The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-03-04

and he hadn' t time to adjust and repair
1t. for he had to hurry very much to get
out of Nassau and into and out of Will
mington in order to save the moon and
the tides. So the Connecticut was the
remote cause of the capture of the
Tristan Shandy with her valuable car
go. Vessel and cargo together were
adjudged by the Prize Court to be
worth three hundred and seventy-five
thousand dollars. Added to this was
the cargo thrown overheard when
chased by the Connecticut, making a
great total loss to the. Confederate
cause.
A certain Saturday night, off the
Western Bar Zone of the inlets into
Wilmington), was an exciting one for
the blockaders, and blockade-runners
also. There was no time to indulge in
Saturday-night songs and revelries, or
to drink ''sweethearts and wives.''
We knew that blockade-runners were
expected, for the tides and the state of
the moon favored them. The moon
went down early. Orders had been given
that at that time every vessel should
have her anchor up, with steam and
everything ready for start The ves-
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 'Gor'
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
off. Continuing in her persistency to
enter, the Emma met her, and drove
her off. 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 gums upon her, and drove her
off. As we didn't see or hear anything
more of her that night we supposed
she had gone out to sea, to try it per-
haps another night, as was frequently
done.
But at daybreak 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, cargo not
worth more than three or four hundred
dollars. By throwing the salt over
board five or six thousand dollars
worth of 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 'sno per-
son in the navy shall take out of prize
any goods or any property before the
same shall be adjudged lawful prize by
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 chief engineer of the Connecticut
was a 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 heavy strain to-day, and I
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 go with them. .
Upon reflection, and deeming dis
cretion 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 as
incidents in the course of this blockade
service. Ports and towns may be
blockaded, but loving hearts can never
be, although hard-hearted parents
sometimes attempt it.
When the Greyhound was captured
- L. A