Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-11-16
FORT AND FLEET.

8Ea
HARD WORK AND NECESSARY
VIGILANCE.
Some Incidents That We're skipped
- by Historians.
81 IF the business of blockade-running
had its perils and adventures that of
the blockaders was scarcely less ex-
citing. For three long years the
blockading fleet was one Of the chief
in the hands of the Federal
Government, but it was q weapons
which every historian has treated in
a manner bordering on contempt.
Where one has given naval operations
one page he has devoted thirty to the
armies. Take all the Federal histo-
ries yet written, select from each
what has been said of the navy and
its labors, and the extracts would not
make book of 400 pages. Why this
is so 1 know not, but it is.
THE BLoCKADERs. x
When President Lincoln issued his
blockade proclamation it seemed like
an empty threat. There was not
naval power enough at that date to
blockade one Southern port. Those
were the days when ship-owners
reaped harvest. The proclamation
must be enforced, vessels must be
had at any price, and government
agents bought right and left. Ships,
brigs, barques, schooners, steamers
and propellers were purchased at any
price, fitted up in almost any way,
and when the time fixed by the proc
had arrived the blockade
went into effect. The feet was a
until other craft could he
built and armed, and while it answered
very well to keep up an appearances
of blockade, naval officers now laugh
at the ridiculous situation, During
the first six months of the blockade
at Charleston an average Of six rum
ners came in and out for every one
and it was about. the same
at other ports. Army operations for
the first few months seemed like boys
play, and no great deeds could be
of navy so suddenly created
and given such a line of coast to
watch. -.
THE REAL. BLOCKADE q
may be said to have begun in the
spring of 1862. By this time the
navy was thoroughly organized for
work, and considerable valuable ex-
perience had been gained by numer-
Gus officers. From the date to the
close of the war there were never less
than six Federal sblockaders OF
Charlestown bar, and sometimes the
was increased to fifteen.
One day Wilmington might be guard
ed by two or three vessels, and the
next by five or six, and it was the
same at Smithville, Georgetown, Sa-
vannah and Galveston.
ON THE STATION.
When blockader arrived on the
station, the first care was to discover
what forts or batteries defended the
habor, and the range Of their guns.
The next was to survey coast and
map out the banks, shoals, channels,
and to locate beacons and bearings.
The Confederates had of course re.
moved all buoys, abandoned all light
houses, and in many cases had cut
down trees which had been familiar
landmarks for years. Where it was
possible to secure negro who knew
anything of the coast he was paid well
and kept aboard.
When a blockader had done all this
her real work had only begun. Plenty
of pilots who knew all aboutC Charleston
bar in 1860 could tell nothing about
it in 1862. New channels had beer
cut, old ones filed up, and the SCI
was making changes every month.
The Confederates were not to b.
shut up without exhausting every
effort to prevent such calamity
Forts and batteries mounting guns o.
the longest range were erected at tn.
mouths of harbors and rivers, and tht
blockaders were forced as far off th,
coast as a cannon-baH would reach
During the day they would remain
out of reach of the forts, but as nigh
came On they would creep in ant
close up to watch Tor the darins
runners.
/ Each blockader was a sentinel OF
post. Blow high Of. low, hot or cold
she must remain until relieved b,
fresh orders. 1t happened at leas
twenty times during the war that tn
entire fleet off Charleston had to Gu
sticks and run to sea to ride out tn
terrible gales. There were few day
without adventure, and few night
without peril. - a
TFIE WORK BE DAr. ~
As the blockade-runners seldoI
ventured to make their appearance
by daylight, the blockaders woul
! either run in and have brush wit
the batteries, or dispatch scout-boat
up creeks and rivers. Again the
would stand out to sea to watch fo
| incoming runners, and with them
I