The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-12-18
SOUTHERN BLOCKADE.
Tales of Stirring Adventures on our
Coast.

C0dSts
A reporter spent an evening last
week with Commander John G. Brain
who graduated from the naval acade
my, and rendered distinguished ser
vice in the Confederate States navy,
Blockade raiding," said he, lis
science. It is attended with great
risks and dangers, but when properly
studied it may be operated with abso'
Lutte success and comparative safety
I hear it said in these times that
blockades cannot be run now on ac'
count of the search light, but can
run a blockade now. I would get 9
search light, too. While it is true
that the number of. vessels in feet is
known to each in the Gordon, the loca'
tion and position of each at all times
is not known and for that reason the
uncertainty that would surround the
identity of a blockade runner carrying
search light, would give her an ad.
vantage, and an opportunity to reach
point Of safety before she was dis.
covered.
Enormous profits were made dur
ing the war by blockade running by
both private parties and corporations.
The only ports of the Confederacy for
running the blockade were Galveston,
Tex, Mobile, Ala, Charleston, s. C.,
and Wilmington, N. G. The latter
was the principal port, for the reason
that it was more accessible, it having
two channels leading into the port
the new and old iulets. The old inlet,
being the Southern entrance, was
guarded by Fort Caswell and Fort
Fisher. The new inlet from the
North was guarded only by Fort
Fisher and small battery on land.
Both Of these inlets lead into Cape
Fear river, on which is situated the
city Of Wilmington, twelve miles from
its mouth. On the coast; of each side
Of the inlet flying batteries Of artil-
lery, commanded by Col. Lamp, Q. S.
A., were kept patrolling the shores at
night to protect any blockade runner
that might have to be run ashore to
keep her from falling into the hands
Of the enemy: These batteries did
valuable services.
notwithstanding the Federal gov
ernment did all in its power to efec-
tually sealup or blockade this port, it
having at one time nearly 200 vessels
in the blockading squadron, in one
night IL vessels forced the blockade
successfully and entered tho port.
Fourteen attempted to effect entrance,
but two were captured. The vessels
were loaded with provisions, medical
stores, arms and munitions of war for
the Confederate government.
sThe inducement for running the
blockade. was the enormous value OF
cotton, it being bought in the Confed'
eracy for rs and 80 cents pound In
gold, or its equivalent, and sold ont
side for SLIGO to $1.80 per pound
consequently the profits were enor-
NOUS; even if the risks were great.
Most Of the blockade running was
done by corporations. Among the
largest Of these engaged in the busl-
ness was the Bee company of Char
lesion, Sc, ,..who owned the famous
blockade runner, Cyrene. She ran
the blockade 80 times in and out of
Charleston, S. C. When Charleston
was evacuated, she was lying at. her
wharf and her owners burned her
father than allow her to fall into the
hands Of the enemy. The Confeder-
ate government owned several block
ade running vessels to replenish the
supply store, and also several States
owned blockade runners, among
them Virginia and North Carolina.
70 give an idea how quickly these
ships were constructed, an order
could be given to a shipbuilder on the
Mersey or Clyde for a ship costing
from s40, 900 to ESQ, ,000-$200, 900 to
s25O,OOO. These vessels were an
ehored in the river ready for sea 60
days after; the contract was signed.
These vessels were light draught, re-
curing not over nine feet of water,
and had speed of Is to 18 knots an
hour. After completion tie vessel
was cleared from Liverpool or the
Clyde for the. port Of Nassau or St.
George, Bermuda. When she arrived
in port her top hammer was taken
down and the blockade running crew
at once shipped. The captain was
paidrthe enormous wages of S. 1000 in
gold and S., 900 in Confederate money.
The pilot was paid $4,000 in gold and
the chief engineer was paid the same !;
the first assistant, $1,000; second,
third and fourth engineers, $4,000
each,z per voyage. One voyage per
month was made, each being made in
the dark of the moon. Seamen and
fremen were paid $500 month, $1oO
on signing shipping articles, the bal
ance on return Of the ship to port.
Officers were paid on return OF the
ship to port. The leadsman was paid
$500 month. His services were re-
quired only when the ship was coming
in or going out of port. The signal
officer was paid the same:
"The ship being fully prepared,
having been painted leaden color SO
as not to be distinguished in the
dark, and having taken in her cargo,
her inward cargo consisted Of bacon,
provisions, pig lead, boiler iron, medi-
cal stores and munitions of war, she
at once cleared for Halifax, n: s.
All these blockade runners had Eng
lish register and English colors. Ow,,
ing to her majesty's proclamation Of
April 1861, forbidding her subjects to
engage in assisting either side during
the late unpleasantness, these ships,
when they made the mistake of enter,
ing the port of Wilmington, instead
of Halifax, and running the blockade,
violated their registers and conse-
quently on the return voyage had to
get out new register.
Gail the vessels, the property OF
the Confederate government were reg
istered as the property Of Frazer,
Trenholm & Co., England, the COM
mercial agents of the Confederate
government in that country.
"The blockade runners were built
with double set Of boilers and prior
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