Captain of what ships?

Captain Alexander Swasey sailed at least from Charleston, South Carolina, to New Orleans, LA, and then later to Cuba.

What ships did he sail?
I've already mentioned his brief stint as a Blockade runner on the Ella Warley.

That ship had actually been commisioned the Isabel, built in 1848 in Baltimore.  It was owned by Charleston businessmen. It was constructed specifically to serve the United States postal service, as well as coastal passenger trade, between the eastern United States and the Spanish colony of Cuba.

Since Swasey was captain of it when it was turned over the the Confederacy in 1861, until its capture by Union forces in April, 1862, I will try to see if Captain Swasey had command of it from 1848, or when he indeed did take over its sailing.

Here's a painting of the Ella Warley.



Here's a manifest from 1843, when he captained the Schooner Caluo from Charleston to New Orleans from April 6-28.

I don't have a picture of the Caluo, but here's a 3 masted schooner, the Regina Maris.

Schooners were developed in North America from the early 18th century, and came into extensive use in New England. The most common type of schooners, with two masts, were popular in trades that required speed and windward ability, such as slaving, privateering, and blockade running.

Essex, Massachusetts was the most significant shipbuilding center for schooners. By the 1850s, over 50 vessels a year were being launched from 15 shipyards and Essex became recognized worldwide as North America’s center for fishing schooner construction. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

This slave manifest for the same ship, June 6-29, 1843, is more disturbing for me to read.  These are women, the oldest being 50, and children from 4 years of age.  Incidentally the ship is now spelled Callao.

Captain Swasey was born on April 14, 1812 in Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts.

If he became a sailor as a young man, or at least was involved in the shipping business (a family business probably) he would have been aware of all kinds of ships and boats.  By 1843, when he was 31, he was Captain of the Schooner Caluo (Callao).

When did he move south from Newburyport MA?  I don't know.  

In the census of 1840, he was living in St. Augustine FL, where his first daughter was born that year.  His next daughter was born the next year, also in FL.  Then the family didn't change size again until 1849 when another daughter was born in Florida. Then in 1853 their only son was born, Alexander John Swasey  in Charleston.  

So though Captain Swasey was working out of Charleston in 1843, his family life was in St. Augustine.  And that was before Florida became a state in 1845.  For some reason his family was back in Charleston by 1853.


Captain Swasey's home, 22 Savage St., Charleston, SC

I just discovered an Official records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 1861-1865, where there's an A.G. Swasey with some kind of classification "II, 4"  as well as Alexander Swazey with "II, 8" following his name.  I wonder what that means?  This is on  page 495 of the microfilm, and original document page number 935.  So to find the key to meanings I'll have to do more research.


Captain Swasey's home? This is 1 Limehouse St, his place of death.

I have copies of innumerable Prisoner of War documents from the Civil War with Captain A.G. Swasey listed...with amounts of money.  I don't understand them, so will wait till I have someone to walk me though the meanings.

NOTE:  The documents show he was interred in Fort Warren, MA, a Federal prison. First entry I have found is Nov 11, 1863.





 

Capt. Alexander G. Swasey Jr. born in 1812

Happy birthday to my ancestor, the Capt. of Confederate blockade runner Ella Warley, whose life was written about here last year.  See this link. 

 The out of focus caption says "Captain Alexander G. Swasey, captain of the early blockade runner Ella Warley from January 1862 until his capture on April 25, 1862 (from a private collection)."

This ship captain was born in the north, (Newburyport, MA) moved to Charleston, SC, and fought for that side of the "war between the states."  He also was active in shipping from Germany to New Orleans, and many other ports.

My grandmother's grandfather.  Generation (7) back from my grandchildren.  There are 16 people with that relationship to me (great great grand-parent.)

Captain Alexander G. Swasey's ship the Ella Warley

For this week's Sepia Saturday...come on over and see lots of vintage pictures.

Here's my contribution.
Somewhat nautical, the Swasey family began building ships in Massachusetts.  Then some sons moved south then west...Charleston, SC and eventually to Galveston, TX.

When the Civil War broke out, Captain Alexander G. Swasey, Jr. was committed to help the South. I have copies of records where he had signed ship's manifests from Europe to America, as well as one from Charleston to New Orleans which had listed one slave.  Today I have cultural guilt for this but have to remember that the times before the Civil War meant that the entire culture of the South depended upon the labor of slaves.  It was a way of life, though it was wrong to have an entire race deprived of freedom.  Any Black people who were freed may have been rare before Lincoln's address and Emancipation Proclamation, and many had to use the Underground Railroad to go north where they would receive respect and opportunities.

Captain Swasey began blockade running with the S.S. Ella Warley, a 212 foot long side wheeler steamboat.  Apparently Captain Swasey didn't spend very long as a blockade runner before being captured, and spending the rest of the war, and the rest of his life in Libby Federal Prison. *NOTE below:

An interesting post about the Ella Warley may be found here. 
I'm very glad this was posted July 16, 2013...just in time for me to forward it to you here.  I am thrilled by the interview with the pilot...where he probably was trying to cover his asterisk when caught with all those guns, by playing dumb.

Captain Swasey's first trip was in Jan. 1862, and he was captured in April 1862.  The Ella Warley having been captured by the Union, went on to other activities.

The Ella Warley belonged to E. Adderly, of Nassau, a British subject.  The South had looked to Britain to continue helping their commerce of cotton exportation, and initially there was good support of shipping received by investment in ships from British companies.  This is one of the ships that was part of that trade.

This was Captain Alexander G. Swasey's home in Charleston, SC, (as it appears today.) 

 Here's an interesting book that covers the pursuit of blockade running during the Civil War.

Captain Alexander G. Swasey, captain of the early blockade runner Ella Warley from January 1862 until his capture on April 25, 1862 (from a private collection).

 He was my grandmothers' grandfather, so my great great grandfather.


*NOTE: I was incorrect here, he didn't die until 1866 in Charleston, which fact came to my attention by a comment below.    
***NOTE second. He wasn't even in Libby Prison, which is what my family had told me. Oral History is often a bit wrong on names.