Freemasons of New York State in the Civil War

Biography

Roe left the Navy for eleven months, from June 1848 to May 1849, serving aboard the mail steamer SS Georgia. After he returned to the Navy, he was assigned to Porpoise and served in an expedition to chart the North Pacific. Cape Roe on the Japanese island of Tanegashima was named for him during this expedition. In 1854, while serving in Porpoise on the Asiatic Station, he participated in an engagement with 13 Chinese armored junks off Macau. Six of the junks were sunk and the others were scattered.

Roe received his commission as Master on August 8, 1855, and as Lieutenant on September 14 of the same year. From 1857 to 1858 he served in the U.S. Coast Survey.

During the U.S. Civil War, in April 1862, he was recommended for promotion for gallantry for his actions on board Pensacola while serving as executive officer, as that ship led Admiral David Farragut's starboard column past Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander on July 16, 1862, and placed in command of Katahdin on the Mississippi River. While commanding Katahdin, Roe defeated Confederate General John C. Breckinridge's attack on Baton Rouge, Louisiana,

Roe was ordered to command Sassacus on the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron in September 1863, and captured and destroyed several blockade runners in the sounds of North Carolina. Eight months later he was again commended for gallantry for engaging the Confederate ram CSS Albemarle and capturing the gunboat CSS Bombshell on May 5, 1864.

After the end of the war, Roe commanded Michigan on the Great Lakes. He was promoted to Commander on July 25, 1866, and given command of the steamer Tacony on a special mission to Mexico. Roe served as fleet captain for the Asiatic Station from 1868 to 1871.

Roe was promoted to Captain on April 1, 1872, and commanded Lancaster on the Brazil Station from 1874 to 1875. He was promoted to Commodore on November 26, 1880, and to Rear Admiral on November 3, 1884 while serving as governor of the Naval Asylum at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was transferred to the retired list October 4, 1885.

Roe died in Washington, D.C. on December 28, 1901, aged 78, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

* Report of Lieutenant Roe. U. S. Navy, executive officer of the U. S. S. Pensacola.

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New Orleans, April 30, 1862.

Although himself knocked down by a cannon shot, he recovered his presence of mind, which never forsook him, and was always found where he was most needed. The forward division, consisting of the Xl-inch pivot and 80-pound rifle gun, was admirably served under the orders of Acting Master E. C. Weeks. Master's Mate Alfred H. Reynolds came aft on the hammock nettings to report to me the loss of the rammer of his 80-pounder. While aft, by the bridge, near No. 5 gun, he had his sword belt cut from his waist in three pieces. But this officer never for a moment faltered in his duty at the forward division. Mr. Cox, the carpenter, was quite severely wounded in the beginning of the engagement and was compelled to go below.

The other instance is still more humiliating: William Cooper (ordinary seaman), shellman of No. 2 gun, deserted his station and was twice hauled out from behind the forward bitts by the men of our ship. The scorn and contempt of our crew for this man appears to be condemnation enough.

F. A. ROE,

Captain HENRY W. MORRIS,

USS Pensacola

In July, when Farragut withdrew from the Mississippi River to attend to his blockaders in the gulf, he left Katahdin in the river with USS Essex, Sumter, and Kineo to protect Army units in the area and to police the river. During much of this time Katahdin was stationed at Baton Rouge. 5 August Confederates attacked the Union encampment at Baton Rouge in force. The gunboats supported the badly outnumbered Northern soldiers enabling them to repulse the attack. Then they fired over the town into the Confederate camp, forcing them to withdraw out of range. The next morning Kineo and Katahdin guarded the right flank of the

Union Army while Essex’ and Cayuga got underway to engage ironclad ram CSS Arkansas. However, as the Union warships were closing on Arkansas, the ram's engines failed leaving her unable to flee or fight; she was set afire by her officers and abandoned before she blew up.
For the next fortnight the threat of an attack kept the ships constantly on the alert to protect the troops which depended upon naval fire support. Finally, upon orders from General Butler, the Union Army evacuated Baton Rouge 21 August. Just before embarking the troops, the gunboats beat off an attack on the Union pickets with rapid and heavy fire. Katahdin brought up the rear as the ships steamed to New Orleans, where they arrived the following morning.
Supporting Union troops at Donaldsonville

After repairs at New Orleans, the gunboat stood up the river 5 September with Kineo and Scioto scouring the banks for information. With Itasca she covered the landing of Army troops 22 September at Donaldsonville, Louisiana. While the expedition was ashore, the gunboats protected them; and, shortly before the soldiers reembarked, naval gunfire beat back a Southern attack which threatened to cut off the landing party. This support prevented annihilation of the landing party by vastly superior forces and enabled it to retreat to Laurel Hill for passage to safety in New Orleans.

In the months that followed, the gunboats constantly patrolled the river to protect Union communications, to gather information on Confederate activity, and to cut the flow across the Mississippi River of food and men to Confederate armies in the East. With 3 other gunboats Katahdin intercepted a drove of some 1,500 cattle from and loaded them on transports for passage to New Orleans. The value of this beef to the South can be attested by the fact that, four miles below Donaldsonville, about 3,000 infantrymen supported by nine field pieces struck back at the ships in a desperate attempt to recapture the cattle. The gunboats opened promptly and in about 20 minute drove the Confederates from their position.

"Our fighting is a savage Indian warfare. The troops and guns are concealed, and watch for us as we pass along and fire and flee."

In January Katahdin was ordered to reinforce the blockade off Galveston, Texas after that port had been recaptured by the Confederacy on New Year's Day. While serving in the Gulf off the coast, Katahdin and Owasco chased, captured, and burned blockade running schooner Hanover 10 May 1863. She captured schooner Excelsior 13 July at San Luis Pass, Texas.