Even though James D. Bulloch was known for his naval skills, he also excelled as a secret agent. His abilities were highly valued in England, where the Confederacy hoped to get ships for their navy. The Southern states didn’t have the resources to build the ships they needed.
Bulloch was from Georgia and his half-sister was the mother of Theodore Roosevelt, who later became president. Bulloch joined the U.S. Navy as a midshipman in 1839 and served on different ships, like the Delaware during a famous trip to the Mediterranean.
After attending naval school in Philadelphia in 1844-1845, where he ranked second in his class, Bulloch went back to active duty. He was stationed on the Pacific coast during the Mexican War and later commanded mail steamers to California. He also led various vessels providing mail service along the Gulf of Mexico.
Bulloch Heads to England to Secure Ships
When Georgia left the Union, Bulloch quit his job in the Federal Navy and joined the Confederate Navy as a commander. He was chosen to be their naval agent in England to buy ships for the South because of his expertise in maritime and international law. He agreed to the task on the condition that he would command the first Rebel cruiser made in England.
In 1861, in Liverpool, Bulloch arranged for the construction of two cruisers – the Florida and the Alabama. He also searched for a ship that could transport military supplies through the Union Navy blockade along the Confederate Atlantic coast.
Bulloch, who had great knowledge of ships and shipping, purchased the Fingal, a nearly new steamship, for the blockade-running operation. Even though he wanted to captain one of the cruisers being built, Confederate leaders believed acquiring naval vessels was more important than leading a battle cruiser on a long voyage.
However, Bulloch did manage to get permission to captain the Fingal for one trip across the Atlantic to deliver war supplies. Upon his return, he briefed the Confederate Secretary of the Navy, Mallory, on his efforts to acquire ships and blockade runners for the South.
After observing the Fingal reach a speed of 13 knots during a test run, Bulloch took control of the ship in Greenock, Scotland, but did not stay on board. He had to be cautious and secretive because word had spread that the Confederate government was trying to outfit ships in England to attack American commerce. All vessels were closely monitored.
The Secret Voyage of the Fingal
To trick the British, the Fingal was initially registered under their flag and had an English captain for the trip from Scotland. The crew signed up following British shipping laws. They made sure to hire skilled engineers and a few key crew members without revealing the true purpose of the ship.
The Fingal was secretly loaded in Scotland with the largest amount of military supplies ever sent to the Confederacy. While other shipments were bigger, they mainly carried civilian goods that were scarce in the South. Private blockade runners preferred luxury items over military supplies for profit.
The military cargo on the Fingal included rifles, revolvers, large guns, ammunition, and seamen’s clothing. After leaving Scotland on October 11, 1861, the ship faced a storm off the coast, causing concern for its success.
Bulloch, back in Liverpool, received news that the Fingal had left Scotland but feared the worst when he heard about a collision involving the ship. However, it turned out that the Fingal had collided with an unlit wooden brig, sinking it. To avoid inspection and delays, Bulloch quickly arranged for the Fingal to sail away before facing further scrutiny or the mission falling apart.Bermuda was a spot where goods from big ships coming from Europe were transferred to smaller boats that could easily navigate the Union blockade. Luckily, Bulloch managed to get the Fingal out of the harbor and sailing down the channel before anyone in charge could stop her. He reached out to Fraser, Trenholm & Co., who represented Confederate financial interests in England, and asked them to settle things with the owner of the brigs in a friendly way.
The steamer was loaded too heavily with military supplies, so Bulloch couldn’t go faster than nine knots at sea. He was a bit disappointed because he had hoped for a thrilling chase between Bermuda and the Southern coast.
Bulloch Reveals the Real Mission to the Crew
Anyway, the steamship arrived in Bermuda without any issues on November 2nd. Bulloch met with Captain R.B. Pegram of the Confederate ship Nashville to discuss Confederacy matters. The Fingal also took on a pilot named John Makin from the Nashville, who knew the Savannah area well.
Afterwards, the Fingal was held up for a few days. The U.S. consul in Bermuda suspected it of being a blockade runner and tried to stop it from getting supplies. He even hired people to scare the crew into leaving. However, local merchants helped the Fingal get what it needed to sail to Nassau on November 7th.
Even though the U.S. government couldn’t prevent the military shipment, the consul in London sent a report about the Fingal and its cargo to Union captains so they could identify it.
Before setting sail, the crew and British captain were unaware of the true destination. When Bulloch revealed they were heading to Savannah instead of Nassau, he gave them the option to leave. No one wanted to abandon the mission.
Bulloch explained that the Union had bought merchant steamers for blockades, which weren’t well-equipped. He assured the crew that the Confederate government wouldn’t hand over the valuable cargo to weaker Union ships or men trying to board the steamer.As long as the Fingal is flying the British flag, we can’t attack. But I have a document to transfer ownership to the Confederate Navy whenever needed.
If we might come across a blockade, would you be willing to help defend the ship? he asked.
Yes, they all agreed.
After that, everyone got busy arming the Fingal. They installed guns in the front and back of the ship, stocked up on rifles, revolvers, and ammo, and turned a room into an armory.
Bulloch then talked with McNair, the head engineer, who mentioned preparing coal and cleaning the boilers to increase the ship’s speed when needed.
The Fingal Attempts to Run the Blockade
McNair got his opportunity on November 11th when Bulloch decided to land at the entrance to Wassaw Sound south of Savannah. The plan was for pilot Makin to guide the ship through the inland creeks until reaching the Savannah River upriver from the Union threat.
The Fingal was across from Wassaw Sound around noon, and Bulloch directed the steamer to head due west to reach land before daylight. Around 1 am on November 12th, they could hear the shore. It had been clear and slightly breezy until then, but it became calm, and a dark line appeared in the west. Makin explained it was mist over the marshes that would soon drift towards them with the land breeze.
There were no lights on the ship except in the binnacle, carefully covered so the wheelman could barely see the compass. It was quiet, only the sound of the engines and the ship moving through the water could be heard, muffled by the damp air.
As they reached six fathoms, the engines were slowed down, and they cautiously headed towards the land to avoid any blockaders near the inlet. The fog was thick, like mulligatawny soup, and the water looked dark brown. Despite the conditions, they were in a good position for a surprise move at dawn.
The Mission is Nearly Cocked Up
As everyone eagerly scanned the fog for land or a ship, a sudden, high-pitched shriek pierced through the silence, startling us all. We couldn’t figure out what it was at first, but we all agreed it was as loud and piercing as a steam whistle, likely audible to any nearby blockaders.
The sound repeated, and this time the crew realized it was coming from a cock that had snuck on board in Bermuda. They quickly located the bird and swiftly dealt with it, though they mistakenly grabbed the wrong one at first.
Despite a failed attempt to catch the noisy cock, causing chaos among the hens, they eventually caught the right bird. It put up a good fight before meeting its end, bringing back the quiet on deck once more.
The Final Sprint for Shore
As the sun started to rise, Makin predicted that fog would form over the marshes and then drift out to sea with the morning breeze. He was worried about navigating through the creeks to the Savannah River due to the fog.
Instead of risking getting lost in the foggy creeks, Makin suggested heading straight for Savannah, which was about 18 miles away. He was confident that their ship, the Fingal, could make it there safely, even without buoys to guide them.
McNair prepared the Fingal to sail at a speed of 11 knots to make the journey quicker.
The thick fog hung over the land, making it hard to see anything beyond it. The Fingal managed to cross the bar and enter the channel without any trouble.
Upon reaching Savannah, they fired a gun and raised the Confederate flag, receiving cheers from the men at the fort nearby.
After unloading war supplies and loading cotton onto the Fingal, Bulloch rushed off to report to Confederate authorities in Richmond. However, the Federal blockading fleet soon closed in on Savannah.
Despite his efforts to evade the blockaders, Bulloch was unable to get the Fingal out to sea again. He eventually gave up and traveled to Wilmington, NC, to catch another blockade runner back to Liverpool.
Bulloch faced challenges in securing ships for the South due to pressure from both the Lincoln Administration and shifting British policies. Despite legal support in Britain, his work became increasingly difficult.
The Fingals Disappointing End
Back in the Atlantic, the Federal blockade fleet trapped the Fingal ship in the Savannah River for a long time. The Confederacy decided to change her into an ironclad vessel by adding thick armor and big naval guns.
After being renamed the CSS Atlanta, she sailed down the river in May 1863. However, due to her heavy armament and deep hull, she got stuck on a mudbank.
She was eventually freed and repaired. On June 17, under the cover of night, she attempted to attack a group of Federal monitors but got stuck three times near the well-armed Union ships.
When Captain John Rodgers of the USS Weekawken saw that the Atlanta was immobile, he ordered his ship to move closer and fire its huge guns at her.
Unable to escape, the Atlanta surrendered and became a prize of war for the Federal fleet.
