The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-29
ECKSTELN & CD.

ready 20 take over the new command, but
as Lobby had already cleared the Hattie 1t
was agreed that he should AXE her to Mas
sau, where | would then tale charge.
'Lebby left everything itithe way of tax
ing the Hattie out Of port tome. The block
ade off Charleston bar was sever so rigid as
| it was then The federal feet seldom num-
bered less than thirty ships of war. The
Hattie was lying in the stream all ready to
sail at nigh water after Gaik. That after
noon Hancock and | made oar way down 10
! Fort Sumter to take a look &c the fleet. We
| agreed that each of Us should decide upon a
plan of action, and not disclose it to the
other until after we had LETT the fort. On
our way back said: Well Hancock, what
do you propose|
run under the stern of the Canaan
daigua and then southeast to Sea as hard as
she will go, was the reply.
"'GoOdr / exclaimed; my idea exactly.
That night out we ran, running so close
to the CaHandaigun that | Cbuld hear her
yards creak, and then out to tea, and not
ship detected US. We ran fF Abaco. Of
the Bahamas, skirted down Inside the reefs
and were soon in Nassau. On our way
down, the Santiago dc Cuba. appeared on
the horizon, but we shook Vyman clear
once we made the reefs The Santiago de
Cuba picked up II runner clos, behind me,
vessel which left Charleston the same
night with US, after the HATH had given
him a clean pam of heels.
I'VE loaded up at onoe anqstarted back
for Charleston. 1t was a stirlight night
when the Hattie crept down en- the federal
fleet. She had Just been painted fresh
blue white, and as she swept over the water
must have seemed like haze of mist nov
ing slowly along. Not light was showing
and the fires gave out no smoke. There
were eight or ten vessels outside the bar
and many within. Every one of the out
side vessels was successfully passed without
detection, some Of the ships being within
300 feet
THE little steamer was quietly approach
ing the inner line when a sudden flash ahead
announced her discovery. Ia an instant
the air was filed with skyrockets. AS soon
as she was discovered full speed " as given
to the Hattie, and she was headed straight
up the channel. AS she ran, the gun of
every vessel that could be brought within
range was opened on her, bat still she
few. the water fairly whizzing past her.
"For ten minutes the fire ragged around
her, but she escaped untouched. Then came
the real peril. Old Sumter was so battered
down that the monitors were able to lie all
most within pistol shot of the walls just
below Sumter were several barges filed
with seameO, but the Hattie's speed was too
great TO permit Of her being boarded. As
the vessel dashed past tue Darges opened
with small arms and howitzers, and a shot
from the latter passed through the pilot
house, took a spoke Off the wheel, and car
ried away two fingers from the hand of
Quartermaster Stuart
"The helmsman fell back unconscious
from shock In an instant Hancock picked
the body of the PROSTATE man up, pushed il
through the window clear OF his feet and
himself seized the wheel.
Right ahead lay the monitor Patapsco.
There was a binding FASH a deafening
roar, and huge i5-inch shell from the
monitor few over the vessels deck.
"a few minutes later the Hattie was in
side and safe. Going up the harbor, Han
cock and | we're the only ones on deck.
When we got inside turned TO Hancock
and said: Hancock. did that monitor fire
at usp Did he iref said Hancock. We'll.
saw something coming toward us. You
may call it a shot. l call it a hogshead.'n
The Hattie loaded up with cotton, and In
the face of twenty-six blockading ships
again slipped out Of port. Her last run
was 10 February, 1866. When Lee surren-
dered, the little vessel was lying in Nassau.
Capt. Bonneau was unable to give the
Times correspondent anything like an esti-
mate OF the value Of the cargoes the Hattie
carried; the figures were enormous. On
several occasions she brought munitions. OF