Civil War 1865 Diary of James Bloomfield, U.S. Navy / SOLD

Scarce Civil War navy diary of James Bloomfield, who served as a landsman in the United States Navy in 1864 and 1865. "Landsman" was the lowest rate of the United States Navy in the 19th and early 20th centuries; it was given to new recruits with little or no experience at sea. Landsmen performed menial, unskilled work aboard ship. A landsman who gained three years of experience or re-enlisted could be promoted to ordinary seaman. The rate existed from 1838 to 1921. The pocket diary is embossed “Diary 1865” above the closure tab and opens to several inscriptions of “James Bloomfield” and “Port Royal Harbor.”

In the front cover is housed several pages of notepaper in Bloomfield’s hand and titled ‘Record of time in the U.S. Navy.” It reads “enlisted August 1864, and sent aboard the ‘Vermont” at Brooklyn Navy Yard. October 10 transferred for the South Atlantic Squadron and went aboard the “Circassian” transport on Oct. 21st and sailed for Port Royal Oct. 22nd. 25 Oct. came in sight of the blockade at Charleston S.C. Wednesday Oct. 26 at 7 ½ PM anchored at port Royal. 27th went aboard the New Hampshire to await orders. Saturday the 29th I was appointed to take charge of the sick bay room. Nov. 1st Tuesday drafted to serve on steam tug “Arethusa” and went aboard on the 2nd. Nov. 7 celebration of the capture of port Royal. Picket duty 12,15,16,17. Dec. 12 carried dispatch to the “Pawnee” and other boats ordering them to cooperate with Sherman in the capture of Savannah. Shipping decorated on account of the arrival of Sherman within 8 miles of Savannah. Dec. 20 Council of War at Hilton Head. 22 got word that one of the Rebel rams had left Savannah ordered to Charleston to give alarm. Ordered to Charleston on Feb. 19. Met pilot boat, which brought news of the evacuation of the place by the Rebels which about ended the war in that part of the country. June 26 Monday transferred to tug Carnation and on the 27 that tug in company with the Larkspur, Azalea, and Sweet Briar left Port Royal for Philadelphia where I was finally discharged on the 19th day of July 1865.”

Bloomfield related many of these incidents and writes about the many ships he encountered during his service. His ink handwriting is very clear and legible. A wonderful Navy diary from a Civil War sailor on blockade duty.

James Bloomfield:

Enlisted on 9/1/1864 as a Landsman.

On 9/1/1864 he mustered into US Navy

He was Mustered Out on 7/13/1865 at Philadelphia, PA

Ships served on in Navy:

* USS PRINCETON

Inventory Number: IDE 130 / SOLD