Samuel, the sixth son, was the only seafaring man in the family. At age eighteen he shipped as a foremast hand on a coastwise vessel, the bark Huntress, under Captain Griffin. The family thought he would soon tire of the rugged life of a seaman, but this was not to be. He became master of a sailing ship plying between Boston and Liverpool, and Boston and New Orleans. When the Civil War broke out he was offered a commission as Acting Master in the U.S. Navy. He was an officer on the gunboat Galena which participated in the fight at Drewry’s Bluff, May 15, 1862. Sam was struck in the hip and as a result, he was lame for the rest of his life. He rose to the rank of Acting Volunteer Lieutenant and was given command of a Division of the Gulf Squadron under Admiral Farragut. Many of his crew on the flagship Nyanza were Black freedmen whom he trained. Other ships in his command were the Carrabasset, the Glide and the Granite City.
Sam had married Lorette Thompson during the war. After her death when the war was over, Sam returned to Norlands with his son Benny to be a companion to his aged blind father and caretaker of the property. His second wife was Addie Reade. Despite pain and lameness he spent his days breaking roads in winter, plowing, planting, haying, cutting wood, picking apples, and threshing grain as the seasons changed. Cheerfully he cared for his father and for Sid in their illnesses. He had a real talent for caring for the sick and frequently was summoned to the homes of ailing neighbors. Patty, his mother, had often suggested that he had “the makings of a fine doctor,” but he had instead heeded the call of the sea.
Excerpts from Samuel's Civil War Journal
Samuel kept a journal from 1860-1863. He writes about his work in the lumber industry, his courtship with Lorette May Thompson, and his experiences in the Navy during the war.
Wednesday May 7 1862
Warm and pleasant today. The President [Abraham Lincoln] and suit are at the Fortress. They have been practicing with the big Lincoln gun. They have just thrown a shot from the Fort to Sewards Point. I did not get any letters today. The President Sec. Chase Stanton Gen. Wool Niele and others have been onboard the Galena today. The Merrimac came down to Sewards Point this afternoon to let the Presidents party have a look at her I suppose.
Thursday May 15 1862
This has been a memorable day on the “Galena”. At sunrise we got underweigh and went up to within seven miles of Richmond and opened fire on the Rebels at Ward’s Bluff and fought them four hours and fired 238 shots got out of ammunition and retired badly crippled. We rec’d 46 shots some of them 11 inch and others 100 pdr rifles. We lost 14 men killed and 15 wounded. I do not believe that a harder fought battle was ever fought and had we had more shells we would have silenced the guns. But when we had to use shot our prestige was gone and they began to give us __________.
Friday May 23 1862
A beautiful morning this a no error. We had some fine showers last night that have cooled the air. We had a chance to see some ____ ____ this morning. A squad of Rebels came in sight with teams after hay. I gave them a shell from the bow rifle which fell in amongst them and started their boats in a hurry. The Rebel troops are a hard looking set of devils. I cannot liken them to anything but Falstaff’s company that marched through Coventry. We had ought to have a mail here today and I hope I may have some letters. I am getting tired of this business and shall be glad when we turn our bow down river. The Gunboat “Sebago” is reported below coming up. What a d-d lying nuisance the New York Herald is. It would seem from that paper that the Galena only took a small part in the fight when the facts of the case are that she was the only vessel in the fight. The rest of the fleet kept out of harms way and it was well that they did they could not have withstood the fire that the Galena was exposed too [sic] for ten minutes. We picked up four contrabands this morning from Richmond this morning and they are now freemen. The Galena is not in the slave catching business. They represent the affairs of the Confederates as being a bad fix.
The Washburns were friendly with many influential politicians.
Sunday Sept 14 1862
A fine quiet day. Had a letter from Mrs. Washburn, Hannibal Hamlin, A P ___________ and White and Loughran. No war news. Have written my wife.