CSS Shenandoah

John Collins was born in the United States and eventually migrated to Victoria, Australia; making his home in the vicinity of Melbourne. He was residing there, when like a number of others in the area, he heard that the Confederate Cruiser, the “CSS Shenandoah”, had arrived in Port Phillip Bay, off Melbourne, on January 25, 1865. Following hundreds of others, Collins made his way to the Williamstown docks where the “Shenandoah’ had been berthed for repairs, and was immediately impressed with the size and grandeur of the ship. Learning while there, that its Captain was in need of additional crewmembers he became interested, but he also learned that Victorian authorities had forbade anyone from going aboard under penalty of arrest; so Collins returned home.

He was not deterred, however, as he disposed of all his personal belongings as quickly as possible and returned to the ship and stole aboard on the night of February 17, 1865; even though it had been prohibited by local officials.  Once on board he met with crewmembers that quickly hid him out in the hold of the ship where he remained in hiding, aided by crewmembers, until the “CSS Shenandoah” had weighed anchor and moved out of Australian waters. 

Once in international waters and out of the jurisdiction of Australia, Collins came out and with others who had also made their way aboard, proceeded to sign aboard the Confederate Cruiser as an able bodied seaman; placing his mark beside his name for the rate of $29.10, on February 18, 1865.  On May 28, 1865 Collins became intoxicated on ships rum and was confined for drunkenness; but he was one of the signatories who later expressed confidence in the command of Lieutenant James I. Waddell, in a petition dated September 1865.  

John Collins remained aboard the “Shenandoah” for the remainder of its historic voyage; until it was surrendered by Lieutenant Waddell, on November 6, 1865, to British Captain Paynter, commanding her Majesty’s ship “Donegal, in Liverpool, England. The crew being paroled after its surrender took up temporary residence in Williamstown. It is not known if Collins returned to America, but in all likelihood he returned to his former home in Australia.

Alabama Claims, “Correspondence Concerning Claims Against Great Britain

   transmitted to the Senate of the United States in answer to the Resolutions of 

   December 4, and 10, 1867, and of May 27, 1868”, Washington; 1869

CSS Shenandoah Deck Log

Eleanor S. Brockenbrough Library, Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion

Willaim A. Temple, affidavit

History of The Confederate States Navy, J.T. Scarf, 1996

Marauders of the Sea, Confederate Merchant Raiders During the American Civil

     War, Mackenzie J Gregory

The Cruise of the Shenandoah, Captain William C. Whittle, CSN