Bluejackets in the Blubber Room: A Biography of the William Badger,1828-1865

Illustrations

William Badger, ship (B&W image). Painting by clement Drew, circa 1830s– 1840s.The Badger’s name pennant flies from the mainmast, and her house pennant flies from the foremast. note the painted gun ports on her starboard side. (courtesy of new Bedford Whaling museum.) William Badger, shipwright. Portrait by james frothingham, circa 1805. (used by permission of Portsmouth athenaeum.) early 1900s photograph of the Piscataqua river basin, taken from the hotel Wentworth at new castle.This view looks northwest across little harbor and shows the numerous islands that ships like the Badger had to negotiate before reaching the sea. seavey island, which houses the Portsmouth navy yard, is at the top right of the photo with several large structures visible. Badger’s island is even further northwest and indistinct in the upper left. (courtesy of library of congress.) early postcard of the William Badger home, Badger’s island, kittery, maine. obituary of William Badger in New Hampshire Gazette, march 2, 1830. just below the obituary, the “marine journal”revealed that Badger’s namesake ship was towed from new orleans in january—probably with a full cargo of cotton. Portrait of andrews Breed, the mayor of lynn, massachusetts , and owner of the William Badger. Breed’s foray into the whaling business was only one of his many economic and civic endeavors. (courtesy of lynn Public library.) Portrait of stern-looking new Bedford businessman and William Badger owner Benjamin Beal howard. (courtesy of james e. Benson.) Page from the whaling journal of first mate henry m. Bonney, who recorded the daily activities aboard the ship on her first whaling voyage.The time frame is December 3–17, 1845. location is “towards the cape of Good hope.”The scribbling across the center of the page reads “s. e. Windes” and “crossed the line [equator].”The whale fluke stamp in the lower left signifies the first whale the Badger ever “lowered”for, though the whaleboats were unable to strike. so much for beginner’s luck. (copyright mystic seaport, G. W. Blunt White library collection.) mention of the William Badger in a new Bedford broadside, circa 1850s.The perpetrators of this “warning”are unknown. (courtesy of new Bedford Whaling museum.) two individual sketches made in 1863 of Beaufort harbor and fort macon by Private herbert eugene valentine, company f of the twenty-Third massachusetts volunteers. valentine made a number of precise sketches of blockade scenes between 1862 and 1864. note his use of reflections in the upper sketch and the small fleet of vessels off fort macon in the lower. valentine referred to Beaufort as “the little town which we call our home.”(courtesy of national archives.) slightly damaged photo of acting master henry Phillips carr. originally from rhode island, carr was a merchant captain before the war. he commanded the William Badger until his death in late 1863 from “miasmatic fever”—malaria. (courtesy of the author.) commander samuel Phillips lee, just prior to his promotion to acting rear admiral and his taking command of the north atlantic Blockading squadron. meticulous and hardworking, lee continually emphasized the importance of logistics, holding regular communication with officers on the William Badger. (courtesy of naval historical foundation.) rare photograph of civil War coaling activities.This image shows workers taking a break from coaling admiral David farragut’s fleet off Baton rouge. note the wheelbarrows used for transport. (courtesy of library of congress.) line of union blockade ships off morris island, south carolina, july or august 1863.This ghostly, shoreline visage would have been replicated along much of the eastern coast south of hampton roads, including the waters off Beaufort. (courtesy of library of congress.) ...