Union
Navy
U.S.S.
Vermont’s
Contraband
Muster Roll
July 1, 1863
OFF
PORT
ROYAL, SOUTH CAROLINA
C. V. Brooks
(Constance Brooks)
Extracts
from the researcher’s
Names
on Record: A Journal Featuring
Virginians of African Descent
(Civil
War Sailors)
For July 1, 1863,
the
National Archives has one muster roll for the Vermont, a store,
hospital, ordnance, and receiving ship. It
is a contraband roll noting 143 sailors, all rated as landsmen.
The previous muster roll, dated March 31, 1863, does not separate
contrabands from the rest of the crew. “Negro”
William Johnson, a Virginia-born barber who enlisted in Boston, appears on
this muster roll and on subsequent rolls for Vermont’s crew members
counted as free when enlisting.
TOTAL
RECAPITULATION FOR THE CREW ON MARCH 31, 1863:
Petty Officers, 31;
Seamen, 20; Ordinary Seamen, 12; Landsmen, 39;
Boys, 9; Marines, 47; Contrabands, 175, Coalheavers, 6.
Total
in crew: 339
For
October 1, 1863, and dates thereafter,
the
Vermont has two muster rolls: one
for contrabands (fugitive slaves), the other for men counted as free at
enlistment. Sixteen (16) of the
Virginians who rated as landsmen on the July roll are noted as first-class
boys on the roll for October 1, 1863.
Names
on Record, which emphasizes African Americans in the U.S. Navy during the
Civil War, shows a photograph of contrabands aboard the Vermont
(U.S.S Vermont with Contrabands
on board, in Port Royal, S.C., 1863. NR&L
(OLD) 5270, U.S. Naval Historical Center).
Virginia-Born
Black Men
U.S.S.
Vermont’s Contraband Muster Roll
July
1, 1863
Names on Record: A Journal Featuring Virginians of African Descent (Civil War Sailors)
|
Name |
Date
of Enlistment |
Where Enlisted |
Term
of Enlistment |
Where Born |
Age |
Ht. |
|
ELLIS,
WILLIAM |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S. Vermont |
1 |
PRINCE
GEORGE Co. |
29 |
5'5" |
|
FULLER,
PETER |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S. Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
21 |
5'11" |
|
GILMORE,
GEORGE |
1863 July
1 |
U.S.S. Vermont |
1 |
LANCASTER |
25 |
5'6" |
|
HAYNES,
ROBT. |
1862 Sept.
8 [Mar 26
in pencil above date in ink] |
U.S.S. Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK [Baltimore
on roll dated Oct. 1/63] |
30 |
6'1" |
|
JOHNSON,
ROBERT |
1863 July
1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
28 |
5'11" |
|
JONES,
ALEXANDER |
1863 July
1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
31 |
5'6½" |
|
LUMFORD,
JOHN |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
VA |
36 |
5'2¾" |
|
MASON,
HENRY |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
20 |
5'4½" |
|
MOORE,
NED |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
21 |
5'5" |
|
PRUDEN,
ISAAC |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
31 |
5'8¾" |
|
ROOTS,
WILLIAM |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
25 |
5'4" |
|
SEYMOUR,
GREEN |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
21 |
5'5½" |
|
SIMPSON,
CROCKET |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
VA |
25 |
5'6½" |
|
TIMSLEY
[TINSLEY], ALBERT |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
RICHMOND |
25 |
5'6" |
|
WILSON,
STEPHEN |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
VA |
30 |
5'8¼" |
|
WOODARS,
ALEXANDER |
1863 July 1 |
U.S.S.
Vermont |
1 |
NORFOLK |
18 |
5'7¾" |
C. V. Brooks will research your Civil War ancestors. Write to P.O. Box 23827, Washington, DC 20026-3827.
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