St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-03-13
BLOCKADE RUNNING.
sosae Incidents Related by One
Who Helped to Stop It.
The Captures of the "Connecticut"-
Chasing after ..Blaek SMoks"-Thsz-
Noted Herald" Cornered-Lovs
and EIatrimony and a Modern
"Joan of Arc"

'JOAn OF arc
The writer commanded the United
States steamer Connecticut on the block
AIDE off Wilmington, n. c., for fourteen
months, and during that period can
tured and sent in four stcamcrs-Juno.
Scotia, Minnie and GREYHOUND, all with
valuable cargoes; vessels and cargoes
:lajudged worth 81, 1888, 33J2. The Con-
necticut run ashore and destroved;four
other blockade runners = Phantom.
Herald, Ceres, end Diamond.
The blockade runners would ALWAYS
select dark ights to run in and out and
certain stages of the moon (between
the last and first quarters of the moon).
when ii set early and rose late. This
moon arrangement was always a mat
ter OF great concern to them; then
toicrabiy high tide also entered into the
calculations
The first blockade-runner captured
by the Connecticut was the Juno. 1t
was bright, pleasant morning, off
shore, and out about seventy miles from
Wilmington. when. at bay-break, she
was discovered. Chase WAS immedi-
;,i"iv given. and in three hours she was
prize. When the Captain was brought
Oh board he WAS greeted with the usual
good morning." with the additional
remark: 'Giad to see you," to which
lie replied. with an oath, II m not glad
80 see yon." A week before the Juno
ssad safely run in, had discharged her
English cargo-taken on board the
usual Confcderate-A cargo of
cotton. tobacco and turpentiae, and was
now bound to Nassau.
Among other letters found on board
cas one open and unfinished, begun at
Wilmington and addressed to the own
ers in England. In it the Captain
described the Successful running past
the sleepF-headed Yankees at night.
and expected to be lucky in running
out. Of this he woald inform them
aron his arrival at Nassau, where he
would close and send his letter The
said letter never reached England, nor
even Nassau. q 4-Et
These hlockadc-runners were all En-
ylish steamers, and were painted lead
or stone color to prevent their being
discovered at night when rrinning close
arrangements were for burning the
sofi English coal, which always made
much black smoke Thus they could
6e discovered lon" distance of in the
.lay time. The smoke could of course
be seen before the vessel was visible.
We have heard and we have read of
ihe excitement on board a whale-ship,
produced by the cry of the lookout at
the masthead. Spout. Or "A whale
in Si@ht!n Boats are gotten ready for
lowering, with harpoons. lines and
lances.
On board of the Connecticut. when
the iookout-man at the masthead sang
out. BLACK sinbkcn all was likewise
"ommction. Every one was upon his
feet, and all eyes. as well as the ships
head, were turned in the direction re-
ported. All steam was raised, and the
chase commenced.
A chase of this kind once lasted fif-
teen hours. Black smoke was discov-
cred ut sunrise. and pursuit was COM
menced and continued until after dark,
when the blockade-runncr was lost
sight of. The Connecticut. however.
got within two miles OF her. making
gain of ten miles. rs it WAS estimated
TO enable her 20 escape she had TO
throw overheard nearly al her cargo.
which comprised English goods. as She
was bound i'm. We passed through and
bv innumerable bales and boxes during
the day. some Of which we perceived
contained shoes This cansel wae-
gish sailor 20 remark: '.Perlaps If we
could get and put on some of those
shoes, we could run faster, and catch
that fellow 50
We will continue with the further
movements OF this steamer. which viii
be found quite interesting. Subse-
quently she proved to be the Tristan
Shandy. As has been stated. she threw
overheard nearly all her cargo, Went
into Nassau. filed up h1,rricdly with
another cargo and steamed once more
for Wilmington, ran the blockade. and
got in. In order to have the dark of
the moon. she unloaded with great dis
patch. loaded with the usual Confederate
cargo and sailed for Nassau. When she
got few miles outside, she was discoy-
cred by the United States steamer
PeIuot, which gave chase. 1t soon be-
came very dark, and the Pequot lost
sight of her. but continued on the same
course as when the blockade-runnerw was
last seen. In few minutes tremen-
dous volume of black smoke from the
soft coal came into tine faces of the peo-
pie on board of the Pequot, and in a
minute afterward she was up with the
blockade-rUnner. and the Tristan
Shan;ly was captured. She had broken
down. The Captain of her had stated