A sister of Harmon Bilbro, Ophelia Bilbro Jenkins' death certificate lists Harriet's husband as William D. Bilbro.
Harriet was married to William B. Bilbro in Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia in 1847. Her husband was a steamboat pilot on the Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola River. They were living in Columbus in 1850. By 1860 she and her husband and children had moved to Apalachicola in Franklin County, Florida. When war came to the south and to Florida in 1861 her husband entered service in the Confederate States Navy and was a pilot aboard gunboats manufactured in Columbus at the Columbus Iron Works and Naval Foundry and at Saffold in Early County. In Feb of 1863 the Confederate Navy completed the construction and launched the C.S.S. Chattahoochee. Her husband William became the Pilot for this gunboat. The Chattahoochee sailed down the river from Columbus towards Apalachicola. The ship was tied up at the Arsenal Wharf at Chattahoochee, Florida when news reached her that a Union boat party from the U.S.S. Port Royal had entered the lower Apalachicola and captured the schooner Fashion, which was taking on cotton for a planned attempt to run the blockade. Even though the capture of the Fashion took place below the obstructions, the crew of the Chattahoochee raised steam on May 26th and started down the Apalachicola River. The vessel reached the bar at Blountstown, a shallow point in the river, that night, but the water proved too shallow to continue. The ship was anchored for the night. Lieutenant Guthrie went on downstream in a small boat to check conditions and see if there was any way to get around the obstructions. Many later believed he planned to ram them. Tragically, neither the captain nor his crew
knew that a severe early season hurricane was about to move in from the Gulf. The wind and rain increased through the night and by morning, when Lt. Guthrie returned, the vessel was feeling the front edge of a severe storm. Stormy conditions probably contributed greatly to what happened next. As the crew prepared to raise steam for the trip upriver, an argument broke out over how much water was in the boiler. A gauge was not working and before the ship's chief engineer could intervene, a massive steam explosion rocked the vessel. The malfunctioning gauge had caused the crew to allow the boiler to grow red hot before filling it with water. When the water poured in, it instantly vaporized and burst through piping attached to the boiler. Sixteen members of the crew were killed instantly, scalded to death by the steam.
Among those was Pilot William B. Bilbro.
Another was mortally injured, two more were severely injured and another four received minor injuries. Panicked that the gunpowder in the ship's magazines might explode, the crew opened plugs in the ship's hull and let her sink to the bottom of the muddy river. With the hurricane raging, the accident was described by C.S. Navy officers as horrible in the extreme.
Those killed immediately were buried in Chattahoochee, where a monument marking their graves can be seen today.
Harriett and William had these children: Ophelia and Harmon.
Contributor: John Simmons (48868113) • [email protected]
Harriet was married to William B. Bilbro in Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia in 1847. Her husband was a steamboat pilot on the Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola River. They were living in Columbus in 1850. By 1860 she and her husband and children had moved to Apalachicola in Franklin County, Florida. When war came to the south and to Florida in 1861 her husband entered service in the Confederate States Navy and was a pilot aboard gunboats manufactured in Columbus at the Columbus Iron Works and Naval Foundry and at Saffold in Early County. In Feb of 1863 the Confederate Navy completed the construction and launched the C.S.S. Chattahoochee. Her husband William became the Pilot for this gunboat. The Chattahoochee sailed down the river from Columbus towards Apalachicola. The ship was tied up at the Arsenal Wharf at Chattahoochee, Florida when news reached her that a Union boat party from the U.S.S. Port Royal had entered the lower Apalachicola and captured the schooner Fashion, which was taking on cotton for a planned attempt to run the blockade. Even though the capture of the Fashion took place below the obstructions, the crew of the Chattahoochee raised steam on May 26th and started down the Apalachicola River. The vessel reached the bar at Blountstown, a shallow point in the river, that night, but the water proved too shallow to continue. The ship was anchored for the night. Lieutenant Guthrie went on downstream in a small boat to check conditions and see if there was any way to get around the obstructions. Many later believed he planned to ram them. Tragically, neither the captain nor his crew
knew that a severe early season hurricane was about to move in from the Gulf. The wind and rain increased through the night and by morning, when Lt. Guthrie returned, the vessel was feeling the front edge of a severe storm. Stormy conditions probably contributed greatly to what happened next. As the crew prepared to raise steam for the trip upriver, an argument broke out over how much water was in the boiler. A gauge was not working and before the ship's chief engineer could intervene, a massive steam explosion rocked the vessel. The malfunctioning gauge had caused the crew to allow the boiler to grow red hot before filling it with water. When the water poured in, it instantly vaporized and burst through piping attached to the boiler. Sixteen members of the crew were killed instantly, scalded to death by the steam.
Among those was Pilot William B. Bilbro.
Another was mortally injured, two more were severely injured and another four received minor injuries. Panicked that the gunpowder in the ship's magazines might explode, the crew opened plugs in the ship's hull and let her sink to the bottom of the muddy river. With the hurricane raging, the accident was described by C.S. Navy officers as horrible in the extreme.
Those killed immediately were buried in Chattahoochee, where a monument marking their graves can be seen today.
Harriett and William had these children: Ophelia and Harmon.
Contributor: John Simmons (48868113) • [email protected]
A sister of Harmon Bilbro, Ophelia Bilbro Jenkins' death certificate lists Harriet's husband as William D. Bilbro.
Harriet was married to William B. Bilbro in Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia in 1847. Her husband was a steamboat pilot on the Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola River. They were living in Columbus in 1850. By 1860 she and her husband and children had moved to Apalachicola in Franklin County, Florida. When war came to the south and to Florida in 1861 her husband entered service in the Confederate States Navy and was a pilot aboard gunboats manufactured in Columbus at the Columbus Iron Works and Naval Foundry and at Saffold in Early County. In Feb of 1863 the Confederate Navy completed the construction and launched the C.S.S. Chattahoochee. Her husband William became the Pilot for this gunboat. The Chattahoochee sailed down the river from Columbus towards Apalachicola. The ship was tied up at the Arsenal Wharf at Chattahoochee, Florida when news reached her that a Union boat party from the U.S.S. Port Royal had entered the lower Apalachicola and captured the schooner Fashion, which was taking on cotton for a planned attempt to run the blockade. Even though the capture of the Fashion took place below the obstructions, the crew of the Chattahoochee raised steam on May 26th and started down the Apalachicola River. The vessel reached the bar at Blountstown, a shallow point in the river, that night, but the water proved too shallow to continue. The ship was anchored for the night. Lieutenant Guthrie went on downstream in a small boat to check conditions and see if there was any way to get around the obstructions. Many later believed he planned to ram them. Tragically, neither the captain nor his crew
knew that a severe early season hurricane was about to move in from the Gulf. The wind and rain increased through the night and by morning, when Lt. Guthrie returned, the vessel was feeling the front edge of a severe storm. Stormy conditions probably contributed greatly to what happened next. As the crew prepared to raise steam for the trip upriver, an argument broke out over how much water was in the boiler. A gauge was not working and before the ship's chief engineer could intervene, a massive steam explosion rocked the vessel. The malfunctioning gauge had caused the crew to allow the boiler to grow red hot before filling it with water. When the water poured in, it instantly vaporized and burst through piping attached to the boiler. Sixteen members of the crew were killed instantly, scalded to death by the steam.
Among those was Pilot William B. Bilbro.
Another was mortally injured, two more were severely injured and another four received minor injuries. Panicked that the gunpowder in the ship's magazines might explode, the crew opened plugs in the ship's hull and let her sink to the bottom of the muddy river. With the hurricane raging, the accident was described by C.S. Navy officers as horrible in the extreme.
Those killed immediately were buried in Chattahoochee, where a monument marking their graves can be seen today.
Harriett and William had these children: Ophelia and Harmon.
Contributor: John Simmons (48868113) • [email protected]
Harriet was married to William B. Bilbro in Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia in 1847. Her husband was a steamboat pilot on the Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola River. They were living in Columbus in 1850. By 1860 she and her husband and children had moved to Apalachicola in Franklin County, Florida. When war came to the south and to Florida in 1861 her husband entered service in the Confederate States Navy and was a pilot aboard gunboats manufactured in Columbus at the Columbus Iron Works and Naval Foundry and at Saffold in Early County. In Feb of 1863 the Confederate Navy completed the construction and launched the C.S.S. Chattahoochee. Her husband William became the Pilot for this gunboat. The Chattahoochee sailed down the river from Columbus towards Apalachicola. The ship was tied up at the Arsenal Wharf at Chattahoochee, Florida when news reached her that a Union boat party from the U.S.S. Port Royal had entered the lower Apalachicola and captured the schooner Fashion, which was taking on cotton for a planned attempt to run the blockade. Even though the capture of the Fashion took place below the obstructions, the crew of the Chattahoochee raised steam on May 26th and started down the Apalachicola River. The vessel reached the bar at Blountstown, a shallow point in the river, that night, but the water proved too shallow to continue. The ship was anchored for the night. Lieutenant Guthrie went on downstream in a small boat to check conditions and see if there was any way to get around the obstructions. Many later believed he planned to ram them. Tragically, neither the captain nor his crew
knew that a severe early season hurricane was about to move in from the Gulf. The wind and rain increased through the night and by morning, when Lt. Guthrie returned, the vessel was feeling the front edge of a severe storm. Stormy conditions probably contributed greatly to what happened next. As the crew prepared to raise steam for the trip upriver, an argument broke out over how much water was in the boiler. A gauge was not working and before the ship's chief engineer could intervene, a massive steam explosion rocked the vessel. The malfunctioning gauge had caused the crew to allow the boiler to grow red hot before filling it with water. When the water poured in, it instantly vaporized and burst through piping attached to the boiler. Sixteen members of the crew were killed instantly, scalded to death by the steam.
Among those was Pilot William B. Bilbro.
Another was mortally injured, two more were severely injured and another four received minor injuries. Panicked that the gunpowder in the ship's magazines might explode, the crew opened plugs in the ship's hull and let her sink to the bottom of the muddy river. With the hurricane raging, the accident was described by C.S. Navy officers as horrible in the extreme.
Those killed immediately were buried in Chattahoochee, where a monument marking their graves can be seen today.
Harriett and William had these children: Ophelia and Harmon.
Contributor: John Simmons (48868113) • [email protected]
Gravesite Details
Born: NC - Age 66
Family Members
Children
Advertisement
Advertisement
