William H. Face
Encyclopedia
William Haley Face served as Acting Master of CSS Teaser
during the Battle of Hampton Roads
(March 8–9, 1862).
, Flag Officer
, Confederate States Navy
. Buchanan, the captain of the ironclad CSS Virginia
during the battle, cited Teaser for actions in support of Virginias attack on the Federal fleet:
"Lt. Commanding Webb (William A. Webb
) specially notices the coolness displayed by Acting Master Face... when facing the heavy fire of artillery and musketry from the shore..."
Teaser took an active part in both days of the battle, acting as tender to Virginia. She received the thanks of the Congress of the Confederate States
for this action.
Face had previously commanded the boat (June 1861 - January 1862).
Teaser was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. Purchased at Richmond, Virginia
by the State of Virginia in 1861, she was assigned to the naval forces in the James River
with Lieutenant James Henry Rochelle, Virginia State Navy
, in command prior to June 1861.
Edward Face was the chief carpenter at Fortress Monroe while 1st Lieutenant Robert E. Lee
was stationed there (1831–34). Lee played a major role in the final construction of both Fortress Monroe and its opposite, Fort Calhoun, later renamed Fort Wool
. Both forts would later provide great vantage points for the Battle of Hampton Roads but neither played an important part in the action.
William H. Face married Sarah E. Dunbar (1828–1889) in Norfolk County, Virginia
on April 10, 1850.
His brother, Edward Webster Face (1829–1907), Private, Company H, 54th Virginia Militia, CSA
, married Sarah Dunbar's sister, Elizabeth Widgeon Dunbar (1831–1913) on March 27, 1851.
The brothers, their wives and many of their descendents are buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia
.
A nephew, Sgt. Samuel T. Face, Longstreet
's Command, Semmes'
Brigade, McLaws'
Division, 32nd Virginia Infantry
, CSA (1843–1862), was killed on the bloodiest day of the American Civil War
, September 17, 1862, the second day of the Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam) and was buried near the battlefield.
CSS Teaser
CSS Teaser had been the aging Georgetown, D.C. tugboat York River until the beginning of the American Civil War, when she was taken into the Confederate States Navy. Later, she was captured by the United States Navy and became the first USS Teaser.-CSS Teaser:Teaser was built at Philadelphia,...
during the Battle of Hampton Roads
Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as either the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack or the Battle of Ironclads, was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies...
(March 8–9, 1862).
Battle of Hampton Roads
Face was recognized in the official report of the battle by Franklin BuchananFranklin Buchanan
Franklin Buchanan was an officer in the United States Navy who became an admiral in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War, and commanded the ironclad CSS Virginia.-Early life:...
, Flag Officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
, Confederate States Navy
Confederate States Navy
The Confederate States Navy was the naval branch of the Confederate States armed forces established by an act of the Confederate Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American Civil War...
. Buchanan, the captain of the ironclad CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia was the first steam-powered ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy, built during the first year of the American Civil War; she was constructed as a casemate ironclad using the raised and cut down original lower hull and steam engines of the scuttled . Virginia was one of the...
during the battle, cited Teaser for actions in support of Virginias attack on the Federal fleet:
"Lt. Commanding Webb (William A. Webb
William A. Webb
William A. Webb was an American sailor and Mexican-American War veteran who resigned his United States Navy commission after more than 20 years of service to join the Confederate States Navy in the American Civil War...
) specially notices the coolness displayed by Acting Master Face... when facing the heavy fire of artillery and musketry from the shore..."
Teaser took an active part in both days of the battle, acting as tender to Virginia. She received the thanks of the Congress of the Confederate States
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
for this action.
Face had previously commanded the boat (June 1861 - January 1862).
Teaser was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Purchased at Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
by the State of Virginia in 1861, she was assigned to the naval forces in the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
with Lieutenant James Henry Rochelle, Virginia State Navy
Virginia State Navy
A Virginia State Navy existed twice. During the American Revolutionary War, the provisional government of the Virginia Colony authorized the purchase, outfitting, and manning of armed vessels to protect the colony's waters from threats posed it by the Royal Navy.Early in the American Civil War,...
, in command prior to June 1861.
Postwar career
After the War, Capt. Face became a founder of the Virginia Pilot Association, which represents the ship pilots who guide all commercial shipping... and some military shipping... through the navigable waters of the state of Virginia.Family
William H. Face was the son of Edward Face (1808–1840) and Catherine Heffley Face (1805–1876).Edward Face was the chief carpenter at Fortress Monroe while 1st Lieutenant Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
was stationed there (1831–34). Lee played a major role in the final construction of both Fortress Monroe and its opposite, Fort Calhoun, later renamed Fort Wool
Fort Wool
Fort Wool was the companion to Fort Monroe in protecting Hampton Roads from seafaring threats. This site was once the dumping place for ships’ ballast....
. Both forts would later provide great vantage points for the Battle of Hampton Roads but neither played an important part in the action.
William H. Face married Sarah E. Dunbar (1828–1889) in Norfolk County, Virginia
Norfolk County, Virginia
Norfolk County was a county of the South Hampton Roads in eastern Virginia in the United States that was created in 1691. After the American Civil War, for a period of about 100 years, portions of Norfolk County were lost and the territory of the county reduced as they became parts of the separate...
on April 10, 1850.
His brother, Edward Webster Face (1829–1907), Private, Company H, 54th Virginia Militia, CSA
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
, married Sarah Dunbar's sister, Elizabeth Widgeon Dunbar (1831–1913) on March 27, 1851.
The brothers, their wives and many of their descendents are buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
.
A nephew, Sgt. Samuel T. Face, Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
's Command, Semmes'
Paul Jones Semmes
Paul Jones Semmes was a banker, businessman, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War, mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early life:...
Brigade, McLaws'
Lafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
Division, 32nd Virginia Infantry
32nd Virginia Infantry
The 32nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
, CSA (1843–1862), was killed on the bloodiest day of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, September 17, 1862, the second day of the Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam) and was buried near the battlefield.