Roster of the U.S. Army Gunboat Bombshell

Sunk April 18th, 1864 by Confederate Batteries. The Wiard gun was removed from the bow after it sank and used in Fort Williams.

Raised by the Confederates after the battle. Re-captured May 5, 1864 by the Federals in Albemarle Sound.

Hartford Daily Courant, Hartford, CT, April 26, 1864 - The "gunboat" Bombshell, reported sunk by a rebel ram at Plymouth, N.C., was a nondescript concern, made out of one of the small canal barges which accompanied the Burnside expedition to North Carolina. The Chief Quartermaster of the department, finding an old saw mill engine in one of the shops at Newbern, had it repaired and put it into the barge, adding a small pair of wheels and a shaft. The craft was built upon at the stern so as to give the necessary room for machinery and quarters. Her appearance when completed was rather comical, and her loss is not a serious one.

Manned by a Detachment of Battery A, 3rd PA Heavy Artillery and the others listed below.

For additions, please contact Edward Boots.

BALLOU, Dennis Gilbert - Private, Co. A, 5th RI Heavy Artillery. Born 4 June 1845, son of Dennis & Susan Perkins (Phillips) Ballou. Enlisted 14 Dec 1861 from Slatersville, Providence Co., RI at age 18. Mustered in 27 Dec 1861. Detached 15 Aug 1863 to the Bombshell. Detached 15 Oct 1863 to the Q. M. Dept. Probably not on the Bombshell during the battle. Captured 20 April 1864 at Plymouth, NC. POW at Andersonville, GA & Charleston, SC. Died 10 Oct 1864 of Scorbutus at Charleston, SC. His name appears on a marble marker in the Beaufort National Cemetery, SC as being re-interred from Charleston & buried as an unknown. Marked as D. G. Bollon. Also a cenotaph in the Dennis Ballou Cemetery, North Smithfield, Providence Co., RI.

CRAWFORD, Isaiah - Corporal, Co. E, 5th RI Heavy Artillery. Born Feb 1842 in RI, son of Maxwell & Catherine (Roy) Crawford. Enlisted 19 Nov 61, an Operative from Crompton, West Warwick, Kent Co., RI. Mustered as a Private. Promoted to Corporal. Detached to the Bombshell. Onboard during the Battle of Plymouth, NC. Mustered out 21 Nov 1864 at New Bern, NC. Married 3 Dec 1881 to Cora. F., dau. of John & Jane Graves. Applied 21 April 1890 for a pension. Managed a Boarding house in Lawrence, MA. Died 26 May 1903 of Bronchitis at Lawrence, MA. Buried 28 May in Bellevue Cemetery. Widow Cora applied 29 June 1903 for a pension.

DUNLAP, George - Sergeant, Co. E, 5th RI Heavy Artillery. Enlisted 21 Aug 62 from Bridgetown, RI. Mustered 22 Aug 62 as a Private. Promoted 25 Dec 62 to Corporal. Promoted 1 March 63 to Sergeant. Detached 5 Aug 63 to the Bombshell. Onboard during the Battle of Plymouth, NC. Captured at the Battle of Plymouth. POW at Andersonville, GA. (Squad 40, 2nd Mess) Admitted 27 June 64 to the prison hospital with Typhoid Fever. Returned 1 Nov 64 to the stockade. Transferred 11 Nov 64 to Millen, GA. No further record. Dropped from the rolls 26 June 1865.

STOKES, Thomas B. - Acting Ensign - Born 19 July 1835 in England and a resident of New York. Rated Acting Ensign on 13 Oct 1862. Assigned to the USS Southfield in 1864, but commanded the Bombshell during the Battle of Plymouth. Captured 19 April 64 at Plymouth, NC. Exchanged 18 Oct 64 at Aikens Landing, VA. Honorably discharged 31 August 1865. Married to Emeline. Died 15 Oct 1887. Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Ruthven, Palo Alto Co., Iowa. Headstone