Louis Mitchell Coxetter

Background

Louis Mitchell Coxetter was born on December 10, 1818 in Nova Scotia, Canada; but early in his youth made Charleston, South Carolina, his home port.

Career

Coxetter entered the Florida trade, and soon rose to the command of a schooner plying between Charleston and St. Augustine. During the Mexican War he was in public service as a transport captain. Upon the termination of hostilities, he returned to Charleston, and initiated the first line of steam- packets between that city and Florida ports, commanding in turn the Florida, Carolina, and Everglade.

A few days after President Davis issued his famous letter-of-marque proclamation, a company, composed of men of high standing, was organized in Charleston to send the brig Putnam (the one-time slaver Echo) to sea as a privatearmed cruiser under the Confederate flag; and Coxetter was invited to join this syndicate, as part owner and captain. He received his commission as commander of the vessel, renamed the Jefferson Davis, on June 18, 1861, and ten days later ran the blockade, having on board about seventy men and five obsolete guns.

He cruised leisurely up the coast into New England waters, taking heavy toll of the West-Indian and South- American trade. The United States sent nine war vessels in search of this raider; but Coxetter successfully eluded his pursuers, transferring his cruising ground to the West Indies, with base at San Juan, Porto Rico. At length he found his crew so reduced by the number of men which he had put on his prizes that he was forced to turn homeward to recruit.

In attempting to call at St. Augustine, August 18, 1861, a half-gale blowing, he got aground on the bar and lost his ship. The crew was saved. Upon his return to Charleston, he was presented with a gold watch and fob as a token of the public estimation. Of his prizes only two inured to the benefit of the captors (being regularly condemned and sold by order of a Confederate court of admiralty); three were recaptured; one was burned; three released as cartels; and one released on account of her neutral cargo.

His skill and resolution were recognized by the Navy Department, which recommended him to its foreign purchasing agent as a suitable man to run a cargo of supplies through the blockade. In October he left Charleston on the Confederate transport Theodora (which also carried Mason and Slidell on the first leg of their famous interrupted voyage). It was generally supposed in Charleston that he had gone to Cuba to get another privateer to sea; but he went on to England incognito, using his middle name, and switched to a blockade-running career.

He entered the service of John Fraser & Company of Charleston, and Fraser, Trenholm & Company of Liverpool, recognized agents of the Confederate government. His first command was the Herald, a fast steamer, which was subsequently renamed Antonica in honor of his wife. He also commanded the Beauregard of the same line. In the last few weeks of the war, he was engaged by the navy on some secret mission in the Savannah River, near Augusta, probably in connection with the mining of the river against the ascent of Federal gunboats from Savannah. His humanity as a privateersman is attested by the high character which his captives gave him.

fter the war he reentered the packet service, commanding, until about two months before his death, the side-wheel steamer Dictator, of the Charleston-Palatka line. He owned a ninth interest in this vessel and five-sixths of the Cooper River steamboat Starlight.

Achievements

• Louis Mitchell Coxetter was the most celebrated of the Confederate privateersmen, and one of the most successful of the blockade-runners.

Connections

Coxetter was married to Antonica Geiger. They had four sons.

Spouse:

Antonica Geiger