The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-04
Baltimore Sum-

Baltimore Sum-
The agents OF the navy department
who are engaged in the complication
Of the official records of the union and
confederate navies in the late war
have recently brought to light, from
southern sources, a mass OF hitherto
unpublished information OF curious
interest and value relative to the
operations of the confederate %privateeT
Shenandoah. In destructiveness to
, union property the work Of the Shenan-
doa was second only to that Of the
Alabama, and the former enjoyed the
! peculiar distinction of having far out
stripped the records Of all other CRUZ
sers in the length of her voyage and
the fact hat she never met with the
! slightest opposition from union arms
in her path of destruction, n con-
tinued her depredations many months
after the conclusion of the war.
1t is worthy Of remark that the navy
department at Washington was in pos
session of information relative to he1
outfit and plans early in the summel
| of 1864, but no active search was in.
stituted until january, 1865, and though
the United States ships Santee
Wachusett, Iroquois, Wyoming and the
European and Pacific squadrons al
large were successfully ordered in pur-
suit Of her, none of them ever succeed
ed in coming UP with her, much less in
engaging her in combat. In the fall
of 1865 her commander gained con
elusive information that the war had
gone against the south, and he leisurely
II uninterruptedly made his way to
England, where he gave himself and
his ship into the hands of the British
government.
ORIGINALLY A BRITISH SHIP.
The Shenandoah was a fu~1l-rigged
ship Of 1000 tons and ESQ horse power,
with a battery of four S-inch guns
two 32-pounders and two IL Founders.
She was originally the British ship Sea
King, built in 1868 for the East India
trade. On her return from England
from her first voyage she was purchas-
ed by the confederate agents in Europe
and fitted out as a cruiser in the con-
federate service, primarily to dispense
and destroy the New England whaling
fleet in the northern seas. She had
been designed as a transport for troops,
had spacious decks and large air ports,
and was we'll suited for conversion in
to a cruiser. "A fast sailer under can
vas, her steam power was more than
auxiliary, as she could exceed II knots
without pressing. Provided with l.
months stores, she sailed from London
on October 8, 1854, in command of her
English master, Captain Corbett, for
Madeira. Ten days later she was de-
1iVered over to her new commander.
Lieutenant James I. Wadden, who had
taken passage from Liverpool with the
officers and men detailed for his com
mand. Among the latter were some
picked men from the famous Alabama.
which had been sunk ID the Kearsarge
a few months before. The Shenandoah
was commissioned on October 10 and
that day cleared from Madeira.
The journal of Commander Waddell
is now in the possession of the nav
n it is a most interest,"
ing record OF the career of the Shenan-
doah.
HER FIRST CAPTURE.
On October 80 the cry Of sail ho."
rang out from the Shenandoah's mast
Immediately she bore down upon
the distant vessel, al American bark,
the Alma, Of Seaport, Me-, bound for
Buenos Ayres with railroad iron. She
was on her first voyage, thoroughly
equipped, nicely coppered and beauti-
fully clean-a tempting prize. Defense
On her part vas out Of the question, |
the confederates boarded and
scuttled her, after appropriating such
OF her furnishings as they could make
use OF n taking the crew prisoners.
six OF whom afterward volunteered |
their services as active men on the
The Alma was valued at !
s95, O0O.-
On November Is the Shenandoah |
1rnScnG tho nn,,oo~ w. $780, - 1
lay south along the coast of Brazil. |
of interest occurred after |
crossing the ne except the Interchange |
DIT courtesies with neutral vessels Until
December 4, when the American |
Whaleship Edward, Of and out Of New !
Bedford three months, was sighted and |
captured near the Island of Tristan. |
The Edward had taken a whale and
was "cuttin OUT when captured. her /
rev being so occupied with the whale |
hat the Shenandoah had come within |
range of her unobserved. The /
edwards outfit was of excellent quail
ty, and the confederates lay by two
supplying their steamer with nee
.ssaries. The w~ha1esElip was then
and Waddell landed for a day
It Tristan and made arrangements
With the native governor to receive the
crew, most Of whom were
Sandwich islanders.
SAILED FOR MELBOURNE.
Soon after the departure from iris
an 1t was found that a serious acci-
emit had happened to the propeller
of the Shenandoah, and it became
lecessary to seek some considerable
'ort for repairs. Cape Town was
burt Commander WaddelI pre-
erred Melbourne, il possible.
ne course thither lying nearer the
frequented tracks of the United
tates vessels. The voyage was mark
d by b capture OF several merchant
len. j.