Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-03-24
IN THE NICK OF TIME.
AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR HlTHER-
70 NOT PUBLISHED.

70 NOT PUBLISHED.
Story OF the First Expedition to Fort Fish
er-The Sailing Master of the Ella
knight Tried to Deliver His Charge to
the Enemy.
On the FIRST expedition to Fort Fisher
captured blockade runner called the
Ella Knight was used as government
transport. The cargo of this vessel was
Light Battery E. Third United States
artillery. and the Sixteenth New York
Independent Light battery About 160
horses, 12 fieldpieces. IL oaissons and
IL Timber chests made valuable cargo
The sailing masters name was Ad-
ans, but as 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. R. Myrick of Light Battery E, Third
United States artillery.
Adams, Baltimore man having some
influence, was appointed sailing master
in the United States transport fleet. He
was genuine Confederate at heart and
had in his mind way to help the Con
federacy, which was to await his op-
portunity and run the first good cargo
in his charge into the Confederates'
hands.
As signal the flagship fired gun
over the waters of Hampton Roads, and
the transportfieet of the 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 the ships
destination-Fort Fisher
Soon after turning southwark from
Cape Henry the wind began to blow
strongly from the south. The sea be-
came extremely rough. the 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 to roll on the
upper deck. Ropes were procured and
the guns lashed through the wheels to
prevent rolling on deck and knocking a
hole through the transport S sides. Then
ropes were stretched lengthwise and
through the center Of the deck, and sew
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 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 feet was in
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 fast ship, and from that time on
we knew that Adams was 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 a report of cannon, and the next
instant a shell burst over the deck of
the Ella Knight. From theshor inter-
val between the report of the gun and
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
lashing 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, 81 reckon we are pref
ty nigh Fort Fisher-that was the or
ders, wasn't it?'
Quick as a 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 feet. 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 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 the
larboard side. A challenge came through
a trumpet:
'Lay to, or we'll send shot through
youi''
Adams rang the engine bell. The ship
soon lost its headway and swung idly
in the seas. A few moments later a
Union ensign appeared on deck. After
learning the name and character Of our
ship be informed Adams that he had
been under the guns of Half Moon bat
terry, one and half miles above Fort
Fisher. Then he continued
81 am Ensign ---- of dispatch boat
No. 2 of the blockading feet. The bal
ance of the transport feet is 90 miles
due east at sea.
Again our engines were started, and
in a short time daylight began to creep
over the ocean and we could see the
transport feet steaming toward land.
Nothing was done with Adams, but
] have always believed he intended to
beach the Ella Knight under the guns
Of Fort Fisher Eugene Scott in New
York Commercial Advertiser.
At the defense of Thermopyla the
shower of Persian arrows was SO dense
1t cut off the light of the sun.