The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-04-25
WAS TO PAY INTEREST ON con-
EEDERATE BONDS.
Thcmss G. Garrett of Scotia, Tells Of
Running The Blockade with Gold
In Mobile hay Under The
Gums of The EAemy.

Il --0---- +. y
As contribution to the history and
| the records OF the future. Thomas Q.
| Garrett, OF Scotia has written out for
Director THONGS M. owen OF thu state
| Department of Archives and History a
circumstantial account Of an incident In
| Mobile Bay, where. he as a midship-
man in the Confederate navy, assisted
| In running the blockade with boxes Of
gold for the holders Of Confederate
bonds In England.
In the summer Of 1862 the Con-
| desperate efforts to maintain their
credit unimpaired. The ports were
| blockadsd. but the interest on the
bonds fell due with the same reguiari-
| ty. The gold sent to England, and
several times 1t was sent from Mont
gomery, had to be run through the
blockade. Mr.. Garrett In his circurn-
| stantiaI account Of the incident In
which he played a part describes how
this gold was shipped out OF Mobile
Bay. for English bond holders right
under the eyes of the blockading ves-
sells.
Mr.. Garrett from his home In Scotia
writes of 1t to DR.. Owen as follows:
have thought for some time that
should write you and relate an ocA
currence of the war. which took place
at Mobile. Ala. in July, 1852. In which
I filled a modest role; but II was an
incident of great Importance for the
State of Alabama, II the purpose Of
the mission was what was told 1t to
be. At all events. I will relate the
facts as they occurred and you can do
with 1t as you may think best.
About the middle OF July. 1852. ]
was a midshipman in the c. 8. NJ. and
attached to the Confederate gunsoat
Morgan. We were at anchor off the
foot OF Government Street. Mobile,
when. on this morning. was keeping
the morning watch on the quarter
deck of the Morgan as officer OF the
deck, thus closing a tour OF duty.
Soon after going below, I was sent for by
the executive officer and informed that
Captain Kennedy, (who was command
ing the Morgan) desired to see me In
his cabin. On reporting to him he said:
.'Mr Garrett, the steamer Crescent is
going on a special mission down the
bay and wish you to put on citizens
dress, go on board of the Crescent and
you will observe closely what you see
and report to me on your return" I
bowed my acquiescence to his order and
was soon on board the Crescent In citl-
zen's dress. In q very short while she
cast off her moorings and headed down,
the river for the bay on her way. Soon
after we were unuerWays was dp-
preached by a man by the name of
Casell, or Cassell, an Englishman.
whom I had known for some weeks
In Mobile and who had been entertain
ed by the midshipmen's mess on the
Morgan. He came forward to greet
me, leaving group of men. (some
several In number, II I remember cor
rectly). who were sitting together on
| one side of the cabin of the Crescent.
had noticed that the British flag was
| flying from the peak of the Crescent's
| flag staff. but asked no questions.
was observing everything that I could.
! In silence. Mr.. Cassel Cor Cassell)
asked me IL I knew the mission of the
| Crescent. told him did not. He
then volunteered the information that,
! We were going down to go alongside
the English corvett '.Rinaldo," Cor Re-
naido,) which was then lying off Fort
Morgan7-that the British consul wished
to communicate with the captain of the
.'Rinaldo" Cor Renaldo), and that he
had with him boxes of gold belonging
to the State OF Alabama to pay ths
interest on the states bonds held in