The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-05-12
As to Blockading.

The blockade of Cuba will recall
the blockade OF the Southern ports
during the Civil war; There will be
several essential differences, however,
in the two blockades. The Federal
fleets had a much larger extent of
coast line to guard than thcv will in
the present instance. The Confeder-
ates at me beginning of the war con-
trolled the coast from the Potomac to
the Rio Grande, and there were many
important ports thereon which requir-
ed particular attention at the hands of
the blockading forces. The Cuban
coast line is much less in extent, and
there are but few important ports
along it. The Confederates had a
convenient nase of operations tor the
blockade runners at the Bahama is
lands, belonging to the British, the
authorities of which were very lax in
enforcing the neutrality laws. The
Confederates, however, for consider
able time, had no navy to assist in
breaking the blockade, in which case
the Spaniards have the advantage. 1t
is doubtful, however, whether any con-
siderable force of Spanish ships will
be able to reach Cuba in time to be
of service. If powerful Spanish
fleet does come over, Of which many
profess grave doubts, and naval en-
gagement should result unfavorably to
1t, the blockade would soon become
very effective, and must inevitably re-
suit in the surrender of the Spanish
land forces. 1t is true that Porto
Rico might serve as basis for block
ade rnnners, but it will probably not
be very long before the ports in that
island will also be blockaded.
The chief ports of tie Confederates
were Charleston, S. c., New Orleans,
La, Mobile, Ala, Pensacola, Fla,
Galveston, Tex, Savannah, Ga, and
Wilmington, N. c. These places
were successfully taken one after
another after longer or shorter periods
of blockading. The blockade of
Charleston was the most difficult, be.
cause of the importance of the city to
the Southern cause, and its propin-
guilty to the Bahamas, strenuous
| efforts were therefore made to capture
it, all of which failed until Sherman's
army flanked the Confederates out of
it. For more than three years, des,
plte every attempt to prevent them,
blockade runners were able to steal
past the strong Federal fleet and carry
to the ..Confederates much needed
munitions of war. To supplement
the efforts of the blockading squad,
ron what was known as the "Stone
Fleet" was sunk at the entrance oi
the harbor. This fleet consisted of a
large number of old merchant vessels
loaded with stone and scuttled at the
entrance to the harbor. The effect
of this was, however, not what was
anticipated, and blockade runners
continued until the fall of the city
On one occasion the Confedera ties
sent out some war vessels they had
fitted up in the harbor, and made ar
attack upon the blockading squadron
which had been temporarily weaken
ed. They came out early one morn.
ing In thick haze and succeeded in
making one of the Federal vessels
surrender by reason of a shot having
passed through her condenser ant
steam drum, thus rendering her help
less. The sun coming out, however
the other Federal vessels quickly tool
a hand and drove the Confederate
squadron back into the harbor SC