A Civil War Biography
Charles William Read
Read was born 13 May 1840 in Sarartia, Yazoo County, Mississippi.
Some sources claim he was born in Hinds County. He was appointed to
the US Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1856. It was during his time at
Annapolis that he was given the nick-name "Savez", the only French
he mastered while graduating last in the class of 1860. When he
heard that Mississippi had seceded from the Union, Read resigned his
commission and offered his services to the Confederacy.
Read was commissioned a lieutenant in the Confederate navy in August
1861 and assigned to help construct batteries on the Potomac River
near Quantico Creek. He was soon transferred west and assigned to
George N. Hollins' upper Mississippi fleet as executive officer on
the CSS McRea and saw action at Island #10. The McRae then moved
below New Orleans where she was assigned to protect blockade runners
near the mouth of the Mississippi. In April 1862 the McRae took part
in the naval battle near Forts Jackson and Saint Philip during which
her commander, Thomas B. Huger, was mortally wounded and Read
succeeded to command. The McRae, badly damaged, was sent to New
Orleans on 27 April 1862 under a flag of truce. She sank after her
arrival there. Read, in June 1862, was assigned to aid in the
construction of the ram CSS Arkansas. He served as a lieutenant on
the Arkansas until 6 August 1862 when the ironclad, taking part in
the attack on Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was destroyed by her own crew
to prevent her from being captured after a machinery breakdown. On 4
November 1862 Read reported for duty aboard the commerce raider CSS
Florida. In May 1863 he took command of the captured brig Clarence
which he convinced naval authorities should be converted to a raider
with him in command. On 6 June 1863 he captured his first prize. On
12 June he captured the Tacony and transferred his command to her,
burning the Clarence. On 25 June he again transferred his command.
This time to the Archer. He sailed the Archer into the harbor at
Portland, Maine and seized the revenue cutter Caleb Cushing. When
the commander of the Caleb Cushing reported his new command was
unexpectantly sailing out of the harbor a Union fleet took off in
pursuit. When Read ran out of ammunition he abandoned the vessel and
on 27 June was captured. In the three week period he took 22 prizes.
He was confined in Fort Warren in Boston Harbor and managed to
escape but was recaptured. He was finally exchanged after being held
for 16 months and subsequently participated in naval operations on
the James River. He led an overland torpedo expedition in Virginia
then in April 1865 was given command of the CSS William H. Webb with
the rank of lieutenant commander. He attempted to escape with the
Webb down the Red River to the Gulf of Mexico but was captured
ending his civil war career.
Following the war Read settled for a time in New Orleans where he
served as the harbor master. He died 25 January 1890 in Meridian,
Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Although not widely heralded during
his time, Read is now recognized for his exploits during the war. He
is one of the recipients of the Confederate Medal of Honor, the
award first presented in 1977 by the Sons of Confederate Veterans to
recognize those that went beyond the call of duty in service to the
Confederacy.
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