The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-03

The escape OF your defenseless ves-
liberty to choose it's ground and mode
OF attack. was alone due to the hand
some manner in which she was han
died, and / do not remember that the
union OF thorough professional skill,
GOODNESS and daring have ever been
better exhibited in a naval dash of
single ship.
Il trust your health will soon en-
able you to resume command. The
future movements of your vessel is a
subject of interest upon which you will
please give me your views, etc.
I am, respectfully your obedient
servant,
IS. r. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.
Lieut. Commanding John n. Maff1tt,
c. s. Navy, C. S. S. Florida, Mobile,
Ala
In his diary, Lieut.. Maf1tt comments
on this letter as follows:
Received a fine letter from the sec
rotary today; but no mention Of pro-
motion to commander
During her stay at Mobile, the Flor
ida was reftted from stem to stern,
her battery thoroughly Cverhauled and
strengthened, and everything made
ready for her work at sea. Willing to
take no chances with the heavy block
aiding squadron that had been further
reinforced since his arrival, Lieut.
Maff1tt bided his time and determined
not to attempt to escape until the
stormy winter weather had set in,
when it would be comparatively simple
to run out without fear of detection.
Two long weary months of clear
weather passed, and each day the
young officers of the ship and service
chafed at the delay. Every possible
pressure was brought to bear upon the
captain to sail, but he stood firm in
his determination to take no chance
with his enemy. Finally, on the 3oth
Of December. the navy department
took sides with the younger and more
inexperienced officers and. detaching
Lieut.. Mafftt, gave the command OF
the Florida to Lieut. Barney. For
tunateiy," writes Lieut. Maff1tt, Pres
ident Davis was in Mobile at the time,
a. i, upon my old friend, Admiral
Buchanan, representing TO him the
grave injustice of the departments
action, he annulled the secretary's or
der by telegram
An Interesting Episode.
An interesting episode of the Flor
ida's history occurred just about this
were hosts to the elite of Mobile at a
large reception on board. From noon
till two o'clock, gaily decorated barges
and cutters came alongside bringing
the flower of southern aristocracy to
the farewell reception of the ship. At
ter a delightful luncheon, the ship
steamed down the bay and exercised
her guns much to 1.-THE delight of the
visitors. who did not return to Mobile
until late in the evening. Prominent
among the guests were Gen. Slaughter,
Gen. Page, Lieut.. Rainey, Capt. Nc
Blair, Mr.. T. r. Hunter. Col Forsyth,
Mrs. lie Vert, Miss LIE Vert, Mrs. Hop
kins Miss Oracle Scott, Mrs. Forsyth,
Mrs. Graves, Miss Virginia Hallett,
and Mrs. John w. Murrell.
The officers who acted as hosts at
this affair were Capt. Mafhtt, of North
Carolina; Lieut.. S. w. Averett, eXecu-
tive officer, of Virginia. Lieut.. J. L.
Hoole, of Alabama; Lieut.. c. w. Read,
of Mississippi; Lieut.. s. G. Stone, of
Alabama; Surgeon F. Garretson, of
Virginia; Assistant Surgeon Joseph D.
Grafton, of Arkansas; Paymaster J. ].
Lynch, of North. Carolina; Chief En-
gineer J. Spidell, of Alabama; Mid
shipman r. S. Floyd, of Georgia; G. d.
Bryan, of South Carolina; G. T. Sim
clair, of Virginia; J. H. Dyke, of Flor
ida: C. W. Quinn, of South Carolina;
w H. Jackson, of Virginia: T. T.
Hunter, Jr., of Maryland; Lionel Y 1gel,
of South Carolina, and w. H. Wilson,
of the District of Columbia.
Her Last Appearance.
This was the last appearance OF the
ship and her gallant officers in south
ern society, for soon afterwards, jan
uary 16, 1868, the Florida ran the
bIocLada in the pitch darkness of a
heavy gale and commenced her depre-
dations on northern commerce. The
first vessel to fall a victim was the
bark Estrelle, of New York. loaded
with sugar, molasses and honey. As it
was not permissible to take the prize
into a neutral harbor, and impossible
to get her through the blockade, the
Estrelle was burned at sea after her
crew and valua bles had been removed
to the Florida. Close on the heels of
this capture, the Jacob Bell, the Morn