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).
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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 | 5'6-1/2" |
| LUMFORD, JOHN | 1863 July 1 | U.S.S. Vermont | 1 | VA | 36 | 5'2-3/4" |
| MASON, HENRY | 1863 July 1 | U.S.S. Vermont | 1 | NORFOLK | 20 | 5'4-1/2" |
| 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 | 5'8-3/4" |
| 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 | 5'5-1/2" |
| SIMPSON, CROCKET | 1863 July 1 | U.S.S. Vermont | 1 | VA | 25 | 5'6-1/2" |
| 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 | 5'8-1/4" |
| WOODARS, ALEXANDER | 1863 July 1 | U.S.S. Vermont | 1 | NORFOLK | 18 | 5'7-3/4" |
Category: Civil War |
Subcategory: Union Navy |
Tags:
Virginia ,
South Carolina
Related Topics / Keywords / Phrases:
1862,
1863,
African American,
Civil War,
GE,
Henry,
John,
Jones,
Marine,
Old,
South Carolina,
Vermont,
Virginia,
