Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-11-22
A STRIKING CHASE AT SEA.
The Remark a bic Escape ola Confed-
crate Privateer in s65
Phlladelphia Times

We were now within two miles Of
the flying stranger, when we opened
fire on her from our 1l-inch pivot, eX-
ploding a shell RICH under her bow,
and nearly deluging the blockaders
decks with water but doing no further
harm While we We're reloading the
pivot, she put her helm hard a-star-
board and ran across our bow, head
ing directly for shore-distant about
a mile and half apparently intend
ing to run herself ashore. Capt. Cla-
rev shouted. Put your helm hard
a-starboard. sir Hard a-starboard,
sir, answered the officer at the wheel
the same moment, putting the wheel
sharply about, and the ship turned on
her keel as if she knew what was eX-
pected Of her and started directly for
shore with the stranger, now right
abeam, starboard side, about a mile
off, bringing our whole battery of five
guns to bear on her. The Captain
called out to forward rifle. Fire as
soon as you are ready and without fur
ther orders, only don't waste the am
munition. Pivot there, sir; fire careful
aud aim at the wheel-hous and at no
other place. Sink her, if possible; go
ahead and show us what you can do.
Quarterback battery, take good aim
and fire as rapidly as you can; aim at
the wheel-house; don't let her get away
from us A shell from the rifle ex.
ploded over her; a shell from the
eleven-inch burst close beside her. and
the three and eight-inch shell guns
were sending their compliments thick
gle shot had struck her. She seemed
to bear a charmed life. We were
about half mile distant from each
other, and about mile from the shore
when she suddenly changed her
course to southwest and started to run
down along the coast, heading direct
ly for us At the same instant the
leadsman in the chains cried out:
by the deep three fathomsW
Hard a-starboard, quartermasterW
cried Capt. Clarey, and as the ships
head swung to port he remarked BY
-, we'd been ashore in another sec
ond !" The Seminole was drawing six
teen feet and deep at that
1t was now nip and tuck. The
stranger was going to run for it, and
had the bar between us. Our only
chance was to sink her before she got
in. The most tremendous excitement
prevailed on board each vessel. Capt.
Clarey raved and swore and stamped
in an intense but subdued tone, but
all to no effect. Shot after shot went
over and exploded beyond on the
shore We were now rapidly ap-
preaching Galveston harbor, and it
seemed as if she was going get away
in spite of us. Her captain for the
last hour had been walking the
bridge between the wheel-house, with
both hands in the pockets of his pea
jacket, smoking a cigar very uncon-
cernedly; but that there was feeling
that their lives and property hung
only on a single thread was manifest
in the way those wheels flew around,
leaving a track of boiling, foany sea
far astern, and the thick, huge vol
umes of black smoke that poured out
of the tunnels told a story that did not
need a trumpet to announce. The
channel now began to widen, and if
she could only hold hef own for TWEEN
tv minutes she would escape. What
must have been the thoughts of that
captain as he walked to and fro
on that bridge, with the air full of
flying missiles, now hid IN the
smoke, the next minute drenched with
their spray again, in a second or two
later, one flying q few feet above his
head He never tlinched an inch or
changed his manner, but kept quietly
on as if though it was an everyday af-
fair.
The sight was one of the most pic
turesque | ever faw-the fleet, about
two miles below, looking with eager
eyes to see us sink the flying stranger;
the gap, gradually widening, with the
white sandhills in the distance; the
city of Galveston to the south and its
piers filled with sympathetic speoto
tors; the fortin the bay, with the Con
federate flag flying and It's ranlparts
crowded with men watchinga and pray
ing for the success of the flying
stranger: three steamers flying
through the water like hounds, oft
times hidden by the smoke OF their
guns as they We're loaded and fired.
But fate decided in favor of the lying
steamer. In spite of every effort chat
could be made to prevent her she
reached the bay of Galveston, which
is nearly three miles wide, and as the
channel is very dangerous to vessels
drawing more than ten feet Of water,
and as we were getting into three faith
oms again, with intense chagrin we
gave up the chase, sending as part
ing compliment an eleven-inch she'll
with our regrets.
The Enterprising Rats Of Nevada.
/ Virginia tNev) Enterprise.