Robert F. Flemming Jr. facts for kids

Robert Francis Flemming Jr. (born in July 1839, died February 23, 1919) was an amazing American inventor. He was also a brave sailor for the Union during the American Civil War. He is famous for being the very first person on the USS Housatonic to see the H.L. Hunley. This was a special submarine that later sank the Housatonic. This event was a big deal because it was the first time a submarine ever sank an enemy ship in a battle!

Robert Flemming Jr.'s Life Story

Growing Up in the 1800s

Robert F. Flemming Jr. was born in July 1839 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was born free, which was important at that time. His father, Robert F. Flemming Sr., was a baker, and his mother was Mary Jane Flemming. Robert was the oldest of their children.

Around 1850, his family moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Robert was about 12 years old then. He had four younger brothers and sisters: John, Catherine, George, and Mary. Sadly, his father passed away not long after. To support her family, Robert's mother opened a boarding house in Cambridge. Robert and his two older siblings started working to help out.

Serving in the Civil War

When Robert Flemming was older, he worked as a marble cutter in New York City. On May 14, 1863, he decided to join the United States Navy. He became a "landsman," which was a starting rank for sailors, similar to a seaman recruit today.

His first ship was the USS Wyoming (1859). In June of that year, he was on board when the ship had a battle. This battle was against the navy of the Japanese Empire near Shimonoseki on July 16.

The Sinking of the USS Housatonic

In October, Robert Flemming moved to another ship, the USS Housatonic (1861). This ship was part of a group blocking Southern seaports during the Civil War.

On the night of February 17, 1864, Robert was on duty, keeping watch. He saw something strange in the water, about 400 feet away. He told the officer, who thought it was just a floating log. Robert thought, "That's a strange-looking log!" He looked closer and realized it wasn't floating with the water. It was moving very fast towards the Housatonic!

Robert quickly shouted that a torpedo was coming. He warned the crew, and they tried to get the ship moving. But it was too late. There was a huge explosion. In just five minutes, the Housatonic sank into 25 feet of water. Five sailors lost their lives. The crew quickly climbed the ship's ropes or got into lifeboats. Even after the ship hit the bottom, its masts were still above the water. Robert and others held onto the rigging for about 45 minutes until help arrived.

The Housatonic was sunk by a secret weapon from the Confederate States Navy. This was the submarine H. L. Hunley. It was commanded by Lieutenant George E. Dixon and had a crew of seven brave volunteers. The Hunley made history as the first submarine to ever sink an enemy warship in a battle!

From his spot on the ship's rigging, Robert Flemming saw a blue light in the distance. People later thought this might have been a signal from the Hunley crew. They might have been trying to tell their friends on shore to light fires to guide them home. Sadly, the Hunley never returned. What happened to it became one of the big mysteries of the Civil War.

Inventor and Music Man

After the Civil War ended in June 1865, Robert Flemming finished his time in the navy on the gunboat USS E. B. Hale. He then moved back to Massachusetts. He lived and worked in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Boston, Massachusetts. There, he started his own business making guitars and teaching music.

An illustration of the Euphonica guitar.

Robert Flemming was also an inventor! He created a special guitar he named the "Euphonica." He thought this new guitar would make a much louder and richer sound than regular guitars. The U.S. Patent Office agreed it was a unique invention. They gave him a patent for it on March 30, 1886. He also got a patent in Canada on April 5, 1887. With his patents, Flemming opened his own shop in Boston. He built his musical instruments and showed them off to people.

After the year 1900, Robert Flemming retired. He moved to his home in Melrose, Massachusetts. Even in retirement, he kept busy. He continued to teach music lessons and play at different events. In 1907, he wrote a special song called a "National Funeral Hymn." He dedicated this song to the Grand Army of the Republic, a group for Civil War veterans.

Robert Flemming was a member of this group in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He passed away in February 1919.