The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-24
LIFE ON A PRIVATEER
sEMMEs'S NARRATIVE OF THE SUM-
TIERS FIRST CRUISE IN 1861.
Running the BIockade-First Fourth
Trick ON the Iroauofs.

nation OF a member or the SemmeS family.
of Louisiana, to a position in the United
States Navy. On that same day the MEM
bers of Congress received the copies of the
first volume of Naval Records of the Re
bellion, largely devoted to the story of the
Sumter, the original privateer of the con-
federate navy, commanded by Raphael
Semmes. The coincidence is mentioned be-
| cause it is an interesting one. and not for
the purpose of any unpleasant inference.
The country, that is, the greater part of it.
has gone by the point of holding the rising
generation in any sense responsible for what
the departing generation did between 81
and So.
The most entertaining feature of the OPEN
ing volume of the Naval Series of Rebel
lion Records is the diary of Commander
Semmes, kept from day to day as the SUM-
ter cruised about destroying the ommerc
of the United States. War history written
on the advantage Of that composed years
after hostilities have ceased. IT may not be
so accurate in giving both sides. 1t GER
tainly possesses a vividness that the other
does not. 1t also reveals the real spirit and
bitterness of the contest. The smell Of the
] powder clings to it.
! The Sumter was QUILTED at New Or
leans. Semmes says she was "a stanch,
well-built steam propeller of sol TONS" She
had been known as the Havana, and had
run as a packet between Cuba and New Or
leans. The war had not begun when
Semmes commenced to turn the Havana into
a commerce destroyer. Semmes had been in
turned South on the 4th of April, 1861. lie
was in New Orleans on the I'D of April,
and Immediately the transformation OF the
Havana into the sumter was undertaken.
al took her in hand,' he says, removed
her upper cabins and other to- Top b ,amO ms;k,n n
the necessary alterations of hull and spars,
cabins, etc, and stTrsngtnening ga hf hun maln
magazine and shell room, ETC., to adapt her
to war purposes
New Orleans, May "a, 1S61.-A month
has passed since l began. the preparation
of the Sumter for sea, and yet we are not.
reedy. Leeds & Co. have not given US our
tanks, and we only received the carriage
for the eight-inch gun to-day. The officers
are all present. and the crew has peer
shipped. and all are Impatient to be OIL.
pected to be tomorrow. 1t must be a close
blockade and by heavy vessels that viii
large numbers in the enemy's States.
Marchings and countermarchings are going
securing hither and thither, but nothing
accomplished. Whilst penning the last par
agraph news reaches us that the Lincoln
government has crossed the Potomac and in
vaded Virginia. Thus commences a Dloouy
a fhe s nlsash wa Which, 30 has ss be BEEN WE flung nus IN our
faces. The future will tell a tale worthy
of the South and her noble cause
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE.
From this time until the last of June the
diary relates to the preparations for getting
out to sea. The crew. he writes, had been
picked up in the streets of New Orleans
and was green. lie had to drill the men. At
length, when all seemed ready, the diff
Guilty, of running the blockade presented it.
self. While the Sumter was being turned
into a privateer the United States had sta
toned men of war at the mouths of the
Mississippi to prevent her exit. Two or
three false attempts were made. The Sum
ter steamed down toward the gulf. only TO
find the Brooklyn waiting for her. The final
result Semmes tells as follows:
Sunday, June 30-DieS memorabiliS. {
1920 a. m a boatman pulled under our stern
and informed us that the Brooklyn was
all clear. we Immediately got under way
and steamed down the pass. The pilot. be-
coming alarmed, expressed his unwillingness
to take us out, as ne had not been out OF
the pass for three months. and would not
provoking. However, / hoisted my Jack for
a pilot, and as good luck would have IL,
i inm 1 pdn on py board oae p Of m s's and his W Rffe waved waved
him on to his duty as we passed., and We
continued on our course rapidly for the
bar. In the meantime we had some time
before discovered the Brooklyn some seven
or eight miles to the southwark of the
vent our escape. We dashed by the Bre-
men ship on the bar, which considerably
SldCktQ IL DOW warp - q us pass I1OIc
conveniently, and hauling close around her
head spars to the northward, we were in a
few moments outside the bar. The Brook
lyn had by this time approached us within
about four miles, and was making every
effort to overhaul us. A deeply exciting
chase commenced, and L was for some time
doubtful of my success. The Brooklyn had
the reputation-of being very fast, both un-
der sail and steam, and / was very doubt
full whether my gallant little ship had the
heels of her. The Brooklyn having made
sail, we did the same. hauling. in a gradual
curve seward. The Brooklyn having
emerged from a squall in which she had
been hid, doomed. up. very large with her
heavy battery and tall spars, her flag being
plainly distinguished at her peak. AT
were, were dropping her : by SLOW degrees. and
my excited nervous system experienced a
partial relaxation from the tension to which
hours. At $3.50 the Brooklyn, seeing that
we had the heels of her, gave up the chase
three cheers for the Confederate flag. after
the ward room and drank a glass Of wine
with them in honor of the event. 1t was a
breathe the pure air and look over the vast
expanse of blue waters, with the feeing or
reer we have before us. May the Almighty
smile upon us and our cause, ana may we
show ourselves worthy servants or HIM ana
IL. Night, beautiful and starlight. with a
light in the north throwing a pencil or rays
to the northeast, as II lighting US on our
way"
DESTRUCTION BEGINS
Within three days the work of destruc-
ton had begun. "Soon after meridian"
Semmes writes in the diary, made two
sail nearly ahead. Gave chase and came
up-frst with a Spanish brig, and secondly
with the United States ship Golden Rocket,
of Bangor. Took out of her some pro-
visions and a few other articles for the
ship, and at 10 p. m, having accomplished
this and brought the master and crew
+ aboard. set fire and burned her. Our first
prize made a beautiful bonfire, and we did
: not enjoy the spectacle the less because
che was from the black Republican state
of Maine. The Golden Rocket was worth
from $4,000 to $4,000 -.
: In three days the Sumter steamed int
{ tha harbor Of Cienfuegos with SIX prizes
: Following. "As we passed the FORT the
diary reads, 1--WE We're hailed and at the
J same time a couple of muskets were Tired
; at us, and we were directed to anchor
? which we did. / then sent a lieutenant
; sshora 10 call on the commandant and ask
; an explanation of our being STOPPED. Lieut.;
{ Evans reported that the commandment said
. he did not recognize that Is, know our
{ flag and thar it was the order OF the port
- ston all vessels until the nag could De