Thomas Edgeworth Courtenay
Encyclopedia
Thomas Edgeworth Courtenay (April 19, 1822 – September 3, 1875) was a member of the Confederate Secret Service
and the inventor of the coal torpedo
, a bomb disguised as a lump of coal that was used to attack Union steam-powered warships and transports.
Thomas Edgeworth Courtenay was born in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, the youngest of 6 children. He was distantly related to the Courtenay family who held the title Earls of Devon
and were seated at Powderham Castle
in Exeter, and was a distant cousin to the novelist Maria Edgeworth
, but his own family was not well-to-do. His oldest brother inherited the family property and his other siblings had all come to America to seek a better life. Courtenay came to the United States
in 1842, first staying with his brother William in Vicksburg, Mississippi
, before settling down in St. Louis, Missouri
. He and his brother were brokers, shipping supplies down the Mississippi River
to plantation owners, and buying their cotton for shipment to England. Thomas also established himself as an insurance agent, selling fire, marine, and life insurance from an office at the corner of Main and Olive streets in St. Louis.
In January, 1860, Courtenay was appointed sheriff
of St. Louis county
to fill out the term of Sheriff Cere, who had died in office. The office dealt mainly with civil matters such as foreclosures and sheriff's sales. Courtenay did not run for election to a full term as sheriff and was out of office by the end of August. When he left office, there was a significant shortfall in the books of the sheriff's office. Courtenay blamed the problem on his chief deputy, but the matter was Courtenay's responsibility, and the unresolved debt put a damper on his business efforts. When the Civil War
broke out, he moved his family to relatives in Harford County, Maryland
and established a new insurance office in Baltimore.
In 1863 Courtenay returned to St. Louis to pursue a lawsuit against his former deputy for recovery of the funds missing from the sheriff's office. It became clear that the suit was hopeless and that he would be held financially responsible. Moreover, the Union authorities were suspicious that Courtenay was a rebel sympathizer, due to his business dealings in the South. In fact, Courtenay was a Confederate sympathizer, and had written to Confederate Secretary of War Leroy Pope Walker
in May, 1861, offering to act as a purchasing agent for Confederate supplies in the Trans-Mississippi Department
.
With no prospect of recovering his business in St. Louis and his family well cared for in Maryland, Courtenay turned to the Confederacy
. He obtained a volunteer appointment to General Sterling Price
's staff, although exactly what he was doing is unknown.
In August 1863, Courtenay approached Price with a plan to attack Union shipping by means of an explosive device disguised as a lump of coal, the coal torpedo
. The coal bombs would be planted in the coal piles used to fuel Union steamships and locomotive
s by a team of operatives working behind enemy lines. When a coal bomb was shovelled into the firebox, it would explode, resulting the explosion of the pressurized steam boiler
and the destruction of the vessel. Courtenay was sent to Richmond, Virginia
carrying military dispatches, and he remained in Richmond to implement his plan. He first wrote Jefferson Davis
on November 30, 1863, explaining his scheme. Davis approved and forwarded Courtenay's letter to Secretary of War James A. Seddon, who arranged for the castings to be made by the army artillery shop in January, 1864.
Courtenay was motivated by a Confederate Bounty Law that offered a reward of up to 50% of the value of Union shipping destroyed by means of new inventions. However, the Confederacy had not established a legal framework that would allow private citizens to conduct attacks that were essentially military in nature. A secret bill authorizing the formation of independent secret service corps was passed by the Confederate Congress on February 15, 1864. Courtenay was given a captain's commission in the Confederate Army and permission to form a Secret Service Corps of up to 25 men. The Corps was authorized to attack any Union military vessel or transport carrying military goods found in Confederate waters, but was forbidden to attack civilian shipping or Union shipping in Northern waters. Courtenay would not draw a regular Army salary, but would receive up to 50% of the value of ships and cargo destroyed or captured, payable in Confederate war bonds.
Courtenay planned to purchase a coal barge and seed it with coal torpedoes, as a means of getting his bombs into the ships of the Union blockading fleet
, but the plan either failed, or was never carried out. Unfortunately for Courtenay, Confederate correspondence giving details of the plan was captured and Courtenay and his associates became wanted men. Union Admiral of the Mississippi David D. Porter
ordered, "I have given orders to commanders of vessels not to be very particular about the treatment of any of these deperadoes if caught—only summary punishment will be effective." Captain Courtenay obtained permission from President Davis to leave the country and go to England to raise money for the Confederacy. Courtenay kept in contact with his corps, and directed their actions from abroad. The coal torpedo was credited with sinking the Greyhound, a private steamboat that had been commandeered by General Butler
for use as a floating headquarters on the James River
, on November 27, 1864. Courtenay also took credit for the destruction of the gunboat USS Chenango as she sailed from New York Navy Yard on April 15, 1864.
, on September 3, 1875. He is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.
. Mildred's father, James Clendenin, was a merchant in Louisville, who had met Courtenay on a trip to St. Louis. Mildred's mother was from the Peay family of Virginia. Mildred's Uncle Austin Peay had married Peachy Speed, sister of Joshua Fry Speed
and James Speed
. Since Mildred's father had sold his home and was in the middle of moving to St. Louis, Thomas and Mildred were married at Farmington, the Speed family plantation in Louisville, Kentucky
.
Thomas and Mildred had five children:
Mildred, Austin and Ellen went to England with Thomas in 1864 and returned in 1867. When Mary was born in 1867, Mildred was living with relatives in Maryland, while Thomas remained in England trying to sell his invention.
Confederate Secret Service
Confederate Secret Service is an umbrella term for a number of official and semi-official secret service operations conducted by the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.-Overview:...
and the inventor of the coal torpedo
Coal torpedo
The coal torpedo was a hollow iron casting filled with explosives and covered in coal dust, deployed by the Confederate Secret Service during the American Civil War, and intended for doing harm to Union steam transportation. When shoveled into the firebox amongst the coal, the resulting explosion...
, a bomb disguised as a lump of coal that was used to attack Union steam-powered warships and transports.
Birth and early life
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, the youngest of 6 children. He was distantly related to the Courtenay family who held the title Earls of Devon
Earl of Devon
The title of Earl of Devon was created several times in the Peerage of England, and was possessed first by the de Redvers family, and later by the Courtenays...
and were seated at Powderham Castle
Powderham Castle
Powderham Castle is located south of Exeter, Devon, England. The Powderham Estate, in which it is set, runs down to the western shores of the estuary of the River Exe between the villages of Kenton and Starcross....
in Exeter, and was a distant cousin to the novelist Maria Edgeworth
Maria Edgeworth
Maria Edgeworth was a prolific Anglo-Irish writer of adults' and children's literature. She was one of the first realist writers in children's literature and was a significant figure in the evolution of the novel in Europe...
, but his own family was not well-to-do. His oldest brother inherited the family property and his other siblings had all come to America to seek a better life. Courtenay came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1842, first staying with his brother William in Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, before settling down in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He and his brother were brokers, shipping supplies down the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to plantation owners, and buying their cotton for shipment to England. Thomas also established himself as an insurance agent, selling fire, marine, and life insurance from an office at the corner of Main and Olive streets in St. Louis.
In January, 1860, Courtenay was appointed sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of St. Louis county
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
to fill out the term of Sheriff Cere, who had died in office. The office dealt mainly with civil matters such as foreclosures and sheriff's sales. Courtenay did not run for election to a full term as sheriff and was out of office by the end of August. When he left office, there was a significant shortfall in the books of the sheriff's office. Courtenay blamed the problem on his chief deputy, but the matter was Courtenay's responsibility, and the unresolved debt put a damper on his business efforts. When the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
broke out, he moved his family to relatives in Harford County, Maryland
Harford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
and established a new insurance office in Baltimore.
The Civil War
LeRoy Pope Walker
LeRoy Pope Walker was the first Confederate States Secretary of War.-Early life and career:Walker was born near Huntsville, Alabama in 1817, the son of John Williams Walker and Matilda Pope, and a grandson of LeRoy Pope. He was educated by private tutors, then attended universities in Alabama and...
in May, 1861, offering to act as a purchasing agent for Confederate supplies in the Trans-Mississippi Department
Trans-Mississippi Department
The Trans-Mississippi Department was an administrative subdivision of the Confederate States of America west of the Mississippi, consisting of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Indian Territories recognized by the CSA, and parts of Western Louisiana...
.
With no prospect of recovering his business in St. Louis and his family well cared for in Maryland, Courtenay turned to the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. He obtained a volunteer appointment to General Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
's staff, although exactly what he was doing is unknown.
In August 1863, Courtenay approached Price with a plan to attack Union shipping by means of an explosive device disguised as a lump of coal, the coal torpedo
Coal torpedo
The coal torpedo was a hollow iron casting filled with explosives and covered in coal dust, deployed by the Confederate Secret Service during the American Civil War, and intended for doing harm to Union steam transportation. When shoveled into the firebox amongst the coal, the resulting explosion...
. The coal bombs would be planted in the coal piles used to fuel Union steamships and locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s by a team of operatives working behind enemy lines. When a coal bomb was shovelled into the firebox, it would explode, resulting the explosion of the pressurized steam boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
and the destruction of the vessel. Courtenay was sent to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
carrying military dispatches, and he remained in Richmond to implement his plan. He first wrote Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
on November 30, 1863, explaining his scheme. Davis approved and forwarded Courtenay's letter to Secretary of War James A. Seddon, who arranged for the castings to be made by the army artillery shop in January, 1864.
Courtenay was motivated by a Confederate Bounty Law that offered a reward of up to 50% of the value of Union shipping destroyed by means of new inventions. However, the Confederacy had not established a legal framework that would allow private citizens to conduct attacks that were essentially military in nature. A secret bill authorizing the formation of independent secret service corps was passed by the Confederate Congress on February 15, 1864. Courtenay was given a captain's commission in the Confederate Army and permission to form a Secret Service Corps of up to 25 men. The Corps was authorized to attack any Union military vessel or transport carrying military goods found in Confederate waters, but was forbidden to attack civilian shipping or Union shipping in Northern waters. Courtenay would not draw a regular Army salary, but would receive up to 50% of the value of ships and cargo destroyed or captured, payable in Confederate war bonds.
Courtenay planned to purchase a coal barge and seed it with coal torpedoes, as a means of getting his bombs into the ships of the Union blockading fleet
Union blockade
The Union Blockade, or the Blockade of the South, took place between 1861 and 1865, during the American Civil War, when the Union Navy maintained a strenuous effort on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the Confederate States of America designed to prevent the passage of trade goods, supplies, and arms...
, but the plan either failed, or was never carried out. Unfortunately for Courtenay, Confederate correspondence giving details of the plan was captured and Courtenay and his associates became wanted men. Union Admiral of the Mississippi David D. Porter
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
ordered, "I have given orders to commanders of vessels not to be very particular about the treatment of any of these deperadoes if caught—only summary punishment will be effective." Captain Courtenay obtained permission from President Davis to leave the country and go to England to raise money for the Confederacy. Courtenay kept in contact with his corps, and directed their actions from abroad. The coal torpedo was credited with sinking the Greyhound, a private steamboat that had been commandeered by General Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
for use as a floating headquarters on the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
, on November 27, 1864. Courtenay also took credit for the destruction of the gunboat USS Chenango as she sailed from New York Navy Yard on April 15, 1864.
After the war
While in England, Courtenay attempted to sell his coal torpedo to a number of foreign governments, including England, France, Spain, and Turkey, all without success. He returned to the United States in 1868, but he was in poor health for the rest of his life, and died at the age of 53 at Jordan's Sulphur Springs near Winchester, VirginiaWinchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, on September 3, 1875. He is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.
Marriage and children
Thomas Edgeworth Courtenay married Mildred Ann Clendenin on August 25, 1847 in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. Mildred's father, James Clendenin, was a merchant in Louisville, who had met Courtenay on a trip to St. Louis. Mildred's mother was from the Peay family of Virginia. Mildred's Uncle Austin Peay had married Peachy Speed, sister of Joshua Fry Speed
Joshua Fry Speed
Joshua Fry Speed was a close friend of Abraham Lincoln from his days in Springfield, Illinois, where Speed was a partner in a general store...
and James Speed
James Speed
James Speed was an American lawyer, politician and professor. In 1864, he was appointed by Abraham Lincoln to be the United States' Attorney General. He previously served in the Kentucky Legislature, and in local political office.Speed was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, to Judge John Speed...
. Since Mildred's father had sold his home and was in the middle of moving to St. Louis, Thomas and Mildred were married at Farmington, the Speed family plantation in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
.
Thomas and Mildred had five children:
- Austin Matlack Courtenay (1850–1938)
- James Clendenin Courtenay (1852–1853)
- Charles Edgeworth Courtenay (1854–1854)
- Ellen Watters Courtenay (1856–1938)
- Mary Amelia Isabel Courtenay (1867–1943)
Mildred, Austin and Ellen went to England with Thomas in 1864 and returned in 1867. When Mary was born in 1867, Mildred was living with relatives in Maryland, while Thomas remained in England trying to sell his invention.