The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-03
AIN Ex'clTIN G cRl Sis.

The History of Which Has Never
Before Been sTold-Daring
Adventure of Ironclad.
"A short time ago was in Whining
ton, N. G. 1 served 1fefe'rin 1868. What
- cfange-beautiful dwellinss-but
Wilmington to-day is not the port
she was in 1863 i walked along the
river front; a magnificent steamer of
the Clyde Line struck my eye; two
Is English tramps loading cotton, few
scliooners and that was all that Will
1nington could show in regard to ocean
Z transportation.
Il! How different in 1868. when at her
wharves from ten to fifteen ocean
steamers were loading and unloading.
and 1t was no uncommon thing to see
from three to five steamers enter her
port through her two inlets. New Inlet
Il and Caswell, now New Inlet. has been
walled in. and over Caswell Bar
comes all OF her ships.
Time has effaced many of the names
of these, but remember two: / have
Retained the A. d. Vance, belonging to
( the State of North Carolina. and COM
4 iianded by an old naval officer, who
resigned his commission years befora
81 he war. / think his name was Cross
q land, and a Confederate steamer. the
r. 49, Lee, commanded by Lieutenant
Wilkinson. of the Confederate States
Navy, from South Carolina, and those
Two steamers made their schedule much
better than the average gift-edge rail-
road of the present day. We could
y always count upon them coming in
y On time: all they wanted was dark
nights. Thia flow of commercial pros
perity went through the year that I
was stationed in Wilmington. 1t was
mot abnormal but continuous; the cap
ture OF blockader only added an
other IN Its place. and Wilmington In
a S6a enjoyed a degree of commercial
prospfrity that it has not since.
- The Middy's story.
was appointed a midsiipman in the
AConfederate States Navy on September
~ 1861; reported Mt Norfolk for duty;
was transferred to the James River
fleet, on board the Patrick Henry, and
mn her went through the battle of
A. Hampton Roads. March s and Q, 1862.
4 From there went wttl the crews OF the
5aatrick Henry, jamestown and vir-
yFsEinta. to Drewry's Bluff and on the
II 9TH OF May. 1862, drove back the
Yankee fleet. From Drewry's Bluff
went to the ironclad Richmond. and
& from the Richmond. in January, 1863.
e went to Wilmington to serve ABOARD
& the ironclad North Carolina. When
sss.eported to Flag Officer w. r Lynch.
mt Wilmington, foundthe North Car
4 olina not completed. and was assigned
Ito duty as flag midshipman on Flag
sfyflcer w. f. Lynch's staff-that is. 1
was "a messenger boy TO carry the or
iers sof the flag officer wherever he
SaeIit them General Whiting was in
vv,,rrea Mt
and had control Of the blockade run
i ylers. Why the army should llavetba
ssDlts In charge of nautical affairs is a
h IuSstery that has ifeyeri been explained:
Il but such it was well, Flag ofilcer
1,yn9h made a written contract with a
& bI0ckader to take over a cargo of cot
g ion for the navy and bring back n
saS:arEo for the navy that was waiting
!. at Nassau. Mp. Everything seemed
II lovely. and we navy boys expected to
get some clothing and other things
81 hat make man fight: but this cap
tain found that he could get better
rates from private parties. and repu-
sSdIated his naval contract. Lynch was
wild, and he addressed letter to
.ssgsXpi ting. which carried. The purport
that letter was that this ship would
\. he sunk II it attempted to leave without
IL le naval cargo Our fleet at that time
WAS the receiving ship Arctic, which
u had been In the Arctic regions with
81 6omes fool hunting the North Pole. but
tterly had been the llghtship off Fry
Il Il Ing Pan Shoals: the Yadkin a small
g%SHyQoden gunboat. commanded by w A.
srlSerr, than whom a more gallant officer
sKsS vtVers lived. and the North Carolina,
Wy finished Therefore. when Lynch
"a odered Kerr to place himself opposite
SSs1l blockader and sink her if she left
SSsltsN moorings without taking the naval
ssssarA aboard, 1t exhausted the naval
SsxlbtlitE to enforce its orders
.. ssSssl owl kerr would have fought the
,Ss hole Of DuPonts fleet, which took
Port ROYAL, II so ordered He was lust
hat kind of man Well. carried the
n x ifspatch from lynch to Whiting to
the effect that IL that steamer at,emnt-
to leave without the naval cargo She
ssyY0iild pc sunk Whiting loved his
sFs9rink, and seemed TO have had many
Shat mornfng. and the cussng he gave
Nyiea when 4 presented my dispatch womb
N astounded the regions below;
IS IA had to take It, i reported 10
aags fDf11cer Lynch, and he had Kerr 10
sa1 nv of the blockader, with orders ia
ss8NtHk her " she left her wharf without
n heS naval cotton.
sSsssss a Warm Reception.
, ass.zsS 4liings We're getting warm. Whiting
laced g battery-of artillery on Water
h keel VIII oTdefs to prevent any ma.
N ~ men from coming ashore. Lynch
.sa the Yadkin with guns bearing ON
III town. and the people were desper-
si tSIs News was sent to Richmond of
E3 Rbnormal condition. and both com.
ders Were summoned by President
laaAaXig TO appear before him, and lie
" cideda In favor of Flag Officer Lynch
III sHli ayerting the only war between the
N @lpYX and army OF the Confederacy.
M Ssiss one Of the instances OF my stay
81 tue " ilmington station, and has
Il cen given to history. !.
SSs fxss Another Experiences.
MIA YurS next experience is with the GI-
mn 2gltaE The Vessels that came into
SSSsk WILMINGTON We're steamers that carried
hut goo bales of cotton, set low in
" Iii ter. and were painted a Lead
"A sso IN so that they could not be seen.
sorth Carolina, TO which vessel