The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-04

went down early. Orders had been given
that ut that time every vessel should
have her anchor up, with steam and
everything ready for start. The YES
sells, four in number - Connecticut,
Georgia, Emma and Buckingham
were swinging about, and little steam
used TO keep them in their assigned
positions. They were like restless race
horses awaiting the order Co..
The officer of the deck was lying down
upon his breast on the hurricane deck,
sweeping the horizon with his glass.
Suddenly he reported that there was
something moving on the water like a
blockade-runner. The commander took
look and confirmed the report. Or
ders were Immediately given to start
and move at full speed. Two shotted
guns were fired at the vessel when she
changed her course. stood off under full
speed and was lost sight of. In this
move she met with the Georgia, which
vessel started after her and drove her
of. Continuing in her persistency to
enter. the Emma met her, and drove
her of. She was faster than most of
our vessels and, as it was dark, she
could soon run out Of sight. But she
was not willing to give it up. She had
now stood pretty well over toward
Smiths Island, thinking she might get
in by running close along the land; and
| now for the fourth time she attempted
it when the Buckingham espied her,
opened her guns upon her. and drove her
OF. As we didn't see or hear anything
more OF her that night we supposed
she had gone ont to sea, 10 try it per-
haps another night, as was frequently
done.
But at davbreak the next morning.
10 and behold! there was the steamer
hard and fast ashore. She had been
| forced off and showed over so MANY
times that she had got nearer the land
than she calculated, and had run badly
ashore. Attempts were made by our
vessels to get her off, which was found
| to be impossible. A few days after a
| gale OF wind came on which broke the
vessel to pieces. She was found to be
the noted English blockade runner
| Herald. The officers and crew had left
| in their boats. and landed on Smith :
Island in the dark of the night.
This steamer had been running be-
| tween Bermuda and Charleston, 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
! common sense versus law.
The Connecticut had captured a
schooner laden with salt, q cargo not
worth more than three or four hundred
dollars. BY throwing the salt over
board five or six thousand dollars
worth o. valuable goods could be taken
! from the Herald and put on board of
| the schooner. which was done. This
| would naturally be deemed common
sense. But the law SAYS that no per-
| son in the navy shall take out of a prize
| any goods or any property before the
same shall be adjudged lawful prize by
4 competent court"
This proceeding was duly reported
to the Navy Department, but nothing
was ever said in the way of approval or
disapproval thereof.
The chiefengineer of the Connecticut
was Jealous, patriotic man, and was
well up TO his duties in every particular.
In the hard chase of fifteen hours as
| has been described, it occurred to the
Captain to step down into the engine
! and boiler-rOOms to take a survey OF
matters and things. When he arrived.
| the chief engineer remarked: Captain,
| these boilers have now been run many
months in chasing blockade runners,
and are getting tender. They are
under a heavy strain to-day. and |
advise you to keep on deck" The
Captain replied that if there was any
danger he didn't know why he
shouldn't share it with the engineer.
But, said the official. your particu-
lar post of duty is on deck, and mine is
here. shipped for this, and if the
boilers go it is my privilege and my
duty to stick to and 90 with them"
Upon reflection, and deeming dis
erection the better part of valor, the
Captain left and Went on deck. The
boilers, am glad to say. did not burst.
Love and matrimony once came in Us
incidents in the course of this blockade
L
blockaded, but loving hearts can never
be, although hard-hearted parents
sometimes attempt it.
When the Greyhound was captured
(vessel and cargo adjudged by the Prize
Courts 10 DE worth half 4 million Of
of dollars.) among the passengers on
board WIS., the noted Belle Boyd, who
had been a prisoner before in the war
in the hands of General Butler, and had
been made somewhat famous by her
general department. her speeches and
her pertness. The Greyhound was
taken to Boston. was adjudged lawful
prize and was condemned. Belle Boyd.
with the other passengers, and the OH.
GERS and crew, were released and per.
mitted to 90 wherever they pleased.
From Boston they all went to Halifax,
and from thence TO England.
The prize-master of the Greyhound
was a young volunteer officer with the
rank of acting Master in the United
States Navy. and rather a good-looking
fellow. 1t seems that while on board
of the Greyhound together. he and
Belle Boyd became greatly interested
in each other, and their feelings ripeneG
into afectionate friendship. After they
separated at Boston Il fervent CORE
spondence was commenced and con-
tinued between them. and they
became engaged. 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, in which she gives
graphic account of her courtSaip and
marriage, with all attending incidents.
Her career was certainly full of the
most eventful, heroic and romantic