The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-25
THE SHENANDOAH.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports an inter-
| estng and important interview with Capt. James
j. Waddell, now commander OF the Pacific Mall
Companys newest and most beautiful steamer
the City Of San Francisco-regarding his unwrit-
ten history of the Shenandoah. Capt. Waddell
was educated at Annapolis, and having served in
the United States Navy until the breaking out OF
the rebellion he took service with the Confeder-
ates. His first real service under the flag was
the firing of the Mississippi, in obedience to the
order of Commodore Wnipple, when Farraguts
fleet forced its way past Forts Jackson and st.
Phillip.
His next duty was at Drury's Bluff on the
| James River, which he held when Commodore
Rogers made his desperate, but unsuccessful at
tack Drurys Bluff Waddell was next sent
to Charleston, to organize 1orlorn hope, after
which he sailed for England as executive officer
under Capt. Page, in one of the iron-clads then
building Tor the Confederacy. Capt. Waddell in
formed the Chronicle reporter that the Shenan-
doah was wooden steamer of about 1000 tons
| burden, built in Glasgow in 1868, and known as
the Sea King In the fall of 1864, in obedience
to instructions from the Confederate govern
ment Capt. Waddell succeeded in making ar
rangements for the purchase of this vessel.
In september of that year, she cleared from
| London, with cargo OF coal for ombay. On
! the same day small steamer, the Laurel, fitted
out as a blockade runner, loaded with arma-
| ments, stores ETC., and carrying number OF
| Conf derate officers, including Waddell, cleared
| from Liverpool for Nassau At the Island OF Ma
| fected the armament placed on board, the Con-
| federate flag hoisted and her name changed to
| the Shenandoah. quiet spot on the ocean was
fond, where necessary alterations were effected,
| the arm anent adjusted, and the crew drilled
| At this time Capt. Waddels working force vas
so small that he was unable to set his topsails.
but his officers turned in and helped as ordinary
seamen. He opened recruiting office on the
| high seas, and whenever he fell IN with vessel
| sought volunteers from among her crew. The
first prize he made was the brig Alma of Boston,
| bound from London to Buenos Ayre-, with rail-
| road iron. For four months the Shenandoah
cruised in the Atlantic, proving on any American
vessels she could tindy and then doubled the
| Cape OF Good Hope and sailed for Melbourne for
repairs.
| When these were completed she sail d at once
on the mission for which she was originally In
| tended-the destruction OF the American wbalers
| in the Pacific Ocean. In May, 1865, Capt. Wad-
dell overhauled his prey, and began his work OF
d. struction among them. After the completion
of this cruise the Shenandoah steered for San
Francisco, and on the I'd OF August, 1865 fell in
with the British bark Baracota, from whose mas
ter Waddel received authentic news of the fall of
the Confederacy. He then sailed for Liverpool,
via Cape Horn, where he surrendered his ship to
the British Government. Soon after his surreI-
der he was placed on tr 81 on a charge OF piracy
| on the high seas, but was honorably acquitted by
| a British jury.
Capt WaddelI says the Shenandoah was at sea
under his command fourteen months, during all
of which time she was in but the one port OF
Melbourne, and there but once. For continu-
Gus period of eight months her anchors remained
| undistur bed at her bows their lashings not even
being removed This, he claims, Is the longest
continuous cruising on record. During this time
she sailed 58 900 statute miles and visited every
ocean on the globe, except the Antarctic. She is
the only ship, the captain boasts, that carried
| the Confederate flag around the world. He men
tons with pride and manifest pleasure that
| throughout this protracted cruise, and notwith-
standing the number of vessels he captured and
destroyed. not single life, friendly or hostile,
was lost.
| He expressed regret for the property he felt it
his duty to destroy, and says it always cost him
pain to scutt!e or burn ship, even though it be-
| Ionged to an enemy. From the time he left
| Liverpool in the Laurel until he returned and
surrendered the Shenandoah he received no COM
munication of any nature from the Confederate
| Government nor even from his own family or
friends, did any Of his officers. When he sur
rendered, the ship was IN perfect trim, and as
neat as when first leaving the port. Her tidy
and shipshape appearance attracted the most
| favorable comments of the English press.