The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-27


1 sea for the first time In his life In com,
mand He reached Hilton Head without
any trouble. and was homewnrd bound
| before anything worth recording occur |
| red. On the morning OF the second day
on. black smoke was reported Off the
port bow. a close watch was kept. |
After IL couple of hours steaminS the
ship was made out 10 be- the blockade ,
runner. the Margaret and Jessie. The !
res. of this incident is best tod In capt.
Walkers own words:
I'VE soon discovered that three men
of-war were in pursuit of her. We were
gradually closing upon the Margaret
and Jessie. ! was in II Tuandary what to
do: should obey o;dcrS. the first princi-
pie OF Il sail1ra life. or should try 10
capture tie ship. had been instructed
70 return to New York direct. so as the
Fult0n could so on the dry dock. |
thought for awhile. and finally decided
tina; IL would lie great thing for the
company If could tow the Margaret
and Jesse into port with me rs n prize,
and for the first time in my life | dis
obeycd orders. l then headed the Ful-
ton FOR the enemy. IT was nearly 4
o'clock in the afternoon before we were
we'll within reach of her. We had fired
several shots but all fell short. y few
more sh is were fired without effect and
then | TOOK a hand at the game myself.
| | charged thirty-pound Parott gun.
and after a careful sight. threw shell
which broke right over the Margaret
| and Jessie. She Immediately stopped.
| We went alongside and boarded her
! The first thing we did was TO haul down
| the British flag and put up the Stars
| ana Stripes. The three men1fwar
had been Joined by n gunboat, and
they came alongside just as the Stars
| and Stripes were unfurlcd over our prize
remember the name Of but one of
these vessels, and that was the Keystone
| State. The first lieutenant of this boat
came aboard the Fulton and demanded
| that deliver the prize over to them
fatty refused u 40 this. had taken
her from under their very noses after
an all-day chase. and told him that II nc
attempted 10 take her by force | would
run into her with the Fulton ana sink
her on the spot; This convinced him
that he had no right 10 our prize. -
| he rcj1incd the Keystone state and
| proceeded to New York with the Marga.
ret and Jessie in tow. We arrived Oh q
Sunday morning, all safe. 4 great ova.
ton was given 10 us a. we came TO olIl
y Pier nj the foot of Beach street. where
the Old Dominion pier now Is The
j. crew OF the prize We're taken off and
$ transferred to Fort Lafayette as prison.
G ers. whore they remained nine months
q President Isaac Bell who thought me toe
g young, threw his arms around me AND
II said was a brick. Six Russian men-of.
u war were III the harbor at the time. TIL,
o Admiral whose name was too long
u ana difficult for me to remember came
! aboard my ship ana congratulated nc
II | made Il second run to Hilton Head and
: captured the blockade runner Banshcc
h off Wilmington. Del. on the ,e,nrr
voyage. The Banshcc was an easy vic.
Il tim. She offered no resistance W.
c sighted her soon after daybrcak and W,
e had her i'll tow at 1880 o'clock Two
: Sunboats were In pursuit of her I'm.
|
her TO New York. The Margaret and
Jessie ana her cargo were sold for S320.
u Veo' lie vessel was bought by the Gov
Il eminent and was rechriStcncd tho Got
u tESohrE. the Banshec and her frcig n,
II brought $500. 900. | was engaged corry.
ing or rather exchanging soldiers h,,ci,
a 'or white. and vice versa for gone
. months. and then became Captain of no
u isaieiSh. or the Atlantic Coast Limo
ms me operated between New Ygrk.
j -" ofitnhs. galveston. and Havana. =.
z capt. Walker grew tired of tho So,
after two years of this service III, ~,
u signed MS command ana went into busi-
=: ness II took him lust five wears "a
4 discover thas a sea shark was no match
Tor iani shark. Tho Atlantic Goa
.,!no nau IN me meantSmc merged into
!. me Old Dominion Steamship Conua,rv
d tie applied for a place. and in 1871 wa :
o appointed commander of the Niagara
re has since commanded nearly every
!, snip thai ih!s company has owned uc
, las sailed from Pier IS formerly pier
: four years
+ Capt. Walker met his wife while he
was an officer on the Fulton. She was
on her way 10 England 10 go 20 school
oia her return. thr.r years later, they
e hecams engaged. and five months after
; she had lief; school she became Mrs.
! WalkeF In all. thirteen children have
! been born 10 them. Seven OF :hn.n are