The Republican journal., 1906-04-26
THE VOLUNTEER NAVY.
INLAND OUT OF AN OCEAN GRAVEYARD

In NV last chapter l told OF the run
from New York to Fortress Monroe III
the Commodore Hull; but that was d
bagatelle in comparison Win our IeAt
trip. We were placed on plcket uuly
up the James River ABOVE Newpoi,.
News, where we remained iot We: :n
and improved the opportunity W urn
the ship's crew at gun exercise, pulling
heats etc We then received orders to
nroceed to Newbern, North Carolina,
which is located on Pim!ico Sound. In
order to reach our destination we must
ronnd Cane Hatteras and pass INTO the
sound through Hatteras Inlet, which Is
a dangerous place to approach al all
times When YOU take into consldera-
tion that the Commodore Hull was not
intended for seagoing vessel, was not
mnch better than the monitor Grass
and that the first monitor Went down
off Hatteras in less than ten days al.er
we passed safely in. you have some luea
of What WAS before us. Cape Hatteras
is known to be one of the most Danger,
Gus places on our coast-a pace tua. az
good navigatorS give Wlde peftn' IL
POSSIBLE. when passing; place where
il is said that no vessel that ever loueh-
ed on its sands has escaped. Inc coast
from Cane Henry to Cape Hatteras IS
so trpacherous that twelve years aftef
the war or in 1877. the sloop OF war
Huron while running down the coast
one bright moonlight night by some
means got too near the shore, toucheu
the sands, and out of a SHIPS company
of 100 souls but one escaped 10 tell eiie
tale He was the master-at-arms, ana
did not know, for it was not MS ousl-
ness to know, how the ship came IN
that position Thus understanding the
situation YOU will readily see that 70 70
right in to the coast around cape H"V
teras in the month OF Decemoti III
vessel which, though new ana sVaul'eli,
was no sea boat, and with d compass
that was unreliable, was at the peot no
picnic. We made ready as pest We
could by erecting tripod on the top Oh
the paddle-boX on the top OF whlcll We
placed an Azimuth compass and erected
= stand at the top of king post SO that
If could be observed. This being ten
feet above the pilot house was free
from the local attraction caused by the
iron hull. We got along very well Whlle
+hp water was smooth, but before we
oot around Hatteras it became SO rough
that the compass could not be kept IN
nosition and it had to be taken down
at great risk. ,,ooo
The distance from Fortress Monroe
is about 100 miles. and we so timed our
STARTING that. barring accident, we
shonld round Cape Hatteras 10 the
middle of the day Before sailing "A
miral Lee had put a pilot on board 10
take MS into Hatteras Inlet Waen we
shonId reach it, and also to be our pinot
while in the inland waters We MAD a
fine RIM down the coast until We passed
Oregon Inlet, which is a passage lhto
Albemarle Sound; but only SIX 1eet OF
wafer can he taken in While we drew
eight. We passed this place ABOUT
O'Clock a. NJ. anu the distance from
there to Hatteras is ABOUT AZ mlles
The wind came up from the soutn ana
there was head sea, INTO when we
pushed her as hard as we could, out heT
bow was so blunt that Wien she Went
into a sea it seemed like STRIKING a nall
tide ledge. Tie weather was not SO
thick but that | could keep the lana IN
sight. but there was no lighthouse at
the cape. the rebels having carried away
the lens about a year before. At 3
o'clock u. M. as near as | could Judge,
Cane H5tteras bore \ w, distant about
SIX miles. and it was time to haul her
tant from the cape Q miles.
told the captain that the ship was
in pilot waters and was ready to turn
charge of the vessel over to him. The
wind had increased to quite a severe
southeast gale. the sea was getting
rougher and the tub of boat was max
ing bad weather Of it; and for one felt
much pleased that she could be kept |
off toward the inlet and make easier
weather of it. You can judge OF our
surprise and CONSERVATION when the |
pilot told the captain that he did not |
know how to take her in; that he was a |
piIot on the sounds, but had never been |
over the bar into Hatteras Inlet in his |
life, and acknowledged that he had lied |
to the admiral when he told him he |
could pilot us INTO Hatteras Inlet We |
were all very much lncensed against |
him and | think that the men would |
have thrown him overheard if their at
tention had not been called to the dan
gerous position i'll which we were |
placed. We were near a very danger
Gus coast in a heavy southeast gale. Ii |
We hauled off shore, the vessel being |
such a poor sea boat would be almost |
certain to founder. and if we ran in for |
the land it would be without knowing |
NItlt We NtIC SoiiiS. 1 Al eliAo tShiut |
dilemma my eyes came to the rescue. A
few years before while mate of the
brig President Taylor of Belfast, Capt.
Alonzo Shute, while on passage from
Boston to Georgetown, 5. C., light, we
found ourselves becalmed one morning
close in under tie land between Halter
as and Ocracoke Inlet, and it was a
dangerous position even at that time.
| made good use of my eyes and conse-
quently knew about where to look for
Hatteras Inlet, and closely scanning
the horizon i'll that direction | thought
/ saw little black speck about half as
big as a mans hand come up on the
crest of wave occasionally. | imme-
diately reported the fact to the captain,
and every glass and every eye in the
ship with the exception of those on
duty in the engine and fire rooms was
turned in the direction indicated by me.
But alas. nothing could be seen. | still
kept my eyes fast in that direction and
| saw it again, and in few moments |
again saw it. | told the captain that !
was most positive l saw the buoy, and
asked for his permission to run for it
for twenty minutes, thinking that l
could then know for sure whether or
not | was in error. The captain, not
knowing what else to do, gave me the
required permission, and at the same
time said to me: Remember, Mr..