Beschreibung:

Benjamin Simms Herring collection, 6 items. A North Carolinian by birth and southerner by inclination, Benjamin Simms Herring (1837-1915) was an engineer aboard the USS Richmond when hostilities commenced between the north and south. As a graduate of the US Naval Academy, he found himself with a difficult test of loyalties, and depending on which account one believes, Herring either resigned his commission on July 8, 1861, or was dismissed, but regardless, he resurfaced two weeks later as a Third Asst. Engineer in the Confederate Navy. His service for the Confederacy was anything but nominal. In addition to his engineering prowess, his service was highlighted by a stint aboard the most famous Confederate ironclad of the war, the CSS Merrimac -- he was on board during its engagement with the USS Monitor at Hampton Roads -- he served at the Naval Works in Columbus, Ga., and saw action aboard the CSS Tennessee in the Mobile Squadron, surrendering there on June 4, 1865. This small collection includes two war-date documents relating to Herring’s service in the Confederate navy. First is an order on letterhead of the Confederate States Navy, Sept. 27, 1864, detaching BS Herring to duty at Mobile, Ala., and signed by Capt. S.S. Lee (Robert E.’s brother) and signed by Flag Officer Eben Farrand. Second is a small deposition of Herring’s first punishment in the Naval Service while aboard the CS Steamer Morgan at Mobile. According to this account, the engineer officers were ordered on Feb. 1865 to prevent men from running away from the Morgan. When three men managed to escape anyway, having had no guard over them, captain “quarantined” Herring for neglect of duty. The deposition provides some details on how the men escaped, but Herring stated: I can only say that when a vessel is lying at a wharf and a man wants to run away, he can and will do it and never be detected in the act. The document ends with Herring unrepentant: I was relieved after 10 days Quarantine; and will think to the last moment that I was punished unjustly. The rest of the collection dates from the period after 1900, but despite the lapse in time, the war seems hardly to have ended. Among the items is a TLS from E.V. White of Norfolk, Va., Sept 20, 1915, certifying that Herring served as 2nd Asst. Engineer about the CSS Virginia (Merrimac) during its life and great fight of March 8th& 9th 1862, and was with her until May 12th when he assisted in her distruction. More disturbing are two letters from B.W. Herring, including a letter from Calypso, NC., July 2, 1903, gloating over a lynching in Delaware: Burning the negro alive at Wilmington, Del., seems to be the yankees way of dealing with the race question. The negro must not touch the yankee woman, but when he assaulted the southern warrior the yankee cried out "give him a fair trial." I went to Mt. Olive yesterday and every body was laughing at the yankee reaping what he sowed. The south is sending negroes north to give the yankee a little practical knowledge of his brother in black. Negro labor in the south gives the southern people industrial independence against foreigners and Yankees. Now take notice, the next step will be to deport the negroes to Africa. Yankees cannot bear to see the south getting all of the factories away from them, and the race question is only an agitation to get rid of the negro...More. Finally, the collection includes a printed broadside for Herring’s racist screed, Caste and Class! Dedicated to all of the people in the United States who are equally interested in knowing in which CASTE and CLASS they belong. Confederate naval material is of the utmost scarcity, particularly when it comes to the most famous vessel in the Confederate service, the Merrimac. Condition: A fine collection in good condition with light wear.