Chronology of Roger Nelson Stembel's Civil War Action
Spring-Summer 1861 Cdr. Roger Nelson Stembel, as an agent for the Union Navy, purchased and oversaw the equipping of three wooden gun-boats in Carondolet, Missouri (near St. Louis), for use on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.(1)
9/8/61 Cdr. Stembel, as Captain of the timberclad Lexington, engaged the enemy near Lucas Bend (Missouri-Kentucky) on the Mississippi River.(2)
11/7/61 As Captain of the Lexington, Cdr. Stembel supported General Grant's attack of Belmont, Missouri (Mississippi River).(3)
1/15/62 As an agent of the Union Navy, Stembel inspected the seven newly constructed city-class ironclads at Cairo, IL.(4)
2/6/62 Cdr. Stembel, now Captain of the newly commissioned ironclad flagship Cincinnati, attacked Ft. Henry on the Tennessee River. Confederate General Tilghman surrendered to Flag-Officer A. H. Foote on Stembel's boat. This was a major Union victory.(5)
3/20/62 Flag-Officer Foote, through Cdr. Stembel, consulted with his commanding officers as to the practicality of taking a gun-boat past the enemy's forts to New Madrid (on the Mississippi).(6)
5/10/62 As Captain of the Cincinnati, Cdr. Stembel was involved in a clash with the Confederate Navy at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River.(7) During this battle he was gravely wounded. Cdr. Stembel was sent to a hospital to recover. He saw no more action for the remainder of the war.
2/22/64 President Abraham Lincoln wrote of Cdr. Stembel: "These extracts of letters of Admiral Foote show Commander Stembel to be a very meritorious officer. Unless the Sec. of the Navy knows some reason to the contrary, I propose that a vote of thanks be taken of Congress for him. If there be nothing in the way, please send the papers to sign."
A. Lincoln
Newspaper Accounts of Captain Roger Nelson Stembel's Wound in the Skirmish at Fort Pillow
DAILY MISSOURI DEMOCRAT
May 13, 1862
[The Daily Missouri Democrat was published daily (except Sundays) in St. Louis. Copies of the newspaper are available in large bound volumes in the Library of Congress. The newspaper is huge, approximately 30" high by maybe 16" wide (compared to today's 24" x 13"). The type size, on the other hand was smaller than what is used in today's newspapers. Each day's paper was always four pages.]
The Latest News
By Telegraph
From the Flotilla
(special dispatch to the Missouri Democrat)
Cairo [Illinois],May 11. [...] On Saturday morning, about four o'clock, our tow-boats took one of our mortars to a position a little below our fleet, and the gun-boat Cincinnati, commanded by Captain Stembel, accompanied it. The morning was rather hazy; the Cincinnati laid close to the bank. About six o'clock a rebel streamer appeared in sight, coming around Craig Head Point, making toward the Cincinnati. She immediately cut loose from the bank and prepared herself to give battle. When within a good distance, the Cincinnati let go of a broadside at her. The rebel steamer kept on heading directly for her, and at last ran into her, butting the Cincinnati twice, doing considerable damage.
Captain Stembel immediately applied his hot water apparatus so they could not board him, and kept up a continual fire. During the time three other rebel gunboats came up, and the Cincinnati engaged them all for fifteen minutes. Our other gunboats dropped down, and the fight became general. [...]
Captain Stembel killed one of the pilots on the ram, and [the rebel pilot's] companion shot Captain Stembel in the neck. The wound is not considered dangerous. [...]
DAILY MISSOURI DEMOCRAT
May 17, 1862
The Engagement off Fort Pillow
The Rebels Badly Whipped in Thirty Minutes
The Gunboats Cincinnati and Mound City Disabled
Capt. Stembel Seriously Wounded
(Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette)
Mississippi Flotilla, Above Ft. Pillow, Saturday Night, May 10. [...describes the events leading up to Captain Stembel's wounding...]
How Captain Stembel Was Wounded
A portion of the crew [of the Cincinnati] had now to be detailed to bale her out, and the remainder were ordered on deck, and supplied with cutlasses, muskets and hand grenades, in anticipation of an attempt to board her. It was here that Captain Stembel was wounded. His place was in the pilot-house, where he could have managed the ship and given his orders also, but regardless of danger, he went on deck with his men, encouraging them by his example everywhere. A lurch in the Mexico, exposing her pilot, at the wheel, Captain Stembel drew his revolver at a favorable moment and shot him dead. He was expostulated with by his officers and men for exposing himself so needlessly, and just then, warned that a sharpshooter in the pilot-house of the Mexico was drawing a bead on him. As he turned to step behind his own pilot-house, the piece was discharged, the ball entering his back near one of his shoulder blades, and coming out under his chin. He was promptly carried below, all believing him to be dead or mortally wounded. The command of the vessel now devolved upon Lt. Hoel, recently promoted for gallant conduct at Island No. 10 who said, "My lads, if this ship goes down, she must do so with colors flying!" The only response was three hearty cheers from the crew.
[...more]
FOOTNOTES
1. Johnson, Robert Underwood, and Buel, Clarence Clough, eds.; "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Volume 1," published first in 1887 by the Century Co., New York; republished 1985 by Castle, a division of Book Sales, Secaucus, N.J. Page 359.
2. Stembel, David, Jr., unpublished research paper on the leadership of Commander R. N. Stembel during the Civil War. U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD. Ca 1954.
3. Johnson and Buel, p. 355; Stembel, p. 7.
4. Bearss, Edwin C., "Hardluck Ironclad; The Sinking and Salvage of the Cairo," Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge. 1966. p. 33.
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Copyright. Oren Stembel, STEMBEL FAMILY HISTORY PROJECT. (familyhistory.stembel.org)