The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-03-09

- a"N shb'hk HsANtth Va hhs tttih
Knight Tried TO Deliver His Charge tn
the Enemy.
On tho first expedition to Fort Fisher
II captured blockade runner called tho
Ella knight was used ms u government
transport. The cargo of this vessel was
Light Battery +. Third United States
artillery, and the Sixteenth New York
Independent Light battery About 1850
horses, IL heldpieces, IL caissons and
IL Timber chests made valuable cargo
The sailing masters name was Adj
ANS, but rs We sailed under sealed or
ders, to be opened Off Cape Henry light
house. the ranking military officer
aboard, who held these orders, became
ranking or commanding officer of the
| ship. This officer was First Lieutenant
J. II. Myriel of Light Battery +, Third
United States artillery.
Adams, II Baltimore man having some
influence, WAS appointed sailing master
i'll the United States transport fleet. Ho
was IA genuine Confederate at heart and
had i'll his mind IA way to help tho Con.
federaey which WAS to await his OPP
portunity and run the first good cargo
in his charge into the Confederates'
hands.
As signal tho flagship fired n gun
over tho waters of Hampton Roads, and
the transporailoet of tho first expedition,
without outside lights, sailed out into
the darkness of night-into the broad
Atlantic.
The Ella Knight was not the last to
reach Cape Henry lighthouse, but when
she did the sealed orders were opened
and Adams was advised of tho ship y
destination-For Fisher.
Soon after turning southwark from
Cape Henry the wind began To blow
strongly from the south The sea he
came extremely rough. tho decks were
wet and slippery and the horses stalls
gave way, The horses began to slide
back and forth ON deck, so heavy were
the lunges and rolls of the ship At the
same time tho guns began to roll on the
upper deck Ropes We're procured and
the guns dashed through the wheels to
prevent rolling on deck and knocking IA
hole through the transport = sides Then
ropes We're stretched lengthwise and
through the center of the deck, and sev.
eral times erosswise to help support tho
horses, but many were killed and many
disabled.
Some time past midnight Adams
quietly turned the ship To the month and
scudded with the wind. Then AT the end
of few hours he turned the ship south
again. Ills orders were To keep within
sight of the transport fleet, but WHEN
daylight came no transport Heet was i'll
sight. lie gave rs his oXcusc that tho
ships engines were weak and that he
could not make the speed required of
him. W. know that the Ella knight
was fast ship and from that time on
We know that Adams WAS n man wht
would stand Watching
BY the middle of the day the storm
had passed over and Adams took "a reek
oning OIL Gape llatteras North Caro-.
lima Then we continued our Journey
without much Of interest until nearly
daylight the next morning
All was quiet aboard the transport
AS she rode through the darkness there
was report Of Il cannon, und the next
instant IL shell burst over the deck Of
the Ella knight. From the short inter
val between the report Of the gun and
tho shell Il explosion the battery officers
knew that we must be near the shore.
Besides, the sound of the breakers from
tho heavy ocean swells could DO honrd
lashing the sandy beach.
Each commissioned officer quickly
reached for his side nrms and they were
soon ON deck. j. X. Myrick (now major
Fifth United States artillery was the
first to reach tho pilothouse Adams
was at tho wheel,
Myrick asked him, "Where nro wet'
Adams replied, Il reckon we are pref.
ty nigh Fort Fisher-that was tho or
ders, WASH it,
Quick IN IA flash Myriek y revolver
swung under Adams ear and ho order
cd him to turn to sea. Adams turned
deathly white as no remarked.
'We are in tho inside channel If We
turn to sea. we will have To ride tho
reef. II We ride it, we will ho caught
by tho pirates outside of il, = meaning
tho Union fleet. But mt the Same time
he gave several fast turns to the wheel,
and the transport swung half way round
and headed for tho reef. Az we gained
it there was u roaring and kissing
sound and the waves shone with phos-
phorescent light. Soon we were in the
line of sissing, glowing waves. One
sudden bump Of the vessel, and she had
crossed the reef unhurt and was sailing
In the old Atlantic.
Soon we saw the dim outline Of a
swift steamer approaching us from tho
larboard side. A challenge came through
IA trumpet:
Lay to. or wo'll send shot through
youl'
Adams rang the engine bell. The ship
soon lost its Roadway and swung idly
in the seas. A few moments later Il
Union ensign appeared ON deck After
learning the name and character of our
ship ho informed Adams that he had
been under the guns Of Half Moon bat
terry, one and II half miles above Fort
Fisher. Then he continued
. am Ensign ---- Of dispatch boat
No. 2 Of the blockading fleet. Tho bal
ance of tho transport feet is 20 mile,
due east ut sea,
Again our engines were started and
in IA short time daylight began 10 creep
over the oc, an aud we could see the
transport fleet sleaming toward land
Nothing WAS done with Adams, but
| have always believed lac intended to
beach the Ella Knight under the guns
of Fort Fisher Eugene Scott III New
York Commercial Advertiser
AT the defense of Thermopyle the
shower Of Persian arrows was 80 dense
1t cut of the light Of the sun.