Halloween in Confederate History

Happy Halloween from the Prattville Dragoons, Camp 1524 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  Researched this date in history during the War Between the States and found some interesting Confederate naval highlights for this Halloween date.  These are appropriate given the topic of our last Dragoons camp meeting on the H.L. Hunley.  On October 31st, 1862, the Congress of the Confederacy passed legislation authorizing the creation of two new divisions of the navy Department.  Brig.Gen. Gabriel J. Rains was placed in charge of the new Torpedo Bureau and Lt. Hunter Davidson was named to command the new Naval Submarine Battery Service. The purpose of both divisions was to "investigate, organize and improve creative methods of torpedo warfare" (known as mines today). On October 31st, 1863, the CSS Patrick Henry was brought to its moorings at Drewry's Bluff on the James River for use at the Confederate Naval Academy.  The ship would later be moved closer to Richmond to protect it during the latter stages of the war.