Civil War Mississippi Marine Brigade (1st MMB)
Replies: 5
Re: Civil War Mississippi Marine Brigade (1st MMB)
 glmatthews1
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Posted: 25 Feb 2008 6:14AM GMT |
Classification: Query
The 1910 edition of the "Mississippi Marine Brigade and Ram Fleet Survivors Association Roster" lists Thomas Patterson as a civilian Pilot. The "Captain" of a Ram Fleet vessel would have been an Army or MMB officer. However, because of their skill in operating boats and their special knowledge of the rivers, Pilots, for all intents and purposes, outranked the boats' Captains. Neither commercial steamers or military vessels operating on the western rivers could not be moved without a qualified Pilot at the helm.
In fact, very few of the Pilots aboard the vessels of the Ram Fleet, MMB or US Navy were military personnel -- the vast majority were civilians hired by the military.
In fact, very few of the Pilots aboard the vessels of the Ram Fleet, MMB or US Navy were military personnel -- the vast majority were civilians hired by the military.