The nameplate board was the most important. The team hoisted the first name change board into place, USS Hawaii. With two sailors holding the board with ropes, two others bolted the board in place with pneumatic drills. DeLouker had insisted on large bolts and washers to make the job easier and faster. DeLouker couldn’t believe his stop watch. The entire operation took only five minutes, and this was the first attempt.
The change in the ship’s number took four minutes per board, including hoisting and bolting.
All eight bright white banquet tables were lashed to the ship’s rails in six minutes.
DeLouker assembled the entire Gray Ship Gang on deck. The time was 1415, 45 minutes after they returned from lunch. “I’m not going to bullshit you people. You did one out-fucking-standing job. Knock off for the rest of the day. Read, relax, watch movies. Whoever coined the old Navy phrase Can Do had you people in mind. Dismissed.”
The USS Hawaii was ready for action. The Gray Ships Fleet was on the move.
Chapter 50
At 1700 the California (USS Hawaii for the time being) weighed anchor and headed for Wilmington, North Carolina. Captain Patterson had decided to begin their blockade duty there because there had been so many sightings of the Gray Ship, and now the rebels would get a real eye-full.
The California arrived in the waters off Wilmington at 0700 on May 12, 1861 shortly after sunrise. As if announced, they spotted a long fast-moving vessel headed toward Charleston Harbor, a classic blockade runner. The ship appeared to be unarmed or at least very light on offensive guns. She was about a half mile southeast of the California’s position, on a course that would bring her within 300 yards of the California’s bow.
Captain Patterson ordered General Quarters. The long shrill sound of the boatswain’s pipe was followed by, “General quarters, general quarters, all hands man your battle stations.” As the blockade runner was about 500 yards from the California, the Captain ordered a warning shot across her bow from one of the five-inch guns. The blockade runner slowed and began to turn. Seeing the California and hearing the sound of her guns must have been terrifying, Ashley thought. They could see her name, the CSS Advance.
The California’s Rules of Engagement were to open fire on a vessel only when threatened. The objective, in the strange rules of Operation Gray Ships, was to be seen. Captain Patterson ordered the ship to steer a course that would take it within easy observation distance of the blockade runner. She passed within 100 yards of the vessel and then turned sharply to starboard so that her stern and the name, USS Hawaii, could be clearly visible. This maneuver would become known among the crew as the Gray Ship Moon.
Aboard the Advance, the captain ordered anyone not otherwise engaged to write down their observations. One of his crew was a skilled artist who sketched what he saw. He had a clear view of her name, her number “78,” and her gigantic guns.
Captain Patterson ordered the California to head in the opposite direction, contrary to the instincts of any fighting captain, but entirely in keeping with the objective of Operation Gray Ships.
The Advance arrived in Charleston Harbor about an hour later. What her crew had seen became the talk of the waterfront.
The headline of The Anderson Intelligencer from Anderson Court House, South Carolina shouted:
“New Gray Ship Sighted — USS Hawaii ”
May 12, 1861, by John Fergus
Another gigantic Gray Ship was sighted yesterday while attacking the CSS Advance. The name of the ship is the USS Hawaii, bearing the number “78” on her superstructure. It is similar in appearance to the USS California, which was seen a few weeks ago, but it had massive guns and other structures that couldn’t be identified. Large circular objects along the ship’s rails could be seen, four on each side. Their use is unknown. The Advance did not suffer any damage and the Hawaii broke off the engagement. Robert Mason, the Captain of the Advance said, “I have never seen guns so large, nor have I ever seen a ship so fast.”
Chapter 51
The California, under a different name every 24 hours, cruised the coast of North Carolina for the next month, punctuated by two trips back to Washington to communicate with the Union command and to take on supplies.
Depending on the day, the ship would be known as the USS California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The ship’s actions were becoming almost routine. They would spot a Confederate vessel, fire a warning shot, and then pull a Gray Ship Moon, showing the crews of the rebel ships a new name every day. During any close encounter with a Southern ship, Captain Patterson ordered that General Quarters be sounded, and all hands would man their battle station. This was standard naval doctrine: if there is a possibility of hostile action, battle stations must be manned. It also served a practical purpose: to break monotony and keep morale up.
By June 1, the California had interdicted 36 blockade runners, forcing them to change course away from Wilmington. Not one vessel had fired on the California. Apparently the very sight of one of the Gray Ships was enough to convince a captain to retreat and wait for another day.
On June 2 the California set a course for the mouth of the Potomac for a visit to Washington. The Captain ordered Campbell and Jack Thurber to visit the Navy Department. She wanted Jack Thurber to assess the results, if any, of his leaked newspaper articles.
They arrived at the Navy Department at 1100. Campbell and Thurber didn’t expect to meet with Secretary Wells, but he ushered them in as soon as they arrived. Wells thirsted for information and also was bursting to tell them some good news.
“Have a seat, Gentlemen,” said Wells. Campbell gave Wells a summary of their encounters in the waters off Wilmington — 36 ships interdicted, 36 turned around. No hostile fire from any Confederate ship. He also discussed the daily costume and name changes, and the ship’s maneuvers to make sure the name was visible. He didn’t mention that the maneuver had become known as the Gray Ship Moon.
“Here are the results from our intelligence reports,” said Wells. “Ship visits to Wilmington have decreased 95 percent in the last two weeks, the two weeks that the California, under her various names, has been on duty. It seems that the very threat that the Gray Ships pose has dramatically altered commerce to that one city alone. As vessels divert to other ports they are attacked by our ships. In two weeks the California has proven to be the most important part of the blockade. Operation Gray Ships is performing splendidly.”