Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-21
Splendid Work Performed
BY The Confederate Navy

] III port Tying Tue lIHg oi the Union
were seized and converted into war
vessels ana armed with such guns us
were available and the supply of both
was scanty
j OF the 500 officers of all grades
in the navy ut the beg ming OF hos.
tilitics. GIL We're from the slaychnld-
ing States. and of this number 32l
resigned ana entered the Confederate
service. and $40 remained under the
old flag But 1t can he trnthfully said
that We got the pick, and the hest OF
the Federal officers were Southern
ers. Farragut being IL Kcntuckian
Shore Batteries.
| we had Duncan c. lngraham. n
| South Carolnial, who at Smyrna
| humhled the Anstr ans pride and
compelled them TO give us Accosta Il
| naturalized Amoricati, whom they had
seized upon his return to Austria: we
| had IIollins. who at Graytown had
hombardod the city for M Insult To
the American flag: we had rattnal.
of Georgia. who OH the Pciho River.
In China had in an open boat lowed Il
British gun boat IN from In from un-
der fort which was Kidding her
with shot and shell ms she lay be-
Gained and the old hero standing on
the deck of his ship, and seeing his
brothers of the same language and
descent slaughtered. remarked that
blood was thicker than water" or
dercd his gig called ahay and. taking
a scat i'm the stern sheets, pulled to
the doomed vessel and towad her to
place OF safety; aud we had many
| others. all OF whom added To the lau-
| rcls won in the old navy fresh ones
| for the new
In an article OF this length II will
l4 impossible TO give ont n surface
glance OF the actions of the Confcdcr-
ate navy. and IN briefly stating some
of its achievements We will omit
Chronology and take up our theme by
states. Having no ships the first
duty assigned to naval officers was
commanding shore batteries and drill
ling men ut great guns So. com
mencing with Virginia. we find Can't
w. +. Lynch commanding batteries
on the Potomac River. while officers
or other States performed like duty
in their respective States. At Ma
thins Point, Lynch blockaled the Po
tomac for nearly six months and sue
cesSfully drove off the United States
ships Freedom. Pawnec Seminole and
Harriet Lane, and the little Confeder-
ate steamer. which used To be the
ferry boat between WASHINGTON and
Alexandria, the George Page. had the
audacity in the face of the vessels to
make quick run across to the Mary.
land side and throw few shells into
the camp of Sckle's brigade.
First Real Camp.
Perhaps the FIRST real naval coup
was that of Col. Thomas. of Mary.
land can't ~.
way to Richmond. having recently re.
signed from the United States navy
The st. Nicholas, II steamer plying
between Baltimore and Washington.
and making intermediate stops. was
boarded at Baltimore by French
lady, and ut intervals workmen in
twos and throcs took passage. until
their number reached %. and lastly
an elderly gentleman came on board
The French lady had considerable
Luggage. which she had placed In her
state rom.
After the st. Nicholas left Point
Lookout the lady retired TO her cab.
In. followed by the elderly gentleman.
and in n few minutes shn emerged in
fun Zouave dress armed with pistol
and sword as Col Thomas. The ell
derby gentleman proved 10 he Can't.
liollins and the laborcrs turned to
zouavos. The surprise was complete
and the boat was run into Cone River, !
Virginia.
The next day she sailed out ana ,
captured the brig Monticello. from
Brazil TO Baltimore. with $500 bags
OF coffee: schooner Mary Pierce. Bos-
ton to Washington. with 900 tons or
ice; schooner Margaret, from Alexan.
dria TO Staten Island. with go tons
OF coal. All these prizes were towed
into The Rappahanhock River. the car
go saved and ships dismantlcd and
burned The steamer was carried to
Fredericksburg. This Is hut one ~
the many similar acts performed by
Sonth Carolina naval officers.
Ships Burned
In August. 1863. the United states
gun boats Satellite and Reliance were
guarding the mouth of the Rappahan
mock River, carrying four guns and
100 men between them. Lieut.. John
Taylor Woods. with four small boats
carrying - men each. surprised and
captured both In night attack. and
with them ran out into the hay am
captured the schooncrs Golden Rod
Two Brothers and Coquctte with
cargo of coal and anchors, all o
which were saved and the schoon
crs. drawing too much water TO reach
Fredericksburg. were burned.
The Norfolk navy yard had beer
abandoned and burned by Cant. Nc
Caulcy. and the people went Mt one,
and succeeded in putting out III.
flames. Among the vessels sunk wa
the steam frigate Merrimac. of 40
guns. She was raised and converted
tito a ironclad. carrying 10 guns.
She came immed ately from the docl,
and under command of Capt Franklin
buchanan. Marylander, steamed
down Elizabeth River. accompanie
by the tugs Raleigh and Beaufort