The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-20
4 BLOCKADE RUNNER.
A Long Chase and Double Capt
Ure."
Erw. Il. PAscoE, BIO DELL HUMBOLDT CO.
CAL

point and q hall on the port DOW, SIT. ouch
was the shout one Saturday morning when the
first streak Of dawn was ushering in the 18th
Of June, 1863. The lookouts were sent aloft IN
these long Summer days before the change OF
watch at eight bells, or o'clock.
The Officer of the Deck Immediately signaled
The flagship Colorado, Admiral Thatcher, and
In a moment CAME back the answer slip, and
give chase"
This was TO the sloop-of-war Lackawanna,
Can't. John B Marcband commanding. We
were blockading the main ship channel to Mo-
lille aSpread Tres !" " Call all hands f" Up
Al hammocksi" such were the cries of the
Boatswain and his mates, and In five minutes
the Lackawanna was in chase OF black smoke,
but nothing could be seen from deck. with
increased steam came increased speed, and the
smooth water with scarcely breath OF wind,
we clided through the water st about nine or
10 knots the first hour The masthead was
called upon at intervals to state the position OF
the smoke. 1t was evident that the blockade
runner had seen that we were after her, for
there was no perceptible advantage gained by
ms for several hours. The Z. T. Cuyler was
coming in our wake, but hull down.
The Lackawanna was new sloop, and had
been In commission about five months She
was not considered a very fast boat. Her ma
chinerv was heavy enough for ship with twice
her steam power, the machinery being almost
new our trip from New York down being the
unfavorable for her to make successful chase.
Our Acting Chief Engineer, with his assist
ants were practical Engineers, and no better
mechanics ever wore the uniform of the United
States Engineer than did Edward Marsland,
the Iaekawanna's Acting Chief, and to him all
ewes were turned, aud how vigilant he was;
here. there. everywhere, listening, watching
every movement. The steam gage was regis
tering increased steam power, aud the ship was
doing her best. The fremen were earnest, and
worked hard TO keep up the pressure At noon
volunteers were called for to help the hremen
and coal passers aud enough quickly respond
ed: but with terrible heat their stay was very
short down there. ABOUT noon the smoke could
be dimiv seen in the horizon. This would nat
uraIly give the men increased vim to do their
best in overhauing the blockade runner:
also, the prospect of priZe-mOney was perhaps
no. small factor in their energies. Our First
lieutenant and Executive Officer, Lieut.-Com-
mander Edward E. Potter, was vigilant and
inspiring TO the men. / think Of the whole
ships company, about 200 men, that there was
not a man but would do anything he asked
them to do without murmur; in fact. he was
the idol of the crew, and greatly respected both
by line and staff officers. Up sloft in the top
gallant fOrecastle, down in the engine-roOm, a
kind and cheering word to everyone; so he was
al the day. At dinner he said, as he entered
the ward-roOm:
and If we can see to follow her ali night to-
morrow we shall capture prize"
At p. m after u hours hard chasing,
we had gained so much that we could
see the stem of the smoke as it escaped
the smoke-pipe This was very plain from
our topgallant forecastle especially when she
fired up. The sun was going down the west
ern horizon with one of its gorgeous and beauti-
fnlly-tinted southern sunsets. Though beauti-
ful 70 the eye, the wish of most of as that night
was that she would not set at all. warm,
clear starlight night, the moon in the last days
of the last quarter. could not help us TO see
through the coming night But our eager eyes
were scanning the dark-blne waters of the Gulf
10 catch glimpse, IL possible, OF our chase
ii was the opinion of many that she would
fox-like, double on Us, and pass on the way
back which if she had done she would IN
ooubtedly laughed at us for our fun. At 9 ?. m
q cord Of pine kindling wood was ordered by
the Captain TO be sent into the fre-room. Some
OF the furnaces were getting clinked so badly
that il was necessary TO clean them to keep up
steam. This wood again increased the steam
power and the good ship was trembling
gtraining and forging ahead at about u knots
the best she ever did. The sparkling spray
under bows was prettily thrown on each side
ana onward racing she went like thing oil
life. The journals in the engine-roOm were
oeluged with oil and a constant stream oil
When the wood was burned the steam gage
sank again. The men hearing Of it, and as the
ratiODs for Sunday and Monday had been
served cut in the afternoon, the pork that was
IN the harness cask for Sundays dinner wa:
adjudicated over by the Captains Of the several
messes, and was duly consigned to feed the
furnace in the fre-r0om. No sooner said than
Il was passed down the fre-roOm, and into the
fires il went. Il burnt well, and rapidly in.
creased the volume OF steam.
Capt. Marchand was nervous, and did no
know exactly what TO do. He had, so he said
explicit orders from the Department never t.
be absent from his station in the main shil
channel at night time. This order made hin
vascllating. and had il not been for Lieut. Pot
ter and the Chief Engineer he would have re
turned from the chase at SHUTDOWN. If we had
it would have been inr possible for us to return
before daylight the next morning. Sh,
would not have steamed SIS fast; The
men would not have worked SO hard
because their hopes of priZe-mOney and tn
pleasure Of capturing prize was obliteratet
from their vision and expectations.
On we went Being warm night, very few
men took their hammOcks out of the netting
The officers did not retire as usual, taking
little rest with their clothes On. How eagerl,
we looked And at times light could be seel
in the distant sky. supposed 10 be the fash O
bituminous coal, as it assembled the smoke-pipt
As men longed for the morning so it came
gently lifting the curtain of night. Back
back rolled the darkness, and on came tn
bright orb Of day, revealing TO us the chase il
full view about six miles ahead.
Another reqUisition was made for pine WOO
10 increase steam. The weather was still fnt
with smooth water, scarcely ripple, and W
glided through it without any perceptibl
motion. On the tOpgsllant forecastle we ha
a50pound rife gun. Mr.. Potter determined
see what effect empty shell thrown woul
have upon the runner. Taking the gun in b
own charge, and sighting the elevation,
fired. The rebound threw him back over th
forecastle, but he was not hurt. The shell wei
kissing along on its message, right over th
steamer ahead. The lookout at the mas
head heard the Kissing, and, no doubt fearfu
descended with all rapidity by the back-sta,
10 the deck. This we saw with our glasse
Again We fired, but with no results. She woul
not stop. And about every Is minutes we +
peated the warning.
Inc blockade runner was losing ground
were gaining on her about One-eighth of a mi
an hour. She saw the inevitable was comm
and 70 give her all chances of escape she con
meneed throwing over her cargo from bot
sides. We were right in her wake, and 4
several hours we were passing through case
bales, hampers, and all kinds of materials.
light breeze sprang up, and she set her fore an
aft sail. We did the same With men at Ii
halyards and down ais to do as was ordert
and TO accept Of every available point favorab
70 help us, we let the LackaWanna fall {
three or four points, SO we could fire the 70
ward gun across her bows TO make her hes'
70. She did not or would not heed the war