The New York herald., 1864-11-11
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE.

Interesting Details from she Diary OF .
blockade Runner Pound On Board the
"Les Her nip."
"Let her ripi Such was the ejaculation which burst
with all the power OF emphasis Of which the English
language Is capable from the lips Of group Of nautical
men who were standing In the shipyard Of hsssrs. Kirk
patrick Mcintyre, OF Glasgow, as the last shores
were Knocked away. and long, low rskish looking, but
beautifully modelled sidewheel steamer glded from the
stocks on which she had been built into the peaceful
waters Of the Clyde. "Let her rpl' Il noaied the
breeze, In tine tag at the masthead Il was bazoned
her Rilded paddle boxes, and "Let Her RpLverpool"
IN letters OF gold her stern announced and
port OF registry.
II was uncoutb name, and seemed to harmonic but
IN with the beautifully moulded craft to which II
belonged nevertheless, to tho eyea or the seafarers
present. the sharp nes the huge paddle wheels and
light draught OF the vessel seemed adapted bear out
the motto. She evidently built with view to the
attainment OF very high Of Speed in places, too,
OF dangerous and shallow navigation; Tor her draught,
when loaded, was but eight feet and though she
nearly two hundred eet long she registered but two
hundred and sixty tons. la fact, she blockade
coast Of Conedera,e" America as as pos sbe
after the launch was TO proceed TO LIVERPOOL there 10
receive her engines ana ttngs and from thence start
Tor the scene OF hec further exploits
nuring the first two years of the blockade running
had been matter II no great di'cnty Sailing vessels
had, time after time, ended the vigilance Of the Yankee
squadron, aod with steamer Il very
was almost certain. Many that could st~sr, no
than e h knots at their highest speed mad
in and out several times without q shot being fired,
at tme too whea cotton could DO purchased at eight
cents o the confederacy, sold for times
that sum u Nassau or Bermuda
Most OF the captures Of that period were made by
cruisers falling rbe vessels their passage from
either port and many that NOT legally liable - for
lei ure wore se7ed and destroyed by The Yankees In
ther pursuit OF the perseysrng evaders Of their dsap
aA Imam Ilnf Sharn hln~
ners increased the captures became ous and
the captors gained experience About this time, too the
United States having failed TO fulfil their bring
the rebels INTO sub econ in Elk tbs and hanging
Jelr Davis up example TO future generations and
az terror TO all intending agtaters. Europe began to
doubt her power 10 do So or at ai events TO look
its consummution as an event as yet iar distant;
and in the meantime southern prva,eers were making
sad havoc among American merchantmen, and Euopcan
merchants deemed u no longer sa 10 trust their goods
in American bottoms Thus hundreds Of vessels
thrown out OF EN- ryment, or Obliged TO change their
tag many OF Their ealing vessels were sold to Tor.
eigners, aud their fastest steamers armed and
loyed cruisers and guards This addition to
the Northern naval power affected tho interests OF block
ade runners ia tw ways-frstly, by piRcing larger
number OF much faster cruisers 10 Southern waters and
secondly, by enabling the government add their
biockading squadrons many more o. their steamships OF
war thus rendering the attempt 10 run 10 ana out very
precarions indeed.
But "tne hour failed bring forth its man.
and the emergency thus formed was promptly met by
companies formed for the purpose 10 the conederscy.
especially In Soah Carolina, who immeditsy ordered
vessels from OF the best English and Scotch build
chDery These vessels were planned expressly Tor the
trade adapted 10 carry lresy light draa Of water
sna ntted Win steam power 70 orve tnem al rate OF
speed which could put capture from fair chase out Of
the question.
Ofthese, uDequalled beauty and yet unsurpassed
in speed. the Let Her Rip the adventures OF which,
on her last trip 20 Wilmington, shall for the present
attempt 10 follow
sHsrd a.port' shouted The mate 70 the man at the
wheel; hard aportp "Abead, full speed: Piye II to
her 70 the engineers a. the ship swung quickly round
obedience 70 her helm and lied aleug with an
n q vh
Jonathan vse within half mile Of US when shs order
was given but evidently had not seen But tho al
teration Of course brought directly head
moon (Which close down 70 the hor,zon) aud
bull aud masts interp0sed between him and the light Il
would have been next TO impossible for him toiss
ing US 1ba, be had not done 90 was quickly proved by
the dense cloud OF smoke taL arose from his tunnels
he stssred directly after us.
Ls. her r,p. was the word and d,d Ie, her rip to
some purpose for in four hours Jonathan scarcely
visible from deck though with glasses st
soc bim smoking up IN the vain hope OF gaming on u.s.
Il ali to raise steam saic our captain coouv as be
hauled the ship 10 her course Agso sud turned
for farewell hook a. tho nov almost Invisible Rnods
We continued our course withou, motestat,ou ul tho
afternoon OF the following day, at which time
again obliged 10 run away from H. as two cruisers sup
posed 10 be the Connecticut and Nepuae hove In sight.
They however. did not give us much trouble but the
time and distance lost in running OF prevented
~ from getting In that night, and obliged TO
and or TIL daylight OF the following Sunday morning.
when we again shaped our course for Cape Fear.
We sighted land about hall past four ran up along the
coast as far as dared aud then stood oil wax for
night
ration made and precauton taken Tor running Sta.
toned some men 10 the word OF command from the
bridge, and then took my Own place by the at tho
wheel. Every light cxingus she'd save ore IN the
engine room and those h the binnacles which
fully shrouded; the vindsals we're hauled down. the
sokehoes covered up, and as last prscauon, the
who had slowed away was brought upon the brage and
chained to an IRON stanchon receiving at the same time
gentle hint that there were half dozen pistol balls
ready Tor bis head If he showed aoy intention OF turning
traitor.
The nip BIT seemed TO favor u.s. II fell dark clouded and
misty while the closeness OF tho atmosphere The Is nj
runbing OF the distant thunder and the occasional
flashes or + rked lightning heralded an approaching
We sped along at the rate Of about twelve knots
an hour and were close to Cape Fear light when low
from forward told that one OF the bocgadng
bent my sight close down 70 the water, aud could
perceive the dark outlines Of the hull OF lar steamer
crisis whatever 1t might be- turned TO my duty beside
the man at the wheel, FIRST giving my mon a cautioo
about speaking too loud IN passDg the orders 10 aud fro
We were two " the taie-t men iu the ship, that
hememan and and Big OF keeping up our spirits
we conferred each other with the assurance that We
would make o nne object for Nathan TO point hts guns
by, he should happen tho ship as she passed.
dead silence reiRped fore and ait as we passed the
first broken only by the occasional
passing Of orders 70 us the wheel low and, to
our great Joy, We gded BY without attracting his aten
ton.
nearly midnight and we had nearly cleared the last
OF the hostile vessels sudden noise from the tunnels
caosed by the "blast beng put oo followed by dense
thus forming clear and faith vi Indicator OF our posi-
tion, attracted the notice OF her iookouts aud rocket
thrown IN the direction In which going proved
10 us that Uncovered and showed ths other ves
sels how steering.
"Gve to her give her all you canlr shouted the
tain TO the engineers, and trembling from stem TO stern
The pressure on her Increased our gallant little craft
sped aloug towards the bar at tremendous rate
And II was well that she did We not two hun
dred yards OF Jonathan whom he saw us, and the
sparks from his signal rocket cleared away bright red
Hash, followed by the heavy booming OF gun warned
each OF us 10 prepare for what must follow.
II was moment of Intense and awful interest, that
brief Interval from the nash Of the gun till the shot
came wbzziug along, making my 1esh creep and cold
shuddcr pass through roy frame as stood calmy aud
firmly attending TO my duty by the equally cam man at
the wheel II ono OF those awful moments when the
soul seems Gas though lightning flash had for moment
Hunt its deptbs) TO glance far uown into tho dark
chaos Of eternity while With equal force and vivdDess,
the past the rrecaimahc past noats sw y before the
vison recall with terrible truth and cedrness many
a precious hour wasted, many day misspent, many
III deed done-whic the present pointing oaward 10 the
fast approaching future, whispers tho dreadful words