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diff --git a/21977-8.txt b/21977-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ec19bf --- /dev/null +++ b/21977-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5296 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Narrative of a Blockade-Runner, by John +Wilkinson + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Narrative of a Blockade-Runner + + +Author: John Wilkinson + + + +Release Date: June 30, 2007 [eBook #21977] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF A +BLOCKADE-RUNNER*** + + +E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Martin Pettit, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Transcriber's note: + + Some obvious typographical errors have been corrected. The use + of double quotation marks for quotations within quotations has + been retained as in the original, and the reader's attention + is called to the author's failure to close some quotations. + + + + + +THE NARRATIVE OF A BLOCKADE-RUNNER. + +by + +J. WILKINSON, +Captain in the Late Confederate States Navy. + + + + + + + +New York: +Sheldon & Company, +8 Murray Street. +1877 +Copyright, +Sheldon & Company, +1877. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +In deference to the judgment of two or three literary friends, I have +entitled this, my first attempt at authorship, "The Narrative of a +Blockade-runner." They do not agree with Shakspeare that "a rose by any +other name would smell as sweet," to the reading public; nor that it is +always advisable to call a thing by its proper name. It will be seen, +however, by any reader who has the patience to peruse the work, that it +embraces a wider scope than its title would imply. I have endeavored to +give a full account of the passage by the U. S. fleet of the forts below +New Orleans; and to contribute some facts that will probably settle the +controversy, in the judgment of the reader, as to the real captors of +that city. "Honor to whom honor is due." + +It will be seen that I have been favored with access to Commodore +Mitchell's official report of that conflict, a document never published. +The information derived from it, added to facts and circumstances +coming under my personal observation, furnishes the means of laying +before the public an account of that action from a new point of view. + +In bearing testimony to the kind and humane treatment of the prisoners +of war at Fort Warren, I perform a most grateful duty. It was my good +fortune to be captured and held a prisoner, before the "retaliatory" +measures were adopted by the United States Government. + +I have contributed some new, and, I hope, interesting facts about the +manner in which blockade running was conducted. + +I cannot do better than furnish the following extract from a literary +friend's letter to me in reference to this effort of mine. "I am +particularly glad, believing as I do, that such a volume will help to +the production of that state of mind, North and South, which every good +man wishes to see grow. It is only necessary that we shall all fall into +the habit of talking and writing about war matters without feeling; that +we shall forget the bitterness of the conflict in our interest in its +history; and if you or I can amuse Northern readers, or entertain them +with our recollections, we shall certainly leave them in a pleasanter +and better state of mind than we found them in." + +I should be happy to believe that I had contributed, in ever so small a +degree, to this consummation so devoutly to be wished for. But I would +make no sacrifice of principle nor of interest to achieve this end. + +While accepting the situation consequent upon the unsuccessful appeal to +arms, the Southern people do not stultify themselves by professing to +renounce their conviction of their right and duty in having responded to +the call to defend their respective States from invasion. + +But they believe that the war was conducted by the Confederate +Government in a spirit of humanity. Conceiving it to be the duty of +every southern man to submit any testimony in his possession relating to +this subject, and especially to the treatment of prisoners of war, I +have quoted some passages from a "Vindication of the Confederacy against +the charge of Cruelty to Prisoners." This work was recently published by +the Southern Historical Society, and was compiled by the Rev. J. Wm. +Jones, D.D., author of "Personal Reminiscences of Gen. R. E. Lee." The +candid and dispassionate student of History, in seeking after the +truth, should read this work before forming a judgment upon this point, +which has, perhaps, caused more bitter resentments among the Northern +people than all the other deplorable events of our civil strife +combined. + +WOODSIDE, AMELIA CO., VA., Oct. 15th, 1876. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + PAGE + +Secession of Virginia.--Service at Fort Powhatan.--Volunteers +at the Big Guns.--"Wide Awake" Clubs.--Want of preparation in +Virginia.--Fort Powhatan abandoned.--Service at Acquia +Creek.--The "Tigers."--Coal Mining on the Potomac. 15 + + +CHAPTER II. + +Ordered to New Orleans.--The Naval Fleet there.--The "River +Defence" Squadron.--The iron-clad "Louisiana."--Difficulty in +managing the Fleet.--Going down the River.--Want of +concert.--Admiral Farragut.--Our crew. 29 + + +CHAPTER III. + +The 24th April.--Passage of the United States Fleet.--After +the Storm.--The "River Defence" boats.--The Refuge in the +Bayou.--Surrender of the Forts.--Extracts from Commodore +Mitchell's official Report.--Council of War.--Destruction of +the "Louisiana."--Our Surrender.--General B. F. +Butler.--Transferred to the United States Frigate "Colorado." 44 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Transferred to the "Rhode Island."--Meeting with an old +Friend.--Arrival at Fort Warren.--Treatment +there.--Correspondence, and its Result.--Prison +Life.--Exchanged.--The Crew at quarters.--Burial of the +"Unknown." 60 + + +CHAPTER V. + +A Brief Stay at Home.--Report to the War Department.--Instructions +to go abroad.--The Blockade-runner "Kate."--Voyage to +Nassau.--Yellow Fever.--The Undertaker.--Our Skipper "Captain +Dick."--The Major sick.--A Story for the Marines.--Arrival at +Cardenas.--The Coolies.--Arrival at Havana.--The American Consul +and I.--The Pirate Marti.--The Spanish Steamer.--Pretty +Harbors.--Captain Fry. 83 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +San Domingo.--The Island of Hayti and its Inhabitants.--St. +Thomas.--General Santa Anna.--The Mail Steamer Atrato.--Arrival +at Southampton.--English Scenery.--The Major Fails.--The +Giraffe purchased.--A Claim against the Confederate +Government.--The Hon J. M. Mason.--Credit of the Confederate +Government abroad.--An Improper Agent.--Captain Bullock.--The +Giraffe ready for Sea.--Glasgow.--Our Last Dinner.--Our Scotch +Landlady and Head Waiter.--We part with the Major.--Hot +Punch and Scotch Babies.--A Reminiscence. 100 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Voyage to Madeira.--A Capital Sea-boat.--The Island +Ponies.--Mr. B. and his daughters.--Voyage to St. John's, +Porto Rico.--Run across the Bahama Banks.--Nassau during the +War.--High Wages and Low Characters.--Crew re-shipped.--Failure +to enter Charleston.--The "Lump."--A Narrow Escape.--The +Scotch Lithographers and their work.--Crossing the +Bar.--Transfer of the Giraffe to the Confederate +Government.--She becomes the "R. E. Lee."--The Major fulfills +his promise, but fails in his object. 117 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Dyer and the Sailing Captain.--First Voyage to Nassau.--Major +Ficklen and the Two Young Lieutenants.--Our Old Skipper +"Captain Dick."--Bermuda.--The Races there and +elsewhere.--Description of Bermuda.--Moore, the Poet, and his +Rival Mr. Tucker.--Tame Fish.--The Naval Station.--Col. B.'s +Accident. 136 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +We sail for Wilmington.--Thick Weather on the Coast.--Anchored +among the Blockading Fleet.--The "Mound."--Running the Blockade +by Moonlight.--A Device to mislead the Enemy.--The man Hester. 149 + + +CHAPTER X. + +The Confederate States Steamer "Florida."--Short Supply of +Coal.--The "Florida's" Decks.--Tea and Costly China.--Narrow +Escape from Capture.--Miss Lucy G.--Arrival at Bermuda.--Our +uneventful Trip inward.--The Johnson's Island Expedition.--Another +Narrow Escape.--"Pretty Shooting."--Arrival at Halifax, N.S. 159 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +The Lee Captured at Last.--Sandy Keith alias Thomassen.--Recruiting +in the British Provinces for the United States Army.--Failure +of the Expedition.--Return to Bermuda. 173 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +Take Command of the "Whisper."--High Rates of +Freight.--Confederate Money and Sterling Exchange.--An +Investment in Cotton.--The Ill-fated Ironclad.--The Point +Lookout Expedition and its Failure.--A Faithful Servant and a +Narrow Escape.--Futile Projects.--Wilmington during the +War.--Light Houses reëstablished.--Gloomy Prospects of +the South. 189 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Cruise of the Chickamauga.--Mr. Mallory's inefficiency.--Troubles +in Bermuda.--The Three Wrecks.--End of the cruise. 209 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Last Summons to Richmond.--Demoralization.--The +Chameleon.--More trouble in Bermuda.--Another Narrow +Escape.--Fall of Fort Fisher.--Maffitt's Escape, and Captain +S.'s Capture.--Another Hard Chase.--Failure to enter +Charleston.--Return to Nassau. 225 + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Sad News via New York.--Consternation among Speculators in +Nassau.--Departure from Nassau via Bermuda.--Arrival at +Liverpool.--The End. 244 + + + + +NARRATIVE +OF A +BLOCKADE-RUNNER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + + Secession of Virginia.--Service at Fort Powhatan.--Volunteers at + the Big Guns.--"Wide Awake" Clubs.--Want of preparation in + Virginia.--Fort Powhatan abandoned.--Service at Acquia Creek.--The + "Tigers."--Coal Mining on the Potomac. + + + +When the State of Virginia seceded from the Union, on the 17th day of +April, 1861, most of her citizens, belonging to the United States Navy, +resigned their commissions, and offered their services to the State of +their birth. Many of them had meddled so little with politics as never +even to have cast a vote; but having been educated in the belief that +their allegiance was due to their State, they did not hesitate to act as +honor and patriotism seemed to demand. They were compelled to choose +whether they would aid in subjugating their State, or in defending it +against invasion; for it was already evident that coercion would be used +by the General Government, and that war was inevitable. In reply to the +accusation of perjury in breaking their oath of allegiance, since +brought against the officers of the Army and Navy who resigned their +commissions to render aid to the South, it need only be stated that, in +their belief, the resignation of their commissions absolved them from +any special obligation. They then occupied the same position towards the +Government as other classes of citizens. But this charge was never +brought against them till the war was ended. The resignation of their +commissions was accepted when their purpose was well known. As to the +charge of ingratitude, they reply, their respective States had +contributed their full share towards the expenses of the General +Government, acting as their disbursing agent; and when these States +withdrew from the Union, their citizens belonging to the two branches of +the public service did not, and do not, consider themselves amenable to +this charge for abandoning their official positions to cast their lot +with their kindred and friends. But yielding as they did to necessity, +it was nevertheless a painful act to separate themselves from +companions with whom they had been long and intimately associated, and +from the flag under which they had been proud to serve. + +During the brief interval which elapsed between the act of secession and +the admission of the State into the Confederacy, the Virginia Army and +Navy were organized; and all of the naval officers who had tendered +their services received commissions in the Virginia, and afterward in +the Confederate Navy; but as there were very few vessels in commission, +the greater portion of these officers were ordered to shore batteries. +My first experience was at Fort Powhatan, an earthwork situated on James +River a short distance below City Point, and carrying six or eight guns +mounted on ships' carriages, which had been transported from the Norfolk +Navy-yard. "Grim visaged war" had not shown his "wrinkled front" in +those fair portions of the land; and our time was chiefly spent in +drilling the volunteers at the big guns, and visiting the hospitable +families in the neighborhood; but all of us were soon to be transferred +to more active scenes. The young gentlemen-privates of the gallant +volunteer company, who so daintily handled the side and train-tackles +of the 42-pounders in the battery, considered themselves fortunate, not +long afterwards, if they obtained full rations of lean beef, or "Nassau" +pork, and "hard tack;" and bore the brunt of many a severely contested +battle as part of Stonewall Jackson's "foot cavalry." But at this period +there were only a few so called croakers who at all realized the +magnitude of the struggle about to ensue. The camps resounded with song +and merriment; and many of the young warriors were attended, like the +knights-errant of old, by a faithful squire, who polished the boots, +cleaned the musket, and performed other menial service for his "young +master." My own "fidus Achates," was old "Uncle Billy," whose occupation +was gone by the stoppage of a tobacco factory in Richmond, where he had +been used to take a prominent part in the peculiar songs of the +"profession." He would sometimes give us a specimen of his vocal powers, +and would nearly bring the house down, literally and metaphorically, +while executing the mysteries of a "Virginny breakdown" in thick soled +brogans sixteen inches long. + +But to return from this digression, it was believed by many persons that +a large party at the North would oppose the prosecution of a war of +invasion. It will be remembered by those at all conversant with the +history of events at that time, how strong had been the party opposed to +secession in the Convention then in session at Richmond, (at least +two-thirds of its members having been elected as Union men,) and what +strenuous efforts towards peace and compromise had been made by the +Border States Commissioners. The call upon Virginia, by President +Lincoln, for her quota of troops to aid in subjugating the South, had +settled the question, however, in the Convention; and in a few hours +after Governor Letcher's reply to that call, Virginia had virtually cast +her lot with the Gulf States, although two weeks elapsed before she +became a member of the Confederacy. I had visited, some months previous +to the secession of the State, many of the little villages in New +England, where I saw that the population were in terrible earnest. "Wide +awake," and other secret societies were organized; and inflammatory +harangues aroused the populace. The favorite theme of the orators was +the "martyrdom" of John Brown; the piratical and murderous raid of that +fanatic into the State of Virginia being exalted into a praiseworthy act +of heroism. When I returned to Virginia and contrasted the apparent +apathy and want of preparation there with the state of affairs at the +North, I trembled for the result. But when the State severed her +relations with the Union, the Governor acted with great vigor and +ability, and the most was made of the limited resources at his command. +Volunteers responded with alacrity to the call to defend the State from +invasion; and none responded more readily, or served more bravely, than +those who had opposed secession in the Convention. It seems invidious to +cite particular examples; but the "noblest Trojan of them all" will +point a moral, and serve as an exemplar for generations to come. Wise in +council, eloquent in debate, bravest and coolest among the brave in +battle, and faithful to his convictions in adversity, he still lives to +denounce falsehood and wrong. Truly the old hero, in all he says and +does, "gives the world assurance of a man."--I allude to Gen. J. A. +Early. + +When Fort Powhatan was abandoned, I was ordered to the command of a +battery at Acquia Creek on the Potomac. Although situated upon the +frontier, few incidents occurred there to vary the monotony of our +lives. Occasionally some of the gunboats guarding the river would steam +in, and exchange a few shots with us; and we witnessed frequent +skirmishes between them and Walker's afterwards famous battery of flying +artillery; but ammunition being extremely scarce at that period in the +Confederacy, the orders to us were peremptory to be very sparing in the +use of it.[1] + +The battery at Acquia Creek was constructed at the terminus of the +railroad from Fredericksburg, and was manned by an infantry company +acting as artillerists. Besides this force, permanently stationed at the +battery, and quartered near it, a company of infantry from military +headquarters was sent every evening to guard against a night attack. A +company called the "Tigers," took their turn at this service, and we +would gladly have dispensed with their "protection." Utterly +undisciplined, they were more dangerous to friends than to foes. +Mutinous and insubordinate, they were engaged in constant collisions +with each other and with the companies so unfortunate as to be quartered +near them; and their camp was a pandemonium. In addition to other +sources of quarrel and contention, several women (_vivandiéres_, they +called themselves) followed the company. The patience of Gen. M.[2] who +commanded the division, was finally exhausted. He summoned the Captain +of the "Tigers" into his presence; and after severely reprimanding him +for the misconduct of his men, insisted that the "_vivandiéres_" should +be sent away. The captain urged many reasons for keeping them; the chief +one being the good _moral effect_ of their presence! but the General was +inflexible. Even gallantry to the sex must be sacrificed to the truth; +and a proper regard for the latter demands the statement that a +reformation commenced with the departure of the women; and our friends +the "Tigers" eventually became well-behaved soldiers. + +We passed many months of inglorious inactivity here until the spring of +1862, when the line of the Potomac was abandoned. While the Federal +forces had remained comparatively quiet in this part of the Confederacy, +they had achieved many important successes elsewhere. Fort Donelson, on +the Cumberland River, and Roanoke Island in North Carolina had been +captured, with large garrisons; and New Orleans and Savannah were +threatened. General Joseph E. Johnston, who at the time commanded the +Army of Northern Virginia, determined to fall back to the line of the +Rappahannock; and all the batteries on the Potomac were abandoned +between the 8th and 10th of March, 1862; the guns being removed to other +quarters. + +The monotonous service at the batteries had tried the patience of all +who were attached to them; and we rejoiced at the prospect of more +active duty. The reverses sustained by the Confederate arms were not to +be disguised, nor were our convictions of great danger to the country to +be removed by the politic proclamation issued by the Confederate +Government, to the effect that a contraction of the lines could exercise +no material influence upon the issue of the war. But as it was deemed +necessary by the military authorities to abandon the situation, we were +not at all sorry to depart; for although we had seen no active service, +insatiate war had claimed many victims, who had perished ingloriously by +the malarial fevers of that marshy district. The naval officers were +especially elated at the change. Their duties and their authority being +alike undefined, there resulted a deplorable want of harmony between +them and the military. This was, indeed, the inevitable consequence of +the anomalous position held by the former; and this want of concert of +action subsequently contributed, in some measure at least, to the +disastrous issue of the conflict below New Orleans. + +We having been trained in the strict discipline of a man of war, wanted +"savoir faire" in dealing with the fastidious young captains, and the +equally sensitive "high privates"; while they no doubt looked upon us as +a domineering, tyrannical set of exclusives and wished that we were on +board the Federal gunboats in the river, or farther. My personal +intercourse, however, was always very pleasant with them. Capt. Brown, +commanding the company of North Carolinians at the battery, had +graduated at the U. S. Naval School a year or two previous to the war, +and was a strict disciplinarian. Two years after our separation, I fell +in with him accidentally; and he then gave me a sad account of the +changes wrought by death and disease in his fine company. He had risen +to the rank of Colonel, and was then on his return to duty in the army +of Northern Virginia after recovery from wounds received in battle. The +graphic account given by him of the manner in which he was wounded and +his narrow escape from death, may interest others as much as it did me. +His regiment formed part of Gen. Ed. Johnson's division, which held the +salient angle in Gen. Lee's line at Spottsylvania C. H. when it was +forced by the Federal troops. The attack was made at early dawn and in +the additional obscurity of a Scotch mist; and so complete was the +surprise according to B.'s account, that he was only made aware of the +close proximity of the enemy by dimly discerning, a few paces distant, a +Federal soldier with his musket levelled at him. The soldier fired, and +B. fell insensible, shot through one of the lungs. Upon recovering +consciousness, he found himself on a litter borne by Federal soldiers. +An officer leaned over him, and offered him some liquor from his +canteen, which revived him so far that he was able to speak. His humane +captor then volunteered to transmit any message to B.'s friends and +relatives. While B. was rallying his failing senses to deliver what he +believed to be his dying messages to the loved ones at home, a rattling +fire of musketry opened upon them, the litter bearers and the officer +were shot down; the latter falling across Brown, who relapsed into +insensibility. When he again recovered consciousness, he found himself +borne in the same litter, now carried by Confederate soldiers. The +position had been retaken. His good friend had been shot dead. + +Our mess at Acquia Creek was abundantly supplied with food from land and +water. Every member of it, no doubt, frequently longed afterwards for +the "flesh pots of Egypt." We discovered, by chance, a large bulk of +coal, which had been stored on the long wharf where the Acquia Creek +steam-boats used to make their landings. When the Point was shelled +about the commencement of the war by the gunboats, the wharf was +destroyed, the coal falling uninjured ten or twelve feet to the bottom +of the river. We fished up our supplies with oyster tongs as they were +needed, and our snug quarters were kept warm during the winter. Towards +the end of the season, one of the mess servants lately arrived from the +rural districts, was sent in the boat for a supply from the _coal mine_. +He had made many a fire of soft coal in the drawing room at home; but +although an accomplished servant, his education had been so far +neglected that he was ignorant of all the "'ologies." He was very much +astonished at our process of coal mining, and asked me with great +gravity, on his return with the load, "if coal grew like that all over +the Potomac." Of course I replied in the affirmative. It was anthracite +hard coal, a specimen of which he had never seen; so he was further +informed that it was hard or soft according to the season when it was +fished up, being soft in the summer and hard in the winter. He was much +pleased to have acquired all this information, and probably took the +earliest opportunity, on his return home, to enlighten his circle of +friends and acquaintances upon the subject of coal mining on the +Potomac. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] The belief still prevails, probably, at the North, that extensive +preparations had been made by the South for the war. But General Joseph +E. Johnston who was assigned to the service of organizing and +instructing the Virginia volunteers called out by Governor Letcher +states the contrary. He asserts that all the arms to be depended upon at +that time, were those found in the Southern arsenals, U. S. muskets, and +rifles of discarded patterns to the number of about 75,000; 40,000 flint +muskets belonging to the State of Virginia, and 20,000 procured for the +State of Georgia by Governor Brown. + +It was charged that Mr. Floyd of Virginia while Secretary of War under +President Buchanan had caused the removal of public arms to the Southern +arsenals; but a Committee of the House of Representatives, in 1861, +exonerated Mr. Floyd from the charge, and the chairman of that Committee +was the Hon. Mr. Stanton, a prominent and zealous member of the +Republican party. + +General Johnston, who was in a position to know the facts, states in his +"Narrative, etc.," that the "Confederate States began the war with one +hundred and twenty thousand arms of obsolete models, and seven hundred +of the recently adopted weapons rifled-muskets, and the United States +with about four hundred and fifty thousand of the old, and all of the +modern arms that had been made since the adoption of the new models." + +When in August, 1861, it was in contemplation to send the Army of +Northern Virginia into Maryland, want of ammunition, according to the +distinguished authority just quoted, was one of the chief obstacles to +the project. + +[2] The allusion is made to Genl. Mears, who commanded at Acquia Creek +and to the Baltimore "Tigers", at the time commanded by Captain Thomas. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + Ordered to New Orleans.--The Naval Fleet there.--The "River + Defence" Squadron.--The iron clad "Louisiana."--Difficulty in + managing the Fleet.--Going down the River.--Want of + concert.--Admiral Farragut.--Our crew. + + +I was ordered to report to Commodore Whittle, commanding the naval +station at New Orleans, for duty afloat. A powerful fleet of ships of +war and bomb vessels, under the command of Commodore (afterwards +Admiral) Farragut, was then assembling at the mouth of the Mississippi, +for an attack upon New Orleans, in which a large land force under Gen. +Butler (afterwards called the Beast) was to coöperate. The citizens were +under the impression that the place was impregnable. Gen. Duncan, +commanding Forts Jackson and St. Philip, below the city, was considered +one of the best artillerists in the service; and the land defence was +intrusted to Gen. Lovell, with a well appointed force under his command. +The people of that gay city were occupied as usual in business and +pleasure, and continued unconscious of their peril up to the very time +when the Federal fleet passed the forts. But the condition of affairs, +so far as naval defence was concerned, was lamentable. The regular C. S. +naval fleet consisted of the Louisiana (Captain McIntosh) and carrying +the flag of Commodore Mitchell; the steamer McRae (Captain Huger), +carrying six light 32-pounders and nine-inch pivot gun; the steamer +Jackson (Captain Renshaw), with two pivoted smooth bore 32-pounders; the +small ironplated "Ram" Manassas (Captain Warley), carrying one +32-pounder carronade in the bow; and two launches, each carrying a +howitzer and a crew of twenty men. There were also present, at the time +the passage was forced by the U. S. fleet, two Louisiana State gunboats, +viz., the "Governor Moore," Captain Kennon, carrying two 32-pounder +rifled guns, and the "General Quitman," with a similar battery. _These_ +were converted sea steamers, with pine and cotton barricades to protect +the more vulnerable part of their machinery. All of the above vessels, +with the exception of the Louisiana and Manassas, were too slightly +built for war purposes. The unarmed steamboats, "Mozier," placed under +Commodore Mitchell's command. In addition to the above force, there were +six steamers carrying from one to two guns each, constituting what was +called the "River Defence Squadron," under the command of Captain +Stevenson. These vessels' boilers and machinery were protected by heavy +timber barricades, filled in with compressed cotton; and they were +prepared with bar-iron casing around their bows to act as "Rams." + +The Louisiana was pierced for twelve guns rifled six-inch; and +eight-inch shell guns, three in the bow, three in each broadside, and +three in the stern. Her armor consisted of railroad-iron bars securely +bolted upon the sides and ends of the long covered box built upon her +nearly submerged hull. These sides and ends sloped at an angle of about +forty-five degrees; around the upper deck was a stout bulwark about five +feet high, and iron plated inside, to resist grape shot, and afford a +protection to the sharp-shooters stationed there in action. + +The propelling power consisted of huge wheels, boxed up in the centre of +the vessel; and a propeller on each quarter. A more powerful and +efficient iron-clad called the Mississippi had just been launched from +the stocks, but the passage of the forts was effected before her battery +could be put on board. + +After a few days' service on board the Jackson, I was ordered on board +the Louisiana (as executive officer) then lying alongside the "levee" at +New Orleans. Her battery was not mounted; and the mechanics were at work +upon her unfinished armor and machinery. Much was to be done, and with +the most limited facilities; but many obstacles had been surmounted and +affairs were progressing favorably, when we received orders from +Commodore Whittle to proceed down the river as far as the forts. Our +wheels were in working order; but a great deal was to be done to the +propellers, and the crew were still engaged in mounting the guns. But +Commodore Whittle, though cognizant of our condition, was compelled +against his judgment, to yield to the urgent telegrams of General Duncan +to send the Louisiana down the river. We had been unable to man the ship +with sailors; for although many of this class belonged to the various +volunteer companies around New Orleans, their commanding officers were +not disposed to part with them; nor were the "jack tars" themselves +willing to exchange camp life for the discipline and subordination of +the naval service. Our regular crew being too small to man the battery, +we gladly accepted the services of the "Crescent Artillery," a fine +volunteer company raised in New Orleans. Two river steamboats were +assigned to the Louisiana for the purpose of towage, if necessary, and +for the accommodation of the mechanics who were still at work on board. + +We cast off from the "levee" on Sunday, April the 20th. It was a bright +day, and a large concourse was assembled to witness our departure. Steam +had been got up, and as our big wheels were set in motion in the rapid +current of the Mississippi, torrents of water rushed through the +crevices in the bulkheads and deluged the gun deck, while the Louisiana +drifted helplessly down the river, feeling the effect of the wheels no +more sensibly than if they were a pair of sculling oars. "Facilis +descensus Averno; sed revocare gradum, hoc opus, hic labor est." The +aptness of the quotation will be appreciated by the reader who is in at +the death of the Louisiana. We accomplished our object of getting down +to the forts about seventy miles below the city, thanks to the current +and our two transports; but our artillerists were in a shabby plight +while trying to work the guns knee-deep in water. + +Securing the Louisiana by hawsers to the left bank of the river near +Fort St. Philip, on the morning of the 21st, we continued our labors +upon the machinery and on the battery. The bombardment of the forts had +been in progress for several days and nights, and the shells from the +fleet were thrown with beautiful and destructive precision (some of them +occasionally falling in close proximity to the Louisiana,) while the +bomb vessels themselves were beyond the range of the fort's guns. The +naval officers were quite sure that an attempt would soon be made by +Admiral Farragut to force the passage, and that so far as the naval +strength was concerned, it was apparent our means were inadequate to +prevent it. + +Commodore Mitchell, on our arrival below, had delivered to Captain +Stevenson written orders from General Lovell requiring him to place all +the "River Defence Squadron" under the Commodore's orders. Captain S., +on receiving these instructions, addressed a written communication to +Commodore Mitchell, to the effect that all of the officers and crew +under his command had entered the service with the distinct +understanding that they were not to be placed under the command of +naval officers; and that, while willing to coöperate with our forces, he +would receive no orders from the Commodore nor allow any vessel under +his command to do so; reserving to himself the right of obeying or +disobeying any orders the Commodore might issue. With this assumption of +absolute independence, Commodore Mitchell's position was extremely +embarrassing, but he did all that was then in his power. Not knowing at +what moment an attack would be made, he endeavored to agree with Captain +Stevenson upon a plan of coöperation; and he states in his official +report made after the action that Captain Stevenson "seemed disposed +zealously to second these objects in many respects." + +A few days previous to the action, I had been sent down the river to +communicate, under a flag of truce, with one of the ships of the +squadron; and in the course of conversation with my old friend Captain +DeCamp, the officer in command of a division of the fleet had been +informed by him that they could force the obstructions across the river +whenever they pleased, and intended doing so when they were ready. The +interview took place in his cabin; and although I indignantly +repudiated the idea, I could not help feeling how confidently I would +stake life and reputation upon the issue if our situations were +reversed. I had noticed many familiar faces among the officers and crew +as I passed along the deck a few moments before. Every one was at his +station; the guns cast loose for action; and it was in the nature of +things, that I should contrast this gallant man of war and all this +efficiency and discipline with the iron bound box and crew of "horse +marines" which I had just left. But it was in no spirit of depreciation +of the gallantry of my comrades, for I was quite sure that they would +stand to their guns. The wretched "bowl of Gotham" which had no +efficient motive power, and which could not even be got under way, when +anchored, without slipping the chain cable, caused the misgivings. It is +no disparagement to the prowess of the U. S. fleet which passed the +forts, to assert, that they never could have successfully opposed our +forces; but the battle was won quite as effectually when they succeeded +in passing beyond the range of the guns of the forts and the +"Louisiana." + +After our official business was closed, DeC. and I began to talk of the +war; and he expressed the opinions then entertained, beyond a doubt, by +a majority of U. S. army and naval officers. They believed it to be the +intention of the Government to bring the seceding States back into the +Union, with their rights and institutions unimpaired. Since then a +little leaven has leavened the whole lump, and the former doctrine of +the extreme abolitionists has long become the creed of the dominant +party. But some facts should be borne in mind by those who denounce +slavery as the sum of all villanies; for instance, that the slave code +of Massachusetts was the earliest in America; the cruelest in its +provisions and has never been formally repealed; that the Plymouth +settlers, according to history, maintained "that the white man might own +and sell the negro and his offspring forever;" that Mr. Quincy, a +representative from Massachusetts during the war of 1812, threatened the +House of Congress that the North would secede "peaceably if we can, +forcibly if we must" unless their demands for peace were acceded to; and +lastly that the abolitionists of a later age denounced the Constitution +and canonized John Brown for committing a number of murders and +endeavoring to incite servile insurrection in time of peace. Truly +"tempora mutantur," etc. + +The river obstructions, above alluded to, consisted of a line of sunken +vessels, and of heavy pieces of timber chained together, and extending +from bank to bank. A few days before the attack was made, General Duncan +was speaking rather confidently of his barricade, when Warley remarked, +"General, if I commanded a fleet below, and my commission lay above your +obstructions, I would _come up and get it_." Most of us belonging to +that little naval fleet, knew that Admiral Farragut would dare to +attempt what any man would; and for my own part, I had not forgotten +that while I was under his command during the Mexican War, he had +proposed to Commodore Perry, then commanding the Gulf Squadron, and +urged upon him, the enterprise of capturing the strong fort of San Juan +de Ulloa at Vera Cruz _by boarding_. Ladders were to be constructed and +triced up along the attacking ships' masts; and the ships to be towed +along side the walls by the steamers of the squadron. Here was a much +grander prize to be fought for; and every day of delay was strengthening +his adversaries. It was the general belief, indeed, at the time, that +the admiral was in daily communication with the city by means of spies; +and the public indignation was so deeply roused against Mr. T----t, the +constructor of the Mississippi, ("a Northern man with Southern +principles") who failed from time to time in launching that vessel as he +had appointed to do, that he was in danger of "_Lynch law_"; and it is +at least a singular coincidence that the naval attack was made +immediately after that powerful vessel was launched, and before the guns +could be put on board. But the idea of any collusion between Mr. T----t +and the enemy, or of treachery on the part of the former, was never +entertained, I believe, except by a few bigoted zealots, blinded by hate +and passion against every one born north of the Potomac. + +This class, which ought to have acted more fairly, found many followers +among the multitude; from which little charity or justice can ever be +expected. Nearly 1900 years ago the "plebes," influenced by their +leaders, demanded the release of a robber and murderer and crucified the +Saviour of mankind; and history further informs us that 500 years before +that era, a Greek citizen could be banished without special trial, +accusation, or defence; and that Aristides was sent into exile because +people were tired of hearing him always called "the Just." Social +ostracism will continue to exist till the millennium. The gentlemen of +northern birth who were so unfortunate as to occupy prominent positions +during the war, were mercilessly held up to scorn and distrust, if they +failed to come up to the public expectation. In truth, they occupied +trying positions; being regarded by many as aliens and mercenaries. +"Mens conscia recti" will support us under many trials; but it does not +furnish armor of proof against the "poor man's scorn, the proud man's +contumely." + +The interval between the 21st and 24th of April was occupied by +Commodore Mitchell in organizing the force under his command, and in +endeavoring to arrange some concert of action with the "River Defence" +gunboats. + +On board the Louisiana every effort was made to complete the works upon +the propellers, and in mounting the battery, on which the mechanics +worked night and day. Our "Crescent artillery;" a detachment of +artillery from the forts under Lieutenant Dixon; and Captain Ryan's +company of Sharp-shooters supplied the deficiencies in our crew. The +Commodore was unsuccessful in his efforts to induce Captain Stevenson +to employ one of his gunboats below the obstructions at night, to watch +the U. S. fleet; and we had no vessel suitable for that purpose; the +only one which would have answered (the Jackson) having been sent, with +one of the launches, to watch the U. S. land forces near the Quarantine +station, five miles above us. The only launch which remained to us was +sent, by the Commodore's orders, below the obstructions every night, but +the officer in command afterwards proved either a traitor or a coward, +failing to make the concerted signal upon the approach of the fleet, and +never reporting himself on board the Louisiana afterwards. + +General Duncan urged upon the Commodore, the first or second day after +our arrival below, to take a new position with the Louisiana at the +river bank just below Fort St. Philip, and under cover of its guns, from +whence she might open fire with effect upon the mortar fleet. The +Commodore declined the proposition, and his action was sustained in a +consultation with all the commanding officers of the C. S. naval forces +present, on the grounds, "first, that the battery of the Louisiana was +not in a condition for service;" "second, that the completion of the +propeller and other mechanical work in progress, was indispensable to +the efficiency of the vessel, and that it would be interrupted if she +were placed under fire;" and third, "that placing the Louisiana in a +position to receive the fire of the enemy, before her own battery could +be served with effect, would be improperly hazarding, not only her own +safety, but the security of the passage between the forts on which +rested the possession of New Orleans."[3] + +But on the afternoon of the 23d the work had so far progressed as to +encourage the belief that the vessel might be moved to the point +proposed, and the Commodore, after making a reconnoissance, had decided +to do so, and notified General Duncan of this intention. Captain +Stevenson was to assist with two of his gunboats which were especially +well adapted to this purpose. + +Commodore Mitchell, in his official report to the C. S. Secretary of the +Navy, intimates that "he fully appreciated and admitted the importance +of the proposed change of position for the Louisiana," but contends that +"the state of the battery, independent of other weighty reasons, was +sufficient to prevent its being made previous to the engagement of the +24th." One of these consists in the fact, that owing to the peculiar +construction of the Louisiana's port-holes, her guns could not be +elevated more than five degrees. The mortar fleet would have been beyond +their range. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[3] From Commodore Mitchell's official report to the Secretary of the C. +S. Navy, dated August 19th, 1862. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + The 24th April.--Passage of the United States Fleet.--After the + Storm.--The "River Defence" boats.--The Refuge in the + Bayou.--Surrender of the Forts.--Extracts from Commodore Mitchell's + official reports.--Council of War.--Destruction of the + "Louisiana."--Our Commander General B. F. Butler.--Transferred to + the United States frigate "Colorado." + + +On the night of April 23d, the bursting of the shells was as incessant +as usual. Toward daylight of the 24th, an ominous calm of brief duration +was broken by the first broadside of the advancing fleet, which had +approached so rapidly as to remove and pass the obstructions +undiscovered, and before the launch on picket duty could get back to our +fleet. For a few minutes the roar of the guns was deafening; but objects +were so obscured by the darkness and the dense smoke, that we could only +fire, with effect, at the flashes of the ship's guns. The Louisiana's +three bow guns (one rifled seven-inch and two seven-inch shell guns) and +her three starboard broadside guns (a rifled six-inch and two eight-inch +shell guns) were all that could be brought to bear during the +engagement; for being moored to the river bank, the stern and port +broadside guns were useless. The U. S. fleet came up in two divisions, +delivering their broadsides in rapid succession. One of the ships was +set on fire by one of the fireboats (a number of which had been +prepared) but the flames were speedily extinguished. It is said that the +unarmed tug Mozier, under her heroic commander, Sherman, while towing a +fireboat alongside a heavy ship, was sunk by a broadside delivered at +short range, all on board perishing. One of the largest ships, believed +to be the Hartford, came in contact with our stern, and received the +fire of our three bow guns while in this position, returning a +broadside, but she soon swung clear of us and continued on her way up +the river. + +When day fairly broke, the storm had passed away, leaving wreck and ruin +in its wake. The river banks were dotted, here and there, with burning +steamers, and a large portion of the U. S. fleet had succeeded in +getting beyond the forts. A few vessels of the attacking force had +failed to pass the obstructions before daylight, and were driven back by +the guns from the forts. The Louisiana and the McRae were the only +vessels left to the Confederates; but the former was almost intact, her +armor proving a sufficient defence against the broadsides, even when +delivered at close range. The eight-inch shells of the Hartford buried +themselves about half their diameter in our armor, and crumbled into +fragments. All of our casualties occurred on the spar deck; our gallant +commander being mortally wounded there; and many of the mechanics, who +were quartered on board the tenders alongside of us, were killed or +wounded. The McRae and the Manassas were in the stream in time to take +an active part in the conflict; the former being considerably cut up. +The Manassas struck two vessels with her prow, but did not succeed in +sinking either. Having followed the fleet some distance up the river, +and being hard pressed and seriously damaged, she was run ashore and +abandoned. She shortly afterwards floated off and drifting down the +river, sank between the forts. The Louisiana State gunboat "Governor +Moore" made a gallant fight, sinking the U. S. gunboat "Verona." + +Kennon, in his official report, states his loss at fifty-seven killed +and thirteen wounded out of a crew of ninety-three. He ran his vessel +ashore when she was in a sinking condition, and set fire to her with +his own hand. The "River Defence" gunboats, with the exception of the +"Resolute," were either destroyed by fire of the enemy's fleet, or by +their own crews. The "Resolute" was discovered ashore, after the action, +about a mile above Fort Jackson and abandoned by her crew. Lieut. Alden, +with a party from the "McRae," took possession of her, and endeavored to +get her afloat as she was very little injured, but being attacked by one +of the gunboats from above, which succeeded in putting several shots +through her hull at the water line, Alden was compelled to abandon her +after setting her on fire. Among the mortally wounded on board the +"McRae" was her commander T. B. Huger. The "Defiance," one of the "River +Defence" gunboats, escaped without material injury. She was turned over +to the command of Commodore Mitchell by Captain Stevenson on the 26th, +without any of her officers and crew, who refused to remain in her, and +went ashore.[4] + +After landing the wounded, we continued the work upon the machinery of +the Louisiana, buoyed up by the hope of soon being able to retrieve our +disasters. Our number was increased by officers and men who had escaped +from some of the abandoned vessels. Many of them, to obtain shelter +from the shells and canister shot of the Federal fleet, had taken refuge +in the "bayous" which lie not far from the river in many places; and +they looked like half drowned rats as they came on board the Louisiana. +One of the officers gave a ludicrous account of a poor girl, who had +fled from her home on the river bank as the fleet was passing, with no +clothing except her night dress, and no earthly possession but a lap-dog +which she held in her clasped arms. She had sought the same place of +refuge and as the shells and shot would whistle over her head she would +dive like a duck under the water; and every time she rose above the +surface, the lap-dog would sneeze and whimper a protest against the +frequent submersions. The officer at last persuaded her to let him take +charge of her draggled pet; and finally had the pleasure of seeing her +safe back to her home before leaving her. + +During the night of the 27th after unremitting labor, our machinery was +at last completed, and we prepared to make the attempt to go up the +river in pursuit of the fleet. Commodore Mitchell notified General +Duncan of his purpose, and the latter seemed sanguine of a successful +issue, assuring the Commodore of his ability to hold the forts for +weeks. Orders were issued on board the Louisiana for the crew to have an +early breakfast, and every thing to be in readiness to cast off from the +river bank a little after sunrise. The situation justified the hopes +entertained by us of at least partially retrieving our fortunes, when, +shortly after daylight, an officer came across the river to us from Fort +Jackson, with General Duncan's compliments, and to say that General D. +was about to surrender the forts to Commodore Porter.[5] In nautical +parlance, we were "struck flat aback" by this astounding intelligence. +With the forts as a base of operations, we might repeat the effort, if +the first were unsuccessful; and would be able to repair damages, if +necessary, under shelter of their guns; but with their surrender we were +helpless. The capture of the Louisiana would then become, indeed, a mere +question of time, without the firing of a gun; for we would have been +unable to replenish our supplies either of provisions or coal when +exhausted. The most sanguine spirits on board, in the light of their +experience of the motive power of the Louisiana, did not believe that we +could accomplish more than the control of that portion of the river +within the range of our guns; nor that the vessel could ever do much +more than stem the rapid current of the Mississippi. The surrender of +New Orleans was, indeed, inevitable; but even that catastrophe would not +involve complete possession of the river by the enemy while we held the +forts near its mouth. The gigantic efforts afterwards made by the +Federal forces for the capture of Vicksburg showed the vital importance +attached by the United States Government to the possession of the +fortified positions on the Mississippi, while the equally desperate +exertions made by the Confederacy to hold it, demonstrated our +consciousness of its value to us. + +Commodore Mitchell ordered his boat and proceeded with all haste to +remonstrate with General Duncan; but all was unavailing; the General +informing the Commodore that he had already dispatched a boat to the +United States fleet, offering to surrender his command under certain +conditions; disclaiming, in the offer, all control over the forces +afloat. The Commodore's boat had scarcely got back to the Louisiana, +when the quartermaster on duty reported one of the ships of the fleet +below steaming up the river towards us, with a white flag flying at the +mast-head. General Duncan, it is said, stated to the citizens of New +Orleans a few days afterward, that a large number of his guns had been +spiked by the mutineers of the garrison; and that he had no alternative +but to surrender. + +A hasty council of war was held on board the Louisiana, during which it +was decided to transfer the officers and crew to our two tenders and to +burn the ship. This was speedily carried into effect, and the two +transports steamed across the river as the flames burst through the +Louisiana's hatchway.[6] Those who wished to make the attempt to escape +through the bayous, received permission to do so; and a few of the +number, familiar with the locality, succeeded in evading the Federal +pickets, and getting within the Confederate lines. The rest of us were +entrapped; passing several hours of very unpleasant suspense, while the +forts were being surrendered. It was a grand spectacle when the flames +reached the Louisiana's magazine. The hawsers, securing her to the +river-bank, having been burnt in two, she floated out into the stream a +few minutes before the explosion; and at the moment of its occurrence, a +column of pure white smoke shot rapidly high into the air from the +blazing hull, wreathing itself at the top into the shape of a snow-white +"cumulus" cloud; and in a few seconds afterwards, huge fragments of the +wreck showered down, far and wide, upon the river and the adjacent +shore. The Louisiana had disappeared before the deafening report +attending the catastrophe reached our ears. + +Immediately after the United States flag was hoisted upon the forts, the +steamer "Harriet Lane" steamed slowly toward us, and sent a shot over +our heads as a summons to haul down the Confederate flag which was then +flying at our peak. The demand was promptly complied with, and we were +prisoners of war. + +Upon the pretext that we had violated the usages of war by burning the +Louisiana while a flag of truce was flying, we were for a time subjected +to unusual humiliations; learning afterwards, indeed, that Commodore +Porter had recommended to the Secretary of the Navy a continuance of +harsh treatment toward us upon our arrival at Fort Warren, where we were +destined. The reply to the charge brought against us is obvious, viz., +we were no parties to the flag of truce; nor were we included in the +terms of the surrender; General Duncan treating only for the garrisons +under his command, and expressly disclaiming any connection with us. + +We were kept for a few days in close confinement on board the United +States gunboat "Clifton,"[7] and were transferred from her on the 7th of +May to the frigate Colorado, lying off the mouth of the Mississippi. +Here we found Kennon, who had been consigned to a "lower deep" than +ourselves. He was placed under a sentry's charge behind a canvas screen +on the opposite side of the gun deck from us; and strict orders were +given that no one should hold any communication with him. The charge +against him was, that he had caused the death of some of his wounded +crew by setting fire to his ship before their removal, a charge denied +by him; but even if it were true, or admitted, that some of his crew +were unable to escape, he was only responsible to his own government. In +a few days, however, he was released from solitary confinement, and many +restrictions were removed from all of us. But humiliations or physical +discomforts weighed as a feather upon our spirits compared with our +reflections upon the consequences of the disaster which we had +witnessed; and our consciousness that this sad fate had been brought +upon the country chiefly by treachery and want of concert. And, indeed, +the extent of the disaster could scarcely be exaggerated. It gave the +United States Government possession of the State of Louisiana, the +almost complete control of the Mississippi river, and separated Texas +and Arkansas from the rest of the Confederacy for the remainder of the +war. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[4] Extract from Commodore Mitchell's official report dated August 19th, +1862. "The following is believed to be a correct list of the vessels +that passed up by Forts Jackson and St. Philip during the engagement of +the 24th April; mounting in the aggregate one hundred and eighty-four +guns, viz., + + + Hartford steamer, 28 guns 1st class sloop. + Richmond, " 28 " " + Brooklyn, " 28 " " + Pensacola, " 28 " " + Mississippi, " 21 " " + Iroquois, " 10 " 2d class sloop. + Oneida, " 10 " " + Verona, " 11 " " + Cayuga, " 5 " " + Penola, " 5 " " + Wissahickon, " 5 " " + Winona, " 5 " " + + +How any controversy could arise as to which branch of the U. S. Service +deserves the credit of the capture of New Orleans is a matter of wonder +to those who were present at the time. The following article from the +Richmond Enquirer of September 10th, 1875, written by an eye-witness of +many of the scenes in the city which he describes, would seem +conclusively to establish the fact that the navy alone achieved the +capture. + +"The question has again been raised as to whether the army or the navy +is entitled to the credit of having captured New Orleans from the +Confederates in April or May, 1862. It has been a mooted point in +history ever since the event happened, and its discussion has caused no +little angry feeling between the two branches of the service. Ben +Butler, of course, laid claim to the honors of the capture, and +proclaimed himself "the hero" of New Orleans, completely overshadowing +Farragut and his fleet, and the lying histories of the day, written in +the Radical interest on the other side of the line, have perpetuated the +fraud. No citizen of New Orleans who personally knows anything of the +circumstances of the fall of the city into the hands of the Federals has +ever had any doubts as to who was or is entitled to the credit; but the +persistent efforts of Butler and his friends to claim the lion's share +in that exploit, have at last called out the Hon. Gideon Welles, +Secretary of the Navy in Mr. Lincoln's Cabinet, as the champion of +Admiral Farragut and his gallant tars. In the course of an article in +the Hartford _Times_, Mr. Welles shows that "In January, 1862, the plan +for the reduction of the forts below New Orleans and the capture of the +city was fully matured in the Navy Department, Farragut receiving orders +in detail for the work on the 20th of that month; that the memorable +passage of the forts was made, and the surly submission of the Mayor of +New Orleans received by Farragut on the 26th of April, formal possession +being immediately taken and the United States flag displayed on the +public buildings; that the army was not only absent alike from the plan +and the execution of this great movement, but did not appear until May +1, when General Butler's troops arrived, and on the day following +entered upon the occupation of the city captured by Farragut." + +Quite correct, Mr. ex-Secretary. Farragut passed the forts as stated, +with the Hartford and one or two other vessels, destroyed the ram +Manassas, and the other Confederate vessels of war, after a most +desperate battle, in which at least one of his best ships was sunk, and +then made his way in his flag-ship unmolested up the river. He arrived +alone in front of New Orleans on the 26th of April, and at noon brought +his guns to bear on the city at the head of Girod street. He immediately +dispatched Lieutenant Bailey with a flag of truce to the authorities +demanding the surrender, and giving them thirty-six hours in which to +reply,--at the expiration of which time he should open fire and bombard +the place, if an answer favorable to his demand were not received. The +city at this time had been partially evacuated by General Lovell and his +troops, and all authority had been surrendered by the military to the +mayor. The terms submitted by Farragut were discussed for fully +twenty-four hours by the Council, assembled at the Mayor's office, and +all this time the city was in the hands of a wild, reckless and excited +mob of citizens, while people everywhere were flying or preparing for +flight, many even in such haste as to leave their houses open and +valuables exposed to the depredations of servants or the mob. Perhaps no +more fearful scene of confusion was ever witnessed outside of Paris when +in the throes of a periodic revolution. It was a novelty then for an +American city to be captured or to fall into the hands of an enemy, and +the people had some very queer notions about defending it to the last, +and fighting the enemy with all sorts of weapons amid its ruins. It was +with the utmost difficulty the police could protect Bailey and his +middies with their flag of truce. But on the following day, and before +the time of grace expired, the Council determined that as they had no +means of defence against the enemy's ships, which held the city at the +mercy of their guns, it was best to enter into negotiations for the +surrender. Farragut then demanded that as a sign of submission the +Confederate flag should be hauled down from all points where displayed +in the city and replaced by the stars and stripes, and in the meantime +he would send a battery with his sailors and marines ashore to maintain +order. But no one was found in the city to take the Confederate flags +down, and hoist the starry banner in their place; so a battery of ships' +guns was landed and hauled through the streets till it reached the City +Hall, and there it was placed in position to cover every point of +approach. A young middy, apparently about fifteen years of age, then +made his appearance at the entrance of the City Hall, bearing a United +States flag. He was admitted without opposition, and was shown the way +to the top of the building. The lad ascended to the roof, and in full +view of an assembled multitude of thousands in the streets and on the +housetops, deliberately undid the halyards and hauled down the +Confederate, or rather Louisiana State flag; then replacing it with the +one he carried, hoisted it to the peak of the staff in its place, and +the capture of New Orleans by the navy was complete. Many who witnessed +the act of this daring boy trembled for his life, as a rifle shot from +any of the houses surrounding, or even from the street, would have +proved fatal and put an end to his young life at any moment. So excited +was the crowd in the street, when the middy came down, and so fierce the +thirst for vengeance upon any object that might present itself, that it +was found necessary to hurry him into a close carriage and drive with +all speed through back streets, to keep clear of the pressing mob, who, +in the blindness of their passion, would perhaps have sacrificed the +youngster, had they caught him, to appease their rage. + +After this the city began to quiet down. The foreign residents formed +themselves into a police and took charge of the streets; and had +succeeded pretty well in restoring order, when, on the 2d of May, Butler +landed at the levee from his transports, and marched to the St. Charles, +where he established his headquarters and took formal possession of the +city. Still he found it no easy matter to subdue the spirit of a people +who did not hesitate to jeer at his soldiers or jostle them from the +sidewalks as they marched through the streets. But he soon enough became +master of the situation, and made the most for himself out of what +Farragut had so readily placed in his hands. The navy was certainly +entitled to all the credit of the capture; one ship in front of the city +with open ports was enough, it did what the entire army of Butler, had +it been ten times as numerous, could never have accomplished. New +Orleans never would have been taken by the army alone; but the guns of a +sloop-of-war in front of an open city are conclusive and irresistible +arguments. If it was heroism to capture that city the Confederacy will +always be as free to admit that Farragut was the hero of New Orleans, as +that Butler was the tyrant, robber, and oppressor of its conquered +people. + +[5] Extract from Commodore Mitchell's official report, dated Aug. 19th, +1862. + +"During the night of Sunday the 27th we had so far succeeded in +operating the propellers that we expected early the next day to make a +fair trial of them in connection with the paddle wheels, when at +daylight an officer sent by Gen. Duncan came on board to inform us that +many of the garrison at Fort Jackson had deserted during the night; that +serious disturbances had occurred; and that the disaffection of the men +was believed to be general on account of what appeared to them to have +become the desperate character of the "defence," etc." + +[6] Extract from Commodore Mitchell's official report: + +"I at once returned on board and called a council of war composed of +Lieutenants Wilkinson, (commanding) W. H. Ward, A. F. Warley, Wm. C. +Whittle, Jr., R. J. Bowen, Arnold, F. M. Harris, and George N. Shryock, +by whom--in consequence of the enemy's having the entire command of the +river above and below us, with an overwhelming force, and who was in the +act of obtaining quiet and undisturbed possession of Forts Jackson and +St. Philip, with all their material defences intact, with ordnance, +military stores and provisions, thus cutting the Louisiana off from all +succor or support; and her having on board not more than ten days' +provisions, her surrender would be rendered certain in a brief period by +the simple method of blockade; and that, in the condition of her motive +power and defective steering apparatus, and the immediate danger of +attack, she was very liable to capture--it was unanimously recommended +that the Louisiana be destroyed, forthwith, to prevent her falling into +the hands of the enemy, while it remained in our power to prevent it; +first retiring to our tenders." + +[7] The first and only time that I ever saw the notorious General B. F. +Butler, who subsequently claimed for himself and the troops under his +command, the honor of capturing New Orleans, was on board the "Clifton." +He took passage in her to the city. No one who has ever looked upon that +unique countenance can ever forget it; and as his glance rested for a +moment upon us, each one conceived himself to be the special object of +the General's regard; for owing to his peculiar visual organs, that +distinguished individual seems to possess the Argus like faculty of +looking steadily at several persons at one and the same time. With the +pride that apes humility, or perhaps with the eccentricity of genius, he +affected, upon the occasion, a rough costume; wearing a slouch hat, and +having his trowsers tucked inside of his soiled boots; and he carried in +his hand a long stick like a pilgrim's staff. He _preceded_ his troops +to the city, however, and might therefore, with equal propriety and +regard for truth, claim the _sole_ glory of its capture. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Transferred to the "Rhode Island."--Meeting with an old + Friend.--Arrival at Fort Warren.--Treatment there.--Correspondence, + and its Result.--Prison Life.--Exchanged.--The Crew at + quarters.--Burial of the "Unknown." + + +On the 9th of May we were transferred from the Colorado to the steamer +Rhode Island, bound to Fort Warren. On board of this vessel we were +"tabooed" even more completely by the officers, than on board the +Colorado; for the Rhode Island was officered, with the single exception, +I believe, of her captain, by volunteers, who were not connected with us +by any associations of friendship or congeniality of taste. The harsh +order to hold no intercourse with us, had been evaded or violated, "sub +rosa," on board the Colorado by old friends and shipmates. On board the +Rhode Island, much to our satisfaction, it was strictly obeyed; for we +would have lost our patience to be "interviewed" by fledgling naval +heroes, many of whom had reached the quarter deck through the +hawseholes. Upon one occasion, many years ago, when the question of +increasing the United States Navy was under discussion by Congress, a +rough western member, opposed to the measure, stated that his section of +the country could supply droves of young officers whenever they were +needed. The United States Government must have "corralled" lots of +youngsters, without regard to their fitness or capacity, to send on +board the ships of war during our civil conflict. The "noble commander" +of the Rhode Island most of us had known of old as a prim little +precisian, and a great stickler for etiquette, and by no means a bad +fellow; but so strict a constructionist that he would probably have +refused to recognize his grandfather, if it were against orders. But he +had a humane disposition under his frigid exterior; and allowed us all +the comfort and privileges compatible with discipline and safety. + +We touched at Fortress Monroe; and while the vessel was at anchor there +I received a gratifying evidence that this fratricidal war had not +destroyed all kindly feelings between former friends and messmates. The +executive officer of the Rhode Island called me aside to say that a +friend wished to see me in his state-room; and as he did not mention +the name, I was surprised to find myself warmly greeted by Albert Smith. +We had served together during the Mexican war, and our cruise had not +been an uneventful one; for the vessel to which we were attached ("the +Perry") after considerable service in the Mexican Gulf, was dismasted +and wrecked, during one of the most terrific hurricanes that ever +desolated the West India Islands. Thirty-nine vessels, out of forty-two, +which lay in the harbor of Havana, foundered at their anchors, or were +driven ashore; all of the light-houses along the Florida reef were +destroyed, and hundreds of persons perished. The Perry lost all of her +boats, her guns, except two, were thrown overboard, and she escaped +complete destruction almost by a miracle. She encountered the hurricane +off Havana, and after scudding for many hours under bare poles, +describing a circle as the wind continued to veer in the cyclone, she +passed over the Florida reef with one tremendous shock as she hung for a +moment upon its rocky crest. Her masts went by the board, but we had +passed in a moment from a raging sea into smooth water. Captain Blake, +who commanded her, achieved the feat of rigging jury masts with his +crew, and carrying the vessel to the Philadelphia navy yard for +repairs. Albert Smith and I had not met for many years. He offered me +any service in his power, and pressed me to accept at least a pecuniary +loan. The kind offer, although declined, was gratefully remembered; and +I was glad, too, to find that he, in common with many others, who +remained to fight under the old flag, could appreciate the sacrifices +made by those who felt equally bound, by all the truest and best +feelings of our nature, to defend their homes and firesides. + +On our arrival at Fort Warren we were assigned quarters in one of the +casemates. Little more than a year had passed away since I had planted a +signal staff upon its parapet to _angle_ upon; being then engaged, as +chief of a hydrographic surveying party, in surveying the approaches to +Boston Harbor. _Then_ its garrison consisted of a superannuated sergeant +whose office was a sinecure; _now_ it held an armed garrison, who +drilled and paraded every day, with all the "pomp and circumstance" of +war, to the patriotic tune of "John Brown's body lies a-moulding in the +grave, but his spirit is marching on;" and it was crowded with southern +prisoners of war. + +For a few days, in pursuance of Commodore Porter's policy, we were +closely confined; but all exceptional restrictions were then removed and +we fell into the monotonous routine of prison life. The following +correspondence took place previous to the removal of the restrictions, +and explains the reason of their withdrawal. + + + FORT WARREN, Boston Harbor, May 25, 1862. + + Sir,--I was much surprised last evening on being informed by + Colonel Dimmick that Lieutenants Wilkinson, Warly, Ward, Whittle + and Harris, together with myself, have been, by your order, denied + the "privileges and courtesies that are extended to other + prisoners," on the ground that the act of burning the Confederate + States Battery "Louisiana," late under my command, was held by the + United States Navy Department as "infamous." In my letter to the + Department, dated on board of the United States Steamer Rhode + Island, Key West, May 14th, 1862, and forwarded through Commander + Trenchard on the arrival of that vessel in Hampton Roads, together + with a copy of my letter to Flag officer Farragut, and his reply + thereto, I felt assured that all the facts connected with the + destruction of the Louisiana were placed in such a light as not to + be mistaken, nor my motives misconstrued. To render the affair + still more clear I enclose herewith a memorandum of W. C. Whittle + Jr., Confederate States Navy, who was the bearer of my message to + Commodore Porter respecting my fears that the magazine of the + Louisiana had not been effectually drowned. With all these + statements forwarded by me to the United States Navy Department I + am perfectly willing to rest the case with impartial and + unprejudiced minds, as well as with my own Government, satisfied + that nothing has been done by the foregoing officers, nor myself, + militating at all against the strictest rules of military honor and + usage. + + Though I will not affect an indifference to the personal annoyance + to us by the action of the United States Navy Department in our + case as prisoners of war, yet my chief solicitude is to have placed + on file in that office such a statement of facts as will, on a fair + investigation, vindicate all the officers of the Confederate States + Navy concerned from the odium of infamous conduct unjustly + attempted to be fixed upon them by those of the United States Navy; + against which and the infliction of punishment as directed by the + Navy Department I enter my solemn protest. + + I most emphatically assert that the Louisiana, when abandoned and + fired by my order, was not only not "turned adrift" or intended to + injure the United States forces as charged by Commander Porter; but + that she was actually left secured to the opposite bank of the + river and distant quite three-fourths of a mile from the said + forces, for the very reason that they were flying a flag of truce, + and for that reason I dispatched the warning message to Commander + Porter respecting the magazine. That it is not only the right, but + the duty, of an officer to destroy public property to prevent its + falling into the hands of an enemy does not admit of question; and + in addition to all which, it must not be overlooked that the forces + under my command flew no flag of truce, and that I was not in any + way a party to the surrender of Forts Jackson and St. Philip. + + I have the honor to be + Very respectfully your obedient servant, + (Signed) JNO. K. MITCHELL, + _Commander C. S. Navy._ + + Hon. GIDEON WELLES, + Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C. + + + _Copy in Substance._ + + NAVY DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, May 29, 1862 + + SIR,--The explanations of Commodore J. K. Mitchell are + satisfactory, and the restrictions imposed on him and his + associates by the department's order of the 2d instant will be + removed, and they will be treated as prisoners of war. + + This does not relieve Beverly Kennon from the restrictions imposed + on him. + + (Signed) GIDEON WELLES. + + Colonel Justin Dimmick, + Commanding Fort Warren, Boston. + + + (_Copy._) + + NAVY DEPARTMENT, June 25, 1862. + + SIR,--The letter of John K. Mitchell of the 20th inst., concerning + the restrictions imposed on you, by order of this Department, at + Fort Warren, has been received. + + Will you please furnish the Department with the particulars of the + destruction of the gunboat of which you had command in the + engagement below New Orleans, with _wounded_ men on board. + + I am respectfully your obedient servant, + (Signed) GIDEON WELLES. + BEVERLY KENNON, Fort Warren, Boston. + + + (_Copy_) FORT WARREN, BOSTON, June 28, 1862. + + HON. GIDEON WELLES, _Secretary U. S. Navy_. + + Sir,--Colonel Dimmick, the commander of this post, delivered to me + yesterday a letter signed by you under date of June 25th directed + to me as "Beverly Kennon" and referring to a communication + addressed to you on the 20th inst. by my superior officer, + Commander J. K. Mitchell, of the Confederate States Navy, whom you + are pleased to designate as "John K. Mitchell." + + The purport of your letter is a request that I will furnish your + Department of the United States Government with the "particulars of + the destruction of the gunboat of which I had command in the + engagement below New Orleans with _wounded_ men on board." + + When I destroyed and left the vessel which I had commanded on the + occasion referred to, all the wounded men had been removed, the + most of them lowered into boats by my own hands. I was, myself, the + last person to leave the vessel. _Any_ statements which you may + have received to the contrary are wholly without foundation. It + would not be proper, under any circumstances, that I should report + to you the "particulars" of her destruction; that being a matter + which concerns my own Government exclusively, and with which yours + can have nothing to do. Should any charges be made against me, + however, of which you have a right to take cognizance under the + laws of war, I will with pleasure, respond to any respectful + communication which you may address me on the subject. Indeed I + shall be glad of the opportunity to vindicate my character as an + officer from the unjust and unfounded imputations which have been + cast upon it in the connection to which you allude, and upon the + faith of which I have already been disparaged by unusual + restrictions and confinements, here and elsewhere, since I have + been a prisoner of war, without having been furnished an + opportunity for such vindication. But your letter of the 20th inst. + so studiously denies, both to Commander Mitchell and myself, not + only our official designations, but those of common courtesy, that + while I am unwilling to believe you would intentionally offer an + indignity to prisoners of war in your power, I can not now make + further reply without failing in respect to myself as well as to my + superior officer and Government. + + I am Sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, + (Signed) BEVERLY KENNON, + Commander in Provisional Navy of the State + of Louisiana in the Confederate service. + + +The restrictions were removed from Kennon in a few days after the close +of this correspondence. + +Many distinguished political prisoners were at that time confined at +Fort Warren; and all of the officers captured at Fort Donelson. Among +the former class, were those members of the Maryland Legislature, and of +the Baltimore City Council, who had been arrested and imprisoned by the +United States Government for alleged treason. It was my good fortune to +be invited into this mess. It is not my purpose to inflict upon the +reader a detailed account of prison life during the war, which has been +described by far abler pens than mine. All the members of our mess took +their turns, either at carving or waiting upon the table, and guests +were never better served. The graceful and accomplished old Commodore B. +and General T. shone conspicuous as carvers; while Colonels, Majors and +Captains, with spotless napkins on their arms, anticipated every wish of +the guests at the table. Colonel Dimmick was honored and beloved by the +prisoners for his humanity, and he and his family will ever be held in +affectionate remembrance by them; many of us having received special +acts of kindness, while suffering from sickness. When his son was +ordered to active service in the field I believe there was an unanimous +prayer by the prisoners that his life would be spared through the perils +he was about to encounter. The prisoners, first giving their parole not +to attempt to escape, were allowed the range of nearly the whole island +during the day; and not unfrequently suffered to see relatives and +friends who had received permission from the proper authorities to visit +them. In happier "ante bellum" times, I had known some of the good +people of Boston, and had spent a portion of a summer with several +families at that pleasant watering place, Nahant. One of my most +esteemed friends--Mrs. L.--with the charity of a noble and Christian +heart, wrote to me as soon as she learned that I was a prisoner; but she +was too loyal to the flag not to express regret and distress at what she +believed to be a mistaken sense of duty. The reader may remember the +definition once given of "Orthodoxy" by a dignitary of the church of +England to an inquiring nobleman. "Orthodoxy, my Lord, is _my_ doxy, +heterodoxy is _your_ doxy if you differ from me." The same authority, it +has always appeared to me, was assumed by a large portion of the +Northern people. They demanded a Government to suit their ideas, and +disloyalty consisted in opposing them. + +We were permitted to write once a month to our friends in the +Confederacy; the letters being left open for inspection. There were a +few Northerners among us, but I know of only a single case where the +individual concerned so far yielded to the persuasion of his friends +outside, as to renounce the cause which he had sworn to defend. + +Aside from the confinement, and the earnest desire to be doing our part +in the war, there could be no cause to repine at our lot. We were +allowed, at our own expense, to supply our tables from the Boston +market, not only abundantly, but luxuriously; the Government furnishing +the usual rations; and the prisoners grew robust upon the good fare and +the bracing climate. A tug plied daily between Boston and the island on +which Fort Warren is situated. We were permitted to receive the daily +papers and to purchase clothing and other necessaries, either from the +sutler, or from outside; and many of the prisoners were indebted to a +noble charity for the means of supplying many of these needs; of +clothing especially, which was chiefly furnished by the firm of Noah +Walker & Co. of Baltimore. The firm itself was said to be most liberal, +not merely dispensing the donations received in Baltimore and elsewhere, +but supplying a large amount of clothing gratuitously. The policy of +retaliation had not then been adopted. It is conceded that the United +States Government, towards the close of the war, subjected the +Confederate prisoners in their hands to harsh treatment in pursuance of +this policy; but in justice to the Confederate authorities it should be +borne in mind that they repeatedly proposed an exchange of prisoners +upon the ground of humanity, seeing that neither provisions nor medicine +were procurable; and, I believe, it is also a conceded fact that General +Grant opposed exchanges. The testimony of General Lee given before the +"reconstruction" Committee, clearly establishes the fact that _he_ did +all in his power to effect this object. In answer to a question he says: +"I offered to General Grant around Richmond that we should ourselves +exchange all the prisoners in our hands, and to show that I would do +whatever was in my power, I offered them to send to City Point all the +prisoners in Virginia and North Carolina, over which my command +extended, providing they returned an equal number of mine, man for man. +I reported this to the War Department, and received for answer, that +they would place at my command all the prisoners at the South, if the +proposition was accepted." The Rev. J. Wm. Jones, D.D., author of +"Personal Reminiscences of General R. E. Lee," writes as follows upon +this subject (page 194, et seq.) viz: + +"1st--The Confederate authorities gave to prisoners in their hands the +same rations which they issued to their own soldiers, and gave them the +very best accommodations which their scant means afforded. + +"2d. They were always anxious to exchange prisoners, man for man, and +when this was rejected by the Federal authorities, they offered to send +home the prisoners in their hands without any equivalent. + +"3d. By refusing all propositions to exchange prisoners, and declining +even to receive their own men without equivalent the Federal authorities +made themselves responsible for all the suffering, of both Federal and +Confederate prisoners, that ensued. + +"4th. And yet notwithstanding these facts, it is susceptible of proof, +from the official records of the Federal Department, that the suffering +of Confederate prisoners in Federal prisons was much greater than that +of Federal prisoners in Confederate prisons. Without going more fully +into the question, the following figures, from the report of Mr. +Stanton, Secretary of War, in response to a resolution of the House of +Representatives, calling for the number of prisoners on both sides and +their mortality, are triumphantly submitted. + + + In prison. Died. + + U. S. Soldiers 260,940 22,526 + Confederates 200,000 26,500 + + +That is, the Confederate States held as prisoners nearly 61,000 more men +than the Federals; and yet the death of Federal prisoners fell below +those of the Confederates four thousand." + +Lastly, the Southern Historical Society, Richmond, Va., has recently +published a "Vindication of the Confederacy against the Charge of +Cruelty to Prisoners," which is conclusive on the whole question. It was +compiled by the Secretary of the Society, the Rev. J. Wm. Jones, just +quoted, who concludes with the following summing up of his argument. +"We think that we have established the following points: + +"1st. The laws of the Confederate Congress, the orders of the War +Department, the Regulations of the Surgeon General, the action of our +Generals in the field, and the orders of those who had the immediate +charge of the prisoners, all provided that prisoners in the hands of the +Confederates should be kindly treated, supplied with the same rations +which our soldiers had, and cared for, when sick, in hospitals placed on +_precisely the same footing as the hospitals for Confederate soldiers_. + +"2d. If these regulations were violated in individual instances, and if +subordinates were sometimes cruel to prisoners, it was without the +knowledge or consent of the Confederate Government, which always took +prompt action on any case reported to them. + +"3d. If the prisoners failed to get their full rations, and had those of +inferior quality, the Confederate soldiers suffered in precisely the +same way and to the same extent; and it resulted from that system of +warfare adopted by the Federal authorities, which carried desolation and +ruin to every part of the South they could reach, and which in starving +the Confederates into submission, brought the same evils upon their own +men in Southern prisons. + +"4th. The mortality in Southern prisons (fearfully large, although over +three per cent less than the mortality in Northern prisons) resulted +from causes beyond the control of our authorities, from epidemics, etc., +which might have been avoided or greatly mitigated had not the Federal +Government declared medicines "contraband of war," refused the +proposition of Judge Ould, that each Government should send its own +surgeons with medicines, hospital stores, etc., to minister to soldiers +in prison, declined his proposition to send medicines to its own men in +southern prisons, without being required to allow the Confederates the +same privileges--refused to allow the Confederate Government to buy +medicines for gold, tobacco, or cotton, which it offered to pledge its +honor should be used only for Federal prisoners in its hands, refused to +exchange sick and wounded, and neglected from August to December, 1864, +to accede to Judge Ould's proposition to send transportation to Savannah +and receive _without equivalent_ from ten to fifteen thousand Federal +prisoners, notwithstanding the fact that this offer was accompanied +with a statement of the utter inability of the Confederacy to provide +for these prisoners, and a detailed report of the monthly mortality at +Andersonville, and that Judge Ould, again and again, urged compliance +with his humane proposal. + +"5th. We have proven by the most unimpeachable testimony, that the +sufferings of Confederate prisoners in Northern "prison pens," were +terrible beyond description; that they were starved in a land of plenty, +that they were frozen where fuel and clothing were abundant; that they +suffered untold horrors for want of medicines, hospital stores and +proper medical attention; that they were shot by sentinels, beaten by +officers, and subjected to the most cruel punishments upon the slightest +pretexts; that friends at the North were refused the privilege of +clothing their nakedness or feeding them when starving; and that these +outrages were perpetrated not only with the full knowledge of, but under +the orders of E. M. Stanton, United States Secretary of War. We have +proven these things by Federal as well as Confederate testimony. + +"6th. We have shown that all the suffering of prisoners on both sides +could have been avoided by simply carrying out the terms of the cartel, +and that for the failure to do this, the _Federal authorities alone_ +were responsible; that the Confederate Government originally proposed +the cartel, and were always ready to carry it out both in letter and +spirit; that the Federal authorities observed its terms only so long as +it was to their interest to do so, and then repudiated their plighted +faith and proposed other terms which were greatly to the disadvantage of +the Confederates; that when the Government at Richmond agreed to accept +the hard terms of exchange offered them, these were at once repudiated +by the Federal authorities; that when Judge Ould agreed upon a new +cartel with General Butler, Lieutenant-General Grant refused to approve +it, and Mr. Stanton repudiated it; and that the policy of the Federal +Government was to refuse all exchanges while they "fired the Northern +heart" by placing the whole blame upon the "Rebels," and by circulating +the most heartrending stories of "Rebel barbarity" to prisoners. If +either of the above points has not been made clear to any sincere seeker +after the truth, we would be most happy to produce further testimony. +And we hold ourselves prepared to maintain against all comers, the +_truth of every proposition we have laid down in this discussion_. Let +the calm verdict of history decide between the Confederate Government +and its calumniators." + +These extracts are inserted with the hope that the fair minded reader +may be induced to read the evidence upon the Confederate side. + + + "Truth crushed to Earth will rise again; + The Eternal years of God are hers; + But Error, wounded, writhes in pain; + And dies amid her worshipers." + + +It is not to be denied that the sufferings in Confederate prisons were +fearful; but they were caused by the destitute condition of the country +ravaged by war, and the scarcity of medicines which were not to be +obtained. + +We were growing very tired of the monotony of prison life, scarcely +varied except by the daily game of football and the semi-weekly reports +of the capture of Richmond, when a rumor began to circulate of a speedy +exchange of prisoners. It was about the time when General McClellan +"changed his base" from the lines around Richmond to Harrison's Landing, +on James River. Early in August a large number of us, military and naval +officers, were sent on board a transport bound to James River, where we +arrived in due time, and thence, after taking on board a number of +Confederates forwarded from other prisons, we proceeded up the river to +Aiken's Landing. There was fighting near Malvern Hill as we passed by +there, and the United States gunboats had been shelling the Confederate +troops. The crew of one of them was at quarters, the men in their snow +white "frocks" and trowsers, the beautifully polished eight inch guns +cast loose and ready for action. The captain of one of the guns, a +handsome man-of-war's man, looked at our party with a smile of bravado +as we passed by, at the same time tapping his gun with his hand. Garrick +or Kean could not have conveyed more meaning by a gesture. That handsome +fellow's confidence in his pet was not misplaced; for history records +how frequently during the war the tide of battle was turned by that +gallant Navy to which it is an honor ever to have belonged. We, who so +reluctantly severed our connection with it, still feel a pride in its +achievements; and in our dreams are frequently pacing the deck, or +sitting at the mess table with dear friends of "auld lang syne," from +whom we are probably severed forever on this side of eternity. + +We were put ashore at Aiken's Landing on the 5th of August. It was a +hot, sultry day. Three or four poor fellows had died on board our +transport while on our way up the river, and their bodies were landed at +the same time with ourselves. While we were waiting for the +preliminaries for the exchange of prisoners to be settled between the +Commissioners, a large grave was dug in the sand with such implements as +could be procured, and the "unknown" were consigned to their last +resting place between high and low water mark. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + A Brief Stay at Home.--Report to the War Department.--Instructions + to go abroad.--The Blockade-runner "Kate."--Voyage to + Nassau.--Yellow Fever.--The Undertaker.--Our Skipper "Captain + Dick."--The Major sick.--A Story for the Marines.--Arrival at + Cardenas.--The Coolies.--Arrival at Havana.--The American Consul + and I.--The Pirate Marti.--The Spanish Steamer.--Pretty + Harbors.--Captain Fry. + + +After reporting at the Navy Department, I proceeded to my home. The day +after my arrival there I was summoned by telegram to Richmond, to report +in person to the Secretary of War. I had been detailed for special duty, +and from this date commenced my connection with blockade running. Upon +reaching the office, I found written instructions from the Secretary of +War to proceed to England and purchase a steamer suitable for running +the blockade, to load her with arms, munitions of war, and other +supplies, and to bring her into a Confederate port with all dispatch. +Ample funds in sterling exchange were provided and a large amount of +Confederate bonds was entrusted to me for deposit with an agent of the +Government in England. Accompanied by my small staff of assistants, and +by Major Ben. Ficklin, who went abroad under special instructions from +the War and Treasury Departments, I left Richmond about the 12th of +August, and after some difficulty and delay, secured passage for the +whole party on board the little steamer Kate, about to sail from +Wilmington for Nassau. Under her skilful commander, Lockwood, this +little side-wheel steamer had already acquired fame as a successful +blockade-runner, and was destined to continue successful to the end of +her career. But her appearance was by no means prepossessing, and she +was very slow, her maximum speed being about nine knots. I forget by +what accident she was at last disabled; perhaps by sheer old age and +infirmity; but her ribs were to be seen for many a day before the war +ended, bleaching in the sun on one of the mud flats in Cape Fear River. + +The night of our crossing the bar was dark and stormy and we felt under +great obligations to the blockading fleet outside, for showing lights at +their peaks--thus enabling us to avoid them with much ease. At this +period, indeed, blockade running had not assumed such enormous +proportions as it afterwards attained, when hundreds of thousands of +dollars were invested in a single venture and the profits were so +immense that the game was well worth the candle. Subsequent to the +period of which I now write, Wilmington became the chief place of import +and export. Large quantities of cotton were stored there, both on +Government and private account; and steam cotton presses were erected, +but at this period Charleston possessed greater facilities and was +perhaps quite as accessible. + +Our voyage to Nassau was safely accomplished; the vigilant look-out at +the mast-head giving prompt notice of a speck on the horizon no larger +than a gull's wing, when the course would be so changed as to lose sight +of it. Two cases of yellow fever, both ending fatally, occurred among +the passengers during the brief voyage, and we were quarantined on our +arrival at Nassau. One of the sick men had been brought on deck and +placed on a couch under the deck awning. As he had taken no nourishment +for two or three days, our good captain directed that a bowl of soup +should be prepared for him. The sick man sat up when the steaming bowl +was presented to him; seized it with both hands, drained it to the +bottom, and fell back dead. We had not been at anchor more than an hour +when an outward-bound passing schooner hailed us and announced to our +captain the death of his wife and child, whom he had left in good health +only a few days before. + +As the epidemic on board the Kate had been contracted at Nassau, and +still prevailed on shore, we were at a loss to understand why we should +be refused "pratique"; but it gave our little party no concern, as the +town did not present an attractive or inviting appearance from the +quarantine ground; nor were our unfavorable impressions removed upon a +nearer acquaintance with it two or three months afterwards. But it was +evident, that in spite of the epidemic, there was a vast deal of +activity ashore and afloat. Cotton, cotton, everywhere! + +Blockade-runners discharging it into lighters, tier upon tier of it, +piled high upon the wharves, and merchant vessels, chiefly under the +British flag, loading with it. Here and there in the crowded harbor +might be seen a long, low, rakish-looking lead-colored steamer with +short masts, and a convex forecastle deck extending nearly as far aft as +the waist, and placed there to enable the steamer to be forced +_through_ and not _over_ a heavy head sea. These were the genuine +blockade-runners, built for speed; and some of them survived all the +desperate hazards of the war. + +The mulatto undertaker, who came on board to take the measure for +coffins for the two passengers who had died, did not leave us in a very +cheerful state of mind, although _he_ was in fine spirits, in the +anticipation of a brisk demand for his stock in trade. + +Presenting each one of us with his card, he politely expressed the hope +that we would give him our custom, if we needed anything in his line. +Fortunately we had no occasion for his services. Just before leaving the +ship he was invited to take a glass of brandy and water. Holding the +glass in his hands which were yet stained with the coffin paint, he +drank to our death, a toast to which Dyer, my Wilmington pilot, +responded, "You shouldn't bury me, you d----d rascal, if I _did_ die." + +With the assistance of the Confederate agent on shore, we succeeded in +promptly chartering a schooner for Cardenas and in provisioning her for +the voyage; and in a day or two, were making our way across the Bahama +Banks for Cuba. The agent had supplied us liberally with flesh, fowls, +and ice; and the Banks gave us an abundance of fish, as the light winds +fanned us slowly along, sometimes freshening into a moderate breeze, and +occasionally dying away to a calm. The "_chef d'oeuvre_" of our +mulatto skipper who was also cook, was conch soup, and he was not only +an adept at cooking but also at catching the conch. In those almost +transparent waters, the smallest object can be distinctly seen at the +depth of three or four fathoms. When soup was to be prepared Captain +Dick would take his station at the bow "in puris naturalibus," watching +intently for his prize. Overboard he would go like an arrow, and rising +again to the surface, would pitch the conch (and sometimes one in each +hand) on board. His son Napoleon Bonaparte, (who was first mate, steward +and half the starboard watch) would throw him a rope, and the old fellow +would climb on board as the little craft sailed by, without an +alteration in her course. + +Major Ben. Ficklin was attacked with yellow fever just after we left +Nassau; but as we had no medicines on board he recovered. The medical +fraternity might perhaps take a hint from the treatment of his case. +Small lumps of ice were kept in a saucer beside him as he lay on a +mattress under a deck awning, and by the constant use of it he allayed +the raging thirst attending high fever. The "vis medicatrix naturæ" +accomplished the rest. + +Having no books on board, we beguiled the time occasionally by telling +stories as we lay under the shelter of the deck awning. One of my +contributions was the following: Many officers of the navy will remember +it, and there are some who, like myself, will recollect the solemn +earnestness with which the hero of it would narrate the facts, for he +firmly believed it to the day of his death. At the time of its +occurrence he was enjoying a day's shooting at his home in Vermont. +Becoming tired toward midday he took a seat on an old log in the woods. +A few minutes afterwards, he saw an old bareheaded man, meanly clad, +approaching, who seated himself in silence at the other end of the log. +The head of the stranger was bound with a white cloth and his eyes were +fixed with a glassy stare upon Major B., who felt his blood run cold at +the singular apparition. At last the Major mustered up courage to ask +the stranger what he wanted. The spectre replied "I am a dead man, and +was buried in the graveyard yonder" (pointing as he spoke to a +dilapidated enclosure a few yards distant). "The dogs," he continued, +"have found their way into my shallow grave, and are gnawing my flesh. I +can not rest until I am laid deeper in the ground." The Major used to +assert that his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth; but he managed to +promise the dead man that his wishes should be complied with, when the +apparition dissolved into the air. The Major went straight to some of +the neighbors, and when he accompanied them to the grave, it was found +in the condition described by its occupant. N. B. The Major was in the +habit of carrying a "pocket pistol," which may have been overcharged +upon this occasion; he _also_ belonged to the _marines_. + +We arrived at Cardenas after a week's voyage, and stopped there a day to +recruit. During our stay we witnessed a curious scene. While we were +enjoying our cigars in the cool of the evening upon the "azotea" of our +hotel, we saw a file of soldiers march up to a house directly opposite, +and after repeated efforts to enter, they finally burst open the door; +reappearing in a few moments with seven or eight "coolies," who were +apparently dead drunk, but in reality were stupefied with opium; having +met, by appointment, to "shuffle off this mortal coil" after this +characteristic fashion. One or two of them were quite beyond +resuscitation, and the others were only prevented from sinking into +fatal insensibility by severe flogging with bamboo canes, and being +forced to keep upon their feet. We were informed that suicide is very +common among them in Cuba; it being their last resort against misery and +oppression. Colonel Totten, the able civil engineer who constructed the +railroad across the Isthmus of Panama, once gave a party of us a graphic +account of the mortality among a number of them, who had been employed +by him in that pestilential climate. Having no access to opium, and +being deprived of knives, they resorted to the most ingenious modes of +self destruction. Sometimes they would wade out in the bay at low water, +with a pole, which they would stick firmly into the mud, and securely +tying themselves to it, would wait for the rising tide to drown them. +Others would point a stake by charring it in the fire and impale +themselves upon it. + +The evils of this system of labor cannot be truthfully denied. Ignorant +even of the nature of the contract which binds them to servitude, the +coolies are driven in crowds to the ship which is to transport them to +another hemisphere; and they endure all the horrors of the "middle +passage" during their long voyage. + +When they arrive at their port of destination in the West Indies they +are apprenticed for a term of years to the planters who need their +services, and many of them succumb to the tropical climate and the +severe labor in the cane field. Many more seek a ready means of escape +in death. The philanthropy of the civilized governments, which has been +concentrated for many years upon efforts to liberate the "black man and +brother," has never been exerted to rescue "John China-man" from a +crueler thraldom and a harder lot. + +Taking the train for Havana, we passed through a very beautiful country, +luxuriant with tropical verdure; the most conspicuous natural feature in +the landscape being the graceful palm tree in its many varieties. We +passed, too, many sugar plantations, the growing cane not at all unlike +our own cornfields at home, while the long lines of negroes, at work +with their hoes, in the crop, made the fields appear even more familiar +and home-like. Our friends, the "darkies," evidently did not contemplate +suicide. Sleek and well-fed, they were chattering like so many flocks +of blackbirds. + +Arriving at Havana we took up our quarters at Mrs. B.'s hotel, and as my +first object was to find Colonel Helm, the agent of the Confederate +Government, I started for that purpose immediately after our arrival. +The Colonel had held the position of United States Consul before the +war; and the residence then occupied by him was now tenanted by his +successor. Being directed to this house by mistake, I was ushered in by +the servant, and found myself face to face with Captain S., the American +Consul. We were not totally unacquainted, having met occasionally in +bygone days, when both of us were in the United States Navy. The +surprise was mutual, and the awkward silence was interrupted by my +saying "Apparently I am in the wrong pew." "Evidently," he replied, and +we parted without another word. + +With the assistance of Colonel Helm our business in Havana was speedily +transacted; and passage was engaged for the whole party on board a +Spanish steamer bound for St. Thomas, thence to take passage by the +British mail steamer for Southampton. + +The few days spent in Havana were pleasantly passed in sight-seeing; +the afternoons being devoted to a ride upon the "paseo," and the +evenings closed by a visit to the noted "Dominica" the principal café of +the city. There are many beautiful rides and drives in the environs, and +the summer heats are tempered by the cool refreshing sea breeze which +blows daily. That scourge of the tropics, yellow fever, is chiefly +confined to the cities of Cuba, the country being salubrious; and it +appears strange that this beautiful island has never been a favorite +place of resort, during the winter, for invalids from the Northern +States in search of an equable climate. It must be confessed that Havana +itself possesses few attractions for the stranger and that its sanitary +arrangements are execrable. In addition to the imperfect municipal +regulations in this respect, all the sewage of the city empties itself +into the harbor, in which there is no current to sweep the decomposing +matter into the Gulf Stream outside. The water in the harbor is +sometimes so phosphorescent at night that showers of liquid fire appear +to drop from a boat's oars passing through it; and the boat leaves a +long lane of light in her wake. + +No stranger visiting Havana fails to see the spot in the cathedral held +sacred as the tomb of Columbus. His remains were transferred here with +great pomp, after resting many years in the city of San Domingo, whither +they had been carried from Spain. + +The fish market and the "Tacon" theatre too, are well worth a visit. +Both of them once belonged to the same individual, the noted pirate +"Marti," whom I have seen many a time, in the streets of Havana, after +his reformation. He was then a venerable looking old gentleman + + + "As mild a mannered man + As ever scuttled ship or cut a throat." + + +For a long time he had been chief of all the piratical bands that then +infested the shores of Cuba. They plied their fearful trade with +comparative impunity; the numerous lagoons on the coast, only accessible +through tortuous and shallow channels, and hidden by mangrove bushes, +affording safe shelter; while they could easily intercept many vessels +passing through the narrow strait separating Cuba from Florida. They +gave no quarter to man, woman, or child, and scuttled their prizes after +taking from them what was most valuable. A ready sale was found for +their plunder in Havana through accomplices there; and their +depredations upon commerce finally became so extensive that the United +States Government fitted out an expedition against them. General Tacon, +at that time Governor-General of Cuba, also prepared an expedition to +operate against them. This fleet was on the eve of sailing. The night +was dark and rainy. A stranger, wrapped in a cloak for disguise, watched +the sentry on duty before the door of the palace from a hiding place +near by; and as the sentry turned his back for a moment or two from the +door, the stranger slipped by him, undiscovered, and proceeded rapidly +to the apartments of the Captain-General. His excellency was writing at +a table; and the stranger had opened the door and entered the room +without being discovered. When the Governor-General raised his eyes and +saw the cloaked figure standing silently before him, he stretched his +hand toward a bell near him, but the stranger interposed. "Stop, your +Excellency," he said, "I am here upon a desperate enterprise. I have +come to deliver into your hands every pirate on the Cuban coast upon one +condition; a pardon for myself." "You shall have it," replied his +excellency, "but who are you?" "I am Marti, and I rely upon the promise +you have given to me." The Governor-General repeated his assurances of +immunity upon the prescribed conditions. Marti had laid his plans well, +having appointed a place of rendezvous for the different bands before +venturing upon his perilous expedition. He acted as a guide to the force +sent in pursuit, and every pirate was captured and afterwards +"garroted." A large price had been set upon the head of Marti. This is +the story as told by his contemporaries. For these distinguished +services to the State the vile old reprobate was offered the promised +reward. In lieu of it he asked for the monopoly of the sale of fish in +Havana, which was granted to him; and the structure erected by him for a +fish market is perhaps the finest of the sort in the world. He +afterwards built the noble "Tacon" theatre, named after his +benefactor,--and died in the odor of sanctity. + +We were not sorry when the day of our departure came. There was a motley +crowd of passengers on board the little steamer. "Paisanos" wearing +broad brimmed sombreroes and in picturesque costume; "Padres" in their +long gowns and shovel hats; pretty "senoritas" with hair plaited down +their backs, and officers on their way to join the army in the field in +San Domingo. But every one was amiable and disposed to be companionable. +Most of them were aware of the fact that there was a state of war +between the North and the South; and their sympathies were altogether +with our side; for no earthly reason, probably, except that they +entertained the blind hatred against the "Norte Americanos" so prevalent +among the Latin race on this continent, and supposed the people of the +South to be of different origin.[8] + +We were half poisoned, and wholly saturated with garlic, while on board +the little steamer; and men, women and children smoked incessantly. Our +clever artist, Johnny T., drew a capital sketch of a portly old lady +whose habit it was, after every meal, to take from her side pocket an +oil skin bundle of huge cigars--evidently "plantations," and made to +order. Selecting one, she would strike a light with her "matchero" and +begin to puff away like a furnace. When fairly alight, she would +dispose of the smoke in some mysterious inner receptacle, whence it +would issue in a minute or more, from nose, eyes, ears, and even through +the pores of her mahogany-colored skin, as it appeared to us. + +We touched at many little ports, all of them very pretty and +picturesque; little quiet basins of blue water, with the houses +scattered about along the hill sides, and half hidden by foliage; the +white surf thundering outside, and the surface, inside, glassy smooth. +Our last port in Cuba was Santiago, since made memorable as the scene of +the murder of the gallant and unfortunate Fry, and his companions in +misfortune. Should these lines ever meet the eye of any of his old +friends and comrades in the United States Navy, they will bear witness, +that a brave and noble gentleman was there cruelly done to death. He had +lost everything by our war, and dire poverty, with the responsibility of +a family to support, forced him to the desperate venture of running the +blockade in Cuba. _Morally_ he was not more criminal than the British +naval officers, who engaged in the same hazardous pursuit during our +struggle. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[8] The educated Cubans must be exonerated from this charge. Many of +this class have been at the schools and colleges in the United States; +and admire our republican institutions. They are even now, and have been +for years, maintaining a desperate struggle for the establishment of +these institutions among themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + San Domingo.--The Island of Hayti and its Inhabitants.--St. + Thomas.--General Santa Anna.--The Mail Steamer Atrato.--Arrival at + Southampton.--English Scenery.--The Major fails.--The Giraffe + Purchased.--A Claim against the Confederate Government.--The Hon. + J. M. Mason.--Credit of the Confederate Government Abroad.--An + improper Agent.--Captain Bullock.--The Giraffe Ready for + Sea.--Glasgow.--Our last Dinner.--Our Scotch Landlady and Head + Waiter.--We part with the Major.--Hot Punch and Scotch Babies.--A + Reminiscence. + + +We touched at the little port of San Domingo in the island of Dominica +on our way to St. Thomas; and lay at anchor there long enough to allow +the passengers to visit the shore for a few hours. It was once a +prosperous town, but is now in ruins, and hovels stand upon the very +sites where once arose magnificent palaces; for it was at one time the +chief seat of the Spanish Empire in the New World, and the place of +residence of Columbus himself. Cortez, the Conqueror of Mexico, once +lived in its vicinity. The cathedral still stands entire and is still +used as a place of worship, but the walls of the convent attached to +the cathedral have yielded to the corroding influences of time and the +climate, and are crumbling into ruins. The palace of Diego Columbus, the +son of the immortal admiral, who to Castile and Leon gave a new world, +is still pointed out, but that, too, is a mere shell, the roof having +entirely disappeared. The population is a wretched mongrel indolent +race, and there is little to do there. The whole island, indeed, long +ago fell from its high estate, and everywhere thorns and brambles grow +where once there were well cultivated plantations. I had previously +visited many portions of the island, and saw wherever I went, the same +evidences of misrule and indolence; but, the negroes, who hold the +western portion of it or Hayti, are physically, at least, a finer race +of people than the degenerate, puny hybrids of the eastern part, who +have "miscegenated" to an extent that would satisfy the most +enthusiastic admirer of our sable "friends and fellow-citizens." I have +never seen finer specimens of stalwart manhood than in "Solouque's" army +years ago, although the "tout ensemble" of it was sufficiently +ludicrous; the officers being mounted on ponies a little bigger than +goats; and some of them wearing no apparel, except a coat and cocked +hat; with spurs on their naked heels; and the ragged half-naked privates +chewing one end of a big stick of sugar cane (their only rations) as +they marched. Upon one occasion, an officer of the ship to which I was +attached, had died at sea, and was buried at Gonaives, with military +honors. The drummer and fifer of our guard of marines were little +fellows of twelve or thirteen years of age. The black military +commandant of the district was so captivated with their appearance, as +they marched at the head of the funeral procession, that he "corralled" +all the little "niggers" within his district the next day, to select +from them a few drummers and fifers; and I believe there would have been +a "casus belli" if our little musicians had been sent ashore, for I +doubt if he could have resisted the temptation to kidnap them. + +We arrived at St. Thomas two days before the mail-steamer was due and +took up our quarters at the only hotel of which the town boasted, but it +was an excellent one. The black steward, who superintended the staff of +waiters, was a noticeable personage, speaking several languages with +correctness and fluency. We appreciated the "cuisine" of the hotel, +after so long a diet upon garlic and rancid sweet oil; and were content +to pass the greater part of the time at the "Ice house," a refreshment +saloon conducted by a Vermont "Yankee," but who had been so long abroad +as to have become cosmopolitan in his ideas and opinions. The residence +of General Santa Anna, the old Mexican hero, then in exile, was pointed +out to us; a handsome building crowning a hill overlooking the town; and +we were informed that the old gentleman was still passionately fond of +his favorite amusement, cock-fighting. + + + "E'en in our ashes live their wonted fires." + + +We sailed for Southampton in the British mail steamer "Atrato," the best +appointed and most comfortable ship on board which I have ever taken +passage. She was a paddle-wheel steamer of the first class, belonging to +the Cunards, who boast that not a life or a mail has ever been lost in +their line. There was a very good band of musicians on board, and the +weather during the whole voyage was so pleasant that dancing could be +enjoyed. The screw steamers, now so rapidly superseding the old "side +wheelers," possess many advantages, it is true, but the superior +comfort of the passengers is not to be reckoned among them. + +Arriving at Southampton, we took the first train for London. What +specially attracted the admiration of our little party as the train sped +along, was the exquisite beauty of the country. Almost every view would +have furnished a subject for a landscape painter. We saw vast lawns +green as emeralds, with clumps of fine trees here and there, and dotted +with cattle and sheep; and would frequently catch a glimpse of castles +and country seats beautifully ornamented with parks and gardens. It was +a series of pictures of rural repose and quiet, embellished with perfect +taste. Even the thatched cottages, with their trim hedges, their little +flower gardens, and the vines covering the outside, were most +picturesque. What a striking contrast with the log cabins and "snake" +fences in our own loved "Dixie!" + +The Secretary of War, in his instructions to me, had stated that Major +Ficklin, who had lately returned from Europe, had been struck by the +qualities of a steamer which, in the Major's opinion, was admirably +adapted for blockade-running. She was called the Giraffe, a Clyde built +iron steamer, and plied as a packet between Glasgow and Belfast. She +was a side-wheel of light draft, very strongly built and reputed to be +of great speed. She possessed the last quality, it is true, but not to +such a degree as represented, for her best rate of speed while under my +command never exceeded thirteen and a half knots. Under the same +instructions I was to examine the ship and if the inspection proved +favorable, the Major was to negotiate for the purchase. I have always +believed that some informal arrangement had been made between the +parties concerned during the Major's late visit to England. However that +may have been, we found, on our arrival in London that the Giraffe had +been sold within a day or two, to a company about to engage in +blockade-running. The manager of this company was Mr. Alexander Collie, +who subsequently made such immense ventures, and became so well known in +connection with blockade-running. The Major did not lose heart upon +learning that the Giraffe had changed hands, but all his efforts to get +possession of the vessel were unsuccessful, Mr. C. refusing to part with +her upon any terms. As a last resort the Major, whose resources were +almost inexhaustible, suggested that I should make an effort. All +difficulties instantly vanished, when I informed Mr. Collie that I held +a commission in the Confederate States Navy, and had been sent abroad to +buy a ship for the Confederate Government. He instantly agreed to +transfer possession for the amount paid by him, £32,000, stipulating, +however, that the steamer should not be sold, during the war, to private +parties without the consent of the company represented by him, who were +to have the refusal of her. Although these conditions conflicted with +certain arrangements made between the Confederate Secretary of War and +Major Ficklin, the latter assented to them; and the Giraffe became the +property of the Confederate States Government. The necessary alterations +to fit her for a blockade-runner were at once commenced. Her beautiful +saloon and cabins were dismantled and bulkheads constructed to separate +the quarters for officers and men from the space to be used for stowage +of a cargo. Purchases of arms, clothing, etc., were to be made; and +after much disgust and vexation of spirit, I employed Mr. Collie, who +was a shrewd and practical man of business, to make the purchases on +commission, while I found more congenial employment. Long afterwards, +when I got a friend in Richmond to prepare my accounts for the auditor, +he proved conclusively from the vouchers (which I was careful to +preserve) that the Confederate Government owed me £1,000; but I never +applied for the "little balance" and now it is buried with the "lost +cause." + +The Hon. J. M. Mason, representing the Confederate Government, was +living very quietly and unostentatiously in London; and although not +officially recognized, he was the frequent guest of the nobility and +gentry of the kingdom. He looked, so I thought, the equal of any peer in +the land, for he was of a noble presence; and he possessed that rare +tact of adapting himself to almost any company in which he might be +thrown. We always met with a cordial welcome from him; and it was very +interesting to hear his comments upon the government and the social life +of England. I am sure the contrast between the conservatism, stability +and respect for precedents and laws, so manifest everywhere in that +favored land, and the rapidly growing disregard of all these obligations +in our own country, struck him most forcibly. He closed a long eulogy of +England upon one occasion by remarking, "This is the best Government +upon the earth--_except of course our own_." He, in common with others, +who had access to private sources of information, believed, at that +time, that the Confederacy would soon be recognized by England and +France; and it appears from evidence made public since the close of the +war, that their hopes were by no means groundless; the Emperor of the +French having proposed joint recognition to the British government; but +all efforts in that direction were thwarted by the "Exeter Hall" +influence. + +We saw of course many of the sights and curiosities of London. One +pleasant day of leisure, after a walk to see that magnificent pile, the +Houses of Parliament, I was sauntering along, without thought of where I +was going, until I found myself in a perfect labyrinth of filthy streets +and tumble down buildings and presenting all the other evidences of vice +and poverty; the very neighborhood in short of "Tom Allalone's" lair. +Fortunately I met a policeman who guided me into a respectable part of +the city. He told me that I was about to invade the worst section of +London, almost within a stone's throw of the Houses of Parliament. + +It is astonishing how frequently Dickens' characters and descriptions +come into the memory of a stranger visiting London. No one, who has +ever seen them, will forget the houses in Chancery. Situated as some of +them are, in the busiest and most crowded parts of the city, and +mouldering away from disuse and neglect, the idea constantly presented +itself to me as I passed one of them, "there is more of the Jarndyce +property," and I never saw an "old clo'" man that the rascally Fagin and +his hopeful protegés did not rise to my recollection. How wonderful is +the power of genius which can not only "give to airy nothings a local +habitation and a name," but fix them as realities in our memory forever! + +At that period the credit of the Confederate Government abroad was +excellent; and either from love of "filthy lucre" or of the cause, some +of the best firms in England were ready and eager to furnish supplies. +It appeared quite practicable to send in machinery, iron plates, etc., +for building small vessels of war; and several firms offered to engage +in the enterprise, receiving Confederate bonds in payment. These parties +went to the trouble of preparing models with plans and specifications; +all of which were afterwards duly submitted to the incompetent Secretary +of the Confederate States Navy; but it resulted in nothing. A +considerable amount of the Government funds was lavished abroad upon +the building of vessels which could by no possibility be got to sea +under the Confederate flag while the war lasted; and to make matters +worse, the Secretary had sent to England, as special agent for building +or buying vessels, a man well known throughout the kingdom to be +bankrupt in fame and fortune, who was hawking our government securities +about the country at a ruinous rate of discount; and who inflicted much +loss and injury upon the Confederate Government in various ways during +his connection with it. The management of naval affairs abroad should +have been left in the hands of Captain Bullock, the efficient agent of +the Navy Department in England, who showed admirable tact in the conduct +of affairs entrusted to him. + +We stopped at the Burlington Hotel during our stay in London. There was +none of the glare and glitter of an American hotel about this highly +respectable establishment, no crowded "table d'hote" where the guests +scrambled for food, and the waiters must be bribed to wait upon them; no +gorgeous bar-room where the clinking of glasses resounds day and night, +and no hotel clerk, with hair parted in the middle, who deems it a +condescension to be civil. Everything was staid, quiet, orderly, and it +must be added, rather slow and expensive. As an illustration of the +isolation of the boarders in an English hotel, it may be mentioned that +two Southern ladies, acquaintances of a member of our party, were +staying at the Burlington at the same time with ourselves, without our +knowledge of the fact. Meals were usually served in the coffee room, the +regular dinner consisting of a "joint," and one or two dishes of +vegetables, any dish not included in this very plain bill of fare being +furnished at an extra charge. Including fees to servants, etc., which +are regularly entered in the bill, one may live very comfortably in an +English hotel for five dollars a day, but not for less. + +In thirty days from our arrival in England, the Giraffe was reported +laden and ready for sea. Besides the purchases made through my agency, a +large quantity of lithographic material had been bought by Major Ficklin +for the Treasury Department; and twenty-six lithographers were engaged +for the Confederate Government. + +We took the train for Glasgow as soon as we were notified that the +Giraffe was ready for sea; parting from our London friends with mutual +good wishes and regrets. + +There is a striking contrast between the scenery in the south of +England, and that in the northern portion. As we approached the "iron +country" even the fresh green woods disappeared, and for many miles on +our way we could see tall chimneys pouring forth huge volumes of smoke, +and we passed numerous coal pits, while the whole busy population seemed +to be begrimed with coal dust and iron filings. As we approached Glasgow +the scenery again changed to broad and well cultivated plains in the +immediate vicinity of the city. Its trade with Virginia and the West +Indies laid the foundation of its present prosperity. To this day there +are many descendants in Richmond of the old Scotch merchants who +formerly traded in tobacco between that port and Glasgow, but of late +years it has become chiefly noted for its iron ships and steamers, which +are unsurpassed; and it is now, I believe, the second city in the United +Kingdom in point of wealth and population. The Clyde, naturally an +insignificant stream, has been deepened by art until it is now navigable +for the largest vessels. + +We were so busily occupied, during our brief stay, as to be able to see +very little of the city or its environs. The city itself was enveloped +in a fog during the whole time; its normal atmospheric condition, I +presume; for once when we made a visit to the romantic "Brigg of Allan," +we passed beyond the suburbs into a clear bright atmosphere; and on our +return in the afternoon, we found the pall hanging over the city as +usual. + +We would have been delighted to take the advice of our hostess to see +more of the land immortalized by Scott and Burns. "Ech, Sirs," she said, +"but ye suld gae doon to the Heelands to see Scotland"; from which +remark it may be reasonably inferred that she was a "Heeland" woman. We +were painfully struck by the number of paupers and intoxicated females +in the streets; and some of our party saw, for the first time in their +lives, white women shoeless, and shivering in scanty rags, which +scarcely concealed their nakedness, with the thermometer at the freezing +point. Whitaker's British Almanac publishes, statistically, the +_drinking_ propensities of the population of the three kingdoms, from +which it appears that there were consumed per head in 1869-- + + + Malt 1,989 bushels in England. + Spirits 591 gallons " + Malt 509 bushels in Ireland. + Spirits 873 gallons " + Malt 669 bushels in Scotland. + Spirits 1,576 gallons " + + +The inventory taken on board the Giraffe, after she was turned over to +the Confederate Government, showed over _two hundred_ pitchers and +ladles for hot punch! We came to the conclusion that Scotch babies were +weaned upon this beverage, for the law forbade the carrying of that +number of grown passengers by the Giraffe. + +Having secured the services of a sailing captain, British laws not +allowing the clearance of a vessel under the British flag, except under +the command of one who holds a certificate of competence, we sent our +luggage on board one evening, and sat down to our last meal on British +soil. There were many guests at the table; several of our friends having +come on from London to see us take our departure, and toasts were duly +and enthusiastically drank to the success of "the cause." The privileged +old head-waiter, dressed in professional black, (and ridiculously like +an old magpie as he hopped about the room with his head on one side,) +"whose custom it was of an afternoon" to get drunk, but always with +Scotch decorum, nodded approval of the festivities, until, overcome by +his feelings (or Usquebaugh) he was obliged to withdraw. + +We bade adieu to our friends late at night, and went on board early next +morning. In addition to the Scotch artisans already mentioned, there +were several young gentlemen who were about to return home in the +Giraffe. These youths had been prosecuting their studies in Germany. +They were now about to return home to enter the army. Two of them, +Messrs. Price and Blair, are now Professors in Virginia Colleges, after +doing their duty as brave and faithful soldiers during the war. It is +well known that many thousands of young men, the flower of the South, +served as privates during the whole of our struggle for independence; +and it is equally well known that they never flinched from dangers or +privations. + +Many years ago an expedition under the command of Lieutenant Strain, of +the United States Navy, was sent to make a reconnoissance across the +Isthmus of Darien. The party lost their way among the morasses and +almost impenetrable forests, and endured frightful hardships. But the +officers survived, while many of the men succumbed to fatigue and +famine. During our war, the youths of gentle blood and tender nurture +displayed equally wonderful endurance. + +We parted from the Major on the wharf before going on board. He promised +to meet us in Richmond; preferring himself to return via. New York; and +we did not doubt his ability to keep his promise; for he seemed to +experience no difficulty in passing and repassing through the lines at +his pleasure during the war. He was in Washington, indeed, at the time +when President Lincoln was assassinated, and was arrested as an +accomplice in that great crime. His numerous friends who had so often +suffered from his practical jokes, would have been pleased no doubt, to +see how he appreciated the jest, when his head was tied up in a feather +pillow to prevent him from defrauding the law by committing suicide in +the murderer's cell. The shrill sound of a whistle was heard in the +theatre just before Booth committed the act; and when the Major was +arrested in his bed at the hotel a few hours afterwards, a whistle was +found in his pocket. It was damaging evidence, but he escaped +prosecution as an accomplice by adopting the advice once given by Mr. +Toney Weller, and proving an alibi. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Voyage to Madeira.--A Capital Sea-boat.--The Island Ponies.--Mr. B. + and his daughters.--Voyage to St. John's, Porto Rico.--Run across + the Bahama Banks.--Nassau during the War.--High Wages and Low + Characters.--Crew re-shipped.--Failure to enter Charleston.--The + "Lump."--A Narrow Escape.--The Scotch Lithographers and their + work.--Crossing the Bar.--Transfer of the Giraffe to the + Confederate Government.--She becomes the "R. E. Lee."--The Major + fulfills his promise, but fails in his object. + + +Our voyage to Madeira was uneventful with the exception of a heavy gale +of wind, during which the Giraffe showed her superb qualities as a sea +boat. + +We were hospitably entertained during our three days' stay at Funchal. +The process of coaling ship there is a tedious one, the port being an +open roadstead, and there are no wharves. With a moderate breeze blowing +on or along shore, all communication is interrupted. Loading and +unloading ships is accomplished by lighters; and passengers are carried +to and fro in surf boats which are expertly managed by their crews. The +vines had failed for several years previous to our visit; but the +inhabitants had substituted the cultivation of vegetables for which they +found a market on the continent and in England; and the numerous +cultivated patches along the mountain sides presented a very pretty +appearance from the anchorage--laid out as they were with seemingly +geometrical precision. The hardy little horses could be hired very +cheaply, and the justly extolled natural beauties of the island in the +vicinity of Funchal were fully explored. The greater portion of it is +quite inaccessible except on foot, but the tough little native ponies +which are as sure footed as goats perform wonderful feats in the way of +climbing, and are quite equal to the double duty of carrying their +riders, and dragging along their owner who holds by one hand to the +pony's tail while he occasionally "progs" him with a sharp stick held in +the other hand. This island is, as every one knows, of volcanic origin; +although its volcanoes are now either dormant or extinct; and its lofty +vertical cliffs rise abruptly from the ocean. The highest peak in the +island is more than six thousand feet above the level of the sea. The +disintegrated lava forms the best soil in the world for the grape; and +the south side of the island, from its more favorable exposure to the +sun, is supposed to produce the more delicately flavored wine. Wonderful +stories are told of the exquisite sense of taste possessed by the +professional "tasters" who never swallow the wine. So soon as they +indulge in this luxury they lose the faculty of nice discrimination. + +We slept securely under the "Stars and Stripes," our hotel being kept by +a "Yankee" who hoisted the flag upon his house-top every day, and was +not so cosmopolitan, perhaps I should say not so politic, as our St. +Thomas friend. He soothed his conscience for associating with "rebels," +and avenged himself by charging us heavily, and, no doubt, congratulated +himself after our departure, upon having "spoiled the Egyptians." + +We received many courtesies from Mr. B., an English gentleman, and his +family. Our susceptible young men lost their hearts with his _seven_ +beautiful daughters, all of them fair, tall, and stately. + +As soon as the Giraffe was coaled we took our departure for St. John's, +Porto Rico. A sea-voyage has elsewhere been described in two lines. + + + "Sometimes we ship a sea, + Sometimes we see a ship." + + +The monotony of our voyage was rarely disturbed by either of these +incidents. + +After two days' detention at St. John's for the purpose of coaling we +got under way for that haven of blockade-runners, El Dorado of +adventurers, and paradise of wreckers and darkies--filthy Nassau. In +making our way to this port we had a foretaste of some of the risks and +dangers to be subsequently encountered. In order to economize coal and +to lessen the risk of capture I determined to approach Nassau by the +"Tongue of Ocean," a deep indentation in the sea bounded on the south by +the Bahama Banks; and to reach the "Tongue" it was necessary to cross +the whole extent of the "Banks" from Elbow Key light-house. On arriving +off the light-house we were disappointed in our hope of finding a pilot, +and no alternative was left but to attempt the transit without one, as +we had not a sufficient supply of coal to enable us to pursue any other +course. Our charts showed twelve feet water all over that portion of the +Banks and the Giraffe was drawing eleven feet; but the innumerable black +dots on the chart showed where the dangerous coral heads were nearly +"awash." On the other hand, we knew there could be no "swell" in such an +expanse of shallow water; so waving adieu to the keeper of the +light-house we pointed the Giraffe's bow for the Banks, which showed +ahead of us smooth as a lake, and almost milk white. It was early in the +morning when we started, and the distance to be run to the "Tongue" was +only sixty or seventy miles. Taking my station in the fore-rigging I +could easily direct the helmsman bow to avoid those treacherous black +spots. It was the Florida Reef over again, and my experience in +surveying that coast stood us in good stead here. We were so fortunate, +indeed, as never once to touch the bottom although the lead frequently +showed less than twelve feet; and about 3 o'clock in the afternoon the +welcome blue water showed itself ahead. It would have been impossible to +make the transit in cloudy weather; but the day was fortunately clear. +Occasionally when a "trade" cloud would approach the sun, we would slow +down or stop until it had passed by, when the black patches would again +be visible. The iron plates of the Giraffe would have been pierced as +completely as if made of pasteboard, if she had come into contact even +at low speed with those jagged coral heads. Before dark we were out of +danger, and next morning came to anchor in the harbor of Nassau. + +Nassau was a busy place during the war; the chief depot of supplies for +the Confederacy, and the port to which most of the cotton was shipped. +Its proximity to the ports of Charleston and Wilmington gave it superior +advantages, while it was easily accessible to the swift, light draft +blockade-runners; all of which carried Bahama bank pilots who knew every +channel, while the United States cruisers having no Bank pilots and +drawing more water were compelled to keep the open sea. Occasionally one +of the latter would heave to outside the harbor and send in a boat to +communicate with the American Consul; but their usual cruising ground +was off Abaco Light. Nassau is situated upon the island of New +Providence, one of the Bahamas, and is the chief town and capital of the +group. All of the islands are surrounded by coral reefs and shoals, +through which are channels more or less intricate. That wonderful "River +in the Sea"--the Gulf Stream--which flows between the Florida coast and +the Bahama Banks is only forty miles broad between the nearest opposite +points; but there is no harbor on that part of the Florida coast. The +distance from Charleston to Nassau is about five hundred miles, and +from Wilmington about five hundred and fifty. Practically, however, they +were equi-distant because blockade-runners bound from either port, in +order to evade the cruisers lying in wait off Abaco, were compelled to +give that head-land a wide berth, by keeping well to the eastward of it. +But in avoiding Scylla they ran the risk of striking upon Charybdis; for +the dangerous reefs of Eleuthera were fatal to many vessels. The chief +industries of the islands before the war were the collection and +exportation of sponges, corals, etc., and wrecking, to which was added, +during the war, the lucrative trade of picking and stealing. The +inhabitants may be classed as "amphibious," and are known among sailors +by the generic name of "Conchs." The wharves of Nassau, during the war, +were always piled high with cotton, and huge warehouses were stored full +of supplies for the Confederacy. The harbor was crowded at times, with +lead-colored, short masted, rakish looking steamers; the streets alive +with bustle and activity during day time and swarming with drunken +revellers by night. Every nationality on earth, nearly, was represented +there; the high wages ashore and afloat, tempting adventurers of the +baser sort; and the prospect of enormous profits offering equally strong +inducements to capitalists of a speculative turn. The monthly wages of a +sailor on board a blockade-runner was one hundred dollars in gold, and +fifty dollars bounty at the end of a successful trip; and this could be +accomplished under favorable circumstances in seven days. The captains +and pilots sometimes received as much as five thousand dollars besides +perquisites. All of the cotton shipped on account of the Confederate +Government was landed and transferred to a mercantile firm in Nassau, +who received a commission for assuming ownership. It was then shipped +under the British or other neutral flag to Europe. The firm is reputed +to have made many thousands of dollars by these commissions. But, +besides the cotton shipped by the Confederate Government, many private +companies and individuals were engaged in the trade; and it was computed +(so large were the gains) that the owner could afford to lose a vessel +and cargo after two successful voyages. Three or four steamers were +wholly owned by the Confederate Government; a few more were owned by it +in part, and the balance were private property; but these last were +compelled to carry out, as portion of their cargo, cotton on government +account, and to bring in supplies. On board the government steamers, the +crew which was shipped abroad, and under the articles regulating the +"merchant marine," received the same wages as were paid on board the +other blockade-runners; but the captains and subordinate officers of the +government steamers who belonged to the Confederate States Navy, and the +pilots, who were detailed from the army for this service, received the +pay in gold of their respective grades. + +As the Giraffe's crew was shipped only for the voyage to Nassau "and a +market," it was necessary to cancel the engagement of those who did not +wish to follow her fortunes further. A few of them preferring their +discharge were paid off, and provided with a passage to England; and the +balance signed articles for Havana "and a market." Everything being in +readiness, we sailed on December 26th, 1862. Having on board a +Charleston pilot, as well as one for Wilmington, I had not determined, +on sailing, which port to attempt; but having made the land near +Charleston bar during thick weather on the night of the 28th, our pilot +was afraid to venture further. We made an offing, therefore, before +daylight; and circumstances favoring Wilmington, we approached the +western bar on the night of December 29th. We had been biding our time +since twelve o'clock that day close in to the shore about forty miles +southwest of the bar and in the deep bay formed by the coast between +Wilmington and Charleston. The weather had been so clear and the sea so +smooth that we had communicated with the Confederate pickets at several +points along the coast; and no sail was visible even from aloft until +about three o'clock in the afternoon, when a cruiser hove in sight to +the north and east. As she was coasting along the land and approaching +us we turned the Giraffe's bow away from her, and got up more steam, +easily preserving our distance, as the stranger was steaming at a low +rate of speed. A little while before sunset the strange steamer wore +round, and we immediately followed her example, gradually lessening the +distance between us, and an hour or more after dark we had the pleasure +of passing inside of her at anchor off New River Inlet. She was +evidently blockading that harbor, and had run down the coast to +reconnoitre. Before approaching the bar I had adopted certain +precautions against disaster which I ever afterwards followed. Any one +who showed an open light when we were near the fleet was liable to the +penalty of death upon the spot; a cool, steady leadsman was stationed on +each quarter to give the soundings; a staunch old quartermaster took the +wheel and a kedge, bent to a stout hawser, was slung at each quarter. +All lights were extinguished; the fire-room hatch covered over with a +tarpaulin; and a hood fitted over the binnacle, with a small circular +opening for the helmsman to see the compass through the aperture. + +About ten o'clock we passed inside the first ship of the blockading +fleet, about five miles outside the bar; and four or five others +appeared in quick succession as the Giraffe was cutting rapidly through +the smooth water. We were going at full speed when, with a shock that +threw nearly every one on board off his feet, the steamer was brought up +"all standing" and hard and fast aground! The nearest blockader was +fearfully close to us, and all seemed lost. We had struck upon "the +Lump," a small sandy knoll two or three miles outside the bar with deep +water on both sides of it. That knoll was the "rock ahead" during the +whole war, of the blockade-runners, for it was impossible in the +obscurity of night to judge accurately of the distance to the coast, +and there were no landmarks or bearings which would enable them to steer +clear of it. Many a ton of valuable freight has been launched overboard +there; and, indeed, all the approaches to Wilmington are paved as +thickly with valuables as a certain place is said to be with good +intentions. + +The first order was to lower the two quarter boats: in one of them were +packed the Scotch lithographers who were safely landed; and a kedge was +lowered into the other with orders to the officer in charge to pull off +shore and drop the kedge. The risk, though imminent, was much reduced +after our panic stricken passengers had got fairly away from the ship; +and the spirits of officers and crew rose to meet the emergency. The +glimmer of a light, or an incautiously loud order would bring a +broadside from that frowning battery crashing through our bulwarks. So +near the goal (I thought) and now to fail! but I did not despair. To +execute the order to drop the kedge, it was necessary to directly +approach one of the blockaders, and so near to her did they let it go, +that the officer of the boat was afraid to call out that it had been +dropped; and muffled the oars as he returned to make his report. +Fortunately, the tide was rising. After twenty or thirty minutes of +trying suspense, the order was given "to set taut on the hawser," and +our pulses beat high as the stern of the Giraffe slowly and steadily +turned seaward. In fact, she swung round upon her stem as upon a pivot. +As soon as the hawser "trended" right astern, the engineer was ordered +to "back hard," and in a very few revolutions of the wheels the ship +slid rapidly off into deep water. The hawser was instantly cut, and we +headed directly for the bar channel. We were soon out of danger from the +blockading fleet; but as we drew in toward Fort Caswell, one of the +look-outs on the wheel-house (who, like the thief in Shakespeare, +"feared each bush an officer") would every now and then say to the +pilot, "that looks like a boat on the star-board bow, Mr. D." "There are +breakers on the port-bow, Mr. D." And at last "There is a rock right +ahead, Mr. D;" at which last remark, D., losing all patience, exclaimed, +"G----d A----y, man, there isn't a rock as big as my hat in the whole +d----d State of North Carolina." A too sweeping assertion, but quite true +as applied to the coast. We passed safely over the bar; and steaming up +the river, anchored off Smithville a little before midnight of the 29th +of December, 1862. + +The Scotch lithographers found abundant employment in Richmond, as the +Government "paper mills" were running busily during the whole war; but +the style of their work was not altogether faultless, for it was said +that the counterfeit notes, made at the North, and extensively +circulated through the South, could be easily detected by the superior +execution of the engraving upon them! + +The natural advantages of Wilmington for blockade-running were very +great, chiefly owing to the fact, that there are two separate and +distinct approaches to Cape Fear River, i. e., either by "New Inlet" to +the north of Smith's Island, or by the "western bar" to the south of it. +This island is ten or eleven miles in length; but the Frying Pan Shoals +extend ten or twelve miles further south, making the distance by sea +between the two bars thirty miles or more, although the direct distance +between them is only six or seven miles. From Smithville, a little +village nearly equi-distant from either bar, both blockading fleets +could be distinctly seen, and the outward bound blockade-runners could +take their choice through which of them to run the gauntlet. The inward +bound blockade-runners, too, were guided by circumstances of wind and +weather; selecting that bar over which they would cross, after they had +passed the Gulf Stream; and shaping their course accordingly. The +approaches to both bars were clear of danger, with the single exception +of the "Lump" before mentioned; and so regular are the soundings that +the shore can be coasted for miles within a stone's throw of the +breakers. + +These facts explain why the United States fleet were unable wholly to +stop blockade-running. It was, indeed, impossible to do so; the result +to the very close of the war proves this assertion; for in spite of the +vigilance of the fleet, many blockade-runners were afloat when Fort +Fisher was captured. In truth the passage through the fleet was little +dreaded; for although the blockade-runner might receive a shot or two, +she was rarely disabled; and in proportion to the increase of the fleet, +the greater would be the danger (we knew,) of their firing into each +other. As the boys before the deluge used to say, they would be very apt +"to miss the cow and kill the calf." The chief danger was upon the open +sea; many of the light cruisers having great speed. As soon as one of +them discovered a blockade-runner during daylight she would attract +other cruisers in the vicinity by sending up a dense column of smoke, +visible for many miles in clear weather. A "cordon" of fast steamers +stationed ten or fifteen miles apart _inside the Gulf Stream_, and in +the course from Nassau and Bermuda to Wilmington and Charleston, would +have been more effectual in stopping blockade-running than the whole +United States Navy concentrated off those ports; and it was +unaccountable to us why such a plan did not occur to good Mr. Welles; +but it was not our place to suggest it. I have no doubt, however, that +the fraternity to which I then belonged would have unanimously voted +thanks and a service of plate to the Hon. Secretary of the United States +Navy for this oversight. I say _inside the Gulf Stream_, because every +experienced captain of a blockade-runner made a point to cross "the +stream" early enough in the afternoon, if possible, to establish the +ship's position by chronometer so as to escape the influence of that +current upon his dead reckoning. The lead always gave indication of our +distance from the land, but not, of course, of our position; and the +numerous salt works along the coast, where evaporation was produced by +fire, and which were at work night and day were visible long before the +low coast could be seen. Occasionally the whole inward voyage would be +made under adverse conditions. Cloudy, thick weather and heavy gales +would prevail so as to prevent any solar or lunar observations, and +reduce the dead reckoning to mere guess work. In these cases the +nautical knowledge and judgment of the captain would be taxed to the +utmost. The current of the Gulf Stream varies in velocity and (within +certain limits) in direction; and the stream, itself almost as well +defined as a river within its banks under ordinary circumstances, is +impelled by a strong gale toward the direction in which the wind is +blowing, overflowing its banks as it were. The counter current, too, +inside of the Gulf Stream is much influenced by the prevailing winds. +Upon one occasion, while in command of the R. E. Lee, we had experienced +very heavy and thick weather; and had crossed the Stream and struck +soundings about midday. The weather then clearing so that we could +obtain an altitude near meridian we found ourselves at least forty miles +north of our supposed position and near the shoals which extend in a +southerly direction off Cape Lookout. It would be more perilous to run +out to sea than to continue on our course, for we had passed through +the off shore line of blockaders, and the sky had become perfectly +clear. I determined to personate a transport bound to Beaufort, which +was in the possession of the United States forces, and the coaling +station of the fleet blockading Wilmington. The risk of detection was +not very great, for many of the captured blockade-runners were used as +transports and dispatch vessels. Shaping our course for Beaufort, and +slowing down, as we were in no haste to get there, we passed several +vessels, showing United States colors to them all. Just as we were +crossing through the ripple of shallow water off the "tail" of the +shoals, we dipped our colors to a sloop of war which passed three or +four miles to the south of us. The courtesy was promptly responded to; +but I have no doubt her captain thought me a lubberly and careless +seaman to shave the shoals so closely. We stopped the engines when no +vessel was in sight; and I was relieved from a heavy burden of anxiety +as the sun sank below the horizon; and the course was shaped at full +speed for Masonboro' Inlet. + +A few days after our arrival at Wilmington the Giraffe was transferred +to the Confederate Government, and named the R. E. Lee; and +thenceforward carried the Confederate flag. Our friend the Major +fulfilled his promise of meeting me in Richmond, having made his way +across the Potomac. He made a gallant effort to get possession of the +ship; but Mr. Seddon, who had succeeded Mr. Randolph as Secretary of War +during our absence, contended that the Government had a juster claim; +and the facts of the case were too stubborn even for the Major's +determined persistence. + + + "The best laid plans of mice and men + Gang aft agley." + + +The Secretary of War having carried his point, the Major directed his +efforts towards another quarter, and more successfully. Indeed he rarely +failed in any enterprise requiring nerve, perseverance, tact, and +ability; and it may well be added that he seemed to accumulate wealth to +enjoy the pleasure of spending it worthily. His unostentatious charities +during the war were almost boundless; and hundreds of widows and orphans +blessed him for the relief which he extended to them in those dark days, +when even medicines were contraband of war, and the simplest necessaries +of life were beyond the reach of nearly every one in the Confederacy. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Dyer and the Sailing Captain.--First Voyage to Nassau.--Major + Ficklen and the Two Young Lieutenants.--Our Old Skipper "Captain + Dick."--Bermuda.--The Races there and elsewhere.--Description of + Bermuda.--Moore, the Poet, and his Rival Mr. Tucker.--Tame + Fish.--The Naval Station.--Col. B.'s Accident. + + +Before sailing with our cargo of cotton for Nassau, a signal officer was +detailed for the ship, (signal stations having been established along +the coast for the benefit of the blockade-runners;) and I was compelled +to discharge my pilot Dyer. He and the sailing captain, who was to take +passage with us, his engagement having terminated with the transfer of +the vessel to the Confederate flag, had been quarreling incessantly +during my absence from Wilmington, and had finally become mortal foes. +An hour or more after my return to the ship, while sitting in the cabin, +I heard loud and angry altercation overhead; and going on deck, I saw +Dyer pacing up and down the wharf, along side which the "Lee" was lying; +while the sailing captain was bidding him defiance from the steamer's +deck; Dyer with a drawn knife in his hand, and the captain armed with a +handspike. They had exhausted their vocabulary of abuse, but neither was +disposed to invade the enemy's territory. At last Dyer cried out "Come +ashore you d----d English hog, and I'll make mince meat of you!" I shall +never forget the expression of the captain's face at this cruel taunt. +He was literally struck speechless for a moment; then turning to me and +drawing himself up with a thumb in his arm-hole, and the handspike over +his shoulder, he exclaimed, "Now, sir, isn't that _too_ bad! Do I _look_ +like a Henglish og?" To this pathetic appeal, I could but answer "no," +but the fact was they bore a ludicrous resemblance to two boars about to +engage in mortal combat; the captain, with his jolly, rosy face and +portly figure, not at all unlike a sleek, well fed "White Chester," and +Dyer quite as much resembling a lean, lank, wiry "razor-back" native of +his own pine woods. I discharged Dyer. The poor fellow's subsequent fate +was a sad one. While acting as pilot of a blockade-runner, inward bound, +he committed the folly one day of saying that he would put a steamer +under his charge ashore, before he would be captured. The remark was +overheard and treasured up by some of the crew; and a night or two +afterwards the steamer ran aground on the bar in the attempt to enter +Cape Fear River, and was deserted. As she was under the shelter of the +guns of Fort Caswell, a boat from shore was sent off to her next +morning, and poor Dyer was found in a dying condition on the deck with +his skull fractured. He had paid for his folly with his life. + +Our first voyage to Nassau was made without any unusual incident. The +Major took passage with us by permission of the Secretary of War, and +his practical jokes amused every one except the butt of them; even the +aggrieved party, himself, being frequently obliged to laugh at his own +expense. There were two very young lieutenants of the Confederate Navy +then in Nassau, on their way to Europe; the senior of whom _ranking_ the +other by one or two days, assumed much authority over him. One day the +Major with the help of an accomplice, who was supposed to be able to +imitate my handwriting, addressed an official letter to the senior in my +name, informing him that both of them had been reported to me for +unofficer-like and unbecoming conduct, and requiring them to repair +immediately on board the Lee with their luggage, as I felt it to be an +imperative duty to take them back to the Confederacy for trial by +court-martial. The junior demurred, believing it to be a hoax, but the +senior peremptorily ordered him to accompany him on board. They were +caught in a drenching shower on their way to the Lee; and they made +their appearance in the cabin in a sorry plight, reporting themselves +"in obedience to orders," handing me the written document. As I +pronounced it a forgery, the junior turned to the senior and exclaimed, +"What did I tell you? didn't I say it was a hoax of that d----d Major +Ficklen?" They started to the shore, vowing vengeance; but the Major had +posted his sentinels at every street corner near the landing, and +successfully eluded them. They were to sail that afternoon at four +o'clock; and after a fruitless chase, went to the hotel to get dinner. +While sitting at the table, and some time after soup was served, a +waiter came to them "with Major Ficklen's compliments and the pleasure +of a glass of champagne with them." After a hurried consultation, they +decided to bury the hatchet; and bowed over their wine to the Major, who +had just slipped into a seat reserved for him at the other end of the +long and crowded table, and was smiling graciously in their direction. +As Ficklen bade them "good-bye," he said "Don't forget me, my sons!" +"No, indeed," they replied, "you may swear we never will!" + +Seeing the necessity, while at Nassau, of carrying a Bahama Banks pilot, +I engaged our worthy old skipper, Captain Dick Watkins, who served under +my command for many months, maintaining and deserving the respect of all +on board. His son, and only heir to his name and fortune, Napoleon +Bonaparte, gave him much anxiety. "Ah, Sir," he said on one occasion, +"dat b----y's heddication has cost me a sight of money, as much as ten +dollars a year for two or three years, and he don't know nothing +hardly." During one of our voyages he had left his wife quite sick at +home. My young friend Johnny T---- was endeavoring to console him. "But +the ole 'oman is _mighty_ sick, Master Johnny," said the old fellow, +"and I don't spect to see her no more." Johnny's heart was touched. The +silence was broken by Captain Dick after a long pause, "dere are some +mighty pretty yaller gals in _Nassau_, Master Johnny!" He had the +profoundest respect for the head of the firm of A----y and Co. in +Nassau, the "King Conch" as he was irreverently styled by us outside +barbarians. Speaking of the firm upon one occasion he assured me the +members were as wealthy as the "_Roths children_." My good purser and +the old captain were fast friends, the former fighting the old fellow's +battles in Rebeldom; and once, when the latter was unjustly treated in +Wilmington, the purser "took the daggers," and bore him triumphantly +through the difficulty. + +We made two or three trips between Wilmington and Nassau during the +winter of 1862-3 encountering no extraordinary hazards. During one of +them we arrived within ten or twelve miles of the western bar too early +in the night to cross it, as the ebb tide was still running; and it was +always my custom to cross the bar on a rising tide, if possible. All the +usual preparations had been made on board for running through the fleet, +and as no sail was in sight we steamed cautiously in toward the land +until we arrived within a cable's length of the shore, and in the dense +shadow of a comparatively high bluff. Here we dropped a kedge and rode +by the hawser. Although there was no moon, the stars were shining +brightly; and the air was so calm and still, that the silence was +oppressive. While we were lying in the friendly shadow of the bluff, +one of the blockading fleet could be occasionally seen from our deck, +steaming slowly along upon her "beat" a short distance outside of us. +When the time arrived for making the dash at the bar, the kedge was run +up to the bows by willing hands, and the "Lee" started at full speed. +When the land was once fairly got hold of, and our exact position known, +the chances were ten to one in our favor. No blockader could get inshore +of us to cut us off from the bar, and we believed that we could either +go by or go over anything in our course; and in extremity we could beach +the vessel with the probability of being able to save most, if not the +whole of the cargo. + +During the month of March, 1863, the Lee's port of destination was St. +George's, Bermuda. This island is easily accessible on the southern +side, and was much resorted to by blockade-runners. Surrounded on all +other sides by dangerous coral reefs, which extend for many miles into +deep water, a vessel of heavy draft can approach from the south within a +cable's length of the shore. A light of the first class at the west end +of the group composing the "Bermudas," is visible for many miles in +clear weather. It may as well be mentioned here, that the +blockade-runners rarely approached _any_ head land during daylight; +"preferring darkness rather than light." The agent of the Confederate +Government, Major Walker, with his staff of assistants, lived at St. +George's; and he and his accomplished wife always welcomed their +compatriots with genuine hospitality. The house of Mr. Black (an +assistant of the Major) was also open to us, and no sick exile from home +will ever forget the tender nursing of Mrs. Black and the kindness of +that whole family. The little graveyard attached to the Episcopal church +at St. George's, contains all that is mortal of several gallant youths +from the south, who died of yellow fever; but they were soothed in the +hours of their last illness by Christian counsel, and by tender hands. +The white natives of the island, too, extended many attentions and +civilities to Confederates, so that St. George's became not only a +harbor of refuge, but a pleasant resting place after the excitement and +fatigue of an outward voyage. The same antagonism which prevails between +the white and the black races, wherever they live together upon equal +terms, exists in Bermuda. People are classed there as "colored and +_plain_" and a fine of one pound sterling is imposed for calling the +former "negroes." There must be a natural antipathy between the two +races; or at least it seems to exist in the heart of the negro, for +wherever he has the power, he shows his dislike and jealousy of the +white man. In Hayti, since the French inhabitants were murdered, the +jealousy and hatred of the negroes have been directed against the +mulattoes, who have been nearly exterminated; and the whites in Jamaica +would have shared the same fate at the hands of a brutal horde of black +savages a few years ago, but for the premature exposure of the plot, and +the vigorous action of the Governor of the island. In the model republic +of Liberia no white man can obtain the right of citizenship, own real +estate, nor sit upon a jury. Nowhere in the world did there exist the +same kindly relation between the two races, as in the South before the +war; and even now, the older negroes seek aid and advice, when in +difficulties, from their former owners, although they have been misled +by unprincipled adventurers, by whom they have been taught to distrust +them in politics. A short time ago Dr. B----, a Virginia gentleman, was +asked by a Northerner his opinion of the negroes' feelings toward the +Southern people. "I will tell you," replied Dr. B. "If you and I were +candidates for the same office, you would get every negro's vote; but, +if one of them wanted advice or assistance he would come to me or some +other southerner." + +The group composing the "Bermudas" still justifies the reputation given +to it by one of the British admirals of the "olden time." The +"Bermoothees," he records in his quaintly written journal, "is a hellish +place for thunder, lightning, and storms." Shakspeare, too, sends +"Ariel" to "fetch dew" from the "still vexed Bermoothes" for his +exacting master Prospero. But although gales of wind during the winter, +and thunder storms in the summer, are so prevalent, the climate is +delightful. There are upward of three hundred islands in the group, most +of them mere barren coral rocks; and the largest, St. George's, is not +more than three miles long, and about a mile in width. The roads are cut +out of the soft coral, which hardens by exposure to the atmosphere, and +are perfect. + +There are several very curious natural caves about five miles distant +from St. George's; and near one of them is still pointed out the +calabash tree under which the Irish poet, Tom Moore, is said to have +composed one of his sonnets to _Nea_, who afterwards became the wife of +Mr. Tucker, and left many descendants on the island. The venerable old +gentleman was living, in his ninetieth year, when I was last in St. +George's; and although the bride of his youth, and his rival the poet, +had been long mouldering in their graves, he was still so jealous of the +latter that he would not allow his great-grandchildren to keep a copy of +the poet's works in the house. + +The only indigenous tree upon the islands, I believe, is the cedar; the +oleander, which now grows everywhere, having been introduced by Mr. +Tucker. Nearly all of the tropical fruits grow there, and many +indigenous to the temperate zone; but the staple products are potatoes +and onions, chiefly for the New York market, and arrow root. The waters +teem with fish of the most brilliantly beautiful colors. An ingenious +individual has succeeded in taming a number, by availing himself of a +natural cavity in the coral situated close to the shore and a few miles +distant from St. George's. The sea water, percolating through the coral, +supplies the basin. At a whistle the tame fish swim close to the edge +and feed from one's hand. + +There is a naval station at "Ireland Island," and a floating dock +(which was built in England and towed out,) capable of taking in the +largest-sized man of war. The naval officers attached to the dock-yard, +and to the men of war, were always friendly and more than civil to +Confederates; being sometimes, indeed, too profuse in their hospitality. +Upon one occasion, Col. ---- a personal friend of mine, had obtained a +furlough, and permission to make a trip in the Lee, for the sake of his +health, broken by the hardships of a campaign in northern Virginia. The +purser, who was always ready for a "lark," and the Colonel, who was of +an inquiring turn of mind, paid a visit to the dock-yard. After an +inspection of it, they went on board several of the men of war in +harbor, receiving on board each of them refreshments, solid and liquid. +They had crossed over to Ireland Island in a sail-boat, and when about +to return, were escorted to the wharf by a party of officers. Their boat +was lying outside of another, containing a fat old washerwoman; and +Col.----, who had had no experience in boating in his life, except +"paddling his own canoe" upon a mill pond in Amelia county, Va., stopped +to exchange farewell salutations with the party of officers on the +wharf, while he stood with one foot in the "stern sheets" of the +washerwoman's boat, and the other in his own. The boatman forward, +ignorant of the critical state of affairs, hoisted the jib, and the +boat, under the influence of a stiff breeze, began to "pay off" before +the wind. Before Col. ---- could "realize the situation," he was in the +attitude of the Colossus of Rhodes. The purser promptly seized one of +his legs, and the fat washerwoman with equal presence of mind, laid hold +of the other. Each was determined not to let go, and the strain upon the +Colonel must have been terrific; but he was equal to the emergency. +Taking in the whole situation, he deliberately drew his watch out of his +pocket, and holding it high above his head with both hands, he said, +with his usually imperturbable calmness, "Well I reckon you had better +let go!" His endeavors to protect his watch proved to have been +fruitless; the purser indeed always insists that he touched bottom in +three fathoms of water. He returned on board the Lee to be wrung out and +dried. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + We sail for Wilmington.--Thick Weather on the Coast.--Anchored + among the Blockading Fleet.--The "Mound."--Running the Blockade by + Moonlight.--A Device to mislead the Enemy.--The man Hester. + + +After discharging our cargo of cotton and loading with supplies for the +Confederate Government, chiefly for the army of Northern Virginia, we +sailed for Wilmington in the latter part of the month of March. Our +return voyage was uneventful, until we reached the coast near +Masonborough Inlet, distant about nine miles north of the "New Inlet" +bar. The weather had been pleasant during the voyage, and we had sighted +the _fires_ from the salt works along the coast, but before we could get +hold of the land, a little before midnight, a densely black cloud made +its appearance to the north and east; and the rapidity with which it +rose and enlarged, indicated too surely that a heavy gale was coming +from that quarter. We had been unable to distinguish any landmark before +the storm burst in all its fury upon us, and the rain poured in +torrents. Our supply of coals was too limited to enable us, with +prudence, to put to sea again; and of course, the marks or ranges for +crossing the bar would not be visible fifty yards in such thick weather. +Being quite confident of our position, however, I determined to run down +the coast, and anchor off the bar till daylight. Knowing the "trend" of +the land north of New Inlet bar, the engine was slowed down and the lead +kept going on both sides. The sounding continued quite regular three and +three and a quarter fathoms, with the surf thundering within a stone's +throw on our starboard beam, and nothing visible in the blinding +torrents of rain. I knew that if my calculated position was correct, the +water would shoal very suddenly just before reaching the bar; but a +trying hour or more of suspense had passed before the welcome fact was +announced by the leadsmen. The course and distance run, and the +soundings up to this point proved, beyond doubt, that we had now reached +the "horse shoe" north of New Inlet bar. At the moment when both of the +leadsmen almost simultaneously called out "and a quarter less three," +the helm was put hard a-starboard, and the Lee's bow was pointed +seaward. We could not prudently anchor in less than five fathoms water, +as the sea was rising rapidly; and that depth would carry us into the +midst of the blockading fleet at anchor outside. It seemed an age before +the cry came from the leadsmen "by the mark five." The Lee was instantly +stopped, and one of the bower anchors let go, veering to thirty fathoms +on the chain. The cable was then well stoppered at the "bitts," and +unshackled; and two men stationed at the stopper, with axes, and the +order to cut the lashings, instantly, when so ordered; the fore-staysail +was loosed, and hands stationed at the halliards; and the chief engineer +directed to keep up a full head of steam. The night wore slowly away; +and once or twice we caught a glimpse, by a flash of lightning, of the +blockading fleet around us, rolling and pitching in the heavy sea. The +watch having been set, the rest of the officers and crew were permitted +to go below, except the chief engineer and the pilot. We paced the +bridge, anxiously waiting for daylight. It came at last, and there, +right astern of us, looming up through the mist and rain, was the +"Mound." We had only to steer for it, to be on our right course for +crossing the bar. The stoppers were cut, the engine started ahead, and +the fore stay-sail hoisted. As the chain rattled through the hawse-hole, +the Lee wore rapidly around, and the Confederate flag was run up to the +peak as she dashed toward the bar with the speed of a greyhound slipped +from the leash. The bar was a sheet of foam and surf, breaking sheer +across the channel; but the great length of the Lee enabled her to ride +over three or four of the short chopping seas at once, and she never +touched the bottom. In less than half an hour from the time when we +slipped our chain under the guns of the fleet, we had passed beyond Fort +Fisher, and were on our way up the river to Wilmington. + +The "Mound" was an artificial one, erected by Colonel Lamb, who +commanded Fort Fisher. Two heavy guns were mounted upon it, and it +eventually became a site for a light, and very serviceable to +blockade-runners; but even at this period, it was an excellent landmark. +Joined by a long low isthmus of sand with the higher main land, its +regular conical shape enabled the blockade-runners easily to identify it +from the offing; and in clear weather, it showed plain and distinct +against the sky at night. I believe the military men used to laugh slyly +at the Colonel for undertaking its erection, predicting that it would +not stand; but the result showed the contrary; and whatever difference +of opinion may have existed with regard to its value as a military +position, there can be but one as to its utility to the +blockade-runners, for it was not a landmark, alone, along this +monotonous coast; but one of the range lights for crossing New Inlet bar +was placed on it. Seamen will appreciate at its full value, this +advantage; but it may be stated, for the benefit of the unprofessional +reader, that while the compass bearing of an object does not enable a +pilot to steer a vessel with sufficient accuracy through a narrow +channel, _range lights_ answer the purpose completely. These lights were +only set after signals had been exchanged between the blockade-runner +and the shore station, and were removed immediately after the vessel had +entered the river. The range lights were changed as circumstances +required; for the New Inlet channel, itself, was and is constantly +changing, being materially affected both in depth of water, and in its +course, by a heavy gale of wind or a severe freshet in Cape Fear River. + +The "Lee" continued to make her regular trips either to Nassau or +Bermuda, as circumstances required, during the summer of 1863; carrying +abroad cotton and naval stores, and bringing in "hardware," as munitions +of war were then invoiced. Usually the time selected for sailing was +during the "dark of the moon," but upon one occasion, a new pilot had +been detailed for duty on board, who failed in many efforts to get the +ship over the "rip," a shifting sand bar a mile or more inside the true +bar. More than a week of valuable time had thus been lost, but the +exigencies of the army being at that time more than usually urgent, I +determined to run what appeared to be a very great risk. The tide +serving at ten o'clock, we succeeded in crossing the rip at that hour, +and as we passed over New Inlet bar, the moon rose in a cloudless sky. +It was a calm night too, and the regular beat of our paddles through the +smooth water sounded to our ears ominously loud. As we closely skirted +the shore, the blockading vessels were plainly visible to us, some at +anchor, some under way; and some of them so near to us that we saw, or +fancied we saw, with our night glasses, the men on watch on their +forecastles; but as we were inside of them all, and invisible against +the background of the land, we passed beyond them undiscovered. The roar +of the surf breaking upon the beach, prevented the noise of our paddles +from being heard. The Lee's head was not pointed seaward, however, until +we had run ten or twelve miles along the land so close to the breakers +that we could almost have tossed a biscuit into them, and no vessel was +to be seen in any direction. Discovery of us by the fleet would probably +have been fatal to us, but the risk was really not so great as it +appeared; for, as I had been informed by a blockade-runner who had been +once captured and released, being a British subject, the vigilance on +board the blockading fleet was much relaxed during the moonlit nights. +The vessels were sent to Beaufort to coal at these times. My informant +was an officer of the British Navy, and was the guest, for a few days +after his capture, of Captain Patterson then commanding the blockading +fleet off the Cape Fear. Speaking of the arduous service, P. remarked to +him, that he never undressed nor retired to bed, during the dark nights; +but could enjoy those luxuries when the moon was shining. On this hint I +acted. + +It was about this time that I adopted an expedient which proved of great +service on several occasions. A blockade-runner did not often pass +through the fleet without receiving one or more shots, but these were +always preceded by the flash of a calcium light, or by a blue light; and +immediately followed by two rockets thrown in the direction of the +blockade-runner. The signals were probably concerted each day for the +ensuing night, as they appeared to be constantly changed; but the +rockets were invariably sent up. I ordered a lot of rockets from New +York. Whenever all hands were called to run through the fleet, an +officer was stationed alongside of me on the bridge with the rockets. +One or two minutes after our immediate pursuer had sent up his rockets I +would direct ours to be discharged at a right angle to our course. The +whole fleet would be misled, for even if the vessel which had discovered +us were not deceived, the rest of the fleet would be baffled. + +While we were lying at anchor in the harbor of St. George's, during one +of our trips, I was notified by the Governor of the island, that an +officer of the Confederate Navy, then held as a prisoner on board one of +H. B. M.'s ships of war at the naval anchorage, would be delivered up to +me for transportation to the Confederacy, if I would assume the charge. +This officer was charged with the murder of a messmate on board the +Confederate States steamer Sumter, while lying at Gibraltar. The demand +for his extradition, made by the Confederate Government, had been +complied with by the British Government after much delay; and he was +turned over to me for transportation to the Confederacy. Although the +crime appeared to have been committed under circumstances of peculiar +atrocity--it being alleged that the victim was asleep at the time he was +shot--I so far respected the commission which the criminal bore, as to +place him upon parole. Upon reporting his arrival at Wilmington to the +Secretary of the Navy, the latter directed me to release him, upon the +ground that it would be impossible to convict him by court-martial, all +of the witnesses to the transaction being abroad. The man, Hester, was +therefore released, and was never heard of again, I believe, during the +war; but he has added to his evil reputation since its close, by plying +the infamous trade (under the guise of United States Secret Service +agent) of false informer and persecutor in several of the Southern +States. The General Government failed to exercise its usual careful +discrimination in making this appointment! The base renegades are many +degrees worse even than the unprincipled adventurers from the North who +have so long preyed upon the South. The latter are only thieves and +robbers; the former are, in addition, unnatural monsters, who hate their +own people and are guilty of the crime of Judas, who betrayed his Lord +for thirty pieces of silver. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + The Confederate States Steamer "Florida."--Short Supply of + Coal.--The "Florida's" Decks.--Tea and Costly China.--Narrow Escape + from Capture.--Miss Lucy G.--Arrival at Bermuda.--Our uneventful + Trip inward.--The Johnson's Island Expedition.--Another Narrow + Escape.--"Pretty Shooting."--Arrival at Halifax, N. S. + + +During the latter part of July, 1863, the "Lee" was lying in the harbor +of St. George's, when the Confederate States steamer "Florida" arrived +there in want of coal, of which there happened to be a very limited +supply on hand. The most suitable coal was procured with difficulty +throughout the war, all of the British coals, although excellent for +raising steam, making more or less smoke, and objectionable on that +account Exportation of the American anthracite, which would have been +almost invaluable, was prohibited by the Government. This is, I believe, +the only accessible, or at least available nonbituminous coal in the +world; but the best substitute for it is the Welsh semi-bituminous coal, +and this was chiefly used by the blockade-runners. + +The Florida was in greater need of coal than ourselves, for the United +States steamer Wachusett came into port a day or two after the former, +and Maffitt, in command of the Florida, wished to get to sea first. When +belligerent rights were accorded to the Confederate Government by +foreign powers, the Confederate cruisers were admitted into their ports +upon equal terms with the United States men of war, except that there +was no interchange of _official_ courtesies. In order to preserve strict +neutrality toward the contending powers, a man of war under either flag +was not permitted to follow out of a neutral port a ship under the +enemy's colors within twenty-four hours of the sailing of the latter; +and it was an equal violation of neutrality for a ship of war under +either flag to cruise within a marine league of neutral territory. + +When occasion required no one could be more resolute than Maffitt, as he +had repeatedly shown in the management of the Florida; and especially +when he ran the gauntlet in broad daylight through the whole Federal +fleet blockading Mobile, and for which affair Preble, then commanding +the fleet, was so harshly dealt with; but the chief object of the +Confederate cruisers being to destroy the American commerce, an +engagement with a United States ship of war was to be avoided, if +possible. + +The Florida's deck, when the crew were at their meals, was a curious +scene; the plain fare of the sailors being served in costly china, +captured from homeward bound "Indiamen," and the scamps had become +fastidious in their taste about tea. I had the pleasure to carry into +Wilmington ten or twelve chests of the finest hyson, which were +distributed among the hospitals; and a lot of silver ingots made a +narrow escape from confiscation. But the law officers in Bermuda, whom +Maffitt consulted, assuring him that they would be adjudged legal prize +of war in the British courts, they were shipped to England, instead of +the Confederacy, and there returned to the claimants. + +Although there was no exchange of civilities between the officers of the +two ships, the sailors harmonized amiably and got drunk together ashore +with mutual good will. A jack tar is probably the only representative +left of the old "free lance," who served under any flag where he was +sure of pay and booty. The blue jackets will fight under any colors, +where there is a fair prospect of adventure and prize money. + +After the Florida had been coaled, there was scarcely a sufficient +supply left to carry the Lee into Wilmington under the most favorable +circumstances; but it was necessary either to sail at once, or to wait +two weeks for the next moon. Our chief engineer had noticed a large pile +of coal on one of the wharves rented by the Confederate agent; but the +heap had been so long exposed to the weather, and trampled upon for so +many months, that it appeared to be a mere pile of dirt. "Necessity +having no law," however, we shoveled off the surface; and were surprised +to find that it was of very fair quality. It made an abundance of steam, +indeed, but burned with great rapidity; and although we took on board an +extra supply, we were able to retain barely enough English coal in the +bunkers to use in running through the fleet on our next outward voyage. +The consequence was the narrowest escape from capture ever made by the +Lee while under my command. + +We were ready to sail for Nassau on the 15th of August, 1863, and had on +board, as usual, several passengers. Indeed we rarely made a trip +either way without as many as could be accommodated, and many ladies +among them. My observation of the conduct of the fair sex, under trying +and novel circumstances, has convinced me that they face inevitable +dangers more bravely and with more composure than men. I have frequently +seen a frail, delicate woman standing erect and unflinching upon the +deck, as the shells were whistling and bursting over us, while her +lawful protector would be cowering "under the lee" of a cotton bale. I +pay this humble tribute of admiration to the sex, but a cynical old +bachelor, to whom I once made the observation, replied that in his +opinion their insatiable curiosity prevailed even over their natural +fears! + +On our outward voyage we had among our passengers ex-Senator Gwin and +his daughter, and Dr. and Mrs. P. We passed safely through the +blockading fleet off the New Inlet Bar, receiving no damage from the few +shots fired at us, and gained an offing from the coast of thirty miles +by daylight. By this time our supply of English coal had been exhausted, +and we were obliged to commence upon North Carolina coal of very +inferior quality, and which smoked terribly. We commenced on this fuel +a little after daylight. Very soon afterwards the vigilant look-out at +the mast-head called out "Sail ho!" and in reply to the "where away" +from the deck, sang out "Right astern, sir, and in chase." The morning +was very clear. Going to the mast-head I could just discern the royal of +the chaser; and before I left there, say in half an hour, her +top-gallant sail showed above the horizon. By this time the sun had +risen in a cloudless sky. It was evident our pursuer would be alongside +of us by mid-day at the rate we were then going. The first orders given +were to throw overboard the deck-load of cotton and to make more steam. +The latter proved to be more easily given than executed; the chief +engineer reporting that it was impossible to make steam with the +wretched stuff filled with slate and dirt. A moderate breeze from the +north and east had been blowing ever since daylight and every stitch of +canvas on board the square-rigged steamer in our wake was drawing. We +were steering east by south, and it was clear that the chaser's +advantages could only be neutralized either by bringing the "Lee" +gradually head to wind or edging away to bring the wind aft. The former +course would be running toward the land, besides incurring the +additional risk of being intercepted and captured by some of the inshore +cruisers. I began to edge away therefore, and in two or three hours +enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing our pursuer clew up and furl his +sails. The breeze was still blowing as fresh as in the morning, but we +were now running directly away from it, and the cruiser was going +literally as fast as the wind, causing the sails to be rather a +hindrance than a help. But she was still gaining on us. A happy +inspiration occurred to me when the case seemed hopeless. Sending for +the chief engineer I said "Mr. S., let us try cotton, saturated with +spirits of turpentine." There were on board, as part of the deck load, +thirty or forty barrels of "spirits." In a very few moments, a bale of +cotton was ripped open, a barrel tapped, and buckets full of the +saturated material passed down into the fire-room. The result exceeded +our expectations. The chief engineer, an excitable little Frenchman from +Charleston, very soon made his appearance on the bridge, his eyes +sparkling with triumph, and reported a full head of steam. Curious to +see the effect upon our speed, I directed him to wait a moment until the +log was hove. I threw it myself, nine and a half knots. "Let her go now +sir!" I said. Five minutes afterwards, I hove the log again, _thirteen +and a quarter_. We now began to hold our own, and even to gain a little +upon the chaser; but she was fearfully near, and I began to have visions +of another residence at Fort Warren, as I saw the "big bone in the +mouth" of our pertinacious friend, for she was near enough to us at one +time for us to see distinctly the white curl of foam under her bows, +called by that name among seamen. I wonder if they could have screwed +another turn of speed out of her if they had known that the Lee had on +board, in addition to her cargo of cotton, a large amount of gold +shipped by the Confederate Government? There continued to be a very +slight change in our relative positions till about six o'clock in the +afternoon, when the chief engineer again made his appearance, with a +very ominous expression of countenance. He came to report that the burnt +cotton had choked the flues, and that the steam was running down. "Only +keep her going till dark, sir," I replied, "and we will give our pursuer +the slip yet." A heavy bank was lying along the horizon to the south and +east; and I saw a possible means of escape. At sunset the chaser was +about four miles astern and gaining upon us. Calling two of my most +reliable officers, I stationed one of them on each wheel-house, with +glasses, directing them to let me know the instant they lost sight of +the chaser in the growing darkness. At the same time, I ordered the +chief engineer to make as black a smoke as possible, and to be in +readiness to cut off the smoke, by closing the dampers instantly, when +ordered. The twilight was soon succeeded by darkness. Both of the +officers on the wheel house called out at the same moment, "We have lost +sight of her," while a dense volume of smoke was streaming far in our +wake. "Close the dampers," I called out through the speaking tube, and +at the same moment ordered the helm "hard a starboard." Our course was +altered eight points, at a right angle to the previous one. I remained +on deck an hour, and then retired to my state-room with a comfortable +sense of security. We had fired so hard that the very planks on the +bridge were almost scorching hot, and my feet were nearly blistered. I +put them out of the window to cool, after taking off slippers and socks. +While in this position, Miss Lucy G. came on the bridge in company with +her father. Tapping my foot with her hand, she said, "Ah, captain, I +see we are all safe, and I congratulate you!" At one time during the +chase, when capture seemed inevitable, the kegs containing the gold had +been brought on deck, and one of them opened by my orders, it being my +intention to distribute its contents among the officers and crew. Miss +Lucy, who preserved her presence of mind throughout the trying scenes of +the day, called me aside, and suggested that she should fill a purse for +me, and keep it about her person, until the prize crew had taken +possession, and all danger of personal search was over, when she would +make an opportunity to give it to me; and I have no doubt she would have +accomplished her intentions if occasion had required. The chaser proved +afterwards to be the "Iroquois." Feeling confident that she would +continue on the course toward Abaco, and perhaps have another and more +successful chase, I changed the destination of the Lee to Bermuda, where +we arrived safely two days afterward. + +Upon the arrival of the Lee at Wilmington, after one more trip to +Nassau, I was summoned by telegraph to Richmond. An attempt was to be +made for the release of the prisoners at Johnson's Island. This island, +situated in the harbor of Sandusky, on Lake Erie, was supposed to be +easily accessible from Canada, and the Canadian shore; but it was left +to the judgment of the officer in command how the details were to be +arranged, his sole explicit instructions being not to violate the +neutrality of British territory. How this was to be avoided has ever +seemed impossible to me, but having been selected to command the +expedition, I resolved to disregard all personal consequences, and to +leave the responsibility to be borne by the Confederate Government. A +party of twenty-six officers of the different grades was detailed for +the service. The Lee, laden with a cargo of cotton, was to carry us to +Halifax, N. S.; the cotton to be consigned to a firm there, who were to +purchase, with a part of the proceeds, blankets, shoes, etc., for the +army; the balance to be retained for the benefit of the prisoners, if +released. My successor in command of the Lee took passage with us. We +sailed for Halifax on the night of October 10th, 1863. The season was so +far advanced, that we could not afford to lose even a day; we therefore +dropped down the Cape Fear River to Smithville as soon as the +preparations were completed, and although the night was very clear, I +determined to attempt the passage through the fleet soon after dark, so +as to get as far north along the coast as possible before daylight. We +crossed the western bar about nine o'clock at night, and instead of +"hugging" the shore, which would have carried us too far to the +southward and westward, the course was shaped so as to clear the Frying +Pan Shoals. We had been running at full speed for nearly an hour, when a +shot came whizzing a few feet over our bulwarks, and struck the water +just beyond us; it was followed immediately by another, which striking a +little short "ricocheted" over us; and then a third, which crashing +through the starboard bulwarks, burst in a cotton bale on the port side, +and set fire to it; several men being wounded by splinters and fragments +of the shells. The flames leaped high into the air, and there was a +momentary confusion on board, but the order to throw the burning bale +overboard was promptly executed, and for some time afterwards we could +see it blazing far astern. We never saw the cruiser which fired at us, +as she was inshore, and although several more shots were fired, each +succeeding one flew wider from the mark. We promptly sent up our two +rockets abeam, and experienced no further trouble, easily avoiding a +sloop of war cruising off the end of the Frying Pan Shoals. The fact is, +a blockade-runner was almost as invisible at night as Harlequin in the +pantomime. Nothing showed above the deck but the two short masts, and +the smoke-stack; and the lead colored hull could scarcely be seen at the +distance of one hundred yards. Even in a clear day, they were not easily +discovered. Upon one occasion, when bound to Wilmington, we had crossed +the Gulf Stream and struck soundings, when the look-out aloft reported a +cruiser in sight ahead, and lying "_a-hull_" with her broadside exposed +to us. It was evident, of course, that we were undiscovered so long as +she lay in this position, and we continued to steam towards her, until +we could plainly see her broadside guns. It was time for us to stop, but +we preserved the same distance, undiscovered, for at least two hours. +The engineer then reporting that the steam was running down, I directed +him to fire up cautiously. The second shovel-full had scarcely been +tossed into the furnace when a slight puff of smoke passed out of our +smoke-stack, and at the same instant, the cruiser ahead wore round, and +commenced a pursuit. There was clearly no want of vigilance on board of +her. But to return from this digression. By next morning we had got +beyond dangerous waters. Some amusement was occasioned at the breakfast +table by Johnny T., who had overheard the soliloquy of Colonel B. the +night before. The Colonel, who was a member of the expedition, had seen +service in the army of Northern Virginia. He was sitting upon the wheel +house when the first shot was fired, and calmly remarked (to no one in +particular,) "that is pretty firing," at the second "that is _very_ +pretty firing," and when the third shell burst upon the deck, he jumped +upon his feet and exclaimed, with much emphasis, "if that isn't the +prettiest firing I ever saw, I wish I may be d----d!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + The Lee Captured at Last.--Sandy Keith alias Thomassen. Recruiting + in the British Provinces for the United States Army.--Failure of + the Expedition.--Return to Bermuda. + + +On our voyage to Halifax, we passed many vessels, and exciting no +suspicion, for at that period many of the captured blockade-runners were +afloat in the United States service. We showed American colors to those +which passed near us and once, in thick weather off New York, we passed +within hailing distance of a man of war bound South. We arrived at +Halifax the 16th of October. The cargo of cotton was consigned to the +firm of B. Wier & Co. with instructions to purchase shoes, etc., with a +part of the proceeds, and to hold the balance to my credit. There was +then no agent of the Confederate Government in Halifax, but I had taken +letters of introduction from a mercantile house in London to this firm +to be used in case of touching there on the way back from Glasgow the +year before. When I received my instructions from the Secretary of the +Navy before leaving Richmond, I wished to ascertain to whom the cargo +was to be consigned on our arrival at Halifax; and then learned from the +Secretary of State, to whom I was referred, that there was no accredited +agent of the government there. In this dilemma I sought counsel of my +good friend Mr. Seddon, Secretary of War, who advised me to act +according to my own judgment. I therefore directed the bills of lading, +invoices, etc., to be made out with B. Wier & Co. as consignees. In no +case, I believe, did the Confederate Government appear as the shipper or +consignor. Every cargo was supposed to be owned by private individuals; +and the blockade-runners were regularly entered and cleared at the +Confederate Custom House. Upon this occasion the Lee's papers were +closely scrutinized by the collector of the customs at Halifax, who did +me the honor of personal attention; but he could find no flaw in them, +and the vessel was regularly entered, with little more than the +customary delay. + +The Lee had made her last voyage under the Confederate flag. Sailing for +Wilmington with a full cargo, she was captured off the coast of North +Carolina. The land had been made the night before under quite favorable +circumstances, but neither the captain, nor the pilot, being willing to +assume the responsibility of taking charge of the vessel, the Lee was +put to sea again, and by further culpable mismanagement, she fell an +easy prey next morning to one of the United States cruisers. She had run +the blockade twenty-one times while under my command, and had carried +abroad between six thousand and seven thousand bales of cotton, worth at +that time about two millions of dollars in gold, and had carried into +the Confederacy equally valuable cargoes. My staunch old helmsman, who +had been released in New York by claiming British protection, and who +started at once in search of me, met me in Halifax on our return from +the Johnson's Island expedition. He actually shed tears as he narrated +the train of circumstances which led to the capture. "She would have +gone in by herself," he said, "if they had only let her alone;" for +indeed it was evident to all on board the morning of her capture, that +she had been close in to the shore within a few miles of the New Inlet +Bar. She had not reached the bar, however, so that the pilot's course in +refusing to take charge was justifiable; but the fatal error was +committed by not making a good offing before daylight. At the time of +her capture, she was not more than twenty miles from the land, and in +the deep bay formed by the coast between Masonborough Inlet and the Cape +Lookout Shoals. + +The arrival of so large a party of Confederates in Halifax attracted +attention, and it was essential to the successful execution of the +project, that all suspicion should be allayed. The party, therefore, was +divided into groups of three or four individuals, who were directed to +report, in person, at Montreal, each one being strictly enjoined to +secrecy and discretion; for although the precise object of the +expedition was only known to three of its members, Lieutenants R. Minor, +Ben. Loyall and myself, every one belonging to it was quite well aware +that it was hostile to the United States Government. They were a set of +gallant young fellows, with a single exception. Who he was and where he +came from, none of us knew; but he had been ordered by the Secretary of +the Navy to report to me for duty. We believed him to be a traitor and a +spy; and succeeded in ridding ourselves of him the day after our arrival +at Halifax, by advancing him a month's wages. No member of the +expedition ever saw him again. + +The most officiously zealous friend and partisan whom we all +encountered in Halifax was Mr. "Sandy" Keith, who was facetiously called +the Confederate Consul. By dint of a brazen assurance, a most obliging +manner, and the lavish expenditure of money, "profusus sui alieni +appetens"--he ingratiated himself with nearly every southerner who +visited Halifax although he was a coarse, ill-bred vulgarian, of no +social standing in the community. It is true that a worthy member of the +same family had risen from obscurity to high honors, but Sandy was a +black sheep of the flock. He was employed at first by many of our people +to purchase for them on commission, and afterwards by the Confederate +Government. He profited by so good an opportunity for swindling, +eventually forging invoices of articles, and drawing bills of exchange +upon the Confederate Government, which were duly honored. This villainy +was perpetrated towards the end of the war, and at its close, Sandy +Keith absconded with his ill-gotten gains, a considerable proportion +consisting of money in his hands, belonging to private individuals. +Among his victims was Colonel S. of Baltimore, who determined to make an +effort to recover his money. His first step was a visit to Halifax. His +endeavors there to find Keith's whereabouts were for some time +fruitless. But at last a clue was found. A girl, who had accompanied +Keith in his flight, had written a letter to a relative in Halifax, and +Colonel S. by some means obtained a sight of the envelope. The +post-mark, plainly legible, indicated that the letter had been written +at an obscure little village in Missouri. S. hastened back to Baltimore, +and secured the coöperation of a detective, not for the purpose of +arresting Keith, because he doubted whether he could recover possession +of his property by the slippery and uncertain process of law, but for +the sake of the detective's strong arm and presence of mind in the event +of resistance. The reward to the detective being made contingent upon +the recovery of the money, the pair left Baltimore, and in due time +reached the village in the backwoods, where they learned that two +persons, as man and wife, were boarding at the house of a widow, a mile +or two distant. They waited until night, and then, arming themselves +with revolvers, started for the house of the widow. Knocking at the +door, it was opened to them, and as they passed in, Keith's voice was +heard, inquiring who had entered. Guided by the sound, they rushed to +the room occupied by him. He had retired for the night. His loaded +pistol was lying on a table near his bedside; but he had neglected to +lock the door of his chamber, and S. and the detective had secured his +arms and held him a prisoner before he was fairly awake. There was +little parleying between them, the detective merely assuring him that if +he did not come to terms speedily, his trunk would be broken open and +all of its contents seized. The whole affair was amicably settled in ten +minutes, by a check upon the bank in which Keith had deposited some of +his money, for the amount due to S., and the detective's reward. Keith +demurred a little to the latter demand, but finally yielded to moral +suasion; and next day S. presented the check, which was paid. Sandy +Keith was supposed by those who had known him, to have been lost among +the common herd of low swindlers and rogues, for none of them would have +given him credit for enterprise or sagacity. He emerged, however, from +obscurity, to perpetrate the most horrible and devilishly ingenious +crime of the century; for it was he who under the name of Thomassen blew +up the "City of Bremen" with his infernal machine. Those who have read +the account of that dreadful tragedy will remember that the explosion +was precipitated by the fall of the box containing dynamite from a cart, +or wheelbarrow, conveying it to the steamer. The hammer was set, by +clockwork apparatus, to explode the dynamite after the departure of the +steamer from England and when near mid-ocean, and Keith, confiding in +the efficacy of the arrangement, was actually about to take passage in +the steamer from Bremerhaven as far as England. Many persons believe +that the "City of Boston" was destroyed some years ago by this incarnate +fiend, and by the same means. That calamity carried mourning into many +households in Keith's native city, for a large number of its most +respectable citizens were on board. It will be remembered that she was +supposed at the time to have foundered at sea in a gale of wind. + +I had been furnished, before leaving Richmond, with letters to parties +in Canada, who, it was believed, could give valuable aid to the +expedition. To expedite matters, a trustworthy agent, a canny Scotchman, +who had long served under my command, was dispatched to Montreal, via +Portland, to notify these parties that we were on our way there. Our +emissary, taking passage in a steamer bound to Portland, passed safely +through United States territory, while the rest of us commenced our long +and devious route through the British Provinces. Wherever we travelled, +even through the remotest settlements, recruiting agents for the United +States army were at work, scarcely affecting to disguise their +occupation; and the walls of the obscurest country taverns bristled with +advertisements like the following: "Wanted for a tannery in Maine one +thousand tanners to whom a large bonus will be paid, etc." Many could +not resist such allurements, but it was from this class and similar +ones, no doubt, that the "bounty jumpers" sprang. It has been asserted, +by those who were in a position to form a correct estimate, that the +British Provinces, alone, contributed one hundred thousand men to the +Federal army. It is scarcely an exaggeration to add, that the population +of the civilized world was subsidized. + +We were seven days in making the journey to Montreal, where my faithful +agent met me by appointment, and carried me to the residence of Captain +M., a zealous and self-sacrificing friend to the cause, and to whom I +had been accredited. He looked steadily at me for a moment after our +introduction, and then said "I have met you once before." He recalled +to my memory the fact, that while I commanded the battery at Acquia +Creek in the early part of the war, he had brought a schooner loaded +with arms, etc., up the Potomac, and succeeded in placing her under the +protection of our batteries; having profited by a cold, dark, and +inclement night, to evade the vigilance of the gunboats. Subsequently he +and his family were compelled to leave Baltimore, and were now refugees +in Canada. Colonel K., also a refugee and an inmate of Captain M.'s +house, and to whom, likewise, I carried letters, enlisted +enthusiastically in the expedition, and devoted his whole time and +energies to its success. We might, indeed, have obtained a large number +of recruits from among refugees and escaped prisoners in Canada, but it +was not considered prudent to increase the size of the party to any +extent, our number being quite sufficient, under the plan as devised. +But we picked up two or three escaped prisoners from Johnson's Island; +among them an individual who was well known to Colonel Finney (a member +of the expedition); having been in the Colonel's employment on the +plains previous to the war. The Colonel was the right hand of Major +Ficklin in organizing and putting into operation the "pony express," +which used to traverse the continent from St. Louis to San Francisco, +and our recruit, Thompson, was one of his trusted subordinates. This man +had led a very adventurous life. He informed us that after making his +escape from Johnson's Island on the ice one dark winter night, he walked +into Sandusky, and there laid in wait at the entrance of a dark alley +for a victim with whom to exchange clothing. His patience being rewarded +after a while, he laid violent hands upon his prize, and directed him to +divest himself of his suit. The stranger replied, that he would not only +supply him with clothing, but with money to make his way into Canada; +adding that he had a son in the Confederate army. He gave Thompson the +contents of his purse, and requesting him to wait till he could go home, +soon returned with a full suit of clothes. + +We had reliable information to the effect that the garrison at Johnson's +Island was small, and that the United States sloop of war Michigan was +anchored off the island as an additional guard. If the sloop of war +could be carried by boarding, and her guns turned upon the garrison, the +rest would be easy of accomplishment; and there appeared to be no +obstacle to the seizure of as many vessels in Sandusky harbor, as might +be required for purposes of transportation. They were to be towed over +to the Canada shore, about twenty-five miles distant. There were several +difficulties to be overcome; the chief one being how to notify the +prisoners of the attempt about to be made. This was accomplished after +several visits to Baltimore and Washington, by the brave and devoted +Mrs. M. and her daughter; and finally the wife of General ---- obtained +permission from the authorities at Washington, to visit her husband, +then a prisoner on Johnson's Island. Although the interview between them +was brief, and in the presence of witnesses, she contrived to place in +his hand a slip of paper, which informed him that our progress would +appear in the New York Herald's "Personals" over certain initials, and +so disguised as to be intelligible only to those who were initiated. +Next, it was important to know the exact condition of affairs in +Sandusky, up to the time of our departure from Canada; and this was +effected through the agency of a gallant gentleman, a retired British +army officer, who went over to Sandusky upon the pretext of duck +shooting, and who by a pre-arranged vocabulary, conveyed daily +intelligence to us up to the time of our departure from Montreal. +Everything progressed favorably, until we began to make final +preparations for departure. Colonel K., who knew personally the manager +of an English line of steamers upon the lakes, and confided in the +integrity of the man, recommended him as most competent to give valuable +information; and to him, under the seal of confidence, I applied. The +only interview between us, (and in the presence of Colonel K.) was +brief, and the object of the expedition was not divulged to him; nor was +it intimated to him that any hostile act was contemplated; but he +probably drew the inference. His replies to my questions were so +unsatisfactory that I never saw him again, having recourse to other +sources of information. + +It was arranged that our party should take passage on board one of the +American lake steamers at a little port on the Welland Canal. We were +disguised as immigrants to the west; our arms being shipped as mining +tools; and when clear of the canal, we were to rise upon the crew, and +make our way to Sandusky. As the Michigan was anchored close to the main +channel of the harbor, and we had provided ourselves with grapnels, it +was believed that she could be carried by surprise. We had sent off our +last "Personal" to the New York Herald, informing our friends at +Johnson's Island "that the carriage would be at the door on or about the +tenth;" our party had collected at the little port on the canal waiting +for the steamer then nearly due, when a proclamation was issued by the +Governor General, which fell among us like a thunderbolt. It was +announced in this proclamation, that it had come to the knowledge of the +Government that a hostile expedition was about to embark from the Canada +shores, and the infliction of divers pains and penalties was threatened +against all concerned in the violation of the neutrality laws. What was +even more fatal to our hopes, we learned that His Excellency had +notified the United States Government of our contemplated expedition. + +Our good friend sojourning at Sandusky abandoned his duck shooting in +haste, (for the news sped across the frontier,) bringing intelligence +that the garrison at Johnson's Island had been increased, and such other +measures adopted as to render our success impossible. I called a council +of the senior officers, who unanimously recommended that the attempt be +abandoned; and so ended all our hopes. We learned, from what was +believed by some to be a reliable source, that the informant against us +was the manager, alluded to above, who betrayed us at the last moment. + +There was a possibility of a successful issue to this enterprise, but +not a probability. The American Consul at Halifax possessed intelligence +and zeal; and he could easily have traced our course, by means of a +detective, up to the very point of our departure on the Welland Canal. +It is quite probable, indeed, that we were closely watched through the +whole route, for immediately after the proclamation was issued, two or +three detectives, no longer affecting disguise, dogged my footsteps for +several days, with the intention I suspected of carrying me "vi et +armis" across the frontier. But they were, in turn, subjected to as +close an espionage by several members of the expedition, who were +prepared for any emergency. "The engineer would have been hoisted with +his own petard" probably, if they had attempted the arrest. That +dare-devil Thompson, in fact, proposed one night that I should take a +walk alone along the canal, and see what would come of it, but I +declined the invitation. + +One plan of releasing the Johnson's Island prisoners was to purchase a +steamer in England, through the agency of Captain Bullock, load her +with a cargo, and clear from the Custom House "for a market" on the +lakes.--The chief obstacle to this plan would have been the passage, +unsuspected, through the Welland Canal, but it was believed that, by +proper discretion and management, this might have been accomplished, and +the rest would have been easy; for all that was expected of any +expedition was to carry the Michigan by surprise; the prisoners upon the +island coöperating by attacking and overpowering the garrison. + +As there was no farther necessity for keeping our movements secret, the +whole party started together on the return to Halifax. We followed the +route from "Riviere du Loup" overland by stage, or rather in sleighs, +for the ground was already covered with snow, and the steamers had +stopped running for the season, upon the beautiful picturesque St. +John's River; and our way lay through a cheerless and sparsely populated +country for nearly the whole distance. We were able too, without +indiscretion, to accept the hospitalities of our friends in Halifax, +during our brief stay there. But duty called us back to the Confederacy, +and passage was engaged for the whole party by the first steamer (the +Alpha,) to sail for Bermuda. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Take Command of the "Whisper."--High Rates of Freight.--Confederate + Money and Sterling Exchange.--An Investment in Cotton.--The + Ill-fated Ironclad.--The Point Lookout Expedition and its + Failure.--A Faithful Servant and a Narrow Escape.--Futile + Projects.--Wilmington during the War.--Light Houses + reëstablished.--Gloomy Prospects of the South. + + +Arriving there, after a five or six day's voyage, we found many +blockade-runners at anchor in St. George's harbor; and application was +made to me to take command of one of them, called the "Whisper," just +out from England. She was a fair specimen of her class. Built expressly +for speed and light draft, her frame was very slight, but she was a +capital sea boat, and made several successful trips. There was a +striking contrast, however, between her and the solidly built, +magnificent "Lee." After all arrangements had been completed for the +transportation to the Confederacy of our party, I assumed command of the +little "Whisper," with six or eight of the party as passengers. I +remember my astonishment at learning the rates for freight at this +period. The "Whisper" was loaded and ready for sea, and I was dining +with Mr. Campbell, the agent of the company, when a person asked to see +him upon pressing business. The purpose of the visitor was, to ship by +the Whisper a small lot of medicines. As the vessel was already heavily +laden, Mr. Campbell referred him to me, and I consented to take the box +in the cabin. The freight upon it was £500 sterling![9] + +Six blockade-runners, including the Whisper, sailed for Wilmington +within twenty-four hours of each other. The voyage across was stormy, +and the sky so overcast as to compel us to run by dead-reckoning, until +we had crossed the Gulf Stream, early on the third day. We had been +steaming against a strong gale the whole time. These cold north-westers +brought disaster upon many blockade-runners; for blowing over the tepid +water of the Gulf Stream, clouds of vapor would rise like steam, and be +condensed by the cold wind into a fog so dense as to obscure every +object. At such times, the skill and perseverance of the navigator would +be taxed to the utmost. A glimpse of the sun, moon, or north star, +caught through the sextant wet with spray, and brought down to a most +uncertain horizon, would furnish the only means of guidance, where an +error of a few miles in the calculation would probably prove fatal. Upon +reaching soundings on the western edge of the "stream," about eleven +o'clock in the forenoon, we succeeded in catching a glimpse of the sun, +and thus ascertaining our position. The sea was still running very high, +but the weather had moderated considerably, and we found ourselves not +more than forty miles south-east of the western bar. The Whisper had +fared badly, while running in the teeth of the gale; all of our boats, +except one, had been swept from the davits, and the wheel houses had +been stove in. As there was no further necessity to strain the hull and +engines, the little craft was brought near the wind under low steam, and +close-reefed mainsail; riding the long rolling seas like a sea-gull. To +windward the sky-soon became clear, but we took care not to get far +away from the dense fog to leeward of us. We did not see a cruiser, +while we lay for many hours anxiously waiting for night. As the sun set, +the order was given to go at full speed, and before midnight we had +passed safely through the blockading fleet, and had come to anchor off +Smithville. Out of the six steamers which sailed from St. George's, the +Whisper alone succeeded in getting in. Most of them were run ashore, and +their cargoes partially saved; but some fell, intact, into the hands of +the vigilant cruisers. + +After a few weeks' service on board the ill-fated ironclad, built in +Wilmington, I was summoned by telegram to Richmond. The Confederate +authorities were then projecting an attempt to release the Point Lookout +prisoners. There appeared to be no insuperable obstacle in the way; and +it was believed that the prisoners, if released, and furnished with +arms, would be able to join the forces under the command of General +Early, then in the vicinity. Two steamers of light draft were to be +loaded with arms, etc., and were to carry, in addition to their crews, +an infantry force under the command of General Custis Lee. In the event +of success, the steamers were to be burned. + +On my way to Richmond, my life was saved by the presence of mind of my +faithful servant (Essex,) who accompanied me on a visit to his home in +Virginia. General Wilson had just made a very destructive raid along the +line of the Richmond and Danville Railroad, striking the road at +Burkeville, and effectually damaging it as far as Meherrin Bridge, a +distance of thirty miles or more, where his progress was stopped. He did +not return within General Grant's lines without heavy loss; and when I +arrived at Ream's Station, on the Petersburg and Weldon road, I found +there a strong force of Confederate cavalry, under General Chambliss, +waiting to intercept the retreat. As I was bearer of dispatches from +General Whiting to General Lee, a hand car, with two men to work it, was +detailed for me, and with my servant on board we started to run the +gauntlet between the lines. The distance to be accomplished was about +seven miles, and we had passed over more than half of it, when one of +our "videttes" suddenly made his appearance, and we halted to inquire +about the state of affairs ahead. His report was satisfactory, and we +started again, but had only gone a short distance when we saw a squad of +cavalry, which we supposed to be part of General Wilson's force, +charging rapidly after us. The highway lay close alongside the railroad, +and our pursuers were enveloped in a cloud of dust. The car was stopped, +or rather the men who were working the crank incontinently took to their +heels, and we followed their example. There was a fence a few rods from +the road, which I succeeded in reaching, and over which I jumped, just +before our pursuers overtook us. As they forced their horses over it, I +discovered my friend, the "vidette" among them, who cried out as he saw +me "_That_ is General Wilson, kill him?" and I have not the least doubt +his advice would have been followed, but for Essex, who cried out from a +snug corner, where he was ensconced, "For God's sake, don't shoot! He is +one of your best friends!" They lowered their pistols, and I had an +opportunity to explain matters. My gold watch and chain had probably +excited the cupidity of my friend above mentioned. I admit that I felt +uncharitable towards him, and when I hinted my suspicions of his motives +to the officer in command of the squad, he did not deny the probability +of a cause for them, but seemed to consider me unreasonable in expecting +to find _all_ the virtues in a "high private," who was receiving scanty +fare, and $8 a month in Confederate money! The party escorted us within +the lines. + +After all the details of the expedition had been arranged in Richmond, +the naval portion of it was ordered to Wilmington under my command. On +our journey, we followed the route previously pursued by the raiders +from Burkeville to Meherrin Bridge. Nearly every foot of the way was +marked by evidences of the havoc of war; and the air was tainted with +the stench from the dead horses and mules, whose throats had been cut +when they could travel no farther. + +There were sufficient reasons why I took no subsequent part in the +expedition, the naval portion of it being placed under the command of +Captain J. T. Wood, of the Confederate States Navy and also one of the +President's aids. It failed, however, owing to the fact that secretly as +all the preparations had been made, information of it was speedily +conveyed to the authorities at Washington, and prompt measures taken to +prevent its success. The steamers had dropped down the Cape Fear River, +and were on the very point of putting to sea when countermanding orders +were telegraphed from Richmond; for the Confederate Government, through +their secret sources of information, had been promptly notified of the +fact that the plot had been betrayed to the United States authorities. +How the Federal Government obtained its intelligence will, perhaps, +forever remain a mystery to the public; but there was a very general +belief in the Confederacy, that an individual near the President was a +paid traitor to the cause. + +These futile projects for the release of prisoners, serve to show the +desperate straits to which the Confederacy was reduced, for want of +soldiers. + +It was deemed expedient, at this period, to reëstablish the light on +Smith's Island, which had been discontinued ever since the commencement +of hostilities; and to erect a structure for a light on the Mound. At +the beginning of the war, nearly all of the lights along the Southern +coast had been discontinued; the apparatus being removed to places of +safety. + +Under special instructions, I was charged with the duties of relighting +the approaches to the Cape Fear River, and of detailing pilots, and +signal officers to the blockade-runners. To provide the means of light, +every blockade-runner was required to bring in a barrel of sperm oil. +In addition to these aids to navigation, the signal stations were +extended farther along the coast, and compulsory service was required of +the pilots. Owing to the constantly increasing vigilance of the +blockading fleet, and the accession to the navy of fast cruisers, many +prizes had been captured of late. Their pilots were, of course, held as +prisoners of war; and the demand for those available for service, +increasing in proportion to their diminished number, there was much +competition between the rival companies, to the great detriment of the +public service.[10] It was considered necessary, therefore, to establish +an office of "Orders and Detail" at Wilmington, whence should proceed +all orders and assignments in relation to pilots and signal officers. In +a short time, the benefit of these arrangements was very perceptible. +The blockade-runners were never delayed for want of a pilot, and the +casualties were much diminished. + +The staid old town of Wilmington was turned "topsy turvy" during the +war. Here resorted the speculators from all parts of the South, to +attend the weekly auctions of imported cargoes; and the town was +infested with rogues and desperadoes, who made a livelihood by robbery +and murder. It was unsafe to venture into the suburbs at night, and even +in daylight, there were frequent conflicts in the public streets, +between the crews of the steamers in port and the soldiers stationed in +the town, in which knives and pistols would be freely used; and not +unfrequently a dead body would rise to the surface of the water in one +of the docks with marks of violence upon it. The civil authorities were +powerless to prevent crime. "Inter arma silent leges!" The agents and +employès of the different blockade-running companies, lived in +magnificent style, paying a king's ransom (in Confederate money) for +their household expenses, and nearly monopolizing the supplies in the +country market. Towards the end of the war, indeed, fresh provisions +were almost beyond the reach of every one. Our family servant, newly +arrived from the country in Virginia, would sometimes return from +market with an empty basket, having flatly refused to pay what he called +"such nonsense prices" for a bit of fresh beef, or a handful of +vegetables. A quarter of lamb, at the time of which I now write, sold +for $100, a pound of tea for $500. Confederate money which in September, +1861, was nearly equal to specie in value, had declined in September +1862 to 225; in the same month, in 1863, to 400, and before September, +1864, to 2000! + +Many of the permanent residents of the town had gone into the country, +letting their houses at enormous prices; those who were compelled to +remain kept themselves much secluded; the ladies rarely being seen upon +the more public streets. Many of the fast young officers belonging to +the army would get an occasional leave to come to Wilmington; and would +live at free quarters on board the blockade-runners, or at one of the +numerous bachelor halls ashore. + +The convalescent soldiers from the Virginia hospitals were sent by the +route through Wilmington to their homes in the South. The ladies of the +town were organized by Mrs. De R. into a society for the purpose of +ministering to the wants of these poor sufferers; the trains which +carried them stopping an hour or two at the depot, that their wounds +might be dressed, and food and medicine supplied to them. These +self-sacrificing, heroic women patiently and faithfully performed the +offices of hospital nurses. + + + "O! there are angels in this world unheeded, + Who, when their earthly labor is laid down, + Will soar aloft, with pinions unimpeded, + And wear their starry glory like a crown!" + + +Liberal contributions were made by companies and individuals to this +society, and the long tables at the depot were spread with delicacies +for the sick, to be found nowhere else in the Confederacy. The remains +of the meals were carried by the ladies to a camp of mere +boys--homeguards outside of the town. Some of these children were +scarcely able to carry a musket, and were altogether unable to endure +the exposure and fatigues of field service; and they suffered fearfully +from measles, and typhoid fever. General Grant used a strong figure of +speech, when he asserted, that "the cradle and the grave were robbed, to +recruit the Confederate armies." The fact of a fearful drain upon the +population was scarcely exaggerated, but with this difference in the +metaphor, that those who were verging upon both the cradle and the +grave, shared the hardships and dangers of war, with equal self-devotion +to the cause. It is true that a class of heartless speculators infested +the country, who profited by the scarcity of all sorts of supplies, but +it makes the self-sacrifice of the mass of the Southern people more +conspicuous, and no State made more liberal voluntary contributions to +the armies, or furnished better soldiers, than North Carolina. + +When General A. P. Hill asked for the promotion of some of his officers +in June, 1863, the President laid down the rule of selection for the +guidance of the Secretary of War, viz: "the State which had the greatest +number of regiments should be entitled to the choice of positions; to be +taken from the candidates of its citizens, according to qualifications," +etc. It appeared that North Carolina stood first on the list, Virginia +second, Georgia third, etc. + +On the opposite side of the river from Wilmington, on a low marshy flat, +were erected the steam cotton presses, and there the blockade-runners +took in their cargoes. Sentries were posted on the wharves, day and +night, to prevent deserters from getting on board, and stowing +themselves away; and the additional precaution of fumigating the outward +bound steamers at Smithville, was adopted; but in spite of this +vigilance, many persons succeeded in getting a free passage abroad. +These deserters, or "stowaways," were in most instances sheltered by one +or more of the crew; in which event they kept their places of +concealment until the steamer had arrived at her port of destination, +when they would profit by the first opportunity to leave the vessel +undiscovered. A small bribe would tempt the average blockade-running +sailor to connive at this means of escape. The "impecunious" deserter +fared more hardly; and would, usually, be forced by hunger and thirst to +emerge from his hiding place, while the steamer was on the outward +voyage. A cruel device, employed by one of the captains, effectually put +a stop, I believe, certainly a check to the escape of this class of +"stowaways." He turned three or four of them adrift in the Gulf Stream, +in an open boat, with a pair of oars, and a few days' allowance of bread +and water. + +The ironclad, to which I had been attached for a short time, made her +first and last essay while I was on special duty at Wilmington. Having +crossed New Inlet Bar early one morning, she steamed at her best speed +towards the blockading-fleet, which kept beyond the range of her guns +with much ease. After "raising the blockade" for an hour or two, she +steamed back across the bar, grounded upon the "rip," broke her back, +and doubtless remains there to this day, buried fathoms deep in the +quicksands. + +The prospects of the South were growing more and more gloomy with each +succeeding day; and the last hopes of the country now rested upon that +gallant army of Northern Virginia, which, under its great captain, still +confronted General Grant's forces around Petersburg. It is easy now by +the light of subsequent events to censure Mr. Davis for the removal of +General Johnston from the command of the army in Georgia; but who does +not remember how, previous to that unfortunate measure, the whole +Southern press, almost without an exception, were urging it? It may be +that the President was not indisposed to gratify his inclination, and at +the same time appease the public. I do not presume to express an opinion +on this point; being no partisan of either, but a sincere admirer of +both these distinguished individuals, and crediting both with strict +veracity and unselfish honesty of purpose. But the fact remains that the +press teemed with articles denouncing General Johnston's retrograde +movements. A spurious telegram, concocted by some facetious editor, to +the effect that General Johnston had ordered means of transportation for +his army to Nassau, was circulated through all the newspapers for the +public amusement. But the old army officers were shocked at the +intelligence of his removal from command. When the fact was officially +announced, all of them, whom I had an opportunity of hearing speak upon +the subject, expressed the gravest fears of the consequences; General +Whiting, especially, declaring his conviction that it was a fatal +measure; and it is certain that General Johnston's army was +enthusiastically devoted to him; officers and men, with few exceptions, +reposing unbounded confidence in him. + +Concurrent testimony has since conclusively proven how grave a mistake +was committed. General Hooker, who served in that campaign under General +Sherman, writes "This retreat was so masterly, that I regard it as a +useful lesson for study for all persons who may hereafter elect for +their calling the profession of arms." "The news that General Johnston +had been removed from the command of the army opposed to us, was +received by our officers with universal rejoicing." "One of the +prominent historians of the Confederacy ascribes the misfortunes of the +'Lost Cause' to the relief of General Johnston. I do not think this, but +it certainly contributed materially to hasten its collapse." Indeed the +Confederate Government seems subsequently to have admitted its mistake, +and the injustice inflicted upon General Johnston, by reinstating him in +the command of the "army of the South," and with orders "to concentrate +all available forces, and drive back Sherman." This, however, was not +till February, 1865, when the "available forces" amounted to about +16,000 men, and General Sherman's army of 70,000, had reached the State +of North Carolina unopposed. When General Johnston turned over the +command to General Hood, the army consisted of 36,900 infantry 3,750 +artillery, and 9,970 cavalry, a total of 50,620 well equipped troops. +"In returning from its disastrous expedition against Nashville, the army +of Tennessee had halted in north-eastern Mississippi. A large +proportion of these troops were then furloughed by General Hood, and +went to their homes. When General Sherman's army invaded South Carolina, +General Beauregard ordered those remaining on duty to repair to that +State * * * The remaining troops of that army were coming through +Georgia in little parties * * * at least two-thirds of the arms of these +troops had been lost in Tennessee."[11] In General Johnston's Narrative, +page 351, he says "The troops themselves, who had been seventy-four days +in the immediate presence of the enemy, laboring and fighting daily; +enduring trial and encountering dangers with equal cheerfulness; more +confident and high-spirited even than when the Federal army presented +itself before them at Dalton; and though I say it, full of devotion to +him who had commanded them, and belief of ultimate success in the +campaign, were then inferior to none who ever served the Confederacy, or +fought on the Continent," and on page 356: "I believed then, as firmly +as I do now, that the system pursued was the only one at my command, +that promised success, and that, if adhered to, would have given us +success." Many among those most competent to judge entertained the same +conviction. His removal from the command was, indeed, a mortal blow to +the cause. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[9] Mr. Campbell had given me a bill of exchange for just this amount to +take command of the steamer during the inward trip. As the Whisper +belonged to a private company, I accepted the bonus without scruple. +What became of it, and the value of Confederate currency at that time +may be seen by the following-- + +"Invoice of 123 bales cotton purchased and stored at Columbus, Georgia, +for account of + + Captain John Wilkinson. + Feb. 27, 1864. By W. W. Garrard. + + 2 Bales weighing 1,085 lbs. + 4 " " 2,219 + 5 " " 3,241 + 5 " " 2,655 + 107 " " 52,833 + ------ + 62,033 at 72-5/8 $45,051 46 + + CHARGES. + + State tax on investment, $225 26 + Commission for purchasing. 2252 57 + C. S. war tax 337 89 + + 2815 72 + ------- + E. & O. E. $47,867 18 + Signed, POWER, LOW & CO. + Wilmington, March 2, 1864. + Captain J. Wilkinson + + In acc. with POWER, LOW & CO. + March 2, 1864. To Invoice 123 bales cotton + at Columbus, Georgia, 47,867 18 + + Cr. + Feb. 17. By proceeds W. L. Campbell's + Exchange on London £500 at 2100 46,666 66 + --------- + Wilmington, Balance due us, $1,200 52 + March 2, 1864. Signed, POWER, LOW & CO. + +"The cotton was destroyed at the very close of the war by a party of +raiders commanded, I believe, by General Wilson. If he were the same +individual for whom I was once mistaken (as will be seen in the sequel) +he served me two very ill turns." + +[10] One or two agents of the blockade-running companies were opposed to +any project for increasing the facilities of entrance to or exit from +Wilmington. The profits were of course proportionate to the risks, and +these heartless worshipers of Mammon, having secured the services of the +best captains and pilots, would have rejoiced to see every +blockade-runner, but their own, captured. They protested vehemently, but +unavailingly, against interference with their pilots. + +[11] General Johnston's Narrative page 374. It appears from the same +distinguished authority that of all that gallant array not more than +5,000 were ever reassembled; and a large portion of these continued +without arms to the end of the war. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + Cruise of the Chickamauga.--Mr. Mallory's inefficiency.--Troubles + in Bermuda.--The three Weeks.--End of the Cruise. + + +In the latter part of September, 1864, I was ordered to the command of +the "Chickamauga," a double screw steamer converted into a so-called man +of war. She was one of those vessels before alluded to in this +narrative, as partly owned by the Confederate Government, and was taken +possession of by the government authorities with scant regard for the +rights of the other owners, who had no alternative but to accept +inadequate compensation for their share of the vessel. Her battery +consisted of a twelve-pounder rifled gun forward, a sixty-four pounder +amidships, and a thirty-two pounder rifle aft, all on pivots. She was +more substantially built than most of the blockade-runners, and was very +swift, but altogether unfit for a cruiser, as she could only keep the +sea while her supply of coal lasted. She was schooner rigged, with very +short masts, and her sails were chiefly serviceable to steady her in a +sea-way. Under all sail and _off_ the wind, without steam, she could not +make more than three knots with a stiff breeze; _by_ the wind under the +same circumstances, she had not even steerage way. Captain J. T. Wood, +of the Confederate Navy, had just returned from a "raid" along the +Northern coast, and the incompetent Secretary of the Navy conceived, no +doubt, that he had hit upon a happy idea when it occurred to his muddled +brain, to send these vessels out to harass the coasting trade and +fisheries of the North.[12] As a mere question of policy, it would have +been far better to have kept them employed carrying out cotton and +bringing in the supplies of which the army was so sorely in need. The +attack upon Fort Fisher was probably precipitated by these expeditions, +which could in no wise affect the real issues of the war. But Mr. +Mallory was from first to last an incubus upon the country. I do not +impugn his patriotism, nor his private character, but his official +imbecility, which wrought much damage to the cause, is a legitimate +object for censure. + +At this period Atlanta had been captured, and a large portion of Georgia +was practically severed from the Confederacy. It was becoming more and +more difficult to provision the troops. The Subsistence Department of +the Confederate Government has been often censured for its alleged +mismanagement. I have personal knowledge of an instance where it +resented the interference of a subordinate. Major Magruder, General +Whiting's chief Commissary, had effected what he believed to be a +mutually beneficial arrangement with the farmers of western North +Carolina. He was to furnish salt and transportation, (the former a very +rare and costly commodity at that time, and the latter difficult to be +obtained); and in return, they were to supply his department with the +cured bacon. The arrangement, when reported to the Department at +Richmond, was cancelled, and the Major, a very zealous and competent +officer, was ordered elsewhere. Surely there must have been grave +mismanagement somewhere; for, several months after the period of which I +now write, and when the army of Northern Virginia was almost reduced to +starvation in February, 1865, there were stored "in the principal +railroad depots between Charlotte, Danville and Weldon inclusive, +rations for 60,000 men for more than four months," and these provisions +were for the exclusive use of the army in Virginia. The fact was +ascertained by taking account of those stores, which was done by order +of General Johnston, "and the very zealous and efficient officer, Major +Charles Carrington, who was at the head of the service of collecting +provisions in North Carolina for the army, was increasing the quantity +rapidly." "The officers of the commissariat in North Carolina, upon whom +the army in Virginia depended for subsistence, were instructed by the +Commissary General just then, to permit none of the provisions they +collected to be used by the troops serving in it."[13] + +We sailed in the Chickamauga on the night of October 29th, with a motley +crew, and passed through the blockading fleet without receiving any +damage from numerous shots. We had a fine view of several of our +pursuers for a few moments, as they burned their signal blue light; and +had not crossed the bar two hours before the commanding officer of the +fleet received information of the fact. Our rockets had diverted the +pursuit to the misfortune of the blockade-runner "Lady Stirling," which +was captured; and from some of her crew, as we subsequently learned, the +fact of our departure was ascertained. If we could have foreseen such an +event, we might have tried the range of our after pivot gun with very +good effect upon the blockader following in our wake; but although our +crew was at quarters, and we were prepared to fight our way to sea, we +wished to avoid an encounter by which nothing was to be gained; our +chief object being to injure the enemy's commerce. Nearly all of the +officers of the Chickamauga had resigned from the United States Navy, +and I have no doubt they contrasted (as I could not help doing) next +morning, our spar deck encumbered with coal bags, and begrimed with +dirt, and the ragged tatterdemalions leaning over the bulwarks, or +stretched along the decks in the agonies of sea-sickness, with the +cleanliness, order and discipline, to which we had been accustomed under +the "Stars and Stripes." The condition below decks was even worse; the +crew sleeping upon the coal which was stowed in the hold; and the +officers upon the softest plank they could find in the contracted cabin. +In addition to a complement of officers for a frigate, the Secretary of +the Navy had ordered _six_ pilots to the vessel. As three of them held +their "branches" for the approaches to Norfolk, Mr. Mallory must have +expected to hear that we had passed under the guns of Fortress Monroe, +laid Norfolk under contribution, and captured the Gosport Navy-yard. + +The scene upon our decks, when the sun rose the morning after our +passage through the fleet, was demoralizing; and I am sure some of us +felt as if we were indeed "pirates," although we were bound to deny the +"soft impeachment," when brought against us by the Northern press. The +exertions of the executive officer, Dozier, seconded by his zealous +subordinates, brought some degree of order out of this "chaotic" mass +after a while. + +Our first prize was the "Mark L. Potter," from Bangor for Key West, with +a cargo of lumber. As there was no alternative but to destroy her, the +officers and crew were transferred to the Chickamauga, and she was set +on fire. This capture was made on Sunday the 30th. The next morning at +7.30 A. M., when about one hundred and fifty miles off the Capes of +Delaware, we sighted a square-rigged vessel, which changed her course in +the effort to escape, as soon as she discovered that we were steering +for her. At 9.30 we overhauled her and brought her to. It proved to be +the barque "Emma L. Hall," loaded with a cargo of sugar and molasses. +She was set on fire at 11.15 A. M. Hasty work was made of this prize, as +a full rigged ship hove in sight while we were transferring the crew, +and such stores as we needed, from the Emma L. Hall. The stranger bore +north by west when discovered, and was standing almost directly toward +us, with studding-sails and royals set to the favorable breeze, a cloud +of snowy canvas from her graceful hull to the trucks of her tapering +royalmasts. She approached within five or six miles, when her +studding-sails were suddenly hauled down, and she was brought close to +the wind in an effort to escape from us. We soon overhauled her, and at +1.15 were near enough to throw a shot across her bow, and to show the +Confederate flag at our peak. The summons was replied to by their +hoisting the Stars and Stripes, and heaving to. Our prize was the +clipper ship "Shooting Star," bound from New York to Panama, with a +cargo of coal for the U. S. Pacific squadron. While we were making +preparations for burning her, another square rigged vessel hove in +sight, steering toward us. It proved to be the barque "Albion Lincoln," +bound for Havana, partly in ballast; and as her cargo consisted only of +a small lot of potatoes and onions, I determined to bond her, and to put +the prisoners, now numbering sixty (the wife of the captain of the +Shooting Star among them) on board of her. In truth, I was relieved from +an awkward dilemma by the opportune capture of the Albion Lincoln; for +there was absolutely no place for a female on board the Chickamauga. I +do not doubt, however, that the redoubtable Mrs. Drinkwater would have +accommodated herself to the circumstances by turning me out of my own +cabin. Heavens! what a tongue she wielded! The young officers of the +Chickamauga relieved each other in boat duty to and fro; and she routed +every one of them ignominiously. + +After the Albion Lincoln had been bonded for $18,000, we were kept very +busy for several hours paroling prisoners, etc., and in the meanwhile a +gale of wind was brewing, and the sea growing very rough. By six o'clock +in the afternoon, the Lincoln was under way with the paroled prisoners; +her master having been put under oath to shape the vessel's course for +Fortress Monroe; and we applied the torch to the "Shooting Star." The +burning ship was visible for many miles after we left her; and it was a +strange, wild spectacle, that flaming beacon in the rough sea. The +master of the "Albion Lincoln" shaped his course straight for New York. +I hope his conscience has since reproached him for violating his oath, +though given to a "rebel." + +The gale increased during the night. Next day our course was shaped for +Montauk Point; the scene of the previous day's operations having been in +about latitude 40° and longitude 71°, or about fifty miles southeast of +Sandy Hook. Montauk Point was sighted from aloft about mid-day, and the +engines were slowed down, so as not to approach too near the land before +night. We spoke several vessels during the day, all of them under the +British flag. Toward night we steamed towards the land, with the +expectation of finding smoother water, for the wind continued to blow +from the southwest. At 5.45 P. M., we overhauled two schooners close in +to the shore; one of them was the "Good-speed," from Boston to +Philadelphia, in ballast; and the other, the "Otter Rock," from Bangor +for Washington with a load of potatoes. Both were scuttled. Our boats +did not get alongside the Chickamauga again till eight o'clock. The wind +had been gradually veering round to the northeast, and the night was +growing so dark and stormy, that I was reluctantly compelled to abandon +the purpose previously entertained of entering Long Island Sound. The +crew of the Good-speed profited by the darkness to escape in their boat +to the land, a few miles distant. + +We made an offing of thirty or forty miles during the night, and next +morning captured the bark "Speedwell," in ballast from Boston to +Philadelphia. The captain's sister and his child were on board his +vessel, and represented to be sick. I could not reconcile it to my sense +of humanity to subject the weaker sex to the probable dangers and +certain hardships of confinement on board the Chickamauga. The Speedwell +was therefore bonded for $18,000, and the captain--a very decent fellow +by the way--sent on his voyage rejoicing; but the "recording angels" of +the Northern press never placed this act to my credit. + +The northeast gale, which had been brewing for some days, commenced in +earnest toward the evening. After buffeting against it for two days, the +necessity for making a port became apparent, our supply of coal +beginning to get low. The course was, therefore, shaped for Bermuda, and +we anchored off the bar at St. George's on Monday morning, November 7th. + +The Governor of the island gave us a vast deal of trouble and annoyance, +from this time until we finally left port. Lending apparently a willing +ear to the representation of the American Consul, he would not permit us +to enter the harbor until after a correspondence, in which I stated the +fact that our engines needed repairs; but we lay outside twenty-four +hours before even this permission was granted. He next forbade me to +coal the ship. After a protest from me he relented so far, only, as to +authorize a supply of coal, sufficient to carry the Chickamauga to the +nearest Confederate port, although he had been officially informed that +the vessel was regularly commissioned, and was then on a cruise. +Although I was never favored with a sight of the correspondence, which +must have been carried on between the American Consul and His Excellency +on the subject, I am satisfied that the former presented a favorable +case; but the Governor had no right to inquire into the antecedents of +the Chickamauga, or to question the title by which she was held by the +Confederate Government. She was, to all intents and purposes, as "bona +fide" a man-of-war as the Florida, which had entered that same port, and +been supplied with coal, and other necessaries, without question or +molestation. But the fortunes of the Confederacy were now waning; and +his Excellency wished perhaps--and may have received instructions--to +keep on good terms with the winning side, and in disregard of the +obligations of justice to the weaker party.[14] The result of his +partial, and unfriendly course, was to bring the cruise of the +Chickamauga to a speedy end; for it was impossible for her to keep the +sea without a supply of fuel--steam, which is merely an auxiliary in a +properly constituted man of war, being the Chickamauga's sole motive +power. Many of our crew, too, were enticed to desert; but the efficiency +of the vessel was rather increased than diminished by our getting rid of +the vagabonds. They were for the most part "waifs and strays," of +Wilmington, and "skulkers" from the army, who had been drafted from the +Receiving ship. They profited by liberty on shore to secrete themselves, +and many of them perished with the yellow fever, then prevailing in +Bermuda. + +We sailed from St. George's for Wilmington November 15th, showing our +colors to several vessels on the way, all of which carried a foreign +flag. American colors had for a long time become a rare sight upon the +ocean, except when flying from the peak of a man-of-war. All of the +vessels captured by the Chickamauga were either coasters, or traders to +West India ports, and were scarcely off soundings on the American +coast.[15] The Alabama and Florida had demonstrated what a vast amount +of injury might be inflicted upon an enemy's commerce by a few swift +cruisers; and there is no doubt that this number might have been +increased to any reasonable extent, by proper management. No sensible +individual, I presume, really attaches any importance to the ravings of +a portion of the Northern press, during the war, against the "rebel +pirates," and their depredations upon commerce. To destroy merchant +vessels was not a pleasure, but it was a duty, and a matter of +necessity, seeing that the Confederate ports were so closely blockaded +as to render it absolutely impossible to send the prizes in for +adjudication, and that all of the foreign powers prohibited the sending +of captured vessels into their ports. The officers and crews attached to +these "piratical vessels" would very gladly have carried or sent their +prizes into a Confederate port; for in that case they would have been +equally fortunate with their confreres of the United States Navy, whose +pockets were filled to repletion with the proceeds of captured property +belonging to Confederates, on land and sea. + +We approached the coast in very thick weather on the night of the 18th. +We could dimly discern the breakers ahead, and close aboard; but it was +impossible to distinguish any landmark in so dense a fog. A boat was +lowered therefore, and one of the bar pilots sent to examine nearer, but +he returned on board in the course of an hour, with the report that he +had pulled close in to the surf, but could recognize no object on the +shore, although he had rowed some distance parallel to it, and as +closely as he could venture. "Did you see no wrecks on the beach?" I +inquired. "Yes, sir," he replied, "I saw three." "And how were they +lying?" I asked. He stated that two of them were "broadside on" to the +beach, and close together; and the third "bows on" to the beach, about a +cable's length to the north of them. I was satisfied about our exact +position at once, for while I was on the special service before alluded +to, I had made a visit to Masonborough Inlet, on duty connected with the +signal stations, and had noticed three wrecks in the positions +described. The Chickamauga was put under low steam, with one watch at +quarters, and we waited for daylight to cross the bar. As the fog +lifted, shortly after sunrise, two of the blockading fleet were +discovered on our port quarter, steaming towards us, as we were running +down the coast towards Fort Fisher. When within long range they opened +fire, which was returned by us. They were soon joined by a third +blockader, and as we drew nearer to the bar, Fort Fisher took part in +the engagement, and the blockaders hauled off. Shortly afterwards we +crossed the bar, and anchored inside of the "Rip." + +FOOTNOTES: + +[12] It is very far from my intention, by these remarks, to condemn the +depredations of the Confederate cruisers upon the Federal commerce, or +the policy which dictated the fitting of them out. But there appears to +me to be a wide difference between the destruction of ships and cargoes +belonging to capitalists, who contributed by their means and influence +to the support of the Federal Government, and the burning of fishing +craft manned by poor men, who relied upon the "catch" of the trip for +the means of feeding and clothing their families. But I will not +expatiate upon the "sentiment" involved in the subject, for fear of +incurring the reproach cast by Sir Peter Teazle upon that very humane +and sentimental character, Joseph Surface, whose actions differed so +widely from his words. + +[13] From General Johnston's Narrative, pages 374, 375. + +[14] But there was a striking contrast during the war, between the +conduct of the British officials, acting in their official capacity, +towards the Confederate officers, and that of individuals belonging to +both branches of Her Majesty's service; the latter, almost without an +exception, expressed their cordial sympathy with the south, and extended +many acts of courtesy and good feeling towards us, but the former +scrupulously abstained from every semblance of recognition or of +sympathy. + +[15] The Shooting Star was an exception, she being chartered by the +government. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + Last Summons to Richmond.--Demoralization.--The "Chameleon."--More + trouble in Bermuda.--Another Narrow Escape.--Fall of Fort + Fisher.--Maffitt's Escape, and Capt. S.'s Capture.--Another Hard + Chase.--Failure to enter Charleston.--Return to Nassau. + + +Another, and a longer cruise, was then contemplated, and there was some +prospect of prevailing with the Secretary of the Navy to fit out the +ship for a cruiser, by giving her proper spars, providing the means of +disconnecting the screws, and furnishing quarters for officers and men. +But disasters to our arms were then following fast upon each other. +General Sherman, after marching unopposed from Atlanta to the sea, and +capturing Savannah, was preparing to continue his progress. Wilmington +was threatened by a powerful sea and land force. The half starved and +ill clad army of Northern Virginia was in the trenches around +Petersburg, and the now contracting area of country available for +supplies, had been so thoroughly drained, that it became a vital +question how to provision the troops. + +I was summoned again, and for the last time during the war, to Richmond. +It was in the early part of December. There now remained to the +Confederacy only the single line of rail communication from Wilmington, +via Greensborough, and Danville, to Richmond. The progress of +demoralization was too evident at every step of my journey, and nowhere +were the poverty, and the straits to which the country was reduced, more +palpably visible, than in the rickety, windowless, filthy cars, +traveling six or eight miles an hour, over the worn out rails and +decaying road-bed. We were eighteen hours in making the distance (about +one hundred and twenty miles) from Danville to Richmond. As we passed in +the rear of General Lee's lines, and I saw the scare-crow cattle there +being slaughtered for the troops, the game seemed to be at last growing +desperate. We were detained for perhaps an hour at the station where the +cattle were being slaughtered. Several soldiers who were on the train, +left us there; and as soon as they alighted from the cars, they seized +portions of the offal, kindled a fire, charred the scraps upon the +points of their ramrods, and devoured the unclean food with the avidity +of famished tigers. + +It was arranged in Richmond, that I should take command of the +"Tallahassee," and proceed with all dispatch to Bermuda for a cargo of +provisions; my late experience with the Governor of the island rendering +it quite probable that he would prevent the Chickamauga from even +discharging her cargo as a merchant vessel. That steamer (the +Tallahassee,) of so many aliases, had just returned from a short cruise +under Captain Ward of the Confederate States Navy. She was now +christened again, and bore, thenceforward, the appropriate name of the +"Chameleon." Her battery was dismounted, the officers and crew detached, +and she was ostensibly sold to the navy agent at Wilmington. A register, +and bill of sale, were prepared in legal form, the crew shipped +according to the laws relating to the merchant service, and regular +invoices and bills of lading made out of her cargo of cotton. The +vessel, indeed, was so thoroughly whitewashed, that she subsequently +passed a searching examination in Bermuda; but my recent experience +there had convinced me of the necessity of adopting every precaution, +and I was left to my own discretion with regard to all the details; the +instructions under which I was acting requiring me only to bring in a +cargo of provisions with all dispatch. + +The "Chameleon" was in nearly all respects like the Chickamauga, only a +few feet longer, and drawing a few inches more water. + +On the afternoon of December 24th, the United States fleet opened fire +upon Fort Fisher, the heavy cannonading continuing during the two +following days. The booming of the heavy guns could be distinctly heard +in Wilmington. + +There was a complete panic there; the non-combatants moving away, and +fright and confusion prevailing everywhere. The co-operating land +forces, under General Butler, had almost completely invested the fort, +and the communication between it and Wilmington was at one time +interrupted, so that it was impossible to ascertain the condition of +affairs below. In the midst of the turmoil, we cast off from the wharf, +about two o'clock in the afternoon of December 26th, and anchored off +Smithville after dark, the tide not serving for crossing the bar that +night. + +Next morning the "Agnes Fry," an inward bound blockade-runner, was +discovered aground on the western bar. Towards evening two or three of +the blockading fleet stationed off that bar steamed in, and opened fire +upon her. The bombardment of the fort was still in progress. A little +after dark, just as we were weighing our anchor, General Whiting, who +was then in Fort Fisher, telegraphed to us that the United States land +forces were embarking, the attack upon the fort having been abandoned. +We were under way in a few moments, closely followed by the Hansa, +Captain Murray, and parting from her just as we crossed the bar. I had +known the captain for many months, under his assumed name, and it was +quite generally known that he held a commission in the British Navy. +While I was living in Nova Scotia, some years afterwards, the card of +Captain A. commanding H. B. M. ship J----n was brought to me, and I was +surprised to find in the owner of it, my old friend Murray. Several +British naval officers of rank and high character, were engaged in the +same exciting and lucrative occupation of blockade-running; among them +the gallant Captain Burgoyne, who commanded afterwards the unfortunate +ship "Captain" of H. B. M.'s Navy, and who perished together with +nearly the whole crew when she foundered at sea. + +We crossed the bar under such favorable circumstances, that we were not +discovered; nor did we see any of the fleet until we had cleared the +Frying Pan Shoals, when we easily avoided several vessels which had +participated, no doubt, in the attack upon Fort Fisher, and were now +about to take their stations off the western bar. + +We made a rapid, though a very rough voyage to Bermuda, a stormy +northwest gale following us nearly the whole distance. The Prussian +Major Von Borcke, who had served on General Jeb Stewart's staff, and who +afterwards published (in Blackwood's) his experience of the war, was a +passenger. The Major was no sailor, and his sufferings from sea sickness +were much aggravated by a gunshot wound in his throat. As the engines of +the "Chameleon" would "race" in the heavy sea following us, and her +whole frame would vibrate, he declared in military phraseology ("our +army swore terribly in Flanders!") that he would rather encounter the +dangers of a "stricken field" than voluntarily endure an hour of such +torture. + +We arrived at St. George's on the 30th of December; and our troubles +immediately commenced. It was the 5th of January before permission was +received to land our cargo of cotton; His Excellency, the Governor +having called upon the law officers of the crown for aid in the dire +dilemma. When the vessel's papers were at last pronounced correct, we +discharged our cargo, and then arose the perplexing question of loading. +I haven't the least doubt that the American Consul was sadly bothering +His Excellency all this time; but permission was finally granted to us +to take in provisions but no munitions of war. As we did not want +"hardware," as munitions of war were then invoiced, we proceeded to +load. But a great deal of time had been lost, and we did not take our +departure for Wilmington till January the 19th; having on board as +passengers General Preston and staff, returning from Europe. + +Our voyage across was very rough, and the night of our approach to New +Inlet Bar was dark and rainy. Between one and two o'clock in the +morning, as we were feeling our way with the lead, a light was +discovered nearly ahead and a short distance from us. As we drew closer +in and "sheered" the Chameleon, so as to bring the light abeam, I +directed our signal officer to make the regular signal. No reply was +made to it, although many lights now began to appear looming up through +the drizzling rain. These were undoubtedly camp fires of the United +States troops outside of Fort Fisher; but it never occurred to me as +possible, that a second attack could have been made, and successfully in +the brief period of time which had elapsed since our departure from +Wilmington. Believing that I had made some error in my day's +observations, the Chameleon was put to sea again, as the most prudent +course in the emergency. The night was too far spent to allow of any +delay. Orders were therefore given to go at full speed, and by daylight +we had made an offing of forty or fifty miles from the coast. Clear and +pleasant weather enabled me to establish our position accurately--it was +my invariable custom, at sea, during the war, to take my own +observations--and early in the night we made the Mound Light ahead, for +which I had shaped our course. The range lights were showing, and we +crossed the bar without interference, but without a suspicion of +anything wrong, as it would occasionally happen, under particularly +favorable circumstances, that we would cross the bar without even seeing +a blockader. We were under the guns of Fort Fisher in fact, and close +to the fleet of United States vessels, which had crossed the bar after +the fall of the fort, when I directed my signal officer to communicate +with the shore station. His signal was promptly answered, but turning to +me, he said, "No Confederate signal officer there, sir; he cannot reply +to me." The order to wear round was instantly obeyed; not a moment too +soon, for the bow of the Chameleon was scarcely pointed for the bar +before two of the light cruisers were plainly visible in pursuit, +steaming with all speed to intercept us. Nothing saved us from capture +but the twin screws, which enabled our steamer to turn as upon a pivot +in the narrow channel between the bar and the "rip." We reached the bar +before our pursuers, and were soon lost to their sight in the darkness +outside. Our supply of coal being limited, the course was shaped for +Nassau as the nearer port, where we arrived without accident. A day or +two after our arrival the news came of the fall of Fort Fisher. + +Several narrow escapes, besides our own, were made. Maffitt, in command +of the "Owl" crossed the Western Bar a night or two after the fall of +Fort Fisher, and while our troops were evacuating Fort Caswell and +other military stations along the river. Crossing the bar, and +suspecting no danger, he continued on his way up to Smithville, where he +anchored. He was boarded a few moments afterwards by a boat from our +military post there. The officer in command of the boat informed him of +the capture of Fort Fisher, and that our troops were then evacuating +Fort Caswell; adding that several vessels of the Federal fleet had +crossed the New Inlet Bar, and were at anchor in the river almost within +hail of him. Maffitt was about to give the order to slip the chain, "not +standing upon the order of his going," when his pilot begged for +permission to go ashore, if only for ten minutes. He represented the +situation of his wife, whom he had left ill and without means of +support, in such moving terms, that Maffitt granted permission, upon +condition that he would return speedily. The pilot was faithful to his +promise, returning in fifteen or twenty minutes. During his absence, +steam was raised, and the chain unshackled. As the pilot's foot touched +the deck of the "Owl" again, the boat was hooked on and run up to the +davits, the chain slipped, and the "Owl" on her way to sea again. + +Another blockade-runner is said to have been not so fortunate. She had +run the gauntlet safely, and come to anchor off Smithville. The +tarpaulins had been removed from the hatches, the lamps lighted, and a +cold supper spread upon the table, at which the passengers were seated, +two or three officers of the British army among them. A toast to the +captain had been proposed, and they had just tossed off a bumper in +champagne to his health and continued successes, and he was about to +reply to the compliment, when the officer of the deck reported that a +boat was coming alongside. The captain received the officer at the +gangway. The mail bag, according to the usual routine, was given to the +latter for transportation to the shore; and the customary inquiries made +after the name of the vessel, cargo, number of passengers, etc. The +astounded captain was then informed that his vessel was a prize to the +United States ship--then at anchor near him! + +Charleston was now the only harbor on the Atlantic coast at all +accessible, and that must evidently soon fall; but a cargo might be +landed there before that inevitable catastrophe, and fully appreciating +the exigency, I determined to make the effort. Even after the +occupation of Wilmington by the United States troops, there would remain +an interior line of communication between Charleston and Virginia. The +facts of history prove that the importance of carrying in a cargo of +provisions was not exaggerated, for the army of northern Virginia was +shortly afterwards literally starving; and during their retreat from the +position around Petersburg the country adjacent to their line of march +was swarming with soldiers who had left the ranks in search of food. + +But it was the part of prudence to ascertain, positively, before +sailing, that Charleston was still in our possession. This intelligence +was brought by the "Chicora" which arrived at Nassau on the 30th of +January; and on February 1st, the "Owl," "Carolina," "Dream," "Chicora" +and "Chameleon" sailed within a few hours of each other for Charleston. + +The condition of affairs throughout the Confederacy was far more +desperate than we, who were abroad, had any idea of. Despondency and +demoralization had advanced with gigantic strides within the past two or +three eventful months. Admiral Semmes, in his "Memoirs of Service +Afloat, etc," gives the following account of an interview with General +Lee: "As soon as I could command a leisure moment, I paid General Lee a +visit at his head-quarters near Petersburg, and spent a night with him. +I had served with him in the Mexican War. We discussed together the +critical state of the country and of his army--we were now near the end +of January, 1865, and I thought the grand old chieftain and Christian +gentleman seemed to foreshadow in his conversation, more by manner than +by words, the approaching downfall of the cause for which we were both +struggling. I had come to him, I told him, to speak of what I had seen +of the people, and of the army, in my transit across the country, and to +say to him that unless prompt measures could be devised to put an end to +the desertions that were going on among our troops, our cause must +inevitably be lost. He did not seem to be at all surprised at the +revelations I made. He knew all about the condition of the country, +civil and military, but seemed to feel himself powerless to prevent the +downward tendency of things, and he was right. It was no longer in the +power of any one man to save the country. The body politic was already +dead. The people themselves had given up the contest, and this being the +case, no army could do more than retard the catastrophe for a few +months. Besides, his army itself was melting away. That very night, as I +learned at the breakfast table, one hundred and sixty men deserted in a +body. It was useless to attempt to shoot deserters when demoralization +had gone to this extent." A few weeks subsequent to the date referred to +in the above extract, General Johnston was ordered to "drive back +Sherman." He states in his "Narrative" in reference to accepting the +command: "This was done with a full consciousness on my part, however, +that we could have no other object in continuing the war than to obtain +fair terms of peace; for the Southern cause must have appeared hopeless +then to all intelligent and dispassionate Southern men." + +We passed Abaco light soon after dark, and shaped our course direct for +Charleston. At early dawn the next morning, while I was lying awake in +my room on the bridge, I heard the officer of the deck give the quick +sharp order to the helmsman "hard a-port!" The steering wheel in all of +the blockade-runners was upon the bridge and immediately forward of the +captain's state-room, and the officer of the deck kept his watch upon +the bridge. As I never undressed at night, while at sea in command +during the war, I was out upon the deck in a moment; and then I saw +distant two or three miles and directly in our former course, a large +side-wheel steamer. From her size and rig, I guessed her to be the +"Vanderbilt;" and I was afraid that the Chameleon had at last found more +than her match, for the Vanderbilt enjoyed the reputation of great +speed. We wore round before we were discovered, but as the strange +steamer's bow was pointed in our direction a few moments afterwards, it +was plain that we would have to make good use of our heels, and that the +race would be a trying one. The Chameleon was in fine condition for the +ordeal, and the usual precaution of cleaning fires, and raising the +steam had been taken before daylight. My staunch old quartermaster, +McLean, who had been with me in nearly all the chances and changes of +blockade-running, always took his place at the wheel on trying +occasions. He had nerves of steel, and would have steered the vessel +without flinching against a line of battle ship, if so ordered. Upon one +occasion, after we had crossed the Western Bar, and were steaming at +full speed along the coast, we suddenly discovered a long low blockader +on our starboard bow, and at the same instant, distinctly heard the +order from the stranger's deck, to "pass along the shell!" I called out +to my old helmsman, "Port and run her down!" and if the strange vessel +had not moved out of our way with alacrity, she would have been +assuredly cut in two. We grazed her stern by a hair's breadth as we shot +by her at the rate of thirteen knots. Before they had recovered from the +confusion on board of her, we had passed into the darkness beyond, and +the shell which they sent after us flew wide of its mark. + +McLean was now placed at the wheel. It was a close race for hours, +neither apparently gaining or losing a foot; but Providence again +befriended us. As the day advanced, the breeze, which was very light +from the northward at daylight, continued to freshen from that quarter. +We soon set all of our canvas, and so did the chaser, but as the latter +was square rigged, and we carried fore and aft sails, our sheets were +hauled flat aft, and the Chameleon kept close to the wind by the steady +old helmsman. I do not doubt that we would have been overhauled but for +this favorable contingency. Head to wind our pursuer would certainly +have overtaken us, and off the wind her chances would have been almost +equally good. But she began to drop gradually to leeward as the wind +continued steady, and by two o'clock in the afternoon, she was five or +six miles distant on our lee quarter. Although we had not increased the +distance between us much, if any, since the commencement of the chase, +we had weathered upon the chaser until her sails had become useless +about twelve o'clock when she furled them. As the snowy cloud of canvas +was rolled up like magic, and the tall tapering spars were seen in its +place, I supposed the cruiser was about to retire from the contest; but +she still followed with the tenacity of a bloodhound. But apparently to +no purpose till about two o'clock, when the chief engineer, Mr. +Schroeder, appeared on the bridge with the report that the journals were +heated, and it was absolutely necessary to stop to ease the bearings! +This was a predicament, indeed; but when I looked down into the hold, +and saw the clouds of vapor rising from the overheated journals, as a +stream of water was being pumped upon them, I saw that Schroeder was +right in the assertion, that unless the bearings were instantly eased, +the machinery would give way. I had implicit confidence in Schroeder, +and it had been justly earned, for he had served long under my command, +and had always displayed, under trying circumstances, great coolness, +presence of mind, and ability. He made every preparation for the work +before him, taking off his own coat, and when everything was in +readiness, the order to stop the engines was given. In a few moments, we +lay like a log upon the water, and the chaser was rapidly lessening the +distance between as, and the suspense became almost intolerable. Our +fate was hanging by a thread; but in ten minutes the journals had been +cooled off, the bearings eased, and the Chameleon again sprang ahead +with renewed speed. The steamer in chase had approached nearly within +cannon shot--probably within long range--but in the course of the next +hour, we had gained so rapidly in the race that the pursuit was +abandoned as hopeless; and as the stranger wore around, to resume her +station under easy steam, we followed in her wake till dark, when we +evaded her without difficulty, and continued on our course toward +Charleston. + +But another precious day had been lost, and subsequent unfavorable +weather still further retarding our progress, we did not reach the coast +near Charleston Bar till the fifth night after our departure from +Nassau. The blockading fleet had been reinforced by all the light +cruisers from the approaches to the Cape Fear River; and as we drew in +to the land, we were so frequently compelled to alter the course of the +Chameleon, in order to evade the blockaders, that we did not reach the +bar till long after midnight, and after the tide had commenced to fall. +I was tempted to force the pilot to make the attempt, but finally +yielded to his assurances that access was impossible under the +circumstances. As this was the last night during that moon, when the bar +could be crossed during the dark hours, the course of the Chameleon was +again, and for the last time, shaped for Nassau. As we turned away from +the land, our hearts sank within us, while the conviction forced itself +upon us, that the cause for which so much blood had been shed, so many +miseries bravely endured, and so many sacrifices cheerfully made, was +about to perish at last! + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + Sad News via New York.--Consternation among Speculators in + Nassau.--Departure from Nassau via Bermuda.--Arrival at + Liverpool.--The End. + + +Arriving at Nassau on the 8th, we found many blockade-runners in port, +waiting for news from Charleston; and on the 10th, the Owl returned, +after an unsuccessful attempt to enter Charleston, during which she +received a shot through her bows; and intelligence came also of the +capture of the "Stag" and "Charlotte." On the 23d, the "Chicora," which +had succeeded in getting into Charleston, arrived with the fatal news of +its evacuation, and the progress of General Sherman through Georgia and +South Carolina. This sad intelligence put an end to all our hopes, and +we were now cut off from all communication with the Confederate +Government authorities. + +In this dilemma, Maffitt and I consulted with Mr. Heyliger, the +Confederate agent at Nassau; and it was decided that the Chameleon +should be taken over to England. Whatever might be the course of +events, our duty appeared to be to turn our vessels over, either to the +agent of the Navy Department in Liverpool, or to the firm of Messrs. +Fraser, Trenholm & Co. there. We learned afterwards, indeed, that +Captain Pembroke Jones, of the Confederate Navy, was at that time on his +way to us via Galveston or Mexico, with orders from the Navy Department. +All of us were directed to take in cargoes of provisions to a specified +point on the Rappahannock River, under the protection of Confederate +artillery to be stationed there in readiness. The steamers were to be +burned after landing their cargoes, but Jones could not reach us in +time. + +The bottom of the Chameleon being quite foul, divers were employed to +scrub it preparatory to her long sea voyage. These people are +wonderfully expert, remaining under the surface nearly two minutes; and +the water in the harbor of Nassau is so clear that they can be +distinctly seen even at the keel of a vessel. Our cargo of provisions +was landed, and an extra supply of coal taken on board. The vessel being +under Confederate colors and liable to capture wherever found, except in +neutral waters, it behooved us to be prepared at all times to show our +heels to a stranger Some of our crew who wished their discharge, for the +purpose of rejoining their families at the South, were paid off; the +rest of them shipped for the voyage to Liverpool via Bermuda. We still +lingered for later intelligence which was brought by the mail steamer +Corsica from New York. Charleston was evacuated on the 17th of February, +and Fort Anderson, the last of the defences at Wilmington, fell on the +19th. General Johnston had assumed command of the broken remnant of the +army of the Tennessee in North Carolina, and subsequently offered some +resistance to the hitherto unimpeded march of General Sherman; but the +latter was now about to effect a junction with General Schofield, who +commanded a large force which had landed at Wilmington. It was too +evident that the end was near. The speculators in Nassau saw that "the +bottom had fallen out," and all of them were in the depths of despair. +Some of them, it is true, had risen from the desperately hazardous game +with large gains, but the majority had staked their all and lost it; and +even the fortunate ones had contracted a thirst for rash ventures, which +eventually led to the pecuniary and social ruin of some of them. Even +the negro stevedores and laborers bewailed our misfortunes, for they +knew that the glory of Nassau had departed forever. My old friend +Captain Dick Watkins probably more unselfishly regretted the disasters +to our arms than the speculators or even the refugees in Nassau, who had +succeeded in evading service in the army by skulking abroad. A +recruiting officer might have "conscripted" nearly a brigade of the +swaggering blusterers. Captain Dick and I parted with mutual regret; and +I sincerely hope, if Providence has been pleased to remove the old +fellow's helpmeet to a better sphere, that he has found consolation in a +virtuous union with one of those "mighty pretty yaller gals" he so much +admired; and that Napoleon Bonaparte may rise to the highest dignities +in that particolored community of spongers and "wrackers." + +We sailed from Nassau on the 22d of March and arrived at St. George's, +Bermuda on the 26th. The harbor was deserted, and the town, in its +listless inactivity, presented a striking contrast with its late stir +and bustle. "'Twas Greece, but living Greece no more." After coaling, we +took our departure for Liverpool on the 26th of March, and arrived there +on the 9th of April. It was Palm Sunday, and the chimes were ringing +sweetly from the church bells, as we came to anchor. + +The contrast between this happy, peaceful, prosperous country and our +own desolated, war-distracted land, struck a chill to our saddened +hearts. The last act in the bloody drama was about to close on that very +day at Appomattox Court House, and before that sun had set, the +Confederate Government had become a thing of the past. We, who were +abroad, were not unprepared for the final catastrophe; for we had +learned on our arrival at Liverpool of General Early's defeat in the +valley of the Shenandoah, and the accession to General Grant's already +overwhelmingly large forces of General Sheridan's cavalry; and of the +junction of General Sherman with General Schofield. To oppose these +mighty armies, there were 33,000 half starved, ragged heroes in the +trenches around Petersburg, and about 25,000 under General Johnston in +North Carolina. + +This may not be a proper place to allude to the fearful penalties +inflicted upon a people who fought and suffered for what they deemed a +holy cause. But it should be proclaimed, in the interest of truth and +justice, that the South since the close of the war, has been preyed +upon by unprincipled adventurers and renegades who are determined to +rule or ruin. But a brighter day will come. Calumny and injustice cannot +triumph forever. That distinguished officer Colonel C. C. Chesney of the +British army in a volume of "Military Biography" lately published by +him, in allusion to General Lee, writes thus: "But though America has +learned to pardon, she has yet to attain the full reconciliation for +which the dead hero would have sacrificed a hundred lives. Time can only +bring this to a land, which in her agony, bled at every pore. Time, the +healer of all wounds will bring it yet. The day will come, when the evil +passions of the great civil strife will sleep in oblivion, and North and +South do justice to each other's motives, and forget each other's +wrongs. Then History will speak with clear voice of the deeds done on +either side, and the citizens of the whole Union do justice to the +memories of the dead." Surely all honest men and true patriots will +rejoice to see that day. + +The firm of Fraser, Trenholm & Co. was represented in Liverpool by a Mr. +Prioleau who was by no means anxious for the consignment of the +Chameleon in ballast; with a cargo on board the case would have been +different. He evidently considered her a very big and unsalable +elephant, and repudiated the part of showman. The vessel was therefore +turned over to Captain Bullock, who acted with his usual tact and +discretion in the subsequent transactions connected with her. There was +a sharp struggle between rival claimants for the possession of the ship, +but the Gordian knot was cut by the British Government which placed the +"broad arrow" upon her. The public funds were also transferred to +Captain Bullock and his receipt taken for them. Here I beg leave to +affirm that I neither appropriated nor desired to appropriate any of the +spoils of the perishing ship of state.[16] But as memory recalls the +many opportunities placed in my way of making a fortune during the war, +without detriment to the cause, and consistent with every obligation due +to the Confederate Government, there are times when I cannot decide +whether I acted the part of a fool, or that of a patriot. We are told +that when Lord Clive was arraigned before the British Parliament for +profiting by his high position in India to enrich himself, he exclaimed +at the close of his defence against the charge, "By G----d, Mr. Chairman, +at this moment I stand astonished at my own moderation!" His idea of +"moderation" was £300,000. A "dead broke" Confederate would have +considered himself fortunate to possess 300,000 cents! Some of the crew +of the Chameleon, who had served for years in the Confederate Navy, +brought a claim against me for pay due them while in the public service, +and it was with some difficulty that their counsel, a pettifogging +lawyer, could be induced to consent to arbitration; but the matter was +finally settled through Bullock's agency, although it appeared probable +at one time that I would be obliged to take a hasty departure from +England. + +The end was close at hand. News of the capture of Richmond arrived on +the 15th, and a few days afterwards, intelligence of the surrender of +General Lee's army. The Chameleon was soon afterwards given up to the +United States Government which claimed the assets, but repudiated the +liabilities of the Confederate Government. Her officers and crew were +turned adrift with "the wide world before them where to choose." + +FOOTNOTE: + +[16] The proofs, which I hold in my possession, of this affirmation can +have no interest for the general reader. Shortly after the close of the +war, I learned through a friend in Washington that I was charged with +appropriating many thousands of dollars belonging to the late +Confederate Government. Although I was then living in Halifax, Nova +Scotia, and beyond the jurisdiction of the United States Government, I +forwarded to the Hon. Secretary of the United States Navy, copies of the +receipts taken by me from Captain Bullock, in Liverpool, for all +Confederate property in my possession. I may be permitted indeed, to +claim eminent disinterestedness, for I might have accumulated a fortune; +and at the end, my faithful and efficient paymaster, E. Courtenay +Jenkins, a gentleman of the purest integrity, made the transfer by my +direction; both of us washing our hands of the "filthy lucre," and +retaining a clear conscience. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF A BLOCKADE-RUNNER*** + + +******* This file should be named 21977-8.txt or 21977-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/9/7/21977 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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