The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-12-18
about the same distance to the north.

/
ward of new inlet. The blockade was
generally run from quarter to half
mile off the coast and sometimes
nearer. Military telegraph officers
were stationed at close intervals along
the coast 10 to Is miles to the south
ern or old inlet and the same distance
to the northern or new inlet, and by
the signal officer aboard the blockade
runner catching one of these telegraph
stations with his signals communica-
tion was at once made with Fort
Fisher and Fort Caswell to the effect
| that such vessel with captain 80 and
80, giving his name, was in the act Of
| running the blockade and to look out
for her and protect her, which was
| often done when the blockade runner
was chased by the enemy.
"The blockade was run only twice
| during the war in Wilmington in the
day time. Once by the Gibraltar, the
ex-Confederate war steamer Sumter,
which was commanded by Captain
Semmes, and which, by the way, was
the first war vessel ever foated by the
government. By trick she succeed
ed in running it from the northward
by hosting the Federal flag. She ran
down tothe feet, the Federals think
ing she was transport from the
North. She had on board four 200
pound Whitworth guns and other mu-
nitions eff war for Fort Sumter, Char
lesion harbor and Fort Fisher before
the Federals discovered their error.
The Will o the Wisp, Captain Capers
owner and commander, succeeded on
another occasion in running the block
ade in the daytime. The captain was
Scotchman, and one day some of the
blockade runners on the board of trade
were guying him about the insigni6-
cant appearance Of his vessel, which
was small, but one of the best for
speed in the port. She could make 18
knots an hour. They offered to bet
him s1OO, 1000 against 100000 that he
could not run the blockade in daytime.
He took them up. It was customary
for blockade runners to load and run
down and anchor of SmithYille, at the
mouth Of Cape Fear river, under pro-
lection of our forts, and then make
the blockade at night. The Federal,
feet saw the Will o the Wisp coming
down the river and supposed Of course,
she would anchor, but instead she
shaped her course right through the
fleet. They had nothing that could
catch her. They fired two shots at
her, one passing through her cabin
above the water line and the other
carrying away her flagstaff. Captain
Capers won his $1,000 and became
the hero Of the day.
Showing the systematic manner in
which the blockade was run, ] Iremem-
ber the Virginia Importing and Ex-
porting Company Of Petersburg, Va,
who owned fine line of two ships
named the City of Petersburg and the
Old Dominion, which, for over two
years, ran the blockade out Of the port
of Wilmington and port of st. George,
Bermuda, on regular schedule adver-
tised time. Each of these ships cost
$3.50, 900, and after the war they were
taken to Liverpool, England, and
made daily line between the city Of
Liverpool, England, and the city OF
Dublin, Ireland.
"Many strange names were given to
ships running the blockade. Among.
them was line Of three funnel boats
belonging to London blockade-run-
ming firm. These boats were chris
tened Letter B. Letter Go, and Letter
Rip. The finest vessel in the busi-
ness only made one voyage; she was
christened Col. Lamb and was built to
carry $4,000 bales Of cotton. The
war ended soon after she was built
and put an end to her career as block
ade runner,
"One Of the sad incidents in run
ming the blockade was connected with
ship belonging to James H. Cren-.
shaw of Richmond, Va. His ship
cleared in SO for St. Georges Ber-
muda, and her pilot, named Davis,
had had yellow fever and was just
recovering from it.. The captain
asked him if he would take the ship
in. He replied that he would, if it
was the last ship he ever piloted. The
night the ship made the coast he took
relapse and was carried on the bridge
in chair and successfully piloted the
ship into port, and when the ship
dropped anchor his spirit went aloft.
nAnother distressing incident was
when the Greyhound, Capt. Beard,
was running in the new inlet. She
accidentally ran ashore. Mrs. Green
how, who was so long kept prisoner
in her residence at Washington by the
Federal government and guarded by a
negro, was passenger on board this
ship with her daughter. In stepping
into boat to go ashore she made
misstep and was carried down by the
weight Of gold that she had in two
belts around her body. Her body was
recovered next day.
"The Greyhound, in running the
blockade out of Wilmington, was cap
tured by the United States sloop.of-
war Connecticut. Ensign Harding
was put in command Of her, with
orders to take her to New York. She
had as passengers Mr.. Pollard, editor
and proprietor of the Richmond Er-
aminer, and the famous Belle Boyd.
"The Confederate government built
the first steel ships at Laird's yard in
Liverpool, England, that were ever
built. These were for the purpose OF
running the blockade, and were chris
tened the Owl, the Bat and the Wren:
The Bat and the Wren were captured
on their first or second voyage in run
ming the blockade. These ships were
so fine that the Bat, after her capture
by the Federals, was fitted up and put
in condition as yacht for Mr.. Lin
coin, and was used for that purpose
all through the war. The Owl, which HI
was commanded by "Capt. J. N. Mof.
fett was one of the most successful
blockade runners of the war. After
landing me with dispatches for the
Confederate government in January,
1865, at Lockwood's Folly (or Windy
Hill,) and not being able to find out
Il III Eso1,, ,ros oopturod or