The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-12-02
An Interesting Ahecdoie of Comm cd ore
Wander bilt.

An Interesting Anecaose of Comm odore
Wander bilt.
A correspondent of the New York EVENING
Post is enthusiastic. over Commodore Wander
bits gift to the government during the war of
valuable steamer, the particulars of which
he'gives as follows:
No private citizen has probably ever shown
more patriotism than Cornelius Vanderbilt :
His lberality to the government during the
darkest period of the rebellion should be re-
corded in the heart of every true American
and his example handed down to animate re-
motest ages. All this was proved in this wav
Mr.. Stanton while Secretary of Warhad. from
his scouts within the rebel lines, a. GER
tanned that the rebels had about c0mpleted
their iron-clad called the Merrmac, and that
She would soon leave Richmond, prepared to
destroy our fleet and burn our towns. without
meeting with any power that could probably
resist her. The whole country was alarmed az
well as the government.
Under these circumstances special agent
was directed by the telegraph to wait upon
Commodore Vanderbilt at ii O'Clock at NIGHT
| and ask for what sum of money he conId
| agree to blockade this ironelad and keen her
| from getting out of port. Commodore Van
| derbit instantly said to the agent: "Tele-
| graph to Mr.. Stanton that 1 will see him at
once, and went Immediately to Washington
called upon Mr.. Stanton, and said 20 him. "I
have come on about this business. Who is
| there to be consulted? IT any one. call him
l have no time to talk it over twice." Mr..
stanton replied; The President, Mr.. Lincoln
must be consulted" 'Then" said the Com
modore, ''leG us 60 to his house at once.'
| which they did.
Mr.. Lincoln said: "Can you stop this iron
clad?" The Commodore replied: Eyes at
least there are nine chances out of ten 7 con.
[ will take my ship, the G. Vanderbilt, cover
her machinery, &c, with 500 bales of cotton.
raise tie stear, and rush her with oyerwbelm,
ing force on the iron-olad, and sink her before
she can escape, or cripple u.s." Mr.. Lincoln
then said: How much money will you de-
mand for such a service?' Commodore Van.
derbilt replied that the Government had not
money enough to hire him. that he had come
not to speculate upon the trials of his coun-
try, but to try and help her in this hour of
need that he would give them his ship with
out charge; that he would instantly order her
by telegraph to be equipped and on her way
toward Richmond in thirty-sx hours. which
was done, she sailing under the order of one
his own captains, and the Commodore in per
son ON board
Having reached Hampton Roads, among our
blockading squadron, the Commander Of the
fleet went on board the ship. After some con-
sutation, Commodore Vanderbilt asked him
# the ron-elad would probably come out. The
said Commodore Vanderbilt, s. 1 have one ia
vor to ask of you, and that is, if she! should
come, you will keep your fleet ont of the way.
that may have room to sink her." The IRON
clad, as is well known, did come out, and was
disabled and put back by the Monitor sent
from New York.
The object being accomplished, Commodore
Vanderbilt lett his ship and came home, and has
never asked or received one cent for his ship,
ever since held as Government property, and
which at the moment they took her was worth
III 100000. Instead of gi ring them this sum
he could have made almost any terms for him
self.