply for a major grant from the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council to allow for follow-up marine expeditions to carefully explore, analyze, and document the wreck site. An international academic conference hosted by the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich will also be set in motion, along with more public talks (possibly also in Spain and the United States). Netflix is interested in a multi-part documentary series, and indeed, the sinking of HMS Captain at the height of the “Pax” begs a docu-drama treatment. In the meantime, the family of Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, the great grandson of the ship’s controversial designer (Captain Cowper Phipps Coles), is planning a major fundraising gala at the Royal Geographical Society on the occasion of the 155th anniversary of the Captain’s loss; with proceeds also going towards the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
Of course we need all the help we can get. Our funding efforts so far have been largely grassroots—the naval and maritime history-loving public has been generously sponsoring this, both in the UK and abroad, as much as possible. World of Warships kicked in a large chunk of cash, and this was quickly spent on a charter earlier this summer that struggled even to get a good 24 hours out at sea. Piggybacking onto a research vessel’s existing charter that happens to be transiting off the coast of Spain is not ideal. But to contract for a vessel with Dynamic Positioning capability (for the sake of a smooth ROV operation) from a base in the British Isles, North Sea or Scandinavia, for example, starts at a good £300K or $400,000 for fuelled ship, crew, equipment, port fees, etc.
So, if everyone can help us pass the word or steer potential patrons towards our project website, it would be very much appreciated—crucial, even. As an upcoming feature article in the International Journal of Naval History will demonstrate, the Captain’s Story is not strictly a “British” one, for it’s difficult to imagine Coles getting as far he did mobilizing public sentiment behind his super seagoing turret-ship idea without the image of John Ericsson’s low-freeboard USS Monitor (and later the double-turreted USS Miantonomoh, (which Coles visited when she visited the UK in the summer of 1866) in mind. The Monitor was lost at sea, and eight years later so was the even more ambitious and experimental (and inherently risky) Captain, spectacularly so. Whether it’s the tragic loss of the Titan submersible last summer, or the mysterious capsizing of the luxury yacht Bayesian this year, we are continually reminded of both the danger of new technologies and the ageless rages of the sea. We still have much to learn from the story of HMS Captain, and surely now’s the time to shed light on her once again.
Smithsonian Reports Location of Lost British submarine HMS Trooper
While HMS Captain awaits discovery, the linked Smithsonian magazine post tells the discovery of a lost Royal Navy submarine that was believed to have hit a mine in the Aegean in World War II.
Read more here>>
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Get your 2025 Maritime Art Calendars! | |
NAVAL HISTORY BOOK REVIEWS | |
The Origins of AEGIS: Eli T. Reich, Wayne Meyer, and the Creation of a Revolutionary Naval Weapons System, By Thomas Wildenberg, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, (2024). Reviewed by Lt. Cdr. Sean Walsh, USN (Ret.) | |
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Thomas Wildenberg is a prolific author with special interests in aviators, naval aviation and military technological innovation. Wildenberg explains that his approach is to apply “history from the middle” by showing how Vice Adm. Eli Reich and Rear Adm. Wayne Meyer as mid-level officers championed the development of surface ship launched guided missiles, culminating in the AEGIS system. For sources he relies heavily on the Naval Institute’s oral histories of Reich and Meyer supplemented by articles appearing in a special issue of the Naval Engineers Journal published by the American Society of Naval Engineers in 2009. He does comment that Meyer’s oral history is relatively short and that he did not leave personal papers, making the task more difficult.
The first two parts of the book provide a summation of the different career paths of Reich and Meyer. Reich, a Naval Academy graduate, served in both surface ships and submarines and an attained an outstanding World War II combat record. Following the war, he had a mix of assignments, culminating in command of Canberra (CAG 2), a World War II vintage heavy cruiser converted to a missile ship through replacing her aft gun batteries with two Terrier surface-to-air missile launchers and associated radars. At this point he was selected for flag rank and assigned to the Bureau of Weapons (BuWeps), assigned to create and lead a new organization to fix the issues with the 3-T (Tartar, Terrier, Talos) missile systems which he was aware of from his tour on Canberra.
In contrast, Meyer was a product of the Navy’s V-12 program, a wartime commissioning source that took bright enlisted men and put them through an accelerated college program leading to a technical degree and a commission. By the time he completed the program in 1946, the war was over. He initially attended a graduate program at MIT but the program was cut short and instead of a master’s, he received a second bachelor’s degree.
Read full review>>
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NAVAL HISTORY BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW | |
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NAVAL ORDER OF THE UNITED STATES
NEW YORK COMMANDERY
requests the pleasure of your company
at an
AFTEROON RECEPTION
to present the
RADM SAMUEL ELIOT MORISON AWARD
FOR NAVAL LITERATURE
Monday, 4 November 2024
Reception and heavy hors d’oeuvres
4:30PM–7:30PM
Guest of Honor
Nicholas A. Lambert
Author of
The Neptune Factor
Alfred Thayer Mahan and
the Concept of Sea Power
RSVP by 30 October 30
Gentlemen: Business or Jacket & Tie
Ladies: Business or Cocktail
Military and Patriotic Decorations
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The Proceedings Podcast: Ep. 419: Diverging Views, One Destination
Catch Eric Mills’s interview with historian Fred Allison, who discusses two of the Marine Corps pioneer aviators.
Listen here>>
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Maritime Communities Celebrating Milestones
SAVE THE DATES!
24–27 September 2025 • Buffalo, NY
We are delighted to be holding the 12th Maritime Heritage Conference in Buffalo in September 2025.
The conference brings together organizations and participants that engage in all aspects of maritime heritage. This includes maritime museums, historic lighthouses, tall ships for sail training and youth, small craft, marine art, sailing, naval and maritime scholars, advocacy, and more. It is also a gathering of the leadership of the maritime heritage community.
Buffalo will host the first Maritime Heritage Conference to be held in the Great Lakes region.
The 12th Maritime Heritage Conference (MHC) will bring together nautical heritage organizations and individuals for an information-packed conference encompassing a broad array of topics on the banks of Lake Erie at historic Buffalo, New York. Following in the wake of the World Canal Conference, which concludes with a bicentennial celebration of the opening of the Erie Canal, the 12th MHC will use that historic milestone to open a three-day program that invites attendees to consider other historic nautical milestones worthy of broader public attention.
Typically held every four years, the MHC has earned a reputation for its high take-away value, networking opportunities, and camaraderie. The conference steering committee invites you to become involved as a presenter; both session and individual proposals are encouraged. Don’t miss this opportunity to gather with individuals from all segments of the maritime community.
Call for Papers & Session Proposals
Papers and session topics include, but are not limited to:
• Inland Water Commerce and Seaport Operations (Erie Canal bicentennial!)
• Maritime and Naval History (2025 marks USN/USMC 250th Birthday)
• Maritime Art, Literature, and Music
• Education and Preservation
• Underwater Archaeology
• Trade and Communications
• Maritime Libraries, Archives, and Museums
• Marine Science and Ocean Conservation
• Historic Vessel Restoration
• Maritime Heritage Grant Program
• Maritime Landscapes
• National Marine Sanctuaries
• Small Craft
• Shipbuilding
• Marine Protected Areas
Focus Sessions include, but are not limited to:
• Non-Profit administration
• Event Management
• Fundraising
• Media and Publications
• Media and Social Media
Submissions
Individual paper and session proposals should include a 250–400 word abstract and a one-paragraph biography about each presenter.
Please e-mail proposals and other queries to Dr. David Winkler at: MHC@seahistory.org
Deadline for proposals for papers and sessions is 31 May 2025.
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PD, via Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives. | |
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Naval Dockyards Society 29th Annual Conference
To be held at the University of Greenwich
One Saturday late March or early April 2025
Dockyard and Shipyard support for the Battle of the Atlantic
in the Second World War
Call for Papers - Final Reminder
Submissions close on 30 October 2024
Please send your title, a 300-word synopsis and a 100-word biography by 30 October 2024 or earlier to Roger Bendall, roger@rogerbendall.com,and Dr. Ann Coats, avcoatsndschair@gmail.com. N.B. The proposal should present original research.
Please click here for more information.
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Society for Nautical Research Winter Lecture Series 2024–25
The Society for Nautical Research is delighted to announce the schedule for the forthcoming winter lecture series. These online talks will highlight new and ongoing research being undertaken by members of the society and its affiliations. The series aims to promote research into economic, social, political, military and environmental aspects of nautical history, drawing on British, European and international experience.
The 12-part lecture series will be held fortnightly on Wednesday evenings at 6:30PM (UK) between October 2024 to March 2025. Lectures will only be available online (via zoom) and be FREE to paying members of the SNR.
Not yet a member?
Sign up now from as little as £22.50 a year. Get access to exclusive events and talks, quarterly editions of the Mariner’s Mirror, and discounts at affiliated museums and gift shops! https://snr.org.uk/become-a-member/
Dates for your calendar …
23rd October 2024: Dr. Rodrigo Pacheco-Ruiz (National Museum of the Royal Navy), Managing archaeological data for HMS Victory’s restoration. (full title TBC)
6th November 2024: Dr. James Davy (University of Exeter), “Tempest; The Royal Navy and the Age of Revolution.”
20th November 2024: Associate Professor Evan Wilson (Hattendorf Historical Centre), “The Horrible Peace; British Veterans and the End of the Napoleonic Wars.”
4th December 2024: Sarah Mott, (Lloyd’s Register Foundation) “Rewriting Women into Maritime History; the SHE_SEES exhibition.”
18th December 2024: Bill Lindsay (independent scholar), “William Schaw Lindsay; Victorian Entrepreneur.”
Christmas Break
15th January 2025: Prof. Rodrigo Pérez Fernández (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid), “The past, present and future of shipbuilding.”
29th January 2025: Dr. Alan James (King’s College London), (full title TBC)
12th February 2025: Dr. Matthew Heaslip (University of Portsmouth), (full title TBC)
26th February 2025: Dr. Michael Roberts (University of Bangor), Archaeological exploration of historical shipwrecks in the Irish Sea. (full title TBC)
12th March 2025: Dr. Jo Stanley (independent scholar), “Diversity at Sea: How sharing historical research can make a difference to the present and future of the maritime industry and public understanding.”
19th March 2025: Dr. Cathryn Pearce (University of Portsmouth), “‘Bandied about for a place of refuge’: Extreme Weather, Coastal Shipping, and the Loss of Lord Nelson, 1840”
How to attend the lectures?
Zoom details will be circulated prior to each of the lectures but details can also be found in the “events” section of the members area of the SNR website (Click Here).
For any questions or queries please contact the convener (daisy.turnbull@myport.ac.uk).
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UPCOMING NAVAL & MARITIME HISTORY GATHERINGS | |
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1 November 2024: Marine Birthday Ball, Albany, GA
2 November 2024: Marine Birthday Ball; Orlando, Fl.
2 November 2024: Marine Birthday Ball, San Francisco, CA
4 November 2024: Morison Book Award Presentation New York
8 November 2024: Sentinel of the Sea Award Gala New York
9 November 2024: Steamship Historical Society of America Annual Meeting, Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA
31 January–2 February 2025: Western Naval History Association Symposium (WNHA), San Diego, CA
27–30 March 2025: Society for Military History (SMH) Annual Meeting, Mobile, AL
9–11 April 2025: Council of American Maritime Museums Annual Meeting, Pensacola, FL
24–25 May 2025: Canadian Nautical Research Society Annual Conference Port Hope,
Ontario
18–19 September 2025: McMullen Naval History Symposium, US Naval Academy
24–28 September 2025: Historic Naval Ship Association (HNSA) Symposium/12th Maritime Heritage Conference, Buffalo, NY
| PREBLE HALL NAVAL HISTORY PODCAST | |
A naval history podcast from Preble Hall – the United States Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland. Preble Hall will interview historians, practitioners, military personnel, and other experts on a variety of naval history topics from ancient history to more current events.
Click here for the latest episode: 241 - LtCol Tom Williams, USMC-Ret, Doorsteps of Hell>>>>
Click here for all Preble Hall Podcasts >>
| DRACHINIFEL YOUTUBE CHANNEL | |
Welcome to Navy History Matters, Naval History and Heritage Command’s biweekly compilation of articles, commentaries, and blogs related to history and heritage. Every other week, they gather the top-interest items from a variety of media and social media sources that link to related content at NHHC’s website, your authoritative source for Navy history.
Click here for most recent article>>
| INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NAVAL HISTORY | |
The International Journal of Naval History (IJNH) provides a preeminent forum for works of naval history, researched and written to demonstrable academic standards, with the goal of stimulating and promoting research into naval history and fostering communication among naval historians at an international level. IJNH welcomes any scholarly historical analysis, focused on any period or geographic region, that explores naval power in its national or cultural context. The journal is independent of any institution and operates under the direction of an international editorial board that represents various genres of naval history.
Click here to read the February 2023 edition and archived issues on the IJNH website >>
| SUPPORTING US NAVAL HISTORY & HERITAGE | |
With the 250th anniversary of the US Navy on the horizon, NMHS seeks your support as we plan to honor those who have provided for our maritime security.
Click here to donate today >>
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