Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- PEOPLE -- UNITED STATES --

Surgeon Francis L. Galt, Confederate States Navy, (in service, 1861-1865)

Francis L. Galt was born in Virginia and entered the United States Navy as an Assistant Surgeon in 1855. He served in the frigate Saint Lawrence, at the Norfolk Navy Yard and Naval Hospital and in the gunboat Pocahontas during the next five years. He resigned from the U.S. Navy in April 1861, after Virginia left the Union, and joined the Confederate States Navy in the rank of Surgeon.

Shortly thereafter, Surgeon Galt was assigned to CSS Sumter, commanded by Raphael Semmes, and took part in her 1861-62 cruise. In mid-1862, he helped Semmes put CSS Alabama into commission and stayed with her through her entire career as the Civil War's most successful commerce raider. In addition to performing his medical duties, Galt also acted as the ship's Paymaster. He was captured when Alabama was sunk in the 19 June 1864 engagement with USS Kearsarge, but was paroled the same day. Later in 1864, after returning to America, he served with the James River batteries and ironclad squadron, ending the war with the Confederate ground forces that surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia, in April 1865. Following the conflict, Galt took part in a Peruvian Government exploration of the headwaters of the Amazon River, then returned to Virginia, where he practiced medicine in Loudoun County.

This page features all our pictures of Surgeon Francis L. Galt, CSN.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 59601

Surgeon Francis L. Galt, CSN


Halftoned image, printed in "Two Years on the Alabama", by Lieutenant Arthur Sinclair (2nd edition, 1896).
He served as surgeon in CSS Alabama in 1862-64, and also performed the paymaster's duties during some of that time.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 72KB; 595 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 42383

CSS Sumter (1861-1862)


Ship's officers on deck.
They are Seated, left to right:
First Lieutenant William E. Evans;
Commander Raphael Semmes, Commanding Officer; and
First Assistant Engineer Miles J. Freeman.
Standing, left to right:
Surgeon Francis L. Galt;
Lieutenant John M. Stribling;
First Lieutenant John M. Kell, Executive Officer;
Lieutenant Robert T. Chapman; and
First Lieutenant Becket K. Howell (Marine Corps).

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 134KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 57264

Confederate States Navy Officers
,
who served with Raphael Semmes

Line engraving by H.B. Hall, Jr., New York, featuring portraits of seven officers who served with Semmes in CSS Sumter.
In center is First Lieutenant John McIntosh Kell.
The others are (clockwise from top):
First Lieutenant Robert T. Chapman;
First Assistant Engineer Miles J. Freeman;
Paymaster Henry Myers;
Lieutenant John M. Stribling;
Surgeon Francis L. Galt; and
First Lieutenant William E. Evans.
Kell, Freeman and Galt also served with Semmes in CSS Alabama and were present during her engagement with USS Kearsarge.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 122KB; 545 x 765 pixels

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

Page made 22 July 2000
Link added 11 February 2001