The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-02-28
BLOCKADE RUNNERS.
How They were Built and Painted-SOme
Exciting Captures.

How They were Built and Painted-Some
Exciting Captures.
The vessels engaged in blockade rum
ming were built for the purpose. They
were long, narrow, low side-wheel
steamers, with sharp bows that cut the
water like a knife, powerful engines,
raking tunnels, and two masts, rugged
as schooners. The hull rose only a few
feet above the water. They were painted
a dull gray. so that even in the day
time it would be difficult to see them fa1
away. The forward part of the deck
was covered over, so that they could run
through heavy seas. Before the wal
there was very little commerce between
England and the Bermuda Islands, but
now the harborS were alive with ships
great sea-gOing steamers from England
loaded with arms, cannon, powder,
goods Of all Understanding to En-.
gland freighted with cotton. The block.
ade runners brought the cotton from
Wilmington and Charleston, delivered
it to the large steamers, took on board
the goods, arms and ammunition, and
steamed back to those ports, always
planning to run past the blockade YES
sells in the night. When coming in all
lights were put out, the steam was
blown off under water. A man up in the
''crOw's nest" on the forward mast kept
a sharp lookout for the Union vessels
! The pilots knew every channel and sand
bar. The vessels were all light draft
The blockade runner was only runner,
rot fighter. If he came too close to a
war ship he took to his heels. The run
ners were so swift, the war ships Sc
slow, that they were rarely captured
when the chase was stern one.
1t was hard, exciting service which
the blockading fleets endured. During
the day the vessels crIised along the
shores, looking into all the inets, OF
sailed eastward to discover any APP.
preaching blockade runner, but at sun.
| set they came close in-shore: almost un.
| der the guns of Fort Sumter at Charles.
ton. or Fort Fisher at Wilmington. All
| lights were put out except the one Ian
! tern at the masthead of the Commo-
dore's vessel. Men were up in the
rigging straining their eyes through the
night to catch the sight of the swift
| runners.
On an October night, 1868, the Venus
! from Nassau approached Wilmington.
| The lookout up at the masthead of the
steamer Nansemond discovered her.
Lieutenant Lamson, commanding the
Nansemond, when he had a duty to per,
form was always ready. The fires were
| blazing under his boilers-the steam
was up. In an instant the Nansemond
was away.
Give her shotn' he shouted. The
long rilled guns flashed. The shot shat
tiers the foremost of the Venus; another
shot goes through her cabin; the third
crashes through the fOrecastlc killing a
sailor; The fourth strikes the hull below
| the water line Both vessels are fast,
going fourteen knots an hour. The
Captain of the Venus sees that he can
not make the harbor and runs for the
shore. She strikes hard and fast; the
crew leap into the water and reach the
sandy beach. The Nansemond lowers
her boats and takes possession of the
vessel. The Venus can not be moved:
she is set on fire and the Nansemond,
at daylight, steams away.
There she isr' The lookout of the
Niphon shouted it at daybreak few
mornings later. Captain Breck, com
handing the Niphon, saw a side-whecl
steamer close in shore making for VIII
mington harbor. Another blockader
was in pursuit. The n phon was in po-
sition to intercept the runner-the Ella
and Anna The Captain of the runner
sees that he is cut off and he determines
to run the Niphon down.
Captain Brock sees the situation.
"Ready, boarders!' he shouts, and the
sailors, who have been thoroughly
drilled, seize their pistols and swords.
The cannon of the Niphon send shower
of canister. The next moment there is
a crash, and the bowsprit of the Nj phon
breaks like pipe-stem. Over the raj
swarm the boarders, and the next mo-
ment the Ella and Anna is theirs, with
three hundred cases of rifles and cargo
worth S11S,000. The vessel is renamed
the Malvern and becomes one of the
blockading fleet.
A great many blockade runners were
captured and destroyed, but the profits
were so enormous that Others were
built. The officers and crews were will
ing to run the risk OF being captured fol-
the high wages they received. A Cap
tain received S., 900 for each successful
trip, each one of the crew $3.50, the
chief engineer $500 and the pilot
s., 700.-NationaL Tribune.
TILE InIICE 0E 4 nDRO