The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-07
BLOCKADE RUNNERS CAPTrRED.


A correspondent Of the New Bedford
Standard ("H. D. E" gives the follow
ing spirited account Of the capture Of
blockade-runners in Brazos river by the
United States steamer Penobscot:
The BrazOs river about forty miles
from GavelstOn, Is a fine river when
once inside, but with a shOal bar. We
have lately made it the scene OF one Of
the most successful exploits in destroy
ing and capturing bloekade-runners.
The PenObseo5 relieved from the
Galveston station in the latter part of
last month, was ordered to watch the
entrance to this river On our arrival
there we saw several sehOOners inside
protected by a strong battery, but
though we kept vigilant watch day ami
night we could discover nothing run
ning.
Butat last our patience was rewarded.
On the 2Sth Of February, in the early
gray of the morning, two vessels were
discovered endeaYOring 20 get IN We
were quickly in chase The FIRST one
we drove on shore and she soon became
a hopeless wreck The other enc was
further of and became our prize. She
was fine schooner, loaded with powder,
arms, medicine, &c. ] think her can
tam was down east Yankee, though
of course claiming 70 be q British
subject" A more miserable, dirty
looking set than her crew think
never saw. 1t wouldn't be worth the
sacrifice Of good rope TO hang them.
Well, we put prize crew on board,
on "norther Ia fresh gale with rain
and fog. The next day the storm still
continued, and we lay hid in a dense
fog AT noon il suddenly cleared when
to our surprise we discovered feet Of
eight vessels under way and coming
over the Brazos bar. At the same time
they discovered US But four Of them
had come too far TO 90 back
The men had just gone to dinner,
but they came tumbling up the hatch
way, and the capsan ran around as it
never went before. We were quickly
under way, and the chase began We
steered right for the rebel batteries.
Great clouds Of black smoke rolled
from the smoke-stack The hungry
mouths Of the furnaces were fed with
slush and pitch, coal and wood The
monsters beneath our decks shook their
arms of steel, and bent with untiring
power to their task The ship quivered
ike a leaf as they urged on. The
white sails dropped from their tapering
spars, and were spread BY the strong
arms of hundred men. The ship
fairly flew. In less time than j can
write it, we We're at the river bar and
two schoOlers with full loads Of cotton,
driven on the sand dashed bv the
breakers, became shattered wrecks.
The loni, guns of the rebel batteries
poured forth a stream of FIRE Rifle
shells whistled above the gale, and
round shot came plunging from wave to
wave. But the Penobscot has charm
that never deserts her Hurting def
ance, our eleven inch thunders back
We watch the huge shell as il flies
through the air, and almost feel like
kissing the old gun as we see its missile
burst in the fort The Parrot sends
its, compliments, too. But We cannot
stop to fight, and so while the rebels
chafe with impotent rage, we speed on
for the doomed vessels
a shell brings the nearest one 10, and
while q prize crew takes charge of her
we steer for the other, the only remain
ing one that got outside The tenth
shell stops her, and We soon have her
in tow We let them lie off the river
with US that night for the rebs to look
at, and the next day all three prizes
started for New Orleans They are all
tied up here now. Ensign Miller Ia
New Bedford boy) and your correspond
ent had the pleasure of bringing them
down. They are al fine vessels. One
had cargo Of powder, arms, &c, an
other had 100 bales Of cotton worth
about $4,000, and $4,000 in Confeder-
ate notes, and the other had a cargo Of
$40 bales Of cotton, worth about 500
600, $1,000 in gold coin, and about $40
900 in gold watches, diamonds, &c On
the whole quite good days work for
one gunbOat The rebel captains have
already condemned their vessels BY
written depositions, and they dom steal
half here as they do in New York