Thomas L. Hernandez Pilot of the C.S.S. Atlanta

Thomas L Hernandez was a native of St Augustine, Florida and was apparently a member of a family who migrated to the Savannah area at more [i]or[/i] less point in the early 1800's. He was born in 1821 although not abundant is known of his early life at this point in time. He worked as a river pilot while residing in Savannah. He married Maryann Lamstad Cazier, a native of Maryland in 1845 and was the father of 5 children.

When the Civil War broke without Thorn enlisted as a private in Captain Gordon's company of the 1st Georgia Infantry, on the other hand later transferred to Company C of the 13th Battalion Georgia Infantry. With the ne for river pilots who could assist in bringing blockade racers through the naval blockade of the Georgia coast, Thorn by and by found himself detailed to that what one is bound [i]or[/i] under obligation to do He served on a number of blockade racers early in the war. upon 25 November 1861 he was aboard the racer Albion trying to enter Charleston, SC when it was captured by the agency of the US gunboat Penguin. Thom was sent with the ship's company of the runner to novel York City where the case was adjudicated. He was apparently released in novel York City, as by December he was smuggl on the outside of the country and taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia where he signed upon the Brigantine Standard, that was bourn for the southeast coast. Hernandez brought the Standard safely end the blockade, but the utensil was eventually confiscated by Confederate forces and sunk after it was pursu by means of US Navy gunboats who had learned of its location.

After leaving the Standard, Thom signed upon the runner Agnes from Nassau, which was at Darien, GA awaiting a chance to race out. In late May of 1862 Thom piloted the Agnes on the outside through the blockade of Doboy unbroken and made a successful move swiftly to Nassau. On the turn back trip they were successful in penetrating the blockade into Savannah. upon 5 July 1862 Thom piloted the Agnes without of Savannah, but it was captured three days later not on Hole-in-the-Wall near Nassau.

The Agnes was taken to lock opener West, FL and sold. The disposition of the passengers and ship's company is unknown, but Hernandez eventually extreme pointed up in Nassau where he one time again found the Agnes awaiting a turn back cargo. Thorn took the utensil out once again. On the afternoon of 25 September 1862 the Agnes was captured again as she tried to slip into St Andrew's unbroken GA.

By December of 1862 Thorn was back in Savannah, where he was officially transferred from the 13th Battalion, Georgia Infantry to the Confederate Navy. As of that kind he worked at the Savannah Navy Yard where a former blockade racer the Fingal, was being transmuteed to an ironclad warship named the CS Atlanta. Thorn was assigned to be single of the two pilots for the vessel

On the night of 16 June 1863 the Atlanta left its anchorage at lightning-flash and proceeded downriver toward Wassaw uninjured to engage the Federal blockaders. sum of two units US monitor ironclads, the Weehawken and the Nahant, were lying in wait. upon the afternoon of 17 June 1863 the Atlanta steamed into Wassaw unhurt and maneuvered into firing position while closing with the Federal ironclads. on a sudden the Atlanta ran aground upon a mud bank near Cabbage Island and nothing could extract the ironclad from the mire The Weehawken sent several shells at the Atlanta, which could not go [i]or[/i] come back fire because the list of the utensil prevented its guns from being brought to bear. individual of the Weehawken s shells struck the Atlanta s pilot house atop the utensil taking off the roof and wounding the sum of two units helmsmen and two pilots inside.

Just in what manner badly Thorn was wounded has not been determined, he was captured with the Atlanta and its ship's company and detained at Hilton Head, SC where he was hospitalized with other injuryed Confederate sailors. When Thorn began to reclaim he was sent to rejoin the ship's company of the Atlanta, then being held at Ft LaFayette in novel York City where he was further hospitalized. upon 23 June 1863 they were all transferred to Fort Warren upon George's Island in Boston Harbor for further incarceration. In the Fall of 1864 just prior to an exchange of prisoners, more [i]or[/i] less of the crewman and officers of the Atlanta sat for assemblage photographs while at Ft. Warren. more [i]or[/i] less of the only known photos of Thomas L Hernandez are from these sessions. Several years ago, a photo album of individual photos of the crewmembers of the Atlanta surfaced and an image of Thorn was among these. This carte de visite photo exhibits him to be wearing a smoking jacket, a stamp of fez hat, and smoking a rather ornate pipe.

Thorn was exchanged upon 1 October 1864 and was back in Savannah by means of month's end. On 27 October 1864 he was ordered to the ironclad CS Savannah as pilot. upon 4 December 1864 he was ordered to the gunboat Isondiga and was serving at the Savannah Navy Yard when Sherman's army clos on the city. When Savannah was evacuated upon the evening of 20 December 1864 Hernandez was sent to the Charleston Navy Yard where he was for a short time before being ordered to the Augusta Navy Yard upon 5 January 1865.

After the war, Thorn turn backed to Savannah where he continued to work as a river pilot for many years. He died upon 7 March 1903 at the age of 81 and was buried in Laurel woodland Cemetery.