Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-07-04
IN THE NICK OF TIME.
AN iNciEENs os THE WAR AI7AEa.
 TO NOT PUBLISHED.


 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 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, l2 fieldpieces, 12 caissons and l2 Timber chests made a 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, a Baltimore man having soma influence, was appointed sailing master in the United States transport fleet. He was genuine Confederate at Aeart 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 Gonfederates hands.
 As signal the flagship fired 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 ship 5 destination-Fort Fisher
 Soon after turning southward 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 sev- eral times erosswise 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 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.
  was report of cannon, and the next instant a 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 we?"
 Adams replied, I reckon we are pret- ty nigh Fort Fisher--that was the or ders, wasn't it?''
 Quick as 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 ill the inside channel. If we turn to sea, we will have to ride the reef If we ride it, we will be caught Dy bu6 plIdl0S OulSluG LII lb, lHGdutuS the Union fleet. But at the same time be 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 hissing 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 iu t1e old Atlantic.
 Soon we saw the dim outline of a swift steamer approaching us from the larboard side. A challenge came through trumpet:
 "Lay to, or we'll send shot through you!"
 Adams rang the engine bell The ship soon lost it's headway and swung idly in the seas A few moments later 6 Union ensign appeared on deck. After learning the namo and character of our ship he informed Adams that he had