Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-12

session. The crew Of negroes surren-
dercd without q blow. The old Con-
federate yen rang out that evening on
the Chesapeake as IL never will again.
The steamer did not change her course
or stop running until night. The officers
and crew. all under the command of our
captain did just what they were ordered
TO do. The Prov OF the steamer had
been turned gradually 10 the south, and
when night came on we ran her aground
in shoal-water, about two hundred yards
from land. We had one large skin In
Which TO 80 ashore. which was manned
by two stalwart negroes The
lieutenant and steamers officers were
taken ashore the first trip of
the boat, and held as hostages
for the good behavior Of the crew
while we were landing We all got ashore
safely. Captain Semmes, son of our Illus
trlous admiral. was nominated as com
mander-in-chief of this forlorn hope lie
was elected by acclamation. Captain
Holmes. of the Louisiana Crescents, was
elected second in command All that we
knew OF our whereabouts was that we
were on the beach OF Virginia or North
Carolina, south OF Cape Henry. a light
could be seen I'm the distance. evidently
coming through the window OF some hu-
man habtation. We sent n man TO In
vestigate. and he reported that the house
was occupied by woman and her chill
dren. Her husband was in the Confede-
rate army. This information gave us
great relief The woman seemed much
alarmed, hut when she learned that nine
ty-four Confederate officers had just es-
capped all alarm and caution fled from her
face. She told us we would be safe if we
could reach the Dismal Swamp. But
said she, 'Currituck sound is. between you
and the swamp. and there is not boat
nearer than thirty miles. ~ you can get
to the salt-works, thirty miles down the
coast, and surprise the men in camp you
can take their boats and cross the sound
before the Federal cavalry can overtake
YOU She supplied us with a cart and
horse to carry two or three days rations
which we had taken from the steamer
when we left II. We at once made haste
TO depart for the salt-works.
SUFFERED FOR WATER.
1--WE suffered much for water on our
forced march that night. as we could not
get drop to allay our thirst. We ar
rived at the salt-works. completely tagged
out, a little after sun-up the next morn
ing. We surprised the men at the salt
works while al their. breakfast, and seized
them and their boats without opposition.
After satisfying our thirst and partaknS
Of breakfast we decided to rest that day
and cross the sound in the captured boats
that night. When night came on we en-
tered our captured boats pushed off, and
hoisted sail, but having contrary winds
we toiled all night. making twelve miles
across Currituclk sound. AS we reached
the shore after daylight large schooner
was seen bearing down upon us, but we
were i'm shoal water and she could not
approach us nearer than one hundred
yards. We made a display, of our
twelve guns, and not knowing but
that we were well armed, she
sped on her way; the captain, however,
leaning over the bulwark, hailed US
through his speaking trumpet: Boat.
ahoy! who is that on boardY One Of our
men, putting his hands TO his mouth,
shouted back: a fishing party in
few minutes we were all ashore. lying
down on the pine straw, within five miles,
as we learned, Of Currituck Courthouse,
y. &. We discovered a house half away,
its occupants being only woman and
little children. Our Confederate uniforms
were sufficient introduction. She
agreed at once to put us in communica-
ton with the 'guerrilas,' and told US TO
find us a guide, and also voluntarily pro-
posed, with the help Of her neighbors,
10 cook us breakfast. She left us lying
under the pines, some sleeping and others
discussing the situation, while she went
10 find q guide for us and procure as
sistance in furnishing breakfast for
ninety-four hungry men. Presently, the
woman was seen dashing through the
bushes IN our direction, at full speed.
She told US that a regiment Of Federal
cavalry had just passed her front gate on
the hunt for US. She pointed out the dl-
rectlOn OF the Dismal Swamp, assuring
US that we would be safe there, and 10
wait there until she could send US help.
In a march OF about half a mile we
found the swamp and entered its pro-
found solitude. We placed sentinel on
the outskirts OF the swamp TO watch.
After waiting several hours our sentinel
! appeared among US with man In oiti-
zen's dress, armed with shotgun and
two navy-siNes In his belt. The woman
had sent this man 20 us as a guide. He
had been born and reared around the
swamp, and was familiar with the
grounds.
RESUMED THE MARCH.
I'VE took up our march in single file
the guide in advance. We were to cross
the PasQuOtank river hair mile
| from where we entered road
/ from the swamp. The guide
/ then left us, taking few men
with him 10 fish up a boat from the bot
! tom of the river, where il was kept con-
oealed from the Yankees. The break
| fast promised by the good woman, though
| late. soon followed which we enjoyed
as only men who had marched and toiled
as we could enjoy a square meal. We
had no difficulty of getting all the rations
We wanted after that, although we were
| lodging about the swamp and on its
skirts for several days. -Four regiments
OF cavalry had been sent out from Nor
! folk for the purpose Of our recapture, but.
/ by the aid of the loyal people of the south
ern cause, and the utter impossibility
Of cavalry penetrating the swamp. we
| succeeded in eluding all efforts at our re-
capture.
zone evening, when near Camden
! Courthouse, n. c., We lay not far from
| the road waiting for rations and the APP
proach of night We were surprised 10
| see twelve or fifteen carts make their
way TO US, loaded in part with provi-
sions, but IN much larger part by women,
/ both raafGe and roatrouc who had come.