ALBERT
TOPPING
United States Navy
Middle Island
Albert Topping
United States Navy
Middle Island
Albert Topping was born May 26, 1843 in
Middle Island. He was one of five children born to Joseph
and Maria Topping.
Albert left Middle Island and his work as
a clerk in a country store to enlist in the navy on
October 22, 1862, in New London, Connecticut. Topping was
21 years old at the time, stood 5 feet 8 inches tall, had
blue eyes and brown hair. His older brother, Gardiner,
also joined the navy two years later.
The younger Topping was assigned to the U.S.S. Sabine as
a landsman. The Sabine, a sailing frigate, was armed with
49 guns and was manned by a crew of 375 men. It was
assigned to the Atlantic Squadron and participated in the
blockade of southern ports.
U.S.S. Sabine
In November of 1862, the Sabine was
dispatched to find the Confederate raider, the C.S.S.
Alabama. The Sabine spent four months patrolling the
shipping lanes just south of Long Island, protecting
vessels bound to and from New York.
The crew then embarked on a much longer
journey. In February of 1863, the Sabine was sent to the
Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa. It was
rumored that the Alabama was in these waters. The ship
sailed as far south as the Cape of Good Hope, searching
in vain for Confederate raiders. After several months,
the Sabine returned to America. In August, it was sent to
patrol the waters off of New England, protecting and
assisting commerce vessels.
Sometime after their return to the
U.S., Topping was sent to the Pinkney Naval Hospital in
Memphis, Tennessee. He was honorably discharged from the
Navy on December 25, 1863, because of an unnamed
disability.
Crowded decks as sailors man their
posts.
After the war, Albert returned to Long
Island and married Annie Pierson at the Bridgehampton
Presbyterian Church. They had five children: Clifton,
born in 1869; Albert, born in 1872; Bessie, born in 1874;
William, born in 1882; and Grace, born in 1886.
Albert and Annie lived in Bridgehampton.
He worked as a weaver, making rag carpets. Annie died on
April 24, 1891. Albert Topping lived many years without
her. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January
17, 1933, at the age of ninety.