The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-04-09
Southport Leader ]

tells many interesting incidents IN
connection with the Alabama. After
sailing about destroying Yankee COM
merce for several months the Florida
put into Charleston, which, to their
surprise, they found in the hands of
the Yankees and themselves surround
ed. Lieut.. Mafflt then ordered that
all his documents, including those
of the Alabama and Florida, be placed
in tin boxes with ropes tied around
them and lowered into the sea. A man
stood by ready to cut the ropes at the
command. When capture seemed in
evitable Lietu Maffit gave the word
and the history of the most famous
ship that ever hoated, with many i'm
portant State Documents were sent to
the bottom. By great got d luck, how
ever, the Florida made her escape and
sailed to sea-Fayetteville Observer.
Our esteemed contemporary is rath-
er mixed in reference to these scraps
of Confederate History.
Capt. John Newland Maffit was a
Lieut. Commander in the navy when
| the Civil War broke out. He was a
great tavorite with the Navy Depart
ment and with his fellow officers, on
account of his superior abilities and
his genial whole souled nature. He
performed we'll known service in the
U. S. Coast Survey, and his name will
be found upon the best charts of our
coast at the present time. He was
associated with the celebrated Prof.
Bache, who held Mafit in very high
esteem.
Capt. Maffit resigned from the old
Navy with extreme reluctance, and
from high sense of duty to the State
of his adoption, North Carolina, he
having been born at sea.
During the Civil War Mafit was
placed in command of the steamer
Oreto, which subsequently became
famous as the Florida. After two
years service aAoat, during which time
he destroyed much of the Northern
commerce, his health became enfee-
bled, he was ordered home, and grant
ed several months leave of absence.
His active spirit, however, would not
permit him to remain long idle, and
his great skill and daring led to his
appointment as commander of sever
al blockade runners engaged in bring
ing war stores for the Confederacy
from Nassau, Bermuda, to ports in the
South.
Among the steamers whic he ran
during the Confederacy we're the Cor
don, Lillian, Florie (named for his
daughter the late Mrs. J. G. Wright, ,
and Owl. The last named boat was
one of the most noted blockade run
ners of the war. When Fort Fisher
was captured the Federals we're care
tul to set the usual harbor lights which
guided the blockade runners to an
anchorage after they had passed the
fleet outside The bar, and quite num-
Der of unfortunate Southern steamers
which had braved the dangers Of the
ever watchful cruiser, were thus de-
coyed to their doom unaware OF the
greater danger which awaited them in
the supposed friendly port.
Among this number was the steamer
Owl, commanded by Maffit, but did
he surrender like the others when he
found he was caught in a trap, and
surrounded by a hostile fleet, from
which escape seemed impossible, not a
| bit of it, After communicating very
briefly with Fort Caswell, and being
informed that a train was already laid
to blow up this last Confederate strong
hold, and that it was being hurriedly
evacuated, he returned to his ship,
and surrounded as he was by the
enemy, he boldly rushed TOR the main
bar under storm of shot and shell
which raked the little boat fore and
aft, and which we'll nigh sent her to
the bottom.
On reaching the open sea Mafflt
determined to try Charleston, which
unknown to him was also in the hands
of the Federels True, the Owl was
loaded with gunpowder which he sup
posed was greatly needed by the Con
federacy, and the risk of destruction
would have been appalling to a man
of extraordinary courage, but Maftlt
did not hesitate; duty to the South
was the first consideration, the risk tc
himself and his crew secondary mat
ter. He steered straight for Charles
ton bar and entered the harbor on the
following night
Having anchored in the channe
which still bears his name, he soon
found himself surrounded by the Fed
eral fleet, apparently bottled up and
herme,cally sealed. Hastily descend
ing to his cabin he gathered together
his invaluable record of the cruise o
the Florida and other papers for which
any price would now be paid, anc
placed them in tin box, the DO,
within a canvass bag, accompanied BY
an iron weight, which he placed in the
hands of a trustworthy quartermastel
with orders to lash the bag over the
rail, and when escape was impossible
and capture inevitable, to cut away
the lashings and send the bag to the
bottom. Capt. Maffit then hove uE