The Washington herald., 1914-08-27
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
August a. S64-e Confederate Tallahassee Arrived at Whining
ton c. from Short but EVnu Cruise She Had Captured
Vessels of the North Atlantic COa-H Cut Short
by Want of Coal

| t"Titten expressly Tor
Fifty years ago today the Confeder,
ate steamer Tallahassee arrived a.
/ Wilmington. n. C, from short buI
eyentful cruise. in which she had cap.
tured Ihirty-three vessels OF the NORTH
Atlantic Coast
| The Tallahassee was a fast twin
screw steamer. 23O feet long and TWEEN.
ty feet wide that had been built In
England to the order of the Confeder,
ate government. AS the Atlanta she
had run the blockade into Wilmington
with a valuable cargo. and there had
been equipped with three guns and
manned with crew Of l20 to serve as
commerce destroyer. Command OF
the ship in her new role was given to
John Taylor Wood. a young naval Of
ficer who had several dashing exploits
in home waters to his credit and she
went into commission as a war vessel
under the name OF Tallahassee.
The Tallahassee had left Wilmington
on August s, and. proceeding to the
track of shipping OF New York, had
made thiEtytwO captures in seven
days. Reports OF her presence OF Long
Island had caused excitement in New
York. and vessels were hastily dis
patched in pursuit OF the so-caIled
pirate from the navy yards at Boston,
New York. and Philadelphia
None of the pursuers caught sight OF
the Tallahassee, for the good reason
that by the time they reached the scene
Of her operations the Confederate yes
sci had steamed eastward in quest of
coal.
The experience Of the Tallahas ssee in
this part OF her brief career illustrates
with force the Importance Of coal in
war. The long career OF the celebrated
commerce destroyer Alabama had been
made possible by her ability to attain
fair speed under sail and to the sue
cess Of Commander Semmes in secur-
ing coal at British ports.
England was no longer complaisant
in constituting her neutrality laws for
the benefit of the Confederate Ships, as
she had been in the earlier part of the
war. This Capt. Wood. OF the Talla-
hassee, found out on applying for coal
at Halifax. The authorities there would
allow him TO take only so much coal
as would take his vessel TO the nearest
Confederate port
This was strict neutrality. and its
effect was fatal to the further success
of the Tallahassee as a commerce de-
stroyer.
on leaving Wilmington the TaIlahas-
see had weeks supply OF coal in her
bUnkers. She did not use sail as pro-
pelling power. and the drain upon her
coal supply was constant as long as
she remained at sea.
Her commander hoped to take a
prize laden with coal and fill his bunk
ers at sea. He actually did capture
coal-laden vessels. but the coal they
carried was low grade. and not adapt
ed to his purpose.
Prizes ScuttIed or Burned.
The Tallshassee's first prize was taken
August II. 1t was a coasting vessel, the
schooner Sarah A. Boyce Of Egg Har-
Dor. n. J.. in ballast. Her crew were
taken of and the vessel was scuttled;
that is, holes were made in its bottom
to insure its sinking.
Seven prizes IN all were made that
day, a beginning that put the crew OF
the Tallahassee in fine spirits. The
other six and the means of disposing Of
them were: Pilot boat % of New York.
burned: brig Carrie Estelle, Grand
Manan to New York with logs, burned;
bark Bay State OF Boston, Alexandria to
New York with wood. burned: brig A.
Richards Of Boston. Glace Bay to New