Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-28
A CHASE AT SEA.
The Escape Of a Confederate Prfvateer.

From the Philadelphia Weekly Times
We were now within less than two miles of
the flying stranger when we opened fire on her
from our 11-inch pivot, exploding shell right
under her bow and nearly deluging the block
aders decks with water but doing no further
harm. While we were reoading the pivot she
put her helm hard-a-starboard and ran across
our bow, heading directly for the shore-ds
tant shout mile and a half apparently in
tending to run herself ashore. Captain Clarey
shouted, Put your helm hard-a-starboard"
''Hard-a-starbOard, sir, answered the officer at
the Wheel the same moment putting the wheel
sharply about. and the ship turned on
her heel. as If she knew what was eX-
pected of her. and started directly for
the shore with the stranger. now right
abeam. starboard side about mile off,
bringing our whole battery of five guns
to bear on her. Tie captain called out to
forward rifle: Fire as soon as you are ready
and without further orders, only don't waste the
ammunition. Pivot there. sir: fire carefully
and aim at the wheel-hOuse 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 whecl-hOuse; don't let her get away
from US" A shell from the rifle exploded over
her. shell from the eeven-inch burst close be-
side her, and the three and eight-inch shell
guns were sending their compliments thick and
last; tut. strange to say. not single shot had
struck her. She seemed to bear a charmed lie
We were about half mile distant from each
other. and about mile from the shore. when
she suddenly changed her course to the south
southwest. and started to run down along the
coast heading directly for US. At the same in
slant the leadsman in the chains cried out:
by the deep three fathoms.''
Hard a-starb0ard. quartermaster. cried
Captain Clarey. and as the ships head swung to
port he remarked: by God, we'd been ashore
in another second.'' The Seminole was drawing
sixteen 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
Oar only chance was to sink her before she got
iii. The most tremendous excitement prevailed
on board each vessel. Captain 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 approaching Galveston har-
bor and it seemed as if she was going to get
away in spite of us. Her captain for the last hour
had been walking the bridge between the wheel
houses. with both hands in the pockets of his
pea-iacket. smoking cigar very unconcernedly;
nut that there was a feeling that their lives
and property hung only on single thread was
manifest in the way those wheels flew around.
leaving a track of boiling. foamy far astern.
and the thick. huge volumes of black smoke
| that poured out of the tunnels told story that
did not need trumpet to announce. The chan
mel now began to widen. and if she could only
h0ld her own for twenty 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 their smoke the next minute drenched
with their spray again, in second or two later,
one flying few feet above his head He never
tllnched an inch or changed his manner. but kept
quietly on as though it was an everyday affair.
The sight was one of the most picturesque
that ever saw-the fleet, about two miles be-
low, looking with eager eyes to see us sink the
flying stranger; the bay, gradually widening.
with the white sand hills in the distance; the
city OF Galveston to the south and its piers
filled with sympathetic spectators; the fort in
the hay, with the confederate flag flying and its
ramparts crowded with men watching and pray
ing for the success of the flying stranger; the
three steamers flying through the water like
hounds, ottimes hidden by the smoke of their
guns as they were loaded and fired But fate
decided iii favor of the flying steamer. In spite
OF every effort that 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 tatllOnis again, with intense chagrn We
gave up the chase, sending. rs a parting com
pliment, an eleyen-inch shell with our regrets.