The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-22
HOW RUNNER
OUTWITTED THE ENEMY
Narrative of the Late War-The Touching Story of a Negro
Slave and The Hardships He Endured for Fills Master
His Faithfulness Rewarded.
Abstract Log of u. s. S.

RI rs 16 W., latitude (ODSerVeul OF
OIL N, longitude (by chronometerl 10
10 w. At 3:45 p. m sighted a steamer
burning black smoke to the
made all sail in chase. At 4:5o p. m.
made stranger out to be a double
~smokestack, side-wheel steamer, ap-
parently a blockade runner, standing
to the nOrthward and westward. AT
5:45 he showed rebel colors. Called to
the first division and powder division
to quarters and began to fire at her
with the 80 and $50 FOUNDER rifle Par
rott. At 6 p. m. beat to quarters and
fired all the divisions. Ait 7 p. m. took
dn fore-topgallant sail and foresail. At
730 took in fore-tOpsail. During the
chase fired 20 rounds from 80 FOUNDER
PARROT, Is rounds from IL inch guns
and 1 round from 24-pounder hOwitzer.
At s p. m, stopped firing, gave up the
chase, stopped engines. At 1920 Cape
Lookout light bore n. E. by n. II
miles distant. Sounded in II athomS
of water. First saw the steamer in
latitude SO "a n, longitude rs 80 w.
At midnight Cape Lookout light bore
N. E., by N. 1-2 N, distant II miles.
(Signcd) --
Acting Master, U. S. Navy.
This matter of fact entry, read at
random from the official records of the
war, stirs my blood, because |, John
Dazel, of Wilmington, II years of age,
was purser OF that blOckade-runner,
and it was I who hoisted those rebel
colors on that eventful day forty-two
years ago; and thereby hangs a tale.
The steamer Phantom" (althOugh
that was not her name) was n of the
most successful examples of a Clyde
built blockade-runner of 1864, in de-
sign and equipment. Of 500 tons net
register, with two rakish tunnels, the
finest marine oscillating engines, a
battery of boilers which drove her Is
knots an hour, and loaded to her
marks she presented to the critical
eye the graceful appearance of a racing
yacht. A thing of beauty and a joy
forever she was to all of us ON board,
and our beloved chief, the celebrated
John Newland Maffitt, no less, was, We
thought, the man of all men to cam
mand her. Unluckily for us he was
ordered home to take charge of the
ram "Albemarle," which the intrepid
Cushing later destroyed-the most con-
spicuous example of personal daring
recorded in the history of the wal.
AAA4OthSA IA 44&AA
him, and. we having received from the
Confederate agent a cargo of mysteri-
Gus packages, which was most careful
ly handled, proceeded from ST. Georges,
Bermuda, bound for the port of Will
mington, North Carolina. This des1l ed
haven of these fugitives of the sea
was preferred to the more difficult
Elockaded ports farther south. There
were two inlets, the main bar or west
ern channel commanded by Fort Cas-
well, and the New Inlet guarded by
that Malakoff of the south Fort Fisher.
Many fine ships were lost in sight
of these defenses when daylight. over
took a belated landfall and it was
pitiful to watch the desperate
Efforts of the little grey
hounds to run the gauntlet of the
fleet whose concentrated fire at close
range sometimes drove them among
the breakers where many wrecks may
still be seen after all these years.
There were many more fortunate
whose daring reused to the highest
pitch of enthusiasm the brave fellows
of the confederate garrison who man
ned the protecting guns which kept
the fleet at a respectful distance.
AS we passed the ships which lined
the docks of the friendly islands. their |
crews were mustered and cheer after |
cheer greeted us from lusty threats,
in unison. Beyond the bar we sailed !
upon a tranquil sea. without a sail in
sight, and when / paid each man his
bounty of $40 gold, an earnest of the
greater sum which he would get for a
successful run.
TJ,o@n ~,r chit ~
rigorous and unrelenting. To each was
given in few words his orders for the
run; sobriety, silence and civility were
enforced. Our chief engineer, Lock-
hart, Chief Offer Vogel, Pilot Jim
Billy Craig, Il Signal Offer Fred
Gregory and I were served at the cap
tain's table; the other officers messed
together. Our crew numbered 4S men. !
When night drewon the finest Welsh
coal was picked and piled upon the
boiler OOm plates, for use in an emsr-
gency, and the deXterous handling of
the hampers prevented the tell-tale /
sparks from betraying u dangerous
course, across the line of the ever
Watchful cruisers, which formed their |
Gordon around the Bermudas, upon
the edge of the Gulf Stream. and
across the most dangerous approaches
to the Cape Fear river. No lights
were permitted, smoking was inhibit-
ed, as, through impenetrable darkness,
we ran full speed for Dixie's land.
A double watch was kept aloft, and
upon the turtle back well forward, and
the best eyes were fixed Jpn the course
to guard against a collision with
watchful cruisers which also masked
their lights.
Next in importance to the Will
mington pilot, Jim Billy Craig, who
was a man of great ability, was a long |
thin fellow, a landsman, d nondescript