Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-01

CREW AND STORES.
Commander Scenes had no difficulty
in getting men to sail with him. even
Though they would be termed pirates by
the Federal government.
New Orleans was full of seamen." he
wrote discharged from ships that had
been laid up. and more men were offering
themselves for service than l could re-
ceive. 1 had the advantage, therefore,
of picking my crew. an advantage which
no one but a seaman can fully appre-
ciate."
His officers had all arrived. provis-
ions had been purchased and were ready
to be put on board, the ships funds
had also arrived, but I'VE were still
waiting on the mechanics, who though
doing their best, had not yet been able
to turn the ship over to us.
Ammunition, like the guns, was to
come from the enemy, for the Baton
Rouge arsenal that had been seized by
Louisiana, supplied it.
IN COMMISSION
| The narrative continues:
"At length, on the srd of June. / was
enabled to put the Sumter formally in
| commission.
! ION that day her colors were hoisted
for the first time-the ensign having
been presented to me by some patriotic
ladies of New Orleans--the crew was
| transferred to her. from the receiving
ship (the Star OF the Vest, and the Of
ficers were ordered to mess on board.
THE ship was now hauling off and an
chored in the stream, but we were de-
layed two long and tedious weeks yet
before we were finally ready.
I'm these two weeks we made trial
trip I'D the river. some 10 or IL miles.
Some of the principal citizens were in
vited on board, and bright and beauti-
full afternoon was pleasantly spent in
! testing the qualities of the ship, the
range of her guns and the working of
collation., in partaking of which my
guests were kind enough to wish me a
career full of blazing honors.'
! II was somewhat disappointed in the
speed of my ship, as we did not sue
coed in getting more than nine knots
out of her. There was another great
disadvantage. With all the space L could
allot to my coal bunkers, she could be
made to carry not more than about
eight-day fuel. We had masts and sails,
| 1t is true, but these could be of but lit
tie use when the coal was exhausted, as
the propeller would remain a drag in
the water. there being re means of
hoisting it.
! 1t was with such drawbacks that
was to take to the sea alone against a
/
navy already swarmed on our coasts and
whose means of increasing it were mex
haustible. But the sailor has a saying,
that luck lis a lord and we trusted to
luck.
AN INGENIOUS CIPHER
Commander Semmes described a
lcipher code. very simple and ingenious.
| by which he proposed to communicate
with his government The description
ffc in fprv of l0tr a no
federate secretary of the navy: IN
II have the honor to enclose here
with copy OF Reid's English dictIcn-
airy, a duplicate of which 1 retain for
the purpose mentioned in your le;tel
). of instructions of the 7th INST
II have not been able to find in the
city of New Orleans Cobb's MiniatuI e
Lexicon. suggested by you. or any
other suitable dictionary. with but a
single column on page. This need
make no difference, however.
"In my communication to the navy
department, should have occasion to
refer to a word in the copy sent, 1 will
deignate the first column on the page
A and the second column B. Thus.
| if 1 wish to use the word prisoner
my reference to 1T would be as follows
S23, B, Is; the first number referring
to the page, the letter to the column.
ana InG ScCOHU " Tic AuAiDST
of the word from the top of the COZ
umn."
SAYING FAREWELL.
The crew of the Sumter consisted of
80 men-including 20 marines and II
officers. ss
They were fated to pass soma hot
and weary days in the Mississippi be-
fore an opportunity would appear TO es-
cape. ~
The thoughts that were presented to
the minds of many of them iII this pc
Rod are reflected in the words witt.
which the commander of the Sumter
closes this chapter of his chronicles:
And now the poor born will be pei
| mitted to human nature. that before
we launch our frail bark on the wild
sea of adventure before us we should
/ turn our thoughts honieward FOR a mo-
ment.
And he is gone? '-on sudden solitude
How oft that fearful question will in
| trude!
Twas but an instant past-and here
hA stoodl
And now!-with out the portals porch
she rushed.
And then at length her tears in free
dom gushed:
Pig, bright and fast, unknown to her
they fell:
But still her lips refused to send
farewell"
For in the word-that fatal word-how-
ever
We promise. hope; hope; believe; there
breathes despair.
"Such was the agony of many a far
bosom of the officers of the Sumter
had torn themselves from the embraces
of their families, in those scenes o,
lleave-taking which acre than any
other try the sailors heart. Several
of them were married men, and it was
long years before they returned to the
homes which they had made sad by
their absence"
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Liter
airy Press.)
of Indiana Volunteers Under