Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-23

/ hears) In gaining this Palestine o: our
/ chlvzlro-s sspiratlors. We have success
/ fully elcouute-e1 ths more than or1i-
Z nary perils q The SEA IN storm. TIE lin
I ger.ns CHASE. ard bszzTcs o the b-ock-
/ ada Through al viC-sztutts there vas
/ q mind % conceive. Z hand % guide, q
! courage 70 execute. Gentlemen, I Pro
| pose TIE health. happiness. and speedy
4 promotion o. the oficer who E-erits
I these conuen6a;iorS-our worthy con-
/ Fnanser'
sAnuE.ed with vociserous applause
| came ths Customary hip! hip. huzz4h.
I hip hip. hui
the half-utte-sd huzzah frozs Ike ~
ic,cie On tee pstr1e1 lips Q. the orator.
4 who.
with Wild surprise
As = % marble stuck. devoid q sense
/ A STUPID moment. notio1.sss STOOD
IS tie apparltloa q a Federal MD
I ship1a1 APPEARED upon the cabin s,s-F-
/ way.
"'V-ho commands iris s:eame-T was
/ the Felerars .1terroeatorr.
~ am that unhappy ildividuaL'
groaned ths commander "a Te-l-nis-
| ce1ces OF q lons confinement came pain
| fully 70 his mind
You are a Prize % Admiral Porte-s
/ squadron, and reiisvs you from al
further responsibility. Gentlemen as
pa-ole1 prisote-s you are a. leisure %
fnlsh your rlpas-'
The vlther-rg e-urciston o. cap
ture bIghte5 Ike & back frost TIE
/ hopeful blossom that had under the In
sulring t-fue-cs q the sparkling
Eperuay bub5,ed into poetic existence.
one b one rs lights soon faded IN this
banquet hall deserted, their last gllTr-
uer faM.rg mournfuiiy On Ire debris q
tho unfinished congrstuistory repast-
Ere al hour elapsed two more uutortu-
mates, iursd - the channel lights, en-
tered ard lkewiss anchored OF re
mound and became . prey 20 Admiral
Po-teTs feet
NY cargo being important, and the
capture OF Fort Fisher and Cape Fear
cutting ne or from Wilmington. !
deemed Il my duty % make an efor.
70 enter the harbor Of Charleston II
order 70 deliver the r1uch-nseted sup
piles. had been informed that the
blockade OF that port was more strln-
gently and numerically guarded than
ever before since the beginning % hos
tIites. The Owls speed was more az
couuodatsd 20 tire rsc-s sary tine ~
arriving OF Tire bar. which vas - p. VI.
Tnroughout the day vigilant steamers
were seen along the shore Inspecting
iriets and coves. regardless OF tne-r
want OF capacity for blockade pur-
Poses. This Spit q Inspection ard
~stchfuIness was most assituous as
II an order had been issued . overhaul
even the coast galInippers % see that
sid and comfort IN the shape o. nus
kets and pistols were not smuggled into
the needy Confederacy. Occasionally one
y these constables q the sea would
fire I'D and make q dash after the Owl.
a flttls more coal and stirring W % The
ere draft was suflcient 20 start TIE block
ase-rurrer o. with such adm.rabls
speed a. 70 convince the Feceral That
ne was after the feetsst steamer that
ever eiuded the guardians o. the chan
uei-weys.
"soasonably making the passage.
O'clock p. II. found us not far from
tre mouth q NaA7tts Channel. Artici-
r~.fr- q trying night. and rhe bare Dcs-
e-bUftv ~ capture. two bags were sll-s
and suspended over the quarter -
stout lire in these bags were placed
the government mall not yet deiivere1,
al private correspondence. ard my war
Journal. including the cruise o, the Flo
rida. besides many other papers. A. n
telllgent cuaT-ernaeter was ordered %
stand By The BAGS with = Ratchet. End
the moment capture became inevitable
20 ~rrt adrift and let them sinh.
when on TIRE western tail-en1 ~ Rat
-fes-aLe shoal. Ne encountered streaks
= INST end fog that snvelopei stars ana
everything for q few moments. when =
would become quite clear again. Run
rirg cautiously IN one Of these obscura-
.sonz q sudden light IN the haze disclosed
that we were about % run Into an an
cho-ed blockader Wa had bare room
with hardaport helm % avoid him
eor~a fifteen or twenty feet when their
officer On deck called out. 'Heave TO- or
TT sink your The order was unnotcet
and we received his entire broadside.
tret cut away turtle back. perforated
forecastle. and tore up buiw2rks In front
az our engine-ro0m wOUuding twelve
men. some severely. some slightly.
''The quartermaster stationed by the
rnail-bags was 50 convinced that We
were captured that he instantly used
his Ratchet, and sent them weil-moored
20 the bottom; hence my meagre account
OF the cruise OF the Florida Rockets
we're fired as We passed quickly ont OF
his range Of sight and DrummOnd lights
lit I'D the animated surroundings Of z
swarm OF blockaders. which commenced
an indiscrirninate discharge OF artillery.
We could not understand the reason o.
this bombardment. and, as We picked
our way out CT the melee, concluded that
several blockade runners must have been
discovered feeling their way into Charles
ton.
After the war. IN conversing with the
officer commanding on that occasion. he
said that a number OF the Steamers Of
the blockade were commanded by mex
perienced volunteer officers. who were
sometimes overzealous and eSciteable and
hearing the gunboat firing into me- ana
seeing her rockets and signal lights. they
thought that innumerable blockade run.
ners were forcing A passage into the
harbor: hence the indiscriminate discharge
OF artillery which was attended with IN
fortunate result 20 them. This was my
last belligerent association with blockade
running. Entering the harbor OF Calves
ton and finding Il in possession OF Fede-
rails. I promptly checked progress and
retreated. The last order issued by the
Navy Department when ali hope for the
cause had departed was FOR me 70 de-
liver The Owl 10 Frazier, Trenholm l. Co.
Ia Liverpool; which I accordingly did"
ONE clue, THE OTHER GRAY.