New-York daily tribune., 1863-07-06
LIFE ON A BLOCKADKR.
CorrsspondeLes Of The N. Y. Trisuus.

Southern COast-and all who thus or otherwise serve
their country should surely Hud true friend ip
every patriotic beart-may bs interested TO
know something of the dullness and excitement Of
Blockade life. The sample give is such - 10 ex.
perenced off Wilmington, North Carolina, one Of
the only three remaining places on all SecesiAs sea-
ward borders, where blockade runners may seek
to smugge in their goods and gold for cotton bales,
piteb tar and turpentne. Wilmington, Charleston,
and Mobile alone remain Of all the Rebel ports, but
it is Of Wilmington that write, where it 10, how
it looks, aud all about 1t and ourselves, with oul
doiDgs
Right down the coast, some $50 miles from Now
York, you will find il; q hundred or more miles
sou sou west from the stormy Cape Of Hatteras,
you will see the river that floats the merchandise u
and from the docks at Wilmington, emptyipg into
the ocean at Cape Fear, from which 1t takes 10
name. The river has two mouths, or rather .
mouth proper, which opens to the south Of the cape,
and then an opening into the side Of the river, north
of the cape, called New-Iplet. Perhaps more seek
entrance by this inlet than the mouth which 10
guarded by Fort Caswell q strong, regulsry'buit
fort, mounting some lagrange EogIsh Whiswortb
guns One other fort has been built here since the
comm tncement of the war. TLis inlet 10 guarded
by a long line of earthworks, mounted by Whit
worth aud other guns Of heavy calber. winning:
ton lies come twenty miles from TIE mousn ans
fifteen miles north OF New Inlet
One great Characteristic feature Of this coast
the columns Of smoke which every few miles shoe,
up from its pine forests aud lowlands. All along
tie coast may be seen mounds, where pitcn, TAR,
anA turpentine being made. These prlmitive
manufactures for tie staple OF North Carolina are
in many places close down near the waters edges
whence th.ir products may easily be shipped On
-chooners or light draft vessels with little danger
OF beng caught by US blockaders, who draw toe
much water TO make . very near approach to shor~
SO much for the coast We guard; and new OF our
selves, our getting here, and other doings. But
few weeks since We we're bound here, and just n
dusk deserted faint blue line OF laDd-ths eoast--
far 10 the west.nor r-west OF us. Az ABOUT ~ p 10:
vessel tove 10 sight. "Ha! ha! my jolly tarsi
have we stumbled on prize !" Tie captain snifs
the air as though be d clutched onei our guns are
trained upon the craft; she shows iSnt, and
steamer of about half our tunnage. And 10 instead
OF running, she steaIns up toward US. we Grhe
light but s as 10th TO show its brightness az tne
ancien, busbe hidden candle; rope 10 Iurpentinsd,
and touched with burning match; the flame spreads
blazing up and down the whole spiral length Of the
tarred rope-iogcb, TO the intui,e N-iatioo OF the
lighter. Fierce stamping and nercer execrationa
swiftly terronze tho Trembling quartermaster,
who good fellow, tried his beat 81 hrs;, and then,
frightened by comI laints into doing something
des ceraie, made this blaze. Now IL Is out, and
frantic enoyts made 10 get upon the rope s-ena
fire enough to high. q rocket, and let this vessel,
whether on Secession errapd or some outpost
sentinel OF our own true cause, know who We are,
and vice yerss. We bail them, and sing out 70 know
woo tney may be while waiting for tire TO throw
out signals and talk to them oy rockets, but the
wind runs away with oar shousings and buries them
IN the sea. Bat now whss do we see The vesse!
verify seems inclined - down. and now still
worse-vhat doss The Little curse mean A
bright light hAshsd sesoas her decks shows gathered
sround her guns swift nesins band OF men. Her
crew training sAsir gsns "a - ~ our swift cap
lure or ssstrsetion. CAa she ~ zee our neavy
weight Of METAL No, ssF Psrts srs clossd Now
zoe may be friend for - her signal lights seem 70
indisate and we must Dot fire OIL Ler; but II she 10
Of eur Sect how shall We let n.r k,ow tbas we arc
ftieuds time ~ the loss OF ie and rreparable
har IN a single ball from her might dol She has
waited full long for friendly signals from US, and the
wind which sweeps our shouts from their hearing
brings 10 US from shem, first, words OF question who
we aie, and then thres's If we don't quickly tell,
aud thea fatssOunling words-orders pass TO tho
uen al the foremost gun, One point 10 the star.
board train her," Words which make their aim on
u.s. still to their ears unanswerlpg, more sure and
fatal.
"Bear hand with that FIRE and torch Be quick,
for Gods sake; we'll have shot through US, and
that from friend, unless We blaze away IKE light
ming with our rockelsP
Ihs crew are stepping from the gun 10 get out OF
i,s way us il s tred the captain OF the gun holds
the lo> k-string-three steps back ne goes-takes Q
last auee ACROSS tie sigut Oh us-s quick JERK on
the strug-a flash OF lire In the pan-a belchna
blaze Of fire and smoke from the cannon's moath,
yell OF thunder, and ball goes crushing through u
from stem to stern, tearing out our very entrsils-
unless like the fash OF lighting, our rockets spring
Ligh in air and tell we are Americans. The Instant
is not lost; our rocket tells our story; tho lock.
string is dropped, aDa they talk back most friendly
with red white and blue lights, and the spar king
train OF rockets. The danger Is psst We learn t1as
they are rieuds aud more than tDat that she Is the
Victoria, which captured not long since most
princeiy prize, steamer thrice her speed and sizs
and VINO carried front as bold as ours. Sue caught
tnis steamer thoug much faster, because It WAS Qua
or almost ont Of COAL and could not get up sufficient
steam.
Others of our friends near by lay waiting for
| some Rebel SOY. Morping brought us to our post,
through the eaIes Of danger-crowced night. Words
OF courtesy pats between and the other vessels;
some say they are but slight, Others tank quite
slight. 4" Here o an interlopar, another sharer ID
our prizee," some imagine, from tho actions oi
tho esses we have come TO join. Others don : see
| il in that hght-think that they are glad We nave
come, and 20 opinions vary. Here We are al lass
locking toward land aud toward sea- 10 see what we
can see; and ii there DO any spicy seasoning 10 thus
monotony In shape OF ships we eau seize on The high
seas in lhis Spring season OF the year. Wc Of tue
Florida take post nearer TO she shoro than other
vessels hero. The remaining four spread themselves
along bat not near the coast, which Is lined with
batteries and where they are building more. These
four arc tho State Of Georgia, Daylight. Mount
Vernon---ous more, the lroquos. winch, Just now.
they say, 10 away hlliug up With coal. One, two,
three day we have spent In watehi y, And 40 YET
have seen no foreign sail; We have stunned well the
line of our western horizon, anu nd il we'll studded
with forts, embrazures. ssrthworks, blacknosed
dogs OF war, and busy traitors. Days roll on, and
now u now thing grows upon the views one short
week ago 1t seemed but moshi, kI-now Is Is the
hight OF uap, ana hourly grows higher, roundsr,
larger iu every way. Two weeks sinee il started
into being, and ts summt is far above tho reach Of
spade or shovel throw, and a platform firmly knit
aud held together by welsplicsd tlmbers crowns It.
Another day and wooden way Is stretched from