The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-15

.
narkable fact that the most importau
naval fight of the war preaching il
its effects on the arlnam INT OF the Who'll
? world took place in consequence of a
attempt to break the blockade at HamI
ton Roads. 1t was the battle of tn
Monitor and the Merrimac.
Nassau, in the Bahama Islands, les
: than three days run from Charleston o.
Wilmington, was favorite place for tie
hitting out of blockade runners, and tn
Bermudas, but short distance furthe
away, also offered excellent facilities il
this line.
Previous to the war Nassau was quie
insignificant place, whose inhabitant
lived chiefly on fish and occasionally die
a little business in wrecking.
When it was made the chief base fol
the contraband trade, however, Nassau
began to wear quite different aspect
traders in forbidden stuffs hocked there
like the pirates OF old, who swarmeC
about jamaica King Cotton was in his
glory; the harbor was filled with vessels
of all nations, huge steamers and three
masted ships astonished the bewildered
darkeys
Mountains of cotton appeared on the
wharves, and if a gold mine had been
discovered it conld not have created q
greater stir.
The bulk OF the blockade was
done by English vessels, manned by
English sailors, and as the war progressed
many fast steamers were especially bull
Tor the purpose in England.
The leading characteristics of these
craft consisted of low and slender hulls,
| powerful engines. twin screws and
feathered paddles. They were unencum-
bered by spars, save the one necessary to
support the crows nest for the lookout.
They were painted dull white. the
precise shade of which was so nicely as
certained by experience that properly
dressed runner on dark night was alb
solntely lndlscernible at a cables length
SO particular were the captains on RI 4
point that some of them even insist d ~
their crews wearing white when on d az
at night. 1t was the business of the
blockade-runner to hide, to run and not
to fight. A single blow or shot in self
defense would at once turn it into a
pirate, with the penalty of death should
DloOu Ne sDllled.
The pilot was the most important man
on board, and for his services any price
demanded was paid, especially as the
blockade of the Federal fleet became
more and more stringent. Some pilots
at this time received as high as 1000 a
round trip-that is, to the blockaded
port and back.
This was owing to the scarcity of com
petent men and the risk they run. They
could ply their trade only on dark
nights, and if captured they were sure to
be kept in prison until the end OF the
war. Hence, they demanded high pay,
and if successful made big money. One
such pilot, hailing from Wilmington, N.
e., made fourteen trips without being
captured, and after that he could afford
to spend the rest of his days ashore
That blockade running was full OF ex-
citement goes without saying. A graphic
description of trip from Nassau in one
Of the fastest runners is given in the
diary of Confederate staff officer,
which | am permitted to trapscribc:
"The first day out" he says. nothing
unusual cclrred; we steamed all day
fully seventeen miles and hour, and saw
nothing to prevent Us from steering on
our course.
On the second day we had to keep off
little, as wa saw smoke to the south
ward, but at night we could see the
Bulls Head light at the entrance of
Charleston Earbor. Owing to a thick
fog, however, we could not make it until
it was nearly daylight, and then finding
ourselves very close to a number of Fed
eral cruisers we saw it was quite impos-
sibIe to run in, and so again put ont to
sea-.
Shortly after we again found ourselves
in dangerous proximity to a cruiser 1t
was painted white and in every respect
made to resemble u blockade-runner;
indeed, it is not at all unlikely that it
was one originally, and was captured
and converted into a gunboat by the
enemy. We were discovered, AMI II
chase ensued which lasted all day.
For several hours the Yankee seemed
to gain on US and the excitement was
great on b 'ard our steamer 1t II
O'Clock the captain gave orders to COM
mence throwing the cargo overheard, in !.
or Ter to tighten the vessel, and package
after package of valuable machinery
was consigned to the deep.
An hour passed away and we found |
that We were distancing our pursuer; IA /
a few hours more, owing to our great .
speed, we were out of sight, and that
night we headed for Wilmington, N. c.
At 3 O'Clock in the morning we sighted .
the Cape Fear light, bnt as it would take
us nearly unit daylight t, reach the
blockading fleet, AMI then, il we failed .
to run thro Ugh, we should b, surrounded |
and captured, we once more put to sea.
All the next day We were chased and
ran away from everything that attempted
to run us down: as the shades of night
were descending we put in again for the
shore. The captain, knowing that he
had not enough coal to steam back to
Nassau if he failed to run in, determined
to attempt it at all hazards, and to land
his crew and passengers even it he had
to beach his We ssel and blow it up.
All the boats were lowered from the
davits and all on board were told off in
crews to every boat, so that in case it be-
came necessary to run in on the beach
and destroy the vessel there should be no
confusion.
When it became dark all on board were
ordered on deck, and we had to wear
shirts over our coats SO as not to be seen
at distance, dark object being visible
ut u much greater distance than Il white