The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-02-14
A FIREBRAND OF THE SEA.
The Famous Cruise Of Confederate War
Ship.
Baltimore american.

The story of the cruise Of the Con-
federate war ship Shenandoah, and OF
the adventures encountered by the
daring men on board, formed the chief
feature Of very interesting musical
and literary entertainment, given by
the Catholic Club last night, at the
club ,,.ouse, 400 North Charles street.
The address was delivered by Mr..
John y. Mason, of R., who was one
of the officers of the Shenandoah, and
was replete with "reminiscences Of that
daring laid on the American whalers
in the Arctic seas. The hall was
packed to overhowing, and many noted
people were present. Besides MIR.
James R. Wheeler and the other Of
fcers Of the club, there were seated
upon the stage Cardinal Gibbons, the
Rev. j. T. Whelan, the Rev. Edmund
Didier, the Eev. James Cunningham
and the Rev. D.. D. j. Stafford. An
interesting musical and literary en-
tertainment was also presented.
Richaed Gwinn, Jr., was chair
man o. the Committee on entertain
ment.
The story of the Shenandoah's raid
upon the whalers in the North ern
Pacific, which was continued for sew
eral months after the close Of the
civil war, as Capt. Waddell was in ig-
norauce Of the state Of affairs at home,
forms one Of the most picturesque
chapters of the history of the late
conflict. Starting upon her mission
of destruction during the dying hours
of the Confederacy, and manned by a
portion Of the crew Of tue ill-fated
Alabama, the Shenandoah, in six
months, inflicted millions OF dollars
Of damage to American shipping. OF
the fifteen millions paid by England
under the Geneva award, six millions
was for the damage done by the She
nandoah after she left Melbourne from
which time only was England held re,
sponsible, and which was within q
few months Of the close of the cruiser
career. Mr.. Mason, who lectured
last night, was midsbipman on the
vessel.
Mr.. Mason, while yet boy, at the
beginning Of the war enlisted in a
Virginia infantry regiment and served
in the first battle Of Manassas. He
was then transferred to the navy as
midshipman, and was with the James
River squadron until April, 1863
being engaged during that time il
several warm engagements. In l06;
he was sent to Europe to join one o1
the cruisers being fitted out there, but
complications arose between theFrenct
and English Governments, and it was
not until October, 1854, that tht
agents Of the Confederate Government
could smuggle the Shenandoah out Of
an English port and get her unmolest
ed to the Madeira Islands. There
she was received by Lieut.. Waddell
her commander. Lieut.. William
Whit5le, her executive officer, ane
ammunition and stores were pu
aboard. The largest crew that coult
be mustered, however, was nineteeI
men, and thus equipped the vesse
started on her memorable cruise
with total of forty-three souls OF
board.
The Shenandoah, said Mr.. Mason
was a full-rigged ship Of excellen
sailing qualities. She carried cloue
of canvas, aud was well spared. Sh'
was a wooden ship with iron knee
and frame, iron masts and steel yards
and all of her standing rigging was o
wire. She was of the class Of vessel
known as auxiliary screws, having
propeller that could be hoisted out o
the water when not in use, and a fun
mel that shut down like telescop
flush with the ships side. Her en-
gines were small, being only intende'
to assist the vessel through the cain
belts, and she could only steam eigh
knots an hour. She was fast saller
however, and logged off more thai
seventeen miles an hour on more thai
or, occasion. Our armament, whicl
was mounted under many dihicultie
during the first two days after leaving
Madeira, consisted of six guns-tw
riAed thirty-two Founders forward
and four eightinch shell guns amid
ships. Lieut.. James L. Waddell wa
from North Carolina. He was an Of
fcer in the United States navy at tn
beginning of the war. Lieut.. VIM
C. Whittle, Jr., was from Virginia
a son Of Commodore Whittle of tn
old navy. The other lieutenants wer
John Grimball, Of South Carolina
Sydney Smith Lee, nephew of Gen
R. E. Lee; F. T. Chew, Of Missouri
and Dabney Cuvier Scales, of 1issis
sippi. Our master was lry.51e s
Bullock, who held the same positio
on the Alabama when she was sunk
The remaining officers were: Surgeon
Chas. E. Lining, South Carolina
paymaster, W. B. Smith chief engi
neer, NJ. O'Brien, both of New Oh
leans; parsed midshipmen, O. A
Browne and John T. Mason, both o
Virginia. In addition to these W
mad three assistant engineers, thre