The Auburn Historical Society and Museum started a program to document the military men and women who served through the years for the town of Auburn. While entering data from the museum archives for the Civil War, six men stood out as enlisting in the Navy. People don’t usually picture the naval aspect of the Civil War.  When the Civil War started the U.S. Navy had about 90 ships, less than half have were combat ready, with only 26 of them steam powered. Commercial vessels of the time had been steam-powered for more than 40 years. There were about 7,600 men of all ranks of the navy at this time. Most were pro-Union, but about 259 naval officers, 43%, resigned or were dismissed for Confederate beliefs. 

The six naval men that were credited to Auburn were Benjamin Thomas Chapin, James S. Southgate, John Tucker, John Tye, Charles Usher, and George White. These men all have one thing in common; they started out on the USS Ohio which was a receiving ship in Boston. The definition of a receiving ship is a vessel that serves as a point of induction into the service for new recruits. They remained on this ship long enough to get the paperwork done and to draw initial issues of clothing. Receiving ships were also used by sailors whose enlistments were ending and were being processed out of the Navy. 

Benjamin Thomas Chapin was born in 1835 in New York. According to his obituary, he was member of one of Worcester’s most prominent and influential families. His grandfather, Dr. Benjamin Chapin, owned the greater part of the Front St. business district. Ben’s father was Benjamin T. Chapin Sr.  Worcester, and mother was Alice Knowles of Auburn. Benjamin married Silence Eleanor Thayer and had three children, Alice, Everette T. and Martha A. All are buried at Hillside Cemetery. 

Benjamin enlisted at the age of 29 in 1864 with his occupation being a mechanic. Besides being received on the USS Ohio, he served on the USS Connecticut and USS Stars and Stripes.  The USS Connecticut was carrying men to the fleet between July 30 and October 30, 1864. It was placed out of commission at Boston from October to February 1865 in Boston. Her last cruise from February 21 to August 1865 was to the West Indies and east coast looking for Confederate privateers. 

The USS Stars and Stripes was built at Mystic Connecticut and bought by the Navy in 1861. In September it was assigned to the East Gulf Blocking Squadron where it operated off the coast of Florida for the remainder of the war. In October she destroyed a Confederate fishery at Marsh Island and captured the troops stationed there. In December Benjamin was part of the landing party that destroyed the Salt Works at Rocky Point in Tampa Bay.  

Benjamin was discharged June 2, 1865, with the rank of Fireman 1st Class. According to Benjamin’s obituary, after the war he was a locomotive engineer for the Norwich & Worcester Railroad. Later he was a member of the Worcester engineering department. He was a member of the George Ward Post #10 G.A.R., Worcester. He remained in Auburn the rest of his life. According to John Hartwell’s notes, Benjamin lived on Leicester St. at the intersection of [old] Rochdale St. where he operated a saw grist mill. He died January 5, 1927.

James S. Southgate was born on October 8, 1842, in Worcester. He was the son of John Parker and Sarah L. “Sally” (Swan) Southgate. He married Emma Swan in 1875. They had three children, Freddie S., [Dr.] Alfred W., and Edna.  The family lived near the intersection of Central and Water Streets operating a small mill across Water Street. He died of heart disease on November 22, 1899, at the age of 57. He was buried in Hope Cemetery in Worcester. 

When James enlisted on July 15, 1863, he was a resident of Worcester but was credited to Auburn. He was assigned to the following ships: USS Ohio in Boston July 15-25, 1863, USS Wabash to August 10, USS Canandaigua to August 21. He served in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron which was cruising off Charleston S.C. The Canandaigua cooperated with the Union Army taking part in a series of attacks on positions in Charleston Harbor. He was then hospitalized for rheumatism August 13 to October 3. He was released for duty and stationed on the USS Princeton, which was a receiving ship in Philadelphia on August 28, 1864, when he was discharged from the Navy. 

John Tucker was born January 11, 1822, in South Charlton [Charlton City]. He was the son of Manasseh and Mary “Polly” (Sabin) Tucker. He married Lucy M. Davidson on April 3, 1844, in Oxford MA. They had two children: Ella Augusta and Henry Charles. Lucy’s parents were Simeon and Dorothea “Dolly” (Cudworth) Tucker. Dorothea’s parents were the subject of the Clark/Cudworth Burial Ground article, The Forgotten Burial Ground.

John was a 45-year-old engineer when he enlisted February 19, 1862, in Boston and was assigned to the USS Ohio. He served on the USS Penobscot and USS Sonoma. He was appointed Acting 3rd Assistant Engineer on the Daffodil on August 6, 1864, and was part of the South Atlantic Squadron. 

The USS Penobscot was built in Belfast Maine and was launched in November 1861. The Penobscot destroyed the Confederate schooner, Sereta, in June 1862.  Other conquests included the sloop Lizzie, British brig Robert Burns off Cape Fear, as well forcing the Kate ashore at Smith’s Island in July. 

The USS Daffodil started out as the side-wheel steamer, Jonas Smith built in Keyport Kentucky in 1862. It was then purchased by the Navy and renamed the Daffodil being fitted out at the New York Navy Yard. It sailed on November 24, to join the South Atlantic Blocking Squadron. She arrived at Port Ryal SC in December 1862 and served as tug until the end of the war along the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia.  Daffodil ‘s history includes towing 25 boats in the assault on Fort Sumter, taking part in the successful Army-Navy expedition up the Broad River to destroy the Charleston & Savannah Railroad Bridge near Pocotaligo SC. The ship did a reconnaissance mission up the Ashepoo River and February 9, joined the batteries in the Tugaloo River SC. John Tucker was aboard during these engagements. After the war John lived in West Auburn on Southbridge St. He died June 21, 1869, at the age of 47 and is buried in the West Auburn Burial Ground. 

John Tye was born in New York about 1815. He was credited to Auburn, but no evidence has been found that he ever lived in town. In the 1860 census he was living in Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. He was living with a Michael Tye age 26, and a Margaret Tye age 23. There was no listing of age for John. 

He enlisted February 17, 1862, at the age of 44, for three years as a seaman. He served on the USS Ohio, USS Wachusett, and USS Currituck.  He was wounded on the Currituck and died September 15, 1863, as a Boatswain’s Mate.  

The USS Wachusett was an Iroquois class screw sloop of war built at the Boston Navy Yard and commissioned March 1862. She was part of the attack on the Drewry’s Bluff fortifications in Virginia, was a flagship of a special “Flying Squadron” searching for Confederate Navy raiders in the Caribbean and captured the Southern cruiser, Florida, in Bahia, Brazil. 

The USS Currituck was a wooden-hulled screw-propelled steamer and was used as a gunboat doing river patrols and guard duty. It was assigned to the Potomac Flotilla in the Chesapeake Bay and tributary waters working with the Army on shore as well as convoying transports and hospital boats.  

Charles Usher was born about 1820. He enlisted for three years on May 22, 1862, at the age of 42. He served on the USS Ohio, USS Rhode Island, and  USS Harriet Lane before being discharged on May 29, 1863, in North Carolina as a Seaman. He was admitted to the US Naval Hospital in Chelsea MA in 1863 being listed as a Gunner’s Mate. He was suffering from a fractured leg. He then enlisted and was credited to Wilmington on June 6, 1863, for one year serving again on the USS Ohio and the USS Ethan Allen. The Ethan Allen was a “bark” which is a type of sailing vessel with 3 or more masts of which the fore mast is rigged for a fore-and-aft rather than square sail. From Jun 22 to Oct 28, 1863, she patrolled the Grand Banks, protecting NE fisheries from Confederate raiders. Early in November, she joined the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, patrolling the coast off Port Royal S.C. Charles’s discharge was June 8, 1864, as a Seaman. 

George White was 21 when he enlisted January 21, 1863, as an ordinary Seaman. He served on the USS Ohio and USS Restless. The Restless was a bark vessel. The first Restless was purchased from Everett and Hawley at New York on 26 August 1861 and commissioned the following December, Acting Volunteer Lt. Edward Conroy in command.

The Restless sailed to Norfolk, took on supplies for the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and toward the end of January 1862 arrived at Port Royal, S.C. and assigned to the blockade force off Charleston. She took up station off Bull’s Bay on February 4th. 

George was credited to Auburn, but no documentation shows a George White living in town at the time. 

The Veteran Project to document and honor the military of Auburn is an ongoing project of the Auburn Historical Society & Museum. If you would like to contribute to the Military Data Base please contact the museum or go to the website and download the Veterans Project information sheet and return it to the Auburn Historical Society and Museum.

This article is made possible by the Auburn Historical Society & Museum, 41 South Street. The museum is open Tuesday and Saturday mornings 9:30-12:30 and may be reached at [email protected] or 508-832-6856, www.auburnhistoricalmuseum.org or follow us on Facebook at Auburn Historical.