The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-07-09
HUMILIATION OF THE
ISAAC SMITH.
How SOutherner's Fought Eunboat
from the Shore.

IT, u Dunnell, in New York Times.
a good many boys who lived at or
about Coxsaskic, Athens, Catskill and
Saugerties in 1860, and who are living
yet. knew the propeller Isaac Smith
if the writer is not mistaken thew
knew her as the Isaac p. Smith. AS
hudson River propeliers go, she was
then new. bright young thing as
compared with tie Erastus Corning,
the Homer Rasdcll, and some others
that have lived longer and figured
strcnuously i'll history At the time
OF the outbreak Of the rebellion the
Smith was jogging up the river every
otaer night aud jogging back on the
alternate nights, with now and then
rather too many cattle on her lower
dock for the comfort Of would be
slccpers in the statcrooms overhead.
Propellcrs were not a, that time at all
Dragged about for speed, but all the
boys who knew tn, Smith were aware
that she could often get up to Athens
by III the morning with Il favoring
tide and without fog, and that her
steward provided a,most tempting and
satisfactory supper for all who had 80
cents to pay 70: it when the gong was
sounded TOR the assault to begin.
The Sm,l. disappeared from the
river not long after the war broke out,
and after some Of her boy admirers
had Joined the ranks Of the defenders
OF the Union. Whan the boys re-
turned the Smith was generally for
gotten. Occasional inquiries as t.
her existence brought indefinite or
mysterious answers. She had gone
South, and had not returned, and to
the general run Of wharf-en gossips
this was sufficient. The Government
had acquired almost everything that
uld be moved by steam, had paid
good prices for the vessels, and was
entitled to keep them without being
too closely questioned. But some of
the boys were persistent, and they
found, by and by, that something very
remarkable had happened to Isaac.
Soon after the Isaac P. Smith ceased
to go humping from Cock sacklc to
New York and back she was added to
the United States navy. The beauti-
full upper deck, with its double row of
state rooms reaching from bow to
stern, was partly or wholly swept
away, and the main deck was inclosed
in substantial timber structure,
pierced for eight guns, four on star
board and four on port side. These
guns were eight-inch Columbiads,
pretty good pieces in those days, and
in the bow she carried thirty-two-
Parrott, gun capable of doing great
damage when skillfully handled
The anxiety of Secretary Of the
Navy Welles 10 establish an effective
blockade Of all Southern ports led
him to trust the Smith at sea long
enough TO reach Port Royal, and after
ward ST. johns River, Florida, and
when, in August, 1862, she was sent
back to New York for "repairs aud
Improvements by the bureau of con
structiou. Flag Officer Du Pont. in
command of the South Atlantic block
aiding squadron, spoke highly of the
vessel. Her light draught, good
steam!ng qualities, and the success
which attended her services on the
st. John River had won recognition.
She was improved and back again
at Port Royal in the fall, and eversu-
Alls was assigned, under command of
Acting Lieut.. f. S. Conover, to sta
tion at Stono Inlet. This was then
regarded as an important point to
cover. The inlet is the way to Stono
River, which winds through marsh
and plantation fifteen or twenty miles
south Of Charleston harbor. The
Wappoo River. 4 twisty little stream,
connects Stono River with Charleston
harbor for vessels of light draught,
small blockade runners that could
escape the blockaders could easily
ship their cargoes into Charleston by
this convenient side door The Smith,
with the Commodore McDonough,
which had formerly piled on a ferry,
was expected to prevent the use of
Stono Inlet, and to SO patrol the river
as to prohibit, if possible, the con-
struction Of offensive works along it's
banks.
The Confederates. who had consid.
erablc forces at Scccssionville, on
James island, and ranging bodies Of
troops on Johns Island, between
which Stono River twists to the sea,