The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-16
STORIES OF THE BLOCKADE

afalaya- on the border OF Louisiana ana
Texas While thus engaged I learned that
the Confederate schooner General krm-
strong, loaded with TWO thousand stand
Ct arms. was expected 10 land th-m a.
Ship Shaal Light, nearby point,
The supply steamer. Connecticut. being
then due on my station. I vas about 10
reluctantly abandon the quest for the
Armstrong when. u tho late afternoon
Of the third day, l was hailed by 3, Ing
ger officer ard manned FROM the crew Of
zhe. Union war-ship Biens-ille. which bad
i1een dispatched To learn Who : was and
what was doiag an those waters.
gave the officer comma ndirE the logger
All the Information L possessed. AMI ted
him 70 so under RacCon Point. as / felt
sure the schooner would come in that
nigilt. Nor was I mistaken for At day~
break. thu officer OF the lugger discovered
the Armstrong at archer not far from
him. The lusger weighed anchor ana I'M
der easy sail headed fer the schooner.
Onlv the officer and two men showing on
deck. and these CARRIED II red shirts and
slouched hats. which completely hid their
identity The captain of the Armstrong
supposing. Of course, that the visitor was
one OF the boats sent to get the arms.
made frantic signals for the lugger 70
come alongside The lugger lufIed '.p UNI
der. easy sail. the oficer reclining lazilv
in the stern sheets. with one man steering
and the other on the fcrecastle-
Hurry up, Hurry up" hailed the cap
tain OF the Armstrong. These internal
Yankees viii be coming after US soon"
You were in no hurry to get here.
was the answer sent back across the
water.
All the time the lugger was drawing
closer and closer to the schooner. with
a big crew hidden from sight. ami the
officer and two men on deck clutching the
revOlvers concealed under their shirts
Soon she was alongside. and secured head
and stern 10 the Confederate.
Send your men On board at once or
dered the captain Of the Armstrong.
Come on deck boys and to work.
sang out the officer Of the lugger. and his
crew as one man spTang on board the
Armstrong. From under each frocN came
q. revolver, ana. in the twinkllng e an,
eye. every member of the crew was COW
cred. The surprise and chagrin OF the
captain was complete. but ne could only
give vent TO his feelings by pulling of has
hat, throwing il on deck. and stamping
on it, while crying out again and again,
IT'S a damned Yankee trick" despite his
profanity, he spoke the truth.
Meanwhile. in the early twilight of the
Montgomery fer Atchafalaya Bay, where
we doubted not the Connecticut was al
ready waiting COR our return. There was
dense fog. and I had a most dangerous
course to run back, due west through a
network of shoals. We could only run
by the log and lead. and the revolutions.
which compelled me to remain on deck
all night BY O'Clock In the morning
I had run UP my longitude and distance.
as this course would take Up well MP in
the bay The fog had not yet lifted when
swung the vessel. I heard the crow Of
cock. This was nothing unusual as
most vessels O. war carry live. poultry;
but as ] walked the deck, II occurred To
me that We did not have any chickens
nor did 7 remember seeing any on board
More than that, 7 he'd given strict orders
TO the officers going III under Racoon
Point that nothing should he brought of
IN their boats. The more I thought %
this. the more it puzzled me. \ ycuns
officer had charge Of the deck. Hating
in my walk l asked:
''IIave YOU any chickens on board2"
NO sir vas his reply.
Did the boats bring of any last even
ine?"
i think not sir
The morning watch having been called 4
John Howell. The executive officer. came
on board to receive the Young officer
Mr. Howell, I asked are there any
ROSTERS on board2"
No. sir"
Are you sure the boats brought none
OF lasE evening"
quite sure. sir"
Then blockade runner has Just Icssed
out, for 1 heard a rooster crow when
swung the ship north"
j had not yet recovered from a severe
wound received a short time before in
Galveston harbor. and. as my condition
had been in no way mended IS a lingering
attack Of Cnagres fever, ] WAS not sur
prised by the Quizzical. iDquiring glances
Howell and the young officer directed.
first at one another and then at me.
mo. gentlemen" said with a smile.
Il am not crazy. even IL you do think
my mind gone. Head the vessel cast
southeast for Havana Call ali hands.
make all sail, and send word TO the en-
gineer TO give ali steam possible"
Now and then Howell would edge in
the question. You don't think you could
be mistaken do You. captain"
NO sir. not in the least"
He and the rest OF the ships company
knew that the suppiy-steamer Vas ex-
pected bringing needed provisions. and
even more eagerly looked for letters from
home. and, ] crazy. as p thofgG, a8e
was taking them on SEEMING FOOLS er-
rand that would surely prevent a meet
ing with the Connecticut. still 7 pushed
along. hour after hour. until finally. about
seven in the morning the fog lifted and
there came from the masthead lookout
the CIV:
"sal oh
Whore awave" CRIED the officer"
'Rignt ahead. sir"
Give her shot. Howell 7 ordered I
but We only had damaged WORTHLESS .
powder and the shell from the gun sank 4
before il reached the target. 7 mace no 4
second attempt 10 hit her. hut speeding .
the chase. was soon ranged alongside +
Au her cmcers ard orew were standing .
afr u71er their Gag.
Haul drR-r thar Sag shouted a. .
70 came within haiiiug distance.
There was 40 response from the schoon- +
CT now CHS few Yards from ~. Forty
'rariues stood or the poop-deck - the .
Aoatce n1ery. with musiefz loaded with /
ban ana fuckshot cartridges.
Ready sergeant" 7 commapde5. and f
rstaztir THE forty u1uskets were icvelie1 .
1n the Group. bff there vas ~ reed ~
ere. Down came the f1R ~ the Soho 1ner
shich Is this tire had shortened ssH +
and heve e.. sd pr caFfain -Hsren-
g rri 1T 9'-creta
How in the name - thunder dtl vou
-now bad come cut7 VAS the 60 7rala g
frst q1esFiol when brought 90 board fhe
Montgomery
..var have q rooster o. teard ar-
swere1 and heaul bin crow ~
1'cl0cf iu me narulHg
~Dsma hla -H klH bra grozlsl ere
,zntein-
go you wen respoldet Zee