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Massachusetts Men in the Civil War

Green, Levi K [Age] 27; Occupation (illegible); [Enlisted] Oct. 30, 1861 at Boston for 3 years as seaman. Credit Dartmouth [Probable place of residence]. Served on Receiving Ship OHIO and U.S.S. SAGAMORE from which discharged Dec. 15, 1864 as "Captain of the Forecastle" [The petty officer in charge of the crew's living quarters. It would probably correspond to a petty officer third class in today's navy. Levi Green may also have been a gunner]

Upon enlisting Levi Green was assigned to the receiving ship Ohio which had been in Boston harbor since 1850 as a "Receiving Ship" designed to receive and process new recruits. He was probably assigned to the Sagamore shortly after its commissioning.(Dictionary of U.S. Navy Fighting Ships)

SAGAMORE

Steam-Gunboat; Tons-507; Length-158 ft.; Beam-28 Ft; Depth-12 Ft s-6k.; Crew-78; Armament- 1-20 pdr 2-24 pdrs 1-Lt 12-pdr.

The first Sagamore, a wooden, screw, steam gunboat built by the A. & G. T. Sampson and Atlantic Works, Boston, Mass., was launched on 1 September 1861 and commissioned on 7 December 1861 at the Boston Navy Yard.

On 26 November 1861, Sagamore received orders to report to Flag Officer William W. McKean for duty as part of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron which patrolled the waters off the coast of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi.

Sagamore's first encounter with the enemy came at Apalachicola, Fla. On 3 April 1862, armed boat crews from Sagamore and Mercedita captured the city without resistance.

On 11 September 1862, a landing party from Sagamore destroyed the salt works, which could produce 200 bushels a day, at St. Andrews Bay, Fla.

Sagamore next captured the blockade-running English schooner By George off Indian River, Fla., on 1 December 1862, with a cargo of coffee and sugar.

In the month of January 1863, Sagamore captured avenger, Julia, and destroyed the sloop Elizabeth. Next she captured the sloop Enterprise on 8 March 1863, and the sloop New York on 26 April 1863. [She next encountered the Helen used in transporting Confederate provisions along the Florida coast which was captured with a cargo of corn by a boat from the Sagamore near Bayport on April 1863. The Helen was then destroyed by fire.]

On 28 July 1863, boats from Sagamore and Para attacked new Smyrna, Fla. After shelling that town, Union forces captured two schooners; caused the Confederate forces to destroy several other vessels, some of which were loaded with cotton and ready to sail; and burned large quantities of cotton on shore.

Following the attack at New Smyrna, Sagamore returned to her coastal duties. On 8 August 1863, Sagamore captured the sloops Clara Louise, Southern Rights, Shot, and Ann.

On 21 April 1864, boat expeditions from Sagamore took 100 bales of cotton and destroyed 300 additional bales near Clay Landing and Suwanee River, Fla.

Sagamore's final action in the Civil War took place on 7 June 1864. Suspecting that Confederate forces were using cotton to erect breastworks on the banks of the Suwanee River, a boat expedition composed of men from Sagamore and Clyde proceeded up the river and captured over 100 bales of cotton in the vicinity of Clay landing.

Sagamore was decommissioned on 1 December 1864 at Philadelphia, Pa., and was sold at New York, NY on 13 June 1865.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (May 30, 1909) / G.A.R. W.H.L. Wallace Roster (1886)

Erroneously Listed Levi K. Green as being a crewman on US Navy ship SANGAMON in the Civil War.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (July 28, 1883)

The other day L.K. Green, while engaged in helping load the schooner C.G. Wilson at the Felton wharf, made a misstep and fell overboard, narrowly escaping striking his head against the vessel side in his descent. After some trouble he was fished out of the water, none the worse for his involuntary bath, but quite moist.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (June 2, 1885)

Levi Green, being overcome by heat and excitement, fainted in Evergreen Cemetery during the ceremonies there on Decoration Day.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (July 7, 1886)

Levi K. Green of W.H.L. Wallace Post No. 32, G.A.R. fired the National Salute on the 5th instant from a 24 Lb. cannon stationed on Mission Hill. Mr. Green served upwards of three years in the naval service on board of the U.S. Steamer Sagamore, eastern gulf squadron and thoroughly understands handling artillery.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (March 11, 1887)

Nearly a Serious Accident

One Wednesday of this week Levy (Levi) Green and James Bolton attempted to cross Waddell creek at its mouth, the old crossing, with a single team. The water was running deep and swift, and the quicksand was changing its bed. The horse and buggy went out of sight. Green fell out of the buggy on the side, catching hold of the hind wheel as he fell. Bolton was able to stay in the buggy by grabbing the seat, and the horse being familiar with angry torrents, reached the opposite shore. Mr. Green might have been drowned had it not been for the presence of Henry Waldo, who was on horseback and who hurried to his assistance. Two citizens of Santa Cruz, one of them L.T. Almstead, on this side of the creek, on their way to Pescadero, not wishing to endanger their lives by attempting to cross the Rubicon, turned around and came back. Mr. Almstead returned to the Ingalls grade, which leads to the bridge referred to , and not finding it open, returned to the mouth of the creek, where the crossing of Green and Bolton as described took place, and Mr. Almstead declares that if there is any one who does not believe that Mr. G. got a bath on this occasion the said disbeliever can win $3 or $4 of Almstead's capital.

It is too bad that the approach to the bridge on the creek is not finished. The bridge was erected last summer, and the road leading to it from this side is nearly finished. Waddell Creek has always been dangerous to travelers at certain stages of the tide during the winter months, yet we understand that there are men who are attempting to interfere with the opening of the unfinished road.

Santa Cruz Surf (January 3, 1888)

Yesterday morning a telephone message from Boulder to Coroner Morgan conveyed the intelligence of the death of Levi K. Green, one of the old settlers of Santa Cruz County who made his home in the redwoods near Sunnyside.

The body of Green was found on Sunday evening about 8 o'clock, and as we learn the facts, his death was caused by being struck by a falling tree. One of the J.W. Dodge express teams was dispatched yesterday to the scene of the accident with instructions to bring the body back to this city. The deceased was a native of Massachusetts, a lumberman by occupation, aged 52 years.

Santa Cruz Courier Item (January 7, 1888)

Further Details of Green's Death

The body of Levi K Green who was accidentally killed on Sunday was brought to town Tuesday and was buried Wednesday.

Sunday morning Green went out about a quarter of a mile from his home to fell a tree. When the tree, a redwood about 2 1'2 feet in diameter, fell it lodged on a large madrone, a falling limb of which struck Green breaking one arm and one leg and causing other injuries which must have proved fatal after the accident occurred as he was found on the spot where the tree fell. Deceased was a veteran of the War of the Rebellion and a member of one of the G.A.R. post of this city.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (January 4, 1888)

Levi Green will be buried in the G.A.R. lot in Evergreen this afternoon at 2 o'clock.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (January 5, 1888)

The remains of the late Levi K. Green were interred on Wednesday afternoon in W.H.L. Wallace plot in the Evergreen Cemetery, under the auspices of Wallace Post. C.T. Sutphen commanding. While the box was being lowered the ground on one side of the grave gave way, causing the box to descend sideways and the cover to come off. Four men who were assisting in lowering the box only saved themselves from falling by hastily jumping aside when they felt the ground crumbling beneath them. The box was raised and the cover properly fastened, and no further mishap occurred.

Date of Birth: 1836

Date of Death: 1888-01-01

County: Santa Cruz

Cemetery/City of Burial: Evergreen Cemetery

Plot: G03

Cause of Death: Acdt/Lumber

Spouse: Mary

Occupation: Lumberman

Last City: Ben Lomond

Native of: MA

Enlisted: 1861/10/30

Discharged: 1864/12/15

Military Unit: USN_ USS Sagamore

Rank: Smn

Military Notes: Capt of Forecastle"

GAR#: W32

Available records used to obtain information:
Cemetery records
Santa Cruz County death records
Military records
Santa Cruz and Monterey newspapers
Voter Records

CW Reference: WHL 1886 Roster