The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-19
WEDNESDAY, MAY ls, 1864.
THE WILMINGTON BLOCKADE.
Capture Of Blockade Runner Young
Republic.

Correspondence of the Baltimore American.
OFF WILMINGTON, n. c., Cape Fear
River, Old Inlet Side, May g. 1864
At halfpast four on the morning of
the 9th, we sighted steamer, which,
though the entire absence Of black
smoke and her evident American build,
simulated one of our own transports
bound South, was soon decided to be a
veritable blockade runner. Her evil
dent uneasiness in her position, and her
increasing anxiety to escape the prox-
unity of an honest Lincoln gunboat,
but seemed to augment the inquisitive-
ness natural TO a Yankee to know who
she was and where she came from At
6 A. NJ we had gained on her, and at
I.30 A. NJ it was apparent the bird had
been frightened, as we began to pass
King Cotton in the shape of bales rid
ing old Neptune's borrowed throne in
stead of quietly pursuing his journey
Britainward At half past nine we fir
ed the first shot from our pivot, but the
distance was two great to allow US to
and pitch over cotton the faster, of
which there seemed TO be a continuous
line of bales for nearly thirty miles, but
our speed did not slacken, and at 40
A. NJ, amidst thick fire of shot and
she'll she hoisted white rag and turn
ed toward us, thus ending a hot and
well contested chase Of six hours and
forty minutes, and proving conclusivcly
that the Grand Gulf is yet in good
wind
On boarding we learned her to be
the side-wheel steamer Young Repub-
lie, of Nassau n p, commanded by
Capt Frank N. Harris, c. S. n. In her
track for the space Of a mile the sea
looked thick rs with the fragments of
a wreck Buckets, bales, chairs, so
fas, boxes and barrels, hen coops, nau-
teal instrument cases, trunks Of cloth
ing, broken open and scattered, books,
papers and letters strewn in confusion
on old ocean, told plainly the chagrin
and despair consequent on the capture
On board the steamer the same scene
of wanton destruction was everywhere
visible. Boat falls cut and the boats
ahoat, boxes broken open and the con
tents wasted-in fact, every movable
thing broken up, or thrown overheard,
even to the captains chronometer and
charts. Many of those which were
light enough to float were afterwards
recovered, but the weighty sunk to OBJ
livion. In the cabin, which gave evi-
dences of having been splendidly fur
nished, and occupied by lady passen-
gers, windows were broken, lamps
thrown about, mirrors smashed, the
whole exhibiting reckless fury which
it is not often our fortune to witness
Fortunately the boat herself and en-
gines had escaped injury, so having put
on board prize master and crew, we
turned back and leisurely picked up
the cotton
Before night we had recovered 10
bales, and on the two succeeding days
2l0 more, making in all 800 bales
cotton-p picking which we believe Is unpa-
ralleled on the ocean. How much She
contains is a question yet to be an
sWered. Her commander, Capt Frank
N. Harris reports that she left VIII
mington twelve hours before with 500
tons tobacco and 300 bales cotton, all
on Confederate account
This report of the amount Of cargo
may be exaggerated, but it is certain
she has some hundreds of bales of cot
ton, if not that amount of tobacco. as
her hold is full to the matches. Capt
Harris is a slight-built, active man. and
previous to the rebellion was a Master
in the United States Navy, having
graduated in the United States Naval
Academy. This is the fifth boat which
he has run, and ought to be the last
But having only transferred his allegiance
to the Confederacy, he viii probably be
held as prisoner Of war and exchanged
to run the blockade again 1t is be-
lieYed, though we have no positive evi-
dence, that the Surgeon, Engineers,
and all the officers, are members Of tho
Southern Navy. If this be true, taken
in connection with the fact that the
cargo was on Confederate account we
hope it will not escape the notice Of the
Government, and that they viii not rely
on merely oaths 10 keep them from
mischief
Il may seem strange TO assert she is a
New Ork boat but sdch Is the Tact
She was built By Messrs James Muir
ply & Co, in the fall Of 1865. has a
powerful beam engine in most excellent
condition, with most splendid outfit Of
stores, taken for the engineers depart
ment, which happily escaped the fate
Of the moyeables above decks Her
length is POI feet, breadth 364 feet, and
depth of hold Is feet, making her about
100 tons Her log-bOok, which was
picked up astern Of her, shows that
she had made a passage to Fortress (
Monroe carrying company Of cayal- 4
ry,) and back, 50 that her actual re5el use .
is limited TO less than forty days She .
is considered one Of the most valuable \
vessels which has been captured during
the war, and a half million is esteemed I
a low estimate of the value Of the prize
and her cargo.
Scarce a month has elapsed since she
her name and register from
the Conqueror, of New York, as her
present name aud hailing place is
dated April 23d, 1864. How she be-
came owned BY the Confederate
and commanded By a
naval officer, is a nut
which we leave the sapient New