Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-05-08
IN THE NICK OF TIME.
AN INCIDENT oF THE WAR AlTsgR.
 TO NOT PUBLISHED.

Story of the First Expedition to Fort Fl.h.
 er-The Sailing Master of the Eli.
 Knight Tried to Deliver His Charge to
 the Enemy.
 On the first expedition to Fort Fisher Q captured blockade runner calIed tbo Ella Knight was used as q governnen. transport. The cargo of this vessel was Light Battery E, Third United Stat : artillery, and the Sixteenth New yorlr independent Light battery. About l60 horses, l2 fieldpieces, 12 oaissons and IS Timber chests made a valuable cargo
 The sailing masters name was Ad- ans, but as we sailed under sealed or ders, to be opened off Cape Henry liebt- mouse, the ranking military officer aboard, who held these orders. beoame ranking or commanding officer of the ship This officer was First Lieutenant ;, h. !4ynok of Light Battery E, Third United States artillery.
 Adams, Baltimore man having some influence, was appoiLted sailing master III the United States transport fleet. He was a genuine Confederate at heart and had in his mind q way 10 help the Goa leaeraey which Was to await his op. nortumt9 and rca the fist good cargo z . = ls'e eAaEeo ito tse Confederates Lands.
 As signal the flagship fired gun over tEe waters of Hampton Roads, and the tgaasoort tie5tot the first expedition, witheat outside lights, sailed out into thes dsel.ness of night-into the broad Atlantic
 The Ella Knight was not the last to reach Cape Henry lighthouse, but when she did tie sealed orders were opened Gad Adams was advised of the ships destination-Fort Fisher.
 Soon after tufaitg southWard from Cape Henry the wind began to blow strongly from the south Tho sea be- 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 the guns began toroll on the upper deck. Ropes were procured and the guns lashed through tho wheels to prevent rolling on deck and knocking q hole through the transport sides. Then ropes were stretched lengthwise and through the center of the deck, and sey- eral times crosswise to help support the horses, but many were killed and many disabled.
 Some time past midnight Adams quietly turned the ship to the north and scudded with the wind. Then at the end of a few hours he turned the ship south again. His orders were to keep within sight of the transport feet but when daylight came no transport fleet was ill sight. He gave as his excuse that the ships engines were weak and that he could not make the speed required of him. We knew that the Ella Knight was a fast ship, and from that time on we knew that Adams was 8 man who would stand watching.
 By the middle of the day the storm had passed over and Adams took reck- oning off Cape Hatteras, 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 a cannon, and the next instant shell burst over the deck of the Ella Knight. From the short inter- hokx f lao rP ho the shells explosion the battery officers knew that we must be near the shore. Besides, the sound of the breakers from the heavy ocean swells could be heard flashing the sandy beach.
 Each commissioned officer quickly reached for his side arms. and they were soon on deck. J. R. Myrick (now major Fifth United States artillery was the first to reach the pilothouse. Adams was at the wheel.
 Myrick asked him, Where are we?"
 Adams replied, "I reckon we are pret- ty nigh Fort Fisher-that was the or ders, wasn't it?''
 Quick as q flash Myrick's revolver swung under Adams ear, and he order ed him to turn to sea. Adams turned deathly white as he remarked:
 We are in the inside channel. If we turn to sea, we will have to ride the reef. If we ride it, we will be caught by the pirates outside of it, meaning the Union fleet. But at the same time he gave several fast turns to the wheel, and the transport swung half way round and headed for the reef. As we gained it there was a roaring and hissing sound and the waves shoae 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 she old Atlantic.
 Soon we saw the dim outline of a swift steamer approaching us from the larboard side. \ challenge came through trumpet:
 "Lay to, or we'll send a shot through you!"
 Adams rang the engine bell. The shir soon lost it's headway and swung idly