Morning journal and courier., 1893-08-22

turn around on her forward deck, with
which she could sweep the horizon. This,
as well as the other cannon, were painted
black and they were pointed at US in a very
commanding way.
The bark had now backed her main Yards
and was lying almost still, and we were
pointing and going slowly toward her lee
quarter: The privateer had us now COM
pletely in her power and at her command.
My mste said to me, Captain, we are
taken" I said, eyes, it seems So" NY
mate said sgain, 'They will burn our YES
sci and will not allow us to save our
clothes. These privateers never show any
mercy to Yankee" I said nothing to
that, knowing very we'll it was ali up
with us and my vessel would soon be in
captivity. Myself, as we'll as all my sail
ors and the cooB, seven in number, stood
silently waiting for orders, and as we were
nearing the privateer there came number
of questions and answers. The first cues
ton came roaring out of a speaking
trumpet:
Schooner ahoyp
A.-s'Hello."
Q.-"Whst schooner is thatf'
A:-"Julis Smith"
Q.-"Where do you hail fromq"
A.-"Boston, Mass"
Q.-Where are you FRONT"
A.-Wilmington, N. c."
Q.-"Where are you bouudf"
A.-'Philadelphia.
Then came the order, tHeave to, and I
will send an officer on board" Hearing
these orders, my blood began to boil, and
l said in reply "The hell you will" 1 also
have few questions to ask. I want to
know who I have the honor to surrender
to. My question ''What ship is thata"
Answer, This is Confederate ship,
Tallahassee" or some such name. Then
said II have the honor to inform the com
manding officers and crew Of the Confed-
crate ship Tallahassee that the war is over
and We are friends again, General Lee has
| surrendered to General Grant" (This
ship having been in cruise in the Atlantic
! ocean had not heard of Lees surrender J
| The answer I received to the above was
this: THAT ia id Yankee lie. NV
order Is to fight, burn and destroy every
thing that flies the stars and stripes"
I knew by this it was of no use to reason
| any more with him. The captain of the
privateer had made up his mind to destroy
| my vessel. We being SO near to him, he
| roared out On 1t, don't run into us but
go astern of us and jtbe ship and lie to on
| the same tack my ship is on" At the
| men and oficsrs stepped into it to come
on board and burn my ship. As soon as I
| could tripped up on the other tack and
passed astern of him, (he was SO sure of
having me at his command, he had no idea
l would try to get away from him) and
the full force of the strong breeze pressed
on my big sails as I took the wheel
and gave orders to draw away
my big jtb. My vessel tipped
way down with the sudden motion in
the new direction, and as turned around,
looking over the stern of my vessel at the
privateer with'my wheel in front Of me
and keeping her off with the wind abeam,
going at rate of eight or nine miles per
hour, and just about to jibe the shfb. I
saw his threa-master drawing in a line.
AS long as can keep his masts in line and
run straight away from him he cannot fire
on me with his long swivel cannon,
Those on his sides are of no use to him,
and all he can do for while Ia to fire on
us with rifle and muskets. olive or die. !"
said to myself, 81 will never surrrend-
er."
I Immediately gave orders to my mate
knowing what meant to do, "Hoist both
our gaff topsails." All this was done
| quicker than I can tell you OF It,
The captain of the priYateer soon dis
covered his mistake in letting me out
| astern of him and roared out In his speak
ing trumpet, "Taek ship, d-n you'll" or
"Hesve to, d-n you'll" l don't know
which it was; and number of men
! aboard fred on US with their muskets. I
gave my men orders to lie down fiat on the
| deck. I stood there looking right at those
fellows firing at me, and keeping the pri-
vateer's mast in a line as long as could.
The sea was pretty rough and their
firing did not amount to any
fhiDp Trun fhroo -
struck my vessel at first, but
we were going very fast We had now
opened a gap between him and US which it
was impossible for him to close I'D. nor
could be even hold his own unless he
could shoot away any one of my masts.
My schooner was fairly leaping away
from him fast as he could get his ship
around, SO that bis long gun could bear on
us and would huff up until nv schooner
was counterhoard. He had to pick his
own boat with the men and the officer he
had sent to board my ship. Had that
officer got on board Of my schooner he
would have called for all the oil there was
on board, poured 1t OUT Oh the cabin floors
and set fire to 1t, and took ne and all nv
men prisoners and put Us In irons.
All his big cannon shot were now fall
ing 40 far short of me we could no longer
see them strike in the water. Nov"
said to my mate, "Go down after the
stars and stripes the brave Confederate
commander was going to destroy, bend 1t
to the main peak, haul it chock up and
let him look at it, then dip it once for him
and let him ponder over his brave work.
1 warrant there was some swearing done
on board that privateer. He played a
trick on me by flying the stars and stripes
until he got near enough to stop me and
played a trick on him he will not forget
very soon."
The Julia Smith was built In New Ha-
ven, Conn, was 182 tons meae-
of coal, and was one of the
fastest on the COST at that time At sun
down the privateer was quite out of sight
then altered my course for Philadelphia
While had stood at my wheel firm as a
rock with my back turned to the bow of
my vessel with the wheel in front of me
steering my best and watching the six or
eight men on board the privateer and they
all doing their best to shoot me and drive
me from my wheel, / was so hardened
had no fear, I set my tseth firm and did
not move from side to side, as thought 1t
would be of no use trying to dodge rifle
ball. One rifle ball came through our
astern row boat and passed by my left side
and stuck fast in the after end of my
cabin
heard it strike and it could not have
passed farther from my left side than
eight or nine inches. This was the best
shot made at me. All the other balls fred
must have struck further down as we
could only find three marks 1 should
me before they gave me up.