Dead Confederates, A Civil War Era Blog

This past week, the Texas Seaport Museum here hosted a visit by El Galéon, a replica of a Spanish sailing ship from the 16th century. A hundred-and-fifty-odd years ago, New York was the port of call for a contemporary Spanish warship, the frigate Berenguela, part of that country’s naval forces assigned to its colonies in the Caribbean. New York Times, November 16, 1860:

The Spanish Navy; ARRIVAL OF THE FRIGATE BERENGUELA SPANISH VESSELS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

The Spanish frigate Berenguela, whose arrival at this port was briefly noticed in our issue of yesterday, is now lying off the Battery, and attracts considerable numbers of the curious, who go around her in row boats. She comes here to have her machinery overhauled at the Brooklyn Navy-yard, to enable her to do which the steam-frigate Wabash, now in the drydock, will be floated into the stream.

Our Naval Reporter visited the frigate yesterday, and was courteously furnished with the information he sought by the officers. The Berenguela is about 1,200 tons burden, and carries a fine armament of 37 guns, medium size, thirty-two and sixty-eights, manufactured at the naval depot of Turvia, in Spain. Fifteen of these guns are on the spar, and twenty-fire on the gun deck. Forward, on the former, is a neat brass 12-pounder howitzer, of Boston origin, a personal present to the commander of the fleet. A novel idea has been carried out in arranging the small arms beside the cannon of the ship, thus obviating the necessity of keeping them in a separate room. A spare propeller is stowed, to be used in case of need. The decks are kept exceedingly neat. The sailors are smart, intelligent-looking men generally; and the marines, of whom 64 are on board, present a soldier-like appearance. The day guard is regularly in uniform from “flag-up” to sundown. The lower decks contain the officers’ sleeping apartments and the middies’ mess-rooms. The Commander’s chamber is tastefully decorated with portraits of the Royal family of Spain, and a crucifix hangs over his bed. There are no men undergoing punishment at present on board. Her officers say that very little is ever necessary with them.

The squadron, of which the Berenguela is one, consists of no less than twenty men-of-war, of which, eleven are steamers. As it is well to know how the Spanish navy is represented in the Gulf, we append a list of the entire fleet:

STEAM FRIGATES — Berenguela, Blancha, Petrioula.

STEAM CORVETTES — Francis de Ais, Isabel de Cattolica, Velasco, Blaico de Garay, Rezana, Baran, Hernan Cortes, Neptune, Venandila, General Lero, Guadalquiver.

SAILING VESSELS — Alcido, Isabel II., Pelago, Herbannero, Christina, Janitor.

The officers of the Berenguela are as follows:

Capt. Jose Ignacio Rodriques, Commander Francis de Pa Margon, Lieuts. Dernetris de Coster Montenega, Thomas de Sartoa, Soloa der Caweza Francis Vila, Assistant-Surgeon Juan Acosta, Chaplain Valentine Acosta and Seraph Galendo; other officers, J.M. Twazello, Louis Garcea Corlenell, G. Lobi, M. Paria, R. Freye, D.E. Lurate, D.J. Beriter, and others.

Subjoined is a statement of the present strength of the Spanish Navy. There are in serviceable condition 82 vessels, carrying in all 887 guns. Of these 2 are ships-of-the-line, rating 86 guns each; 4 are frigates, rating from 32 to 42; 4 are corvettes of from 16 to 20; 9 are brigs of from 10 to 20; and 16 are smaller vessels and 10 transports. There are three steam frigates, of which the Berenguela is 1; and 5 schooners, all fitted with the screw, besides 3 paddle-wheel frigates of 500 horse-power, and 16 guns each; 8 brigs of 380 horse-power, and 6 guns; and 18 schooners of from 100 to 300 tons, and 2 to 5 in active service, independent of 6 battallions of marines numbering 100 men each. There are, however, nearly 100,000 registered fishermen and others, who could be drafted into the service. Their officers number 1,150 of all grades. The Coast-Guard of Spain is maintained by 24 feluccas, and 87 estamperia.

The Berenguela will be put in regular “ship-shape” before a week, and persons having proper passes may visit her. She would well pay a tour of inspection.