Sinking of the Greyhound by Southern Saboteurs - No Lives Lost - Suspicious Characters Seen Lurking On Board Before the Blast

From Fortress Monroe, Virginia.
Saturday, December 6, 1864.
The following is the New-York Times' special account of the explosion and sinking of the Greyhound on the James River near Bermuda Hundred that occurred November 27, 1864.

It has now been determined beyond a reasonable doubt that the boiler explosion and subsequent sinking of Major General Benjamin F. Butler's headquarters ship, Greyhound, was a nefarious act of Confederate sabotage.  Sources say the violent explosion was caused by an "infernal machine," also known as a "coal shell" or "coal torpedo," that was inadvertently shoveled into the ship's fire box by an unsuspecting crewman.  The bomb was a hollow, cast iron device loaded with black powder and cleverly covered with coal dust.  It was deliberately made by southern operatives to look like an ordinary lump of coal, and was apparently tossed into the ship's coal bunker just prior to the explosion.

Rear Admiral David D. Porter, Commander of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron had been invited aboard by General Butler for a conference.  A number of suspicious-looking characters had been noticed by the Admiral loitering about the ship's lounge.  The suspicious civilians were put ashore at Porter's insistence just minutes prior to the eruption of the Greyhound's boiler as she was cruising downriver, six miles below Bermuda Hundred.  The mysterious explosion blew open the furnace door, scattering burning coals throughout the ship.  The machinery was instantly stopped and the stricken vessel drifted with the tide toward the flats.  Pumps were applied as the crew courageously battled the fire, but the flames were soon out of control.  The vessel was quickly enveloped and sank within twenty minutes of the blast.  Admiral Porter was seen putting a shoulder to the captain's gig, helping the steward put it over the side.  Porter, General Butler, Ohio Congressman Robert C. Shenck, and all hands escaped with their lives but, unfortunately, the General's valuable horses perished in the conflagration.

The sinking of the Greyhound is eerily reminiscent of the boiler explosion that occurred on board the USS Chenango on April 15 of this year.  Thirty-three sailors were scalded to death when the boiler exploded on the gunboat's maiden voyage out of New York harbor, though the side-wheeler, herself, was saved and is currently undergoing repairs.  Investigators strongly suspected sabotage in the Chenango affair, as well as in this case, the destruction of the Greyhound.  Although foul play has been determined to be the most likely cause, Admiral Porter has made it known that he blames General Butler for the disaster, noting the absence of security on board his headquarters vessel.  For his part,  General Butler hinted that, perhaps, the Admiral was just expressing his disappointment with the loss of a very fast ship he coveted, adding further that Porter despises his own flagship, the slow-moving Malvern.  

The British-built Greyhound was a former blockade runner previously captured by the Navy and purchased by the U. S. Government.  At the time of her capture, the Greyhound was carrying an important passenger:  the notorious rebel spy, Belle Boyd, who was attempting to deliver military dispatches to England.   The 320-ton, iron-hulled side-wheel steamer was then purchased by Mr. George H. Powers of Hudson, New York, and later commandeered by Butler as his floating headquarters.  She was widely known as one of the fastest ships afloat.

Both the Navy and Army have been ordered to guard all coal supplies with greater vigilance.  Any unauthorized person seen placing or taking an object on or near the government's coal piles is to be shot on sight.

- H. J. W.        

[For more information, see:  The Second Admiral: A Life of David Dixon Porter by Richard S. West, Jr.; Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher by Rod Gragg]