The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-01
LIFE OF CAPTAIN MAFFTTT.

of much interest to the people of the
south and especially Wilmingtonians is,
a biography of the late confederate Of
Ifcer, John y. Mafitt, by his widow,
Mrs. Emma Martin Mafitt of this city.
We take pleasure in announcing the
learly appearance of this book. There
was much in the life and service to-
his country of this man 10 justify con-
;ferring on him the nom de guerre of
I"Stonewall Jackson of the Sea-. Had
he remained liz the federal navy, to
which he was much attached, he would
have outranked many of his brother
i~oficers of that service who became adj
lmirals while he, loyal to his state,
without hope of reward o. promotion.
was giving the best years of his life
to the lost cause. Rarely has a leader
in any conflict compelled such respect
and admiration of his foes and won
such esteem and devotion from his as
lsociates. 1t is well known that he Was
held in the highest regard by President
Davis and General Lee.
We copy the following account of his
daring entrance through the federal
Iblockading feet into Mobile bay from
the Naval History of the Civil War,
Iby Admiral Porter of the federal navy,
as an example of Captain Maf6tt's dasl'
land daring and to show how he was re-
lgarded by the officers of the United
Estates navy of his time:
The Florida approached rapidly,
her smoke pipes vomiting forth VOL
Iumes of black smoke, and a high press
lof steam escaping from her steam
lpipe. AS she came within hailing dis
ttance, the federal commander ordered
Iher to heaVe to, but Mafhtt still sped
ION, having sent all of his men below
Except the man at the wheel, and re-
turned no reply to the hail. Preble
then fired a shot ahead of the Florida,
istill supposing her t b some saucyI
lE~nglishman disposed to try what l1ber-
ties he could take, though the absence
Iof men on deck should have excitedI
suspicion. He hesitated, however, and
his hesitation lost him a prize n the
Honor of capturing n of the cOnfed-
ierate cOurges of the ocean. PrebleI
had his crew at quarters, however,
land as soon as he saw that the strang-
Ier was passing him he opened his
lbroadside upon her, and the other two
Iblockaders did the same. Bat the first
IShOts were aimed too high, and the
FLORIDA sped on towards the bar, her
feeble crew forgetting their Sickness,
land heaping cOal upon the furnace
fires with all possible. rapidity. Every
imam was working for his life, While
1.-THE captain stood amid the storm OF
IL so or1 ~h111 ~o1fa1%11y M ~ nT-nd
Ikeenly watching the marks for enter
Ing the port, and wondering to him
lself what his chances were for getting
Isafely in.
During the whole war there was not
Ia more exciting adventure than this
ESCAPE of the Florida into Mobile bay.
The galian manner in which it was
conducted excited great admiration,
even among the men who were re-
~lSDOnsible for permitting it. We do not
suppose that there ever was Q case
where a man, under all the attending
circumstances, displayed more energy
EOr more bravery.
And so the Florida was allowed to
lgo on her way without mOlestation and
tMaffitt was enabled to commence that
i~career on the high seas which has
made his name n of the notable ones
iof the war. He lighted the seas Wher-
ever he passed along, and committed
iouCll IiANOS o1I4oI1S A1IlO III IiAOi
lchantmen, that, if possible, he was
leven more dreaded than Semmes. We
jhave only to say that his being permit
tied to escape into Mobile bay and then
Ito get out again, was the greatest ex-
Iample of laundering committed
Throughout the war. Every officer
who knew Mafitt was certain that he
would attempt to get out of Mobile,
land we are forced to say that those
who permitted his escape are respon-
Isible for the terrible consequences of
their want OF, vigilance and energy.
Preble was dismissed from the navy
for allowing the Florida to enter Mo-
bile bay, but was afterwards reinstated
Iby act of congress-. After the close Of
the war Preble demanded a court of in
Iquiry as to his conduct on that occa-
lsion and Captain Maffitt testified as to
the occurrence. In defense of the fed
Ieral naval officer he said:
I can vouch for his (Preble's)
lpromptness and destructive energy on
the occasion of my entering Mobile
bay. The superior speed Of the Flor
ida alone saved her from destruction,
though not from a frightful mauling.
We were torn to pieces; one mans
head was taken off and eleven wound
ed: boats, standing and running rig
lying shot away, also foregaff. -Four
ishells struck our hull, and had the one
(nine inch) that grazed u boiler and
tentered the berth deck chilling one
and wounding two) exploded, every
man belonging to the steamer would
Ihave been killed, as I had only the Of
Ulcers on deck until about to cross the
bar, when I made some sail, and one
imam was wounded in the rigging. We
H. i~,.& 4 T. ---
jhuil. and III mastS were pitted like
a case of smallpox. The damage don
her was so great that we did not get
Ito sea again for over three months.
The records of such lives should be
preserved and told in histories and
biographies so that coming generations
may know what kind of men they were
who fought for the cause of the south.