The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-09
BLOCKADE RUNNERS STORY.
How the Elizabeth Escaped by the skin
OF Her Teeth.

account Of a successful running of the
blockade under Capt. Tom Lockwood
in the Elizabeth 1t is given in the
gallant skipper $ own words:
When the Kate had lnadc several
voyages Mr.. Thodorc Wagner, Of John
Fraser & Co., said they must have
more steamers and ordered Capt. Tom
Lockwood lOakic) to turn the Kate
over to Capt GoodinY thc Nashville
had been burned in Ogccchcc Kivcr,)
90 out on the Kate and buy Il steamer.
also had orders to 50 with him. We
went to Halifax, n S., and ST. Johns,
y. B., but could find no steamers
suitable and we driftcd down to lla
vana, Cnla whore we found .!rce
steamers Of the Morgan Line Of New
Orleans and Galveston, two Of them
iron. the Austin and Itusk, and one
wooden. the Atlantic. Capt Tom
bought the Atlantic, renamed her
Elizabeth, oycrhaucd her engines and
boilers, coalcd up and went across to
Nassau for cargo.
While repairing in Havana Capt.
Carlin came down from Charleston,
bought the Austin, and renamed her
Ella and Anna. She got away before
US.
After taking in cargo at Nassau
we sailed for Charleston. On the way
across asked "Oakic how he was
going to work in? lie said he was 60
ing to try Ship Channel. AS all Of
the blockade runners had been going
in from the northward. the Yankees
would not be so watchful to the south
ward, but we found out different be
fore we got in.
We made Il good run across and had
nearly the whole Of the night to work
in We picked up Hdisto breakers,
then along by Stono breakers, nearly
up to Ship Bar, when | heard some
one running along the upper deck and
the captains voice at the upper engine
room door: George, the Yanks have
sighted us; bottle her up, | am going
to try to make Ship Channel; if VIC
can t do it am going over the top of
Coffin land, or leave her bottom
there" We had good head Of water
in the boilers, and set the men prick
ing out the fires to raise plenty Of
steam.
went on deck to take look
around The mir was full Of shells,
the sea was alive with Yankee ships.
I went forward to where the Bahama
pilot was standing, but missed the
chief mate. | asked the pilot where
he was. He said he was over the port
bow hanging on to the anchor. The
anchor hau been cleared away and he
was swinging to the crane just below
the love! Of the deck. / went over 10
the port bow and looked down and
sure enough there was the mate
astraddlc of the anchor stock, with
both arms around the shank Of the
anchor. Pho port bow was inshore,
and the opposite side from the Yam
kcc ships.
The firing had by this time walked
up the Confederate pickets. They
had set the range lights. The old
light house had been blown up or we
could have seen how far we would
have to run to make Ship Channel by
getting the lights in range. went
over to the starboard, where the cap
tain was standing, and said: "What
are the chances, Oakic?" ''lsad,"
was his reply.
We had forged by all the ships-thc
only danger from them was their
shclls-all, except one chap, coming
down from the northward nearly head
and head. 1t looked as if VIC would
both get to the Bar together. Pres
emily the captain said, "It is no use;
that fellow pointing to the one com
ing from the northward, "is going .e
run us down and sink us. will give
you time 10 run the gags uOWh, tnen
will head her over Coffin land"
There was companionway amid
ships that went down to the main
deck and started for it. About the
time got to it she'll went over my
head. between the walking beam and
smok kcstack, dropping in the water on
the port side. AS soon as | got in the
engine room ran the gags down
forty -four inch cylinder, eleven feet
stroke steam following, the piston
eight fcct-a big head of steam on.
The cid ship had to go somewhere. l
knew the captain could tell when the
gays were run down by the working of