Capt. Waddell and the CSS Shenandoah never surrendered

James Iredell Waddell wreaked havoc on the United States Navy during the Civil War — and after, mostly because he refused to believe reports that the conflict had ended.

He also took his Confederate ship around the world — literally — the only CSA naval officer to do so.

And a large part of Waddell’s determination was fueled by a grudge with the U.S. government.

When the Civil War broke out, Waddell, from Pittsboro, North Carolina, was serving in the USN. He refused to take up arms against his home state, so like many other military officers, he resigned his commission. When he resigned, the Navy refused to pay Waddell his owed salary for service rendered.

As payback, the captain destroyed 32 Yankee ships valued at $1.7 million and captured 38 during the war.

Waddell was always a bit of a fiery sort. He attended the Naval School when it was in Norfolk, Virginia, and while there participated in a duel that left a bullet in his hip for the rest of his life. He served in the Navy, including service in the Mexican War and taught at the newly established Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

His early assignments during the Civil War were routine until he was sent through the blockage to England. Once there, he found out he’d been assigned to captain a raider called the Sea King which was rechristened Shenandoah. His mission was to do as much damage to U.S. shipping as possible, mostly in the Pacific Ocean.

Waddell captured, bonded (an agreement where captains agreed to pay a reward to the CSA upon release), and destroyed ships, confiscated supplies and took prisoners. He sailed to Australia, past Japan and within sight of Siberia in Russia.

Near the Bering Straits, he ran into a group of 11 ships. One of them had been damaged and the others were trying to help. The Shenandoah captured all of them.

On June 23, 1865, a captured ship captain showed Waddell a newspaper showing that Richmond had fallen. The newspaper also had word that Davis wanted southerners to continue fighting, so Waddell kept going. On August 2, Waddell met up with a British ship and her crew also tried to convince him the war was over.

Despite being hunted by the U.S. Navy — which had always considered Waddell a pirate — he sailed another 17,000 miles to England. Not only did the captain and crew not want to surrender, they were concerned they’d face capital charges.

He arrived in Liverpool on November 6, lowered the ship’s flag and walked ashore and surrendered to the British government. He remained in England for about a decade before returning to the U.S. in 1875. He captained a mail ship in San Francisco for a time and later a police boat in the Chesapeake Bay.

He died in 1886 at the age of 61.

Sources:

Scoundrels, Rogues and Heroes of the Old North State, Dr. H.G. Jones

“James Iredell Waddell” by E.M. Chambers, NCPedia