Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-01

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found to be the noted English blockade
runner Herald. The officers and crew had
left III their boats, aud landed on Smith s
Island IN the dark of the night.
This steamer had been running between
Bermuda ana CharlcstOn-had made ten
or twelve successful trips, and had paid
for herself several times over She had
changed her route to the one between
Nassau and Wilmington, which proved
bad luck, as she was wrecked on her first
trip.
And now came up the question of con
mon sense versus law.
The Connecticut had captured II schoon
ner laden with salt-a cargo not worth
more tnan three or four hundred dollars.
nv throwing the salt overheard, live on
SIX thousand dollars worth of valuable
goods could he taken from the Herald aud
put ON board of the schooner which was
done. This would naturally be deemed
common sense. But the law says that
"No person in the navy shall take out OF
prize any goods, or any property, before
the same snail be adjudged lawful prize
by a competent court"
This proceeding was duly reported tc
the navy department, but nothing was
. ever said in the way of approval or ulSap
prevail thereof
The chief engineer of the Connecticut
was Il Jealous, patriotic man, and was wei
up to his duties in every particular. III
the hard chase of 10 hours that has been
described, 1t occurred to the captain tC
step down into the engine and boiler
rooms to take Il survey of things and mat
tiers. When he arrived the chief engi
ueer remarked: captain. these boilers
have now been run many months in chaS
ing bloCkaderunners, and are getting
tender. They are under heavy strain
to-day, and advise you to keep on deck.
The captain replied that If there was any
4. I In Inn
share it with the engineer. But said
this official, your particular post of duty
is ON deck, and mine Is here | shipped
tor this. and if the boilers go, it is my
privilege, and my duty, to stick to, and &C
with them" Upon reflection, and deem
ing discretion the better part of valor, the
captain left. and went on deck. The boil
ers am glad to say did not burst.
Love and matrimony once came in as in
cidentS in the course of this blockade ser
vice. Ports and towns may be blOckaded,
hut loving hearts can never be, although
hard parents sometimes attempt
When the Greyhound was captured
(vessel and cargo adludged by the prize
courts to be worth half a million OF dol
lars among the passengers on board was
the noted Belle Boyd, who had been Il
prisoner before in the war, in the hands of
General Butler and had been made some
what famous by her general department,
her speeches and her pertness. The Grey
hound was taken to Boston, was adjudg-
ed II lawful prize and was condemned.
Belle Boyd, with the other passengers and
the officers and crew was released and
permitted to 60 wherever they pleased.
From Boston they all went to Halifax,
and from thence 10 England.
The prize master of the Greyhound was
Il young volunteer officer with the rank of
acting master in the United States navy,
and rather IL good looking fellow. 1t seems
that while on board OF the Greyhound to-
gether, he and Belle Boyd became greatly
interested in each other, and their feelings
rpened into atlectionate friendship. After
they separated at Boston, Il fervent cor
reSpOndence was commenced and cOntlnu-
ed between them, and they became engag-
ed. He resigned from the federal navy,
and proceeded to England, and they were
married in Liverpool. subsequently she
wrote an interesting book about her life
and adventures III which she gives graph
&c account of her courtshlp and marriage
with all attending incidents. Her career
was certainly full of the most eventful,
heroic, and romantic features ; Il career
softened and varied at the same time, and
which showed that hearts could be cap.
tured as well as blOckaderunners.
1t may not he generally known, or may
have been forgotten by the public, that
IDcIle lDOIu WAS llc uuuSHtcI VI btHtldl
Boyd of the Confederate army who died
while il prisoner to the Federal forces
He possessed vast estates in Virginia
early embraced the cause of southern in
dependence, and was soon entrusted with
IL Generals command. His daughter
Belle enthusiastically embraced the same
cause, followed her father to the field, and
accompanied him throughout his cam
pagn On two occasions like Il mod
ern Joan of Arc, she herolcally led OF
the troops to battle. She was however
captured in il skIrmish, and was IA prison
er Tor thirteen mOnths-as previously
mentioned. Then She was exchanged ion
General Cochrane, who had been made 4
prisoner by the cOntederates. After al
these years | remember her second cap
tdrc and its results with amused interest