The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-12-02

wal ouAecI, T lOrlQa, ALABAMA ana Shen-
andoah were destroying our merchant
vessels, and flying from our fast cruisers
which were striving 10 capture them
The Sumter was stopped early in her
career. The Florida, hard pressed, took
refuge in Bahia, Brazil. Captain Collins.
OF the Wachusett, captured her and tow
ed her to sea in spite of the guns of the
forts and Brazilian man-of-war, and
arrived safely in Hampton Roads. This
was violation of Brazilian neutrality and
international law. Ample apology was
made and Collins punished by letting him
go on leave. When it seemed as if the
vessel must be returned to Bahia and her
former crew, she sank one night mys-
teriously.
| The Alabama was riddled and sunk in
battle off the coast of France by the
Kearsarge, under Captain John A. Wins
| low.
The Shenandoah, the last Of the pratt
cal cruisers, operated in the Pacific and
burned whalers long after the close of
the war, as she was at sea and did not
get the news for awhile. She never
surrendered, but was given back to Eng
land by her officers and delivered to the
United States. A good many rebel gun
boats and 1ronclads were destroyed in the
river and harbor fights to which have
| alluded.
Outside of the regular line of block
aders, we had few fast gunboats to
intercept blockade-runne bound to and
from Bermuda, the Bahamas, and West
Indies. St. Georges, Nassau and Havana
were full of rebel vessels, non-combat-
ants and English sympathizers, and there
was always a great display of the stars
and bars when a United States man-of-
war arrived. Our officers were subjected
to gross insults ashore; our men often
had fights with the shore and ship peo-
pie, and we had trouble getting them out
OF the calaboose. When they thrashed
their opponents soundly we doubled their
grog.
While the port officials seemed courte-
GUS enough, they were enemies at heart
and did everything possible to delay and
annoy us. At Bermuda and Nassau our
vessels We're not permitted to remain
within league of the shore longer than
twenty-four hours. At Havana we were
not allowed to go to sea after an enemy
until the lapse of half an hour. No YES
sci could leave after the sunset gun from
Moro Castle.
A blockade runner covered herself all
over with large Confederate flags and
hooted and jeered and sang the Bonnie
Blue Flag, as our handsome sloop-of-war
Junlata came to anchor near her. We
saw them getting ready to SAIL and we
prepared for quick start. They steam
ed out, as they thought, exactly half an
hour before sunset. We were after them
Immediately, but the Officer of the Port
came aboard at the entrance and com
manded US to observe the half hour in
terval. The engines were turned back
ward and forward, the escaping steam
! roared, the officers and men swore, but
! the Spanish lieutenant was obdurate.
though he was filled with sherry and
/ smoked. At last, watch in hand. he
: bowed himself into his boat, and we shot
/ out under full head of steam lust as
Moro Castle fired the sunset gun. The
! blockade-runner was away to the west
ward. We started after her, but lost her
during the darkness.
! Three days later, we were in sight of
Moro just at dark; the captain had been
to dinner and looked flushed and angry.
When just north of Moro running paral-
lei to the coast, the captain had all hands
called to quarters, cleared the II inch
pivot, loaded it with solid shot, gave it
. extreme elevation, and had it fired di-
rectly at Moro. Them he muttered, ON
you! II teach you not to stop me again!"
| This was the beginning of the Span
ish War. (?)
There was flashing Of lights in Moro,
sounds of drum and fife, and a manning
OF the guns, bnt we were soon hidden by
the night. We learned later that the
shot went high over Moro and landed in
the suburbs without damage, but its
origin has always been mystery to the
inhabitants.
At st. Georges, a little yacht near
the fort had the Confederate flag fiying,
| asked my captain for boat after dark
to sink the craft. He smiled and said,
Cut her out under the guns of the
fort? We could read newspaper through
you tomorrow morning." Now Port.
land vessel was hauling in to wharf
the Yankee crew got hawser under the
yacht, hauled in lively, and capsized anc
sank her.
But enough! leave you to imagine
the excitement when the monthly supply.
steamer arrived with fresh beef, ice,
beverages, news and love tokens; the
delicious breezes and glorious starry
nights of the tropics: the parties ashore
and afioat; the tender attachments form.
ed with miscellaneous girls, mostly brok-
! on whom tho mo ,,,. +l,o al,