The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24
A BLOCKADE RUNNER ONCE.
hnCTTTNG DAYS RECALLED M 4 olE-
IFORNIA RdNCHMdN.

ryinK Supplies to the Confsderntes and
Taking Away C~otton-Trtok Played on
an Admiral-An Uulucky Recognition.
SANTA BARBARA. Cal. July 1o.-The Cuban
blockade has had q good deal Of interest for q
wealthy sheep ranchnAn In the DIAL Valley, In
this port OF California. He is Frank A. Gillett.
HurlnR the civil war he vaa ono OF the suo-
cessful blockade runners, and earned a fortune
IT. tho business. He was about 80 years old at
tho time and. having been a sailor for ten
years before the war, no got a place as mate on
craft which ran the blockade Of Mobile Bay
three times. Then he got command Of n ves-
eel built purposely In England for running the
blockade. Tie was a blockade runner in 1852
and 1869.
There never wss 90 great q naval blockade
es that d the Southern ports by the Federnls
during the civil war" said Capt. Gillctt tho
other day. "Wher the war broke out In April.
1861. Uncle Sauna few ships we're scattered all
over tho world. During the first two years OF
the war the naval resources OF the North were
taxed TO the utmost to maintain a blockade
along about 5000 miles Of seacoast. Such q
naval patrol has mover been duplicated. Uncle
Sam had to use craft Of all kinds and conditions
to do the work. The two largest squadrons
were those about tho mouth OF Chesa-
peake Bay and in the Gulf Of Mexico. At
one time there were about 100 boats engaged
exclusively in running the Union blockades
on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. First and last
there were 250 boats engaged in blockade run
ming. l have seen twenty craft in the harbor
at Nassau at one time loading up with English
goods for the Southern ports. BY 1884 the Fed
eral navy had been so largely increased and the
Gordon had been so strengthened that blockade
running became extra hazardous. Several OF
the best boats had been sunk by Federal guns.
and a dozen Of the most skilful blockade run
ners had been captured.
THE greater part Of the blockade running
was done by craft from England. Some OF the
boats wero manned by English crews but
Differed by Southerners. As the war progressed
fRat steamers were built In England purposely
for runrinc the blockade. The Southerncrs
had proved tho best men for going through the
Federal blockade. and they were employed by
the English ship owners as far as possible.
These English steamers were the fastest in
their day. They we're painted an ashen color
and nothing in the way az spars or deck houses
was permitted. The idea was to have the
vessel inconspicuous. To this end the sailors
dressed in dull-colored garb. and white or
black quits were never worn. When the blockade
runner nearcd tho Confederate coast no one
was allowed to smoke on deck. and a thousand
and one tricks were employed TO make steam
aud Mt the same time not send sparks from the
smokestack. The tunnels could be lowered
close TO the deck. and the boats we're hung from
the davits square with the gunwales. The
steam. in case Of n sudden stop. could be blown
off under water. ! never allowed any fowls on
board my boats because their growing might
attract attention. The steamer Richmond
from Jamaica was captured In the fall
of 1868 and about 100000 worth of
goods connscated because one of her
men foolishly used pine wood in the fuel.
or course the blockadc-running craft had to
change their names often. and many strange
names for the craft were adopted. There were
nc end of Yankee Jims. Yankee Bens and Brave
Yankees among English boats. Among the
blockade runners was n line of three boats be-
longing to a London firm. These boats were
christcned Letter b. Letter Go, and Letter Rip.
The finest vessel in the business only made one
voyage; she was christencd Col. Lamb. and
was built to carry $4,000 bales Of cotton. The
war ended soon after she was built and >put an
end to her career as a blockade runner.
THE craft engaged in running the Federal
blockade navigated between tho Bahama and
Bermuda Islands. Cuba and Jamaica and the
Southern ports. Nassau was the port from
which the largest number Of blockade runners
sailed for the Confederate States. The English
made that their headquarters for breaking
through the blockade. Nassau is about three
days run from Charleston or Wilmington,
Until 1861 it was a lazy, tumble-down seaport
on a tiny island belonging to Great Britain.
Few Americans had ever heard of it. When the
English had to have Southern cotton for their
mills and the Confcderates had to have English
merchandise. Nassau suddenly became the prin-
cipal depot for contraband goods. No mining
camp ever grew much faster than Nassau did in
1861. In six months the seaport village grew
to n population of 5000. The harbor was alive
with craft. Adventures. men OF piratlcal
tastes. and schepers who would take risks for
great. gain, Hooked to. Nassau from Europe,
especially from England and France. The Ber-
muda Islands. a little, further away from tho
Gi 5ta impariS GSas'' f RSd s an almost nsSr similar ar leap zap
Bahamas and Bermudas looked. on the sudden
prosperity that came to their islands witt. as
Constituent. l have never seen money SO free
P%almiest days as I saw It In Nassau in the : arss
The principal objective points Of the block
sdee runnerf were ChsrIest9n and GEORGETOWN.
We're made into Mt96iis, AIa,,' Fernandina. Fla.
Federal warships was frightened. and as tho
service became more and more hazardous, the
operations to runs to Charleston and Whining
ton; and nd, during Ms last E "a the war wilmington
by TIE Siren on tho very day Of its evacuation,
{thmsetG blockade GStseo rn m being CAPTURED but for all
beginning Of the year Atm 1865. poin' e'ef SINCE inc
ad rT rnSS shGTm InsTts5P mab 70 Of ta fEqc fSs 4I,ki bl2 Tko
excitement vas like pw9thing else | have aver
known on the sea. We used to take chances
that l shudder now 10 relate. A shot fired from
the blockade runner in self-defence was, ac-
eordlng 70 the maritime laws. cause for treat
Ing the blockade runner as a pirate. Several
men were hanged in the Gulf IN 1881 because
they the Yb Rsd aGtsa % li dslPPe 5FattSs E Sha S trSbiR}s f Po run 3
run from Nassau 70 Wilmington or Charleeton
aud back. a total distance Of about LOO miles,
a, Captain usually got $1,000, or 5000; the
PILOT fT9O, and the crew and tremen, about
terial from which to select q crew. and the Eng
lish nsn-ot-war in the Bahamas, and Bermudas
DESERVING and joining In blockade running. SO
much money was made. In the ~contnband6 usi-
ness that ONE blockade-running vessels paid
for thepselves in, one round trip. That Is, a
big profit was made on, the c~alicoes. wooIlens.
carried Into the Confederacy. but a stiii greater
profit was made on the cotton and sugar mo-
laRses that was taken out. Calicoes that cost
about 10 cents a yard. then in England brought
Atty apd more cents in Wilmington or Charles
gents a pound in gold And sold like hot cakes at
$50 a pound. once, carried a cargo Of cotton
chat nnuf GQ7 mo- NJ ufIRnIn-t- a -