Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-07-01
IN THE NICK OF TINE.
AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR HITLER
TO NOT PUBLISHED.


er-The Sailing Master of the Ella
knight Tried to Deliver His Charge to
the Enemy.
On the first expedition to Fort Fisher
a captured blockade runner called the
Ella knight was used as = government
transport. The cargo of this vessel was
Light Battery Z, Third United States
artillery, and the Sixteenth New York
Independent Light battery About 16O
horses, IL fieldpieces, y caissons and
- Timber chests made valuable cargo.
The sailing masters name was Adj
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
]. 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 a 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 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 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 We're
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 lenSthwise 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 throg:h the darkness there
was report of cannon, and the next
instant she'll 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
lashlng the sandy Deach.
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 flash Myrick's revolver
swung under Adams ear, and he order
ed him to turn to sea. Adams turned
deathly white as he remarked:
1--WE are i'll 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 a 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 @
swift steamer approaching us from the
larboard side. a challenge came through
a trumpet:
Lay to, or we'll send a shot through
you'll"
Adams rang the engine bell The ship
soon lost its Roadway 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 he 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. of the blockading feet. The bal
ance of the transport feet is 20 miles