The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-08-25
Blockade Running.

/ saw in the Times, of some time ago,
a prettily written sketch of running the
blockade and it recalled to me an
experience of my own. When Batter
made his attack on Fort Fisher, was at
anchor about one mile from the fort
My steamer belonged to the Confederate
States Government and was then under
orders to 90 out Mt all risks and to get
back as soon 2s possible with ammuni-
tion and army supplies.
The bOmbardment had been vigorously
kept up all day, and | noticed that the
gunbOats which had been left to guard
the Western channel-Off Fort Caswell--
had gradually edged away TO the east
ward, until, toward sundown, they had
disappeared round the point of Frying
pan shoals, whence they had view of
the fight.
/ was delighted with the prospects of
clear run past this unguarded point,
and about nine o'clOck-the night being
dark and the tide serving-I started over
| the bar.
/ Every light was doused, save the one
/ in the pinnacle, and that was covered
by a canvass hood through which a hole
about the size of a dollar Silver, and not
gTeenback) was cut, so that the man at
the wheel could see the compass. Look
and every precautiOn taken to avoid
discovery.
We had run about five miles from the
bar when the glimmer of a light was
I seen right ahead. 1t disappeared in
stantly, but we knew there was no land
in that direction, and that consequently
the light must have come from some
vessel.
Our course was rapidly changed, and
in few minutes we went booming past
a vessel at not more than fifty yards
distance.
We were seen, of course, but the night
was so black and our speed was so great
| that before gun could be brought to
bear, we were lost i'm the darkness, and
the shell fired at Us burst harmlessly far
astern.
The sound of that gun, like the report
of vacancy in public office, called up
numbers before unseen, and dark masses
I lOOmed up in every direction Not
knowing which way to steer, we stopped
our engines.
/ The gumboats, fearing to expose their
positions, did not venture to signal one
another, and as we were all together in
the dark, they could not tell the block
ade runner from one of their own fleet.
Our position was critical. We knew
{
fact that there was no war ship i'm VIII
mingtOn of which they need have anv
apprehension, and we knew they would
soon huddle together and leave US fair
mark. They could not mistake us for
Confederate man-O'-war, for they were
eOgnizant of the fact that the two DOW
erful 'irOn-cladsn built in Wilmington
were useless. They knew that the ma
chinery of one of them had been taken
out of an old sawmill, and was too fee
bic to drive the vessel more than one or
two miles am hour and they also knew
that the other, and more formidable
one, had been built without any refer
ence to her water displacement, and had
been safely launched into twelve feet of
mud, and was at that moment firmly
rooted to the bottom of the Cape Fear
, river.
Nothing but a stratagem could save
US, and this is what we did
A boat was quietly lowered into the
l water. y pole about five feet long was
e secured to a "thwart,n and on the top
: of the pole was a lantern holding the
r one-eighth of an inch of candle. All
J being ready, the candle was lit, the boat
q cast adrift, and the steamer moved
p ahead. As was expected, several OF
e the blockaders dashed for the light,
n leaving an opening in the Gordon
# through which we went as if the devil
a had kicked Us.
4 The candle in the boat went out al
r most Immediately, and, doubtless, was
h thought to be an accidental exposure of
light on the blockade runner. How
ever, the boat was soon picked up and
{ the trick discovered.
Lord what signaling then took
place Questions and answers were
rapidly exchanged, while in the mean
: time our steamer, with her nose pointed
: straight out to sea, was going thirteen
, knots.
At daylight we found ourselves on
, the ocean with nothing in sight, and
i few days afterward were safely at an
/ ehOr IN foreign pOrt-M o. Times