The Press., 1898-04-07
IN THE NICK OF TIME.
AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR HITLER
TO 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 |
4 captured blockade runner called the |
Ella Knight was used as a government
transport. The cargo of this vessel was
Light Battery E, Third United States
artillery, and the Sixteenth New York
Independent Light battery. About l6O !
horses, IL feldpieces, 2 caissons and
10 Timber chests made a valuable cargo.
The sailing masters name was AID
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 a genuine Confederate at heart and
aad in his mind way to help the Con-
federacy, which was to await his OPP
portunity and run the first good cargo
in his charge into the Confederates'
hands
AS q signal the flagship fired a gun
over the waters of Hampton Roads, and
the transport fleet 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
lestination-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 aud 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 dashed through the wheels to
prevent rolling on deck and knocking
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 fleet, but when
daylight came no transport fleet 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 a 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 a cannon, and the next
instant shell burst over the deck OF
the Ella Knight. From the short 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
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 WEI?
Adams replied, Il reckon we are pref
ty nigh Fort Fisher-that was the or.
ders, wasn't it?'
Quick as fash 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 W.
turn to sea, we will have to ride tht
reef. If we ride it, we will be caught
by the pirates outside of it, meaning
the Union feet But at the same tim
he gave several fast turns to the wheel
and the transport swung half way roun'
and headed for the reef. AS we gainet
it there was roaring and hissini
sound and the waves shone with phos
phorescent light Soon we were i'll lib
line of sissing, glowing waves. On
sudden bump of the vessel, and she ha
crossed the reef unhurt and was sailin
in the old Atlantic.
Soon we saw the dim outline of
swift steamer approaching us from tn
larboard side A challenge came throug
| a trumpet
clay to, or we'll send shot throug
you'll
Adams rang the engine bell. The shi
soon lost its Roadway and swung idl
in the seas A few moments later
Union ensign appeared on deck Afte
learning the name and character of on
ship he informed Adams that he ha
been under the guns Of Half Moon ba
terry, one and a half miles above Fol
Fisher Then be continued
II am Ensign -- of dispatch boa
No of the blockading feet. The ba
ance of the transport fleet is 30 mile
due east at sea.
Again our engines were started, an
in a short time daylight began to cree
over the ocean and we could see tt
transport fl ct steumIng toward land.
Nothing was done with Adams, bl
I / have always believed he intended
? beach the Ella knight under the gul
of Fort Fisher Eugene Scott in Ne
York Commercial Advertiser.
q Old Lady Improving the occasion)-
All, my poor man, you would not be
. this position If you had received an earl
training i'll some trade or calling
o Tramp-D Don't you tork too sudde
about wot you don t know nothin abou