Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-04-09
BLOCKADE RUNNING.
Some Incidents Related by One
Who Helped to Stop It.
The "CaptureS" OF the "Conne cticut"-
Chasing after "BIack smoke"-Ths
Noted "Herald" Cornered-Lovs
and Matrlmony and n Modern
"JoAn OF Arc"

"JoAn OF Arc"
The writer commanded the United
States steamer Connecticut on the block
ade off Wilmington, N. c., for fourteen
months, and during that period cap
tured and sent in four steamers-Juno,
Scotia, Minnie and Greyhound, all with
valuable cargoes vessels and cargoes
adjudged worth 81 ,06S, 1852. The Con-
necticut run ashore and destroyed four
other blockade runners - Phantom,
Herald, Ceres, and Diamond.
The blockade runners would always
select dark nights to run in and out and
certain stages of the moon (between
the last and first quarters of the moon),
when il set early and rose late. This
moon arrangement was always mat
ter of great concern to them; then
tolerably high tide also entered into the
calculations.
The first blockade-runner captured
by the Connecticut was the Juno. 1t
was bright, pleasant morning, of
Wilmington, when, at bay-break, she
was discovered. Chase was immedi-
ately 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
r,mark: "Glad to see you" to which
he replied, with an oath, I'm not glad
TO see Vou." A week before the Juno
had safely run in, had discharged her
English carao--taken on board the
usual Confederate-Am cargo of
cotton, tobacco and turpentine, and was
now bound to Nassau.
Among other letters found on board
was 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 slecpy-headed Yankees at night,
and expected to be lucky in running
out. OF this he would inform them
upon his arrival at Nassau. where he
would close and send his letter. The
said letter never reached England. nor
even Nassau.
These blockade-runners were all En-
glish steamers, and were painted lead
or stone color to prevent their being
discovered at night when running close
in along the land. The fire and steam
arrangements were for burning the
soft English coal, which always made
much black smoke. Thus they could
be discovered Il long distance off in the
day time. The smoke could of course
be seen before the vessel was visible.
We have heard and we have read OF
the excitement on board o whale-ship,
produced by tho cry of the look-ou. at
the masthead, "Spout, Or "a whale
in sightl" Boats are Cotton ready for
lowering, with harpoons, lines and
lpnces.
On board Of the Connecticut, when
the lookout-man at the masthead sang
out, "Blaok smoke!' all was likewise
oommotion, Every one was upon his
feet, and all eyes, as we'll 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 if
teen hours. Black smoke was discov-
cred at 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 a
gain of ten miles, as il was estimated,
To enable her to escape she had to
throw overheard nearly all her cargo,
which comprised English goods, as she
was bound in. We passed through and
by innumerable bales and boxes during
the day, some of which we perceived
contained shoes. This caused a wag-
gish sailor to remark: "Perhaps If we
could get and put on some Of those
shoes, we could run faster, and catch
that fellow"
We will continue with the further
movements of this steamer, which will
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 hurriedly with
another cargo and steamed once more
for Wilmington, ran the blockade, and
got in. In order to have the dark oi
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 discov-
cred by the United States steamer
Pequot, 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 blDckade-runner wa,
last seen. In few minutes tremen
dous volume of black smoke from the
soft coal came into the faces of the poo
pie on board of the Pequot, and in {
minute afterward she was up with the
blockade-runner, and the Tristan
Shandy was captured. She had broker
down. he Captain of her had statet
that the Connecticut had chased him Sc
hard those fifteen hours that his ma
chinery was very much out of order
and he hadn' time to adjust and repair
it, for he had to hurry very much to gel
out of Nassau and into and out of Viii
mington in order to save the moon ant
the tides. So the Connecticut was til,
remote cause of the capture of thu
Tristan Shandy with her valuable car
Co. Vessel and cargo together wer'
adjudged by the Prize Court to b'
worth three hundred and seventy-fiv'
thousand dollars. Added to this wa
the cargo thrown overheard whei
chased by the Connecticut, making
great total loss to the Confederate
cause. N
A certain Saturday night, off tn
Western Bar Zone of the inlets int
Wilmington), was an exciting one TO
the blockaders, and blockade-runner
also. There was no time to indulge il
Saturday-night songs and revelries, o
to drink "sweethearts and wives"
We knnv that hlonkade.runnar ORG vvar