Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-11-13
4 ;;TIRHING CHASE AT SEA.

iJ T. 2Iackey III the Phadeuhiu Times,
W.. Arrc GOw within less than two miles
o!iGr iiying stranger when we opened Ire
on htr !.on our cievcu.inch pivot, expluf
in. u shell right undcr her bow, and nearly
6rluuin- The biousader's decks with water,
but doiu. no further harm. While we were
reloading the pivot she put her helm hard
a.starooard and ran across our bow, head
ING directly Tor the shore-distant about a
milo ard IL half--apparently intending to
run herself ashore. Capt. Clarey shouted
"put ycur helm hard-a-starboard, sir
Hard ;-slarboard, sir, answered the officer
at the heel the same moment, putting the
wheel sharply about, and the ship turned on
her heel as If she knew what was expected
OF her and started directly for the shore
with The stranger, now right abeam, star
board side about mile OIL, t.inging our
whole battery Of five guns TO bear on
her The captain called out 10 forward
rifle: Fire ns soon ~ you are ready
and without further orders, only don't
waste tit. ammunition Pivot there, sir !;
fire carefully and aim at the wheel
house and at 40 other place. Sink
her ii possible: 60 ahead and show Us what
YOU can DO. Quarterback battery, take
good aim and fire as rapidly rs you can aim
al the wheelhouSe; don't let her get away
from US 4 shell from the rifle exploded
over hei: 81 shell from the eleven-uch
burst close beside her. and the three and
eight inch guns were sending their compl.
meulS thick and fast, but strange 10 say not
Il single shot had struck her. She seemed
TO bear = charmed life. We were about
half mile distant from the shore, when she
suddenly changed her course TO southwes,
aud started to run down along the coast,
heading directly for us. AT the same i'll
stant the lcad>man in the chains cried out:
''Ey the deep three lnthoms."
Hard a -starbourd, quartermastcr! - cried
Capt. Clurcy, Ard as the ships head swung
10 BORT he remalked "By God, we'd been
.: ho,e in another second!' The Seminole
was drawing sixteen feet, and deep at that.
II was Dow nip aud tuck. The stranger
was going TO run for it and had the bar be-
tween uS. Our only chance was to sink her
before she got in. The most tremendous
excitement prevailed or board each vessel.
Capt. Glarev raved and swore and stamped
in an intense but subdued tone, but ali 10 no
effect shot after shot went over and ex-
ploded beyond on the shore. We were now
rapidly approaching Galveston harbor, and
ii seemed rs if she was going to get away iD
spite oi us. Her captain for the last hour
had been walking the bridge between the
wheelhouses, with both hands in his pocke's
OF his pea jacket. smoking Il cigar very un-
concernedly, but 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 track of boil
ing. tuamy sea far astern, and the thick,
huge volumes of black smoke that poured
out of ihe tunnels told a story that did not
nee Il II trumpet 10 announce. Tho channel
now began to widen, and if she could only
mold her Own for twenty minutes she would
escape. What must have been the thoughts
OF that captan as he walked TO and fro on
that bridge, with the air full Of flying mis-
sis. now hid in their smoke, the next min
ute drcuched with their spray again, In
second or two latter one flying few feet
above his head? He never flinched an inch
or changed his manner, but kept quietly on
as if though it was an every day affair.
The sight WAS one Of the most picturesque
that ever saw-the fleet, about two miles
below 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,
aud its piers filed with sympathetic specta-
tors. he fort in the bay with the Confeder-
ate 1ag flying aud its ramparts crowded
with men watching aud praying for the sue
cess of the dying stranger; the three steam
ers flying through the water like bounds,
oitlmvs hidden by the smoke Of their guns
a. they were loaded and fired. But fate de
cided in favor of the flying steamer: In
spite Of every effort that could be made to
prevent her she reached the bay of Calves.
| ton, 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 fathom sagain,
with intense chagrin we gave up the chase.
sending as parting compliment an eleven
| inch she'll with our regrets.
SHE WAS SPEAKING TO THE GIRL.-As