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Full Name: Moses Atwood Safford
Wife: Catherine Cecelia Bellamy, married 29 Nov 1866, Kittery, York, Maine
Article from America's Civil War Magazine
Uncle Sam's Webfeet
Moses A. Safford, a Kittery, Maine, attorney when the war began, accepted an appointment as one of Constellation’s yeomen on December 26, 1861. Safford’s 1862-65 shipboard diary provides a petty officer’s perspective on life aboard a Union man-of-war.
John Glenn of Troy, N.Y., who was said to have once been a prizefighter, was appointed Constellation’s master-at-arms in November 1861. Yeoman Safford was Glenn’s messmate and described him as a “very jolly, good-natured man although he has a reputation of having been ‘on his muscle,’” due to his tendency to resort to brute strength to enforce discipline and the rules of the ship.
Although they participated in few major land battles, Marines from the blockading squadrons conducted numerous raids along the Confederate coastline throughout the Civil War. Constellation’s leathernecks regularly practiced launching such operations. Yeoman Safford commented on an 1862 practice landing: “All our boats are put over and completely armed and equipped, and are landed through the surf. Everyone gets wet, but the imitation of landing an armed expedition was really very credibly done.”
Yeoman Safford remarked, “Our men have been doing some really extraordinary work at target practice.” As their proficiency grew, he added, “Both our Captain and Executive have the confidence of the men.” As an ultimate testament to their readiness, while recognizing the limitations of their vessel, Safford proudly proclaimed: “Our men were very eager for a fight. I do not know what we could have done with a steam ship, but before she had finished us they would have known they were in a fight!”
"Captain Page of the Rebel Service is said to be here waiting for a vessel to come here from England for her armament." Yeoman Safford - June 24, 1863 (Leghorn, Italy).
"[B]efore this war is over I may see as much fighting as any of them. Within a week we may go down at our guns like the men in the Cumberland..." Yeoman Moses Safford - July 4, 1863 (Spezia, Italy).
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