Rebel Spy, John M. Goldsmith.

On June 24, 1861, near Mathias Point, Virginia, the U. S. S. Resolute under the command of acting Master Budd made a descent on Dr. Hooe, house.  Dr. Hooe home was a depot for the rebels.  Dr. Hooe was the owner and proprietor of the depot.  He had sent word to the rebels to burn the Christiana Keen ( A New Jersey Schooner which was burned later).  Dr. Hooe had a number of mounted troopers quartered in and lying about his premises.  Their purpose was protecting boats which got across Maryland with men ect.

Dr. Hooe's place was a barrack's and had accommodations put up in his schoolhouse and outhouses for twenty-five men.  When the U. S. S. Resolute attacked there won't many enemy troopers at the house.  After landing the premises was set a fire and completely destroyed.

After the attack a Dragoon uniform ( Officers ), was found.  It was found that one of the rebel agents was a spy and the uniform was his.

The Spy was John M. Goldsmith, was an officer, he was small and slight of figure, had short black hair and a small black moustache.  He had no whiskers, had deep blue eyes, he had a small head and face.  HIs complexion was fair, he was quick in action and speech and had a strong voice.

Goldsmith came across from Baltimore on the 21st, and went to Fredericksburg, then returned from Fredericksburg and left Dr. Hooe's house the evening before the attack.  He is supposed to be there purchasing revolvers.

Authors note.  The Doctor's name was either Hooe or Howe, neither the Rebel's or union was for sure.  It was not known if the spies real name was Goldsmith as spies used many different names.  However there was a Private, John M. Goldsmith, in the First Maryland Infantry, Co. H., was this the same man, only more research well tell.

The information above was put together from two reports taken from the files of the ( Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion ), Series !. Vol. 4, p. 533-536.

U. S. S. Shawmut.

USS Shawmut was a 593-ton steamer acquired by the U.S. Navy and put to use by the Union during the American Civil War.

Shawmut served the Union Navy primarily as a gunboat with howitzers for bombardment, and various other rifles and cannon for use at sea in apprehending blockade runners attempting to “run” the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America.

Shawmut—a screw gunboat begun on 2 February 1863 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard (Kittery, Maine) -- was launched on 17 April 1863; sponsored by Miss Lucy Hall; departed Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on 20 October 1863; was towed to New York City where her engine and machinery were installed by the South Brooklyn Works; was delivered to the Union Navy on 16 October 1864; and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 1 November 1864, Lt. Comdr. George U. Morris in command.

Two days later, Shawmut got underway to search for Confederate Navy commerce raider, CSS Tallahassee (renamed Olustee), which had recently preyed upon Northern shipping off the Delaware capes. After cruising in Nova Scotian waters without seeing or hearing of her quarry, Shawmut returned to the Portsmouth Navy Yard on the 20th.

On 9 January 1865, the gunboat was ordered to proceed to Wilmington, North Carolina, to join the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She participated in the attack on and capture of Fort Anderson, North Carolina, from 18 to 20 February. On the latter day, a boat from Shawmut was destroyed by a torpedo (the Civil War term for a mine) as it swept waters in the area.

U. S. S. Shawmut, February 20, 1865.

Casualties from a torpedo explosion under the bow of the Shawmut.

 

James Cobb, Seaman, Killed.

James Hayes, Seaman, Drowned.

Acting Ensign, W. B. Trufant, Severely wounded.

Martin Wall, Seaman, Slightly wounded.

Wilson J. Wells, 144th, N. Y. Infantry.

New York State Records.

WELLS, WILSON.—Age, 18 years. Enlisted, August 30, 1862, at -Masonville, to serve three years; mustered in as private, Co.B, September 27, 1S62; promoted corporal. October 1, 1864; wounded in action, November 30, 1864, at Honey Hill, S. C.; died of his wounds, December 2, 1864, in hospital, at Hilton Head, S. C; also borne as Wilson J. Wells.

Files of the Surgeon General.

CASE 219. Corporal W. J. Wells, Co. B, 144th New York, aged 19 years, was wounded in the abdomen at Honey Hill, November 30, 1864. He was taken to the regimental hospital, where Surgeon John R Leal, 144th New York, records the case as a "gunshot wound of the bowels; mortal." On the same day, the patient was transferred to the hospital at Hilton Head, where Assistant Surgeon John F. Huber, U. S. V., notes the injury as a " lesion of the small intestines from a fragment of shell." Death resulted December 2, 1864. A knuckle of the jejunum was divided, and the contents of the bowel had passed into the peritoneal cavity.

Burial: Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, Beaufort County, South Carolina.

Ogden B. Reed.

Captain Ogden B. Reed.
Push to enlarge.

Ogden B. Reed, a younger son of Hon. David Reed, was born in Colchester, Vt., Sept. 16th, 1843. At the time of the breaking out of the civil war he was a student in the University of Vermont, a member of the class of 1864.  When the President's call for troops in July, 1862, was issued, he abandoned his college course and enlisted as a private soldier, with his older brother, James M. Reed, with a company then being organized by Giles F. Appleton. This organization became Co. D, Tenth Regiment Vermont Volunteers, and Appleton its Captain.

Reed was mustered into the U. S. service with the regiment, continuing in the ranks until Dec. 26th, when he was promoted a Corporal and retained this position, sharing in all the experiences of the regiment until the 28th of March, 1864. He was then discharged for appointment in the colored troops and commissioned a Captain in the Thirty- ninth U. S. Colored Infantry. In a few days less than a year, he was appointed Brevet Major of Volunteers, and mustered out with the regiment in the following December.

Brevet Major Reed had now become attached to the military service and decided to take up the profession of a soldier as an occupation for the remainder of his life. He was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Eleventh U. S. Infantry on the 23d of February, 1866. April 25th he was made a First Lieutenant and transferred to the Twelfth U. S. Infantry. In September following, he was returned to the Eleventh Infantry and promoted a Captain Jan. 23d, 1873.

He was engaged while in the Third Corps, Army of the Potomac, at Bristow Station, Kelly's Ford, Brandy Station, Locust Grove and Mine Run ; in the Ninth Corps, Army of the Potomac, in the Wilderness campaign, 1864 ; siege of Petersburg ; Petersburg mine, July 30, 1864, severely wounded. He was on general recruiting service from Sept. 18th 1874, to Oct. 1st, 1876, and in action with the hostile Sioux near Poplar river, Montana, Jan. 2d, 1881.

Further than this, of the character and extent of Captain Reed's services, either in the Volunteer or the Regular Army, there are no means of knowing. Judging, however, from the length of time he served and the frequency of his promotions, it may be inferred that his record was creditable to himself and satisfactory to his superior officers and to the Government. He died a tragic death at the U. S. Barracks, Plattsburgh, N. Y., April 13, 1889.

Solomon Augustus Elwood, 8th., N. Y. Cavalry.

Solomon Augustus Elwood.

Birth: Mar. 16, 1841.
Death: Apr. 8, 1918, McDonough, Chenango County, New York.

Parents: Samuel Elwood (1793 - 1880), Harriet Curtis Elwood (1798 - 1895).

Wife: Adelia Gibson Elwood (1846 - 1876).

Burial: Union Cemetery, McDonough, Chenango County, New York.

New York State Civil War Records.

ELLWOOD, SOLOMON.— Age, 23 years. Enlisted, August 28, 1862, at McDonough; mustered in as private, Co. A, August 28, 1862, to serve three years; wounded, October 9, 1864; sent to hospital at Philadelphia, Pa.; appointed corporal, May 1, 1865; mustered out with company, June 27, 1865, at Alexandria, Va.; also borne as Elwood.

Files of the Surgeon General.

Solomon Elwood, Private, Co. A., 8th., New York Cavalry, Age 25 years.  Contusion and denudation of the frontal bone by a conoidal musket ball.  Fisher's Hill, Virginia, October 7, 1864. Returned to duty March 15, 1865.
 

William S. Dingman, Vermont.

William S. Dingman.

Birth: March 4, 1839.
Death: September 27, 1896.

Burial: Village Cemetery, Montgomery, Vermont.

OBITUARY.

William S. Dingman

St. Albans Daily Messenger

Oct. 1,1896

MONTGOMERY.

Wm. S. Dingman, who has been in failing health for some time past, died Sunday afternoon. His funeral was attended Tuesday forenoon from his late residence. Mr. Dingman was a member of Co. F, 10th Regt. Vt. Vols., and was nearly three years in the service.

MILITARY SERVICE:

Age: 24, credited to Berkshire, VT

Unit(s): 10th VT INF

Service: Enlisted 7/21/62, Mustered in 9/1/62, Pvt, Co. F, 10th VT INF, Wounded, Winchester, 9 /19/64, Mustered out 5/22/65

FIELS OF THE SURGEON GENERAL

 

CASE. Private William S. Dingman, Co. F, 10th Vermont Volunteers, aged 26 years, was wounded at the battle of Winchester, Virginia, September 19th, 1864, by a fragment of shell which fractured the outer table of the frontal sinus. He was admitted to the 3d division, Sixth Corps, hospital, and on the 24th, sent to the Frederick hospital, Maryland, but shortly afterwards transferred to the Sloan Hospital, in Vermont. The wound healed and the patient was discharged from service on May 22d, 1865, at Brattleboro . In September, 1867, he was in receipt of a pension. In March, 1869, Dr. O. F. Fossett reported that this pensioner, having had a fracture involving the frontal sinus, had ulceration with a discharge of fetid sanious matter in the nose, with partial loss of vision and much pain and dizziness, incapacitating him for labor, and producing a disability rated at three fourths, without likelihood of improvement.