The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-18
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE.
How the Tallahassee Got Out
of Wilmington.

merce Destroyers' are printed in the
July Century. ''The Tallahassee's
Dash Into New York Waters" is writ
ten by John Taylor Wood, her COM
mander. Col. Wood says of the escape
of the vessel from Wilmington:
Ten days sufficed to get things In
working order, and the crew into shape,
when we dropped down the river to
wait a favorable time for running the
gantlet, which was only when there
was no moon and when the tide served.
/ determined to try the eastern or new
inlet, and on the night Of August the
outlook was favorable. Everything
was secured for sea. The lights were
all carefully housed, except the Din
nacle, which was shaded; fires were
cleaned and freshened, lookouts were
stationed, and the men were at their
quarters. The,range lights were placed,
these, in the absence of all buoys and
lights, were necessary in crossing the
bar, and were shown only when vessels
were going in and out. The Mound,
huge earthwork, loomed up ahead, look
ing in the darkness like black cloud
resting on the horizon. We started
ahead slowly, but brought up on the
rip" or inner shoal. Two hours OF
hard work with the engines, and with
a kedge astern, were lost before we got
off. and then 1t was too late for the tide.
We turned up the river short distance
apd anchored. The next night we had
the same experience, except that we
grounded so badly that it required
three steamers to tow us on.
Finding that with the state of the
tide and our thirteen and a half feet
draft the eastern inlet was impractical
IL n L,sa IN tiny W.
one. Steaming down to Fort Caswell
we waited for darkness. Only few
feeting clouds were in the sky. AS the
moon went down on the night OF Au-
gust 6. at 10, we approached the bar,
fearful of a repetition of our previous
mishap; and as the leadsman called
out the water in q low tone, our hearts
rose i'm our throats as it shoaled: by
the mark three-and quarter less
three--and a half two--and quar-
ter two" She touched, but did not
bring up. Then came the joyful words:
"And half two"
We had just graZed the Lump" a
bad shoal in mtd-channel, ana were
over the bar. Chief Engineer lyman
was by my side on the bridge. turned
to him and said: "Open her out, sir,
but let her go for all she is worth"
With a bound he was in the engine
ROOM and i'm a few moments l knew
from the tremor of the vessel that the
order had been obeyed, and with full
head of steam we leaped on. "A sharp
lookout ahead!" was the order passed
forward We were hardly clear OF the
bar when came the words: "A steamer
on the starboard bow" "A steamer
ahead!"- The two made us out at the
same time and signalled. j hailed the
forecastle. and asked how the steamer
under our bows was heading ITO the
- "A 1aa
was accordingly ported, and we passed
between them, SO close under the stern
of the one that was ahead that biscuit
could have been tossed on board. As
we dashed by we heard the sharp. quick
words OF command of the officer In
charge OF the after pivot: Run out!
"Starboard tackle handsomely" "Ele-
yate!' Steady stand clear"
Then the flash from the muzzle. like
gleam OF lightning, illumined the water
for a moment, and heavy shell New
singing over our heads. leaving trail
like a comet. IL was an excellent line
shot. That order, Elevate had saved
us. The steamer on the starboard SIDE
opened, and our opponents, now on our
quarter Joined in: but their practice
was wild, and I'm a few moments they
were out of sight. 1 did not return
their fire. for IL would only have shown
our position. and / did not wish our
true character to be known, preferrlng
that they should suppose us an ordi-
nary blockade runner.
During the night we ran to the south
ward until clear of Frying-Pan Shoals,
and then hauled up to the eastward.
More TO be feared than the inshore
squadron were the vessels cruising on
shore from 40 TO 80 miles, in a position
TO sight at daylight the vessels that
might come out during the night, and
these were the fastest and most effi-
cient biockaders. l was not surprised
when. at daylight the next morning. a
cruiser was reported in sight astern,
hull up. AS va were outlined against
the eastern sky she had seen US first.
and from the dense smoke issuing from
her funnel I knew she was In sharp
chase. At another steamer was made
out ahead. I changed our course eight
points bringing one on each beam. and
the chase became interesting. One we
made out to be large side-wheelcr
and she held her own. IL she did not
gain. Mr. lyman made frequent visits
TO the engine room. trying TO coax out
a few more revolutions; and he sue
ceeded for we brought them gradually
on our quarter and by noon had low
cred their hulls two or three strakes.
lt was at times like this that the ship
and engines proved themselves reliable,