Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-01
STORIES OF THE WAR.
INCIDENTS oFTHEB BLOCKADE I 1876
by Rear Admiral Almy.

These were many and various. The
writer commanded the United States
steamer Connecticut on the blockade of
Wilmington, y. c., for fourteen months,
and during that period captured and sent
in four steamers, Juno, Scotia, MinnIas,
and Greyhound, all with valuable cargoes,
vessels and cargoes adjudged worth ST.
063,352 The Connecticut ran 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
it set early and rose late This moon ar
rangement was always IL matter of great
concern to them. Then II tolerably high
tide also entered into the calculation.
The first blockade runner captured by
the Connecticut was the Juno. 1t was IA
bright pleasant morning, off shore, and
ont about seventy miles from Whining
ton, when, at ay-break, she was discov
cred. Chase was Immediately given, and
in three hours she was II prize. W hen the
captain was brought on board he was
greeted with the usual good morning"
with the additional remark "Glad to
see YOU" to which he replied: "By-,
sir I'm not glad to see YOU" A week be
fore the Juno had safely run in, had dis
charged her English cargo-taken on
board the usual Confederate American
cargo of cotton, tobacco, and turpentne,
and was now bound to Nassau.
Among other letters found on board,
was one open, and unfinished, begun ut
Wilmington and addressed to the owners
in England. In it the captain described
the successful run in past the sleepy-head-
ed Yankees at might and said he expected
tn he lng<N running OF This he
would inform them upon his arrival ut
Nassau, where would close and send his
letter. The said letter never reached Eng
land, nor even Nassau.
These blockade runners were all Eng
fish steamers and We're painted lead or
stone color, to prevent their being diScov
cred at night when running close along
the land The fire and steam arrange
mens We're for burning the soft English
coal. winch always made much black
smoke. Thus they could be discovered Il
long distance off i'll the day time. The
smoke could of course he seen before the
vessel was visible.
We have heard and we have read of the
excitement on board Il whale ship produc-
ed by the cry of the look out at the mast
head, spout O - "A whale in sight ~
Boats are gotten ready for lowering, with
harpoOus, lines and lanceS,
On board of the Connecticut when the
lookout man at the mast head sang out
placN SHlohe an was llheMlSe coIi'Iilo mo,
IN, i''OlS III ""D "P'ii MP 80 t''.''
turned in the direction reported all
steam was raised, and the chase com
menced
"A cii"SS vi thls hlll'' olice ias,eu iiieei.
nou.c' ii'' I oii"no VOC u,ooo'eiNu q,
suhIise' ah'i pursuit. WAS coiliiiiei,ceu ", ~,
continued until after dark, when the
blockade-runner was lost sight of. The
Connecticut, however got within two
nliieS I'll hel' hlhhiHE Saill vi zen hits
as IT. VIZ s'''.tteu 'Hnt t Sht was ne
nlileS uiS'tnu wien NE, ulscoNeleu; ~
ena'ie hti ~ e9c"Pt She heu W ,nloW
oVernoar'i neafl{ an ner cargo, Mnicl which
!ec'' I-lS tleil Soo'is 'o s'i1 M"S p ;
III. w p"Seeu tnrouen, a.u w hi,iu
inel""le p"itH ''n,, 'oAen We 'nE .ne ;'"s;
opile "a " mon we pelceINe' oon.dliieu
SHOES. ih rs, ct,seu WaselS,ii, aaitoi ~
leill'th IeiHhPo II We ooult ~ anu .
put On Soiiic 81 II3se sues. We co"'o run
f"1,e'' "'i'i ca'cI .lit' ltiioM' a., fu
we VIII c9nilhue WIN unt iur iii ta
VI ilS "n,on
l0unU ql'i'c IilteL eo1,mS. 0utpsvq ue"',A
ih ne pro- g" ~ We me i'ai",a, , on"''uA NJ
mus nttn s."teu' H"r .n'eM w Sy
neariN "lI lel caITo MGuV my Naos'tu
lliSu up ny lic,ilS WIN "" Wtii va ~,
nliu :, c"l'lcu oilCe iiiIi io' w
ran tnt ploch"te' "i.t 90 li, iai o' ,,
70 ny ..c upth vi tic ,io,li, ono ~
.1..l
che ..9u"l OoiiItct','cl"'e O'lS ",tu o'iie'
1or Nassau. men she Got rev nilieS
outside she was ulacoVeren oy Cne oIi. eu
states steamer Iequ3,' Mi,ci Cav CAV 1 oilhse.
IL soon became very uarh, ana lne Iequot
losU SlShl Oh her, puu Goht , o', uie
stile course US M"cIi tne ~.
her was Ias' seen IN q ie" MINUTES r. d
tremendous volume oi olack smoke from ON
tne solt coy came M! lllo nne races u the
people ON board ul the PequoI anu IN
minute afterwards sue WAS up WIFI inc
Plockau'-rnnheT' ana the iris,ani 1nhn
ay WAS ca tureu' oHe nau orUkel, gov ~
inc captain OF her haa stated unat tue
SOhhectlcu' nau ctia>ei nun III 50 llaru 'nosc
Hlteeh hours lhlI MS machinery WIS very
much ON ol ORDER ana ne hauh ulne
10 adJ.lH' anu rtP't,t II, tor e ne nau y" nun
fy very hiuch 10 get out ol Nassau anu
INTO ana oui OF iIuhlnSooh III orueI W
save the moon ana the tlues, 90 tIe ION
nectlcut was the remote cause OF ,he cap
ture OF the IrIstahl Shahdy WIN her val
uaDle cargo. esSel ana cargo IoSether
We're adludStu by lne prlZe court 70 ne
IN