The Narrative of a Blockade-Runner

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 reestablished.--Gloomy Prospects of the South. 189

CHAPTER XIII.. Cruise of the Chickamauga.--Mr. Mallory's Inefficiency.--Troubles

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

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

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.

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