8088. Benjamin Franklin Haskell
Newsletter of the Haskell Family Society
Volume 7, No. 3, September 1998Benjamin shipped on 25 May 1830 at age 17 in the whaling ship Mentor. It was her first voyage to the Pacific and she returned safely 22 April 1831. He was again in the Mentor when she sailed out of Nantucket on 20 July 1831, heading first for the South Atlantic whaling grounds, and from there onto an ill-fated trip to the Pacific. The name Benjamin Franklin Haskell, "age 19, boatsteerer", appears on the list of twenty-two crew registered in the Bureau of Customs in the U.S. National Archives (RG 36; RBC).
Boatsteerers or harpooners, one to a boat, were roughly analogous to naval petty officers and, after the mates, the most important men on a whaler. It is much to young Benjamin's credit that he had attained this rank by his second voyage. While these experienced and skilled men had the greatest responsibility, they also faced the greatest danger. After striking the harpoon on a whale, the harpooner went aft to man the steering oar while the mate went forward to wield the lance for the death blow. Harpooners lived amidships apart from the rest of the crew, half-way between the crew in the forward foe'sle, known as 'steerage', and the officers aft.
From their inception around the turn of the 19th century Yankee whalers probed every corner of the vast, uncharted Pacific Ocean, discovering island groups and chains by the score and naming some after their whale men discoverers. In 1783 the East India Company packet Antelope had wrecked in the western Pacific Ocean on the Palau Islands, north of New Guinea. An account published in London in 1798 idealised Palauan Island life while overlooking its societies' ritualised warfare. On departing these islands, the Antelope crew left a stock of weapons, and the East India Company delivered more in 1791, only escalating inter tribal warfare.
By 1832 when the Mentor arrived in South Pacific waters, relations between whalemen and South Sea Islanders ranged from friendliness to the most feared reception in case of a ship wreck open, violent hostility. Survivors could expect torture and slavery for years, or more leniently, death. Master of the Mentor, Captain Edward C. Barnard, was aware that the whaler Syren had been savagely attacked in the Palau Islands as recently as 1823, with her crew barely saving themselves from massacre.
Born in 1799, Captain Barnard had witnessed the dramatic growth of New England whaling after the War of 1812. At age 25 he had commanded the whaler Persia and in 1830 took command of the Mentor. Built as a merchantman in 1812, the Mentor had been refitted for whaling but carried only three six-man boats.
Due to bad weather, strong gales and rain Captain Barnard had been unable to obtain his longitude for several days, but believed himself to be about 150 miles NW of Palau when, at midnight, in May 1832, his vessel sailed onto rocks - of the Palau Islands.
The Mentor broached and fell over to port. All hands cleared away the boats on the lee side, then got the port quarter boat clear and filled it with ten or eleven men, including all the officers. The Master and crew, remaining on board, cut away the fore and main masts, trying to stabilise the wrecked vessel. One man was lost overboard in a vain attempt to launch the starboard boat, which broke up in the heavy seas. Finally, at daylight the crew managed to get out the one remaining boat, load it with a few provisions and gear, and row safely onto a sand spit.
Nothing was ever found of the first boat, which may well have overset at once with all hands drowning. One source lists the eleven men "killed in the Mentor shipwreck". They include: Benjamin F. Haskell, "Boatsteerer, aged 19 years"; John T. Bailey, "boy, aged 15"; and James Blackmer, "boy, aged 16" years, also Chief Officer Thomas M. Colesworthy, aged 22, and Second Mate Peter O'Connor, aged 18 years. Perhaps these were the lucky one
Of the survivors, six were murdered or died of starvation on Tobi Island and three were left on the island of Babelthaup as hostages. One escaped, and two were rescued in 1836 by the USS Vincennes, as the US Navy landed in force to secure them. Two hostages who escaped a year earlier to a passing vessel had been forcibly tattooed from head to toe and were near death when found. Possibly their rescuers alerted the Navy about the other hostages.
The Palau Islands are generally considered the westernmost of the Caroline groups. Although far distant from the others. Babelthaup, the largest of the Palaus, is 470 miles east of Mindanao and 240 miles west of Yap. Discovered by the Spanish explorer, Villalobos, in 1543, the Palaus were annexed but never developed by Spain, and when the Spanish Pacific empire broke up in 1899, they were sold to Germany. In 1919 Japan seized the islands as spoils for her entry into World War 1. Later, recognising their strategic location in World War II, Japan built airfields on Peleliu and Babelthaup, installing strong garrisons to protect them. A bloody battle in September 1944 cost 1950 U. S. lives. It was 112 years after the Mentor shipwreck.
After his rescue Captain Barnard went whaling again, then moved to the Great Lakes where he was lost on Lake Erie in a great gale of 1844.
It was 165 years after his death that Benjamin Franklin Haskell's tragic fate came to light in the crew lists and story of the Mentor, and another 'lost' family member was found.
William Covell served as a general in the War of 1812.
The 1795 birthdate in George Randall's "Genealogy of Roger Haskell" is incorrect.
Joseph Haskell was a physician. He served in the War of 1812.
Widow Pension
wo 21525
wc 15180
Bounty Land 43771 160 65
Widow, Susanna, died May 5, 1891
Joseph died September 18, 1873
Joseph was a sargent in Captain Wilder regiment, Massachusetts Infantry. He was drafted June 21, 1814, honorably discharged July 10, 1814.
8122. Elizabeth Morton Haskell
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Charles Hart Rhett was a cotton broker.
Request for Pardon
State of S. Carolina
To his Excellency Andrew Johnson, President of the United States. The humble petition of Charles T. Haskell, respectively ....
That he is a native citizen of the state aforesaid, residing in Abbeville District, Sixty Three years old, that he did not bear arms in the late rebellion, and participated in it only in sympathy & contributions. That he comes under no one of the Exceptions made by the Amnesty Proclamation of the 29 of May last except the 13th which has reference to the 20 thousand dollars. That he accepts the result of the late contest and is desirious of being restored to all the rights af a loyal citizen of the United States, whose duties he is willing to perform. He therefore prays your Excellency, in the liberal exercise of clemency to grant to him a full & free pardon for his participation in the rebellion with amnesty of his past and complete restoration of all his rights an he will ever pray.
Signed Charles T. Haskell.
Reference: Fold3.com
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Abbeville Dist. So. Ca.
25 June 1865To his Excellency
Andrew Johnson
President of the U.S.A.
Sir
Possesing landed property in South Carolina and Arkansas the estimated value of which is over twenty thousand dollars. I am "excepted fron the benefit" of your proclamation dated twenty ninth day of May eighteen hundred and sixty five.
I now, under provision of said proclamation do address to you a "special application for pardon" declaring my readiness to take the oath of allegiance - faithfully, obey the law and sustain the government. I have to add that I am a private citizen having held no public position under either government, that I am over sixty three years of age and have taken no active part in the war.
Trusting that this application will be considered and hoping that I will be restored to the rights and protection of my position as a citizen.
I have the honour to subscribe myself very respectively your obed servant.
signed Charle T. Haskell
Sophia Lovell Cheves, daughter of Langdon Cheves of Charleston, South Carolina. Langdon Cheves's mother died shortly after his birth, and his father, a Loyalist during the Revolution, fled to his native Scotland after the war leaving Langdon to the care of his uncle." Sophia's mother was Mary Elizabeth Dulles who is descended also from the Heatlys (of Welsh descent) and the Courtonnes (a Huguenot family who fled from France to Holland and thence to Charleston, South Carolina).
Source
Family records and notes courtesy of Preston Hampton Haskell III
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Mrs. Charles Thompson (sic) Haskell (Sophia Langdon Cheves, daughter of Colonel Langdon Cheves) had seven sons in the army around Richmond when I met her at Mrs. Stanards, in one of the several visits she made to tend their wounds. All of them had been privates in the army before the firing on Sumter. She was ever quiet, but genial; hiding what suspense and anguish held her; making unknowing, great history for her state and for all time.
Source
Belles, Beaux, and Brains of the Sixties
By Thomas Cooper De Leon (1839-1914)
Published by G.W. Dillingham Co., New York
8145. Charles Thomson Haskell Jr.
Civil War Confederate Officer. After his service with Company B of the 1st South Carolina Infantry, he transferred to Company D (Calhoun Light Infantry). On the morning of July 10, 1863, he was mortally wounded in action defending Battery Wagner on Morris Island, South Carolina. He was commanding a detachment of his command on the peninsula of the island in a forward position away from Battery Wagner in an effort to thwart a Union amphibious assault. With supporting fire from Union monitors, the Union forces were able to flank his position and it is thought that his death occurred at this time.
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Charleston Mercury
July 13, 1863Even in the midst of our dangers and our preparations for the coming trials we must pause in grief at the loss of some of our best and bravest, who fell early in action of Friday last. Conspicuous amongst these were Captains Langdon Cheves and Charles T. Haskell. [Langdon Cheves was the uncle of Charles Thomson Haskell]
Captain Charles T. Haskell had reached his 28th year. He was a grandson of Langdon Cheves the elder, and also of Major Haskell of Revolutionary fame. After graduating with honor at the Citadel Academy, he became an engineer on the Charleston and Savannah Railroad, and was entrusted with the construction of the trestle work over Rantowles and at the other places on the road. Subsequently he served with distinction as Engineer of the Northeastern Railroad and (under Government employ) in leveeing the Mississippi.
When the war began, he promptly returned to this, his native State, and volunteered. For a long time he acted with great usefulness and success as recruiting officer, but was afterwards appointed Captain and placed in command of a company on Sullivans Island, where he was usefully employed in defending the Island and stranded vessels, and in scouting. At the time the attack began, he was just preparing to make a foray within the enemys lines; but circumstances having prevented this, he was appointed to the command of three companies at the point where he fell.
Amiable and affectionate in disposition, and endowed, morally and physically, with an indomitable courage he made for himself warm friends wherever he went. He has been cut off in the bloom of youth, at the time when his prospects were most brilliant and promising.
Civil War Confederate Officer. Company H, or the "Haskell's Rifle Corps" of the 1st Regiment South Carolina Infantry (Greggs) was mustered into Confederate service in September of 1861.
William Thomson Haskell, a demanding disciplinarian, was the recruiter of these volunteers who amassed to defend the southern cause. Consequently, upon the organization of the company, he was commissioned a captain with authority to command the company he founded. His sternness did not go over well with the new recruits, however, in time the enlisted men became endeared to him.
One of these men remembered that Haskell was "the most thorough, yet the most discriminating disciplinarian, on the drill ground he was infallibly accurate, on the march he was indefatigable, in battle he was the very spirit of gallantry and self-possession."
His untimely end came on July 2, 1863 during the battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. There on that day, he was leading his command when he was killed-in-action. With his death, the "brigade mourn his loss more than that of any man who [had] ever fallen in it."
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Charleston Mercury
July 23, 1863William T. Haskell obtained his education at the Virginia University, and was prosecuting the study of law when the war broke out. He joined the Company raised by Captain, afterwards Colonel Perrin, and not expecting the length and bitterness of the strife, he sought no commission, but with exemplary alacrity did the duty did the duty of a private in Colonel Gregg's Regiment first in Perrin's Company near Charleston, and afterwards in Miller's Company in Virginia. When that regiment was disbanded, after the expiration of his term of service, he was, at the special desire of Colonel Gregg, appointed Captain, and having raised a company, joined the Regiment again upon its re-organization.
He passed through the battles before Richmond, 2d Manassas, Ox Hill, Sharpsburg, Botteler's Ford, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville without receiving a scratch, although his cap and clothes were frequently cut with bullets. After he entered into service he never lost a day from sickness or other cause, and never asked a furlough, although once he was at home for a few days, when ordered back to duty. In battle, as in all his speech and conduct, he was cool and deliberate, but so unflinchingly firm that more than once he held his company under fire when others retired.
The most of two sets of noble lieutenants had fallen by his side his company had been reduced to a handful and in preparation for the movement into Pennsylvania, he was placed at the head of the battalion of sharpshooters of his brigade. Of the particulars of his last battle we know nothing, but we doubt not that in that, as in preceding ones, he exhibited the high qualities which characterized him. No officer was more kind and just to his men none enjoyed a higher degree their affectionate attachment and ready obedience. He indeed was the model of a soldier.
William T. Haskell obtained his education at the Virginia University, and was prosecuting the study of law when the war broke out. He joined the Company raised by Captain, afterwards Colonel Perrin, and not expecting the length and bitterness of the strife, he sought no commission, but with exemplary alacrity did the duty did the duty of a private in Colonel Gregg's Regiment
8162. Rev. John Bachman Haskell
Patent 230274 - John B. Haskell - Combined Cookin Can and Dinner Pail