The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-04-30
RIOCKADERUNNER WHO
WAS NEVER CAPTURED
Nor Did Capt. Fem Peck, of Charleston, Ever Lose
a Ship, Although Frequently Chased
by Yankee Gunboats.

OF a river tub or IHouSduu Ioiine4 >
Oft sailed the sea as a blockade run
ner.
For acting quick he knew the trick
Of playing discreet to slip the watch
of the blockade feet.
Of the many shippers who dlstln-
guisheG themselves by running the
blockade of Confederate ports during
the war, probably the most successful
and therefore, most famous, was
Capt. Fem Peck, of Charleston. Capt.
Peck went out of port to the un-
Known sea long ago, but his fame IS
still fresh in the memory of a few
old-timers. Startling Lebby, l.. NJ.
Coxetter, the Lockwood brothers.
Tom and Bob, Peter Tecklenberg,
and others less we'll remembered
won distinction in the dangerous
game, but Capt. Fem Peck made
more runs than any Of them and
rounded off his career by never being
caught or losing ship.
Prior to the war Capt. Peck was In
the peaceful employment of a coast
ing skipper. He commanded at diff
ferent times the sea-going steamer
Cecile, which piled between Charles
ton and Florida ports, and the river
steamer William Seabrook, which
threaded the tortuous inland passage
to Beaufort. But the advent of the
war carried him further off shore.
His first deep sea venture was made
early in 1851, when John Fraser &
Co. sent him to Liverpool to pilot
an English steamship loaded with
arms into a Confederate port.
Even then it was no easy voyage
to Liverpool, so Capt. Peck had to
sail over both land and sea. He first
made his way to Canada and began
his ocean voyage from Montreal or
Quebec. Returning, he planned orl-
sinally to bring his ship into Hatteras
Inlet, on the North Carolina coast,
but nearing that haven he overhaul
ed a Federal merchantmen and Sc
cured newspapers, which appSlsed
him of the fact that Hatteras Inlet
had been taken by the Yankees.
knowing there was big blockadlng
feet off Charleston, he headed for Sa-
vannah and succeeded in bringing his
vessel by night inside of Tybee Is
land. That was the first vessel to
run the blockade of the Confederacy,
but unfortunately / have not been
able to get her name and others give
her the distinction which is her due.
She was afterward converted into the
Confederate gunboat Commodore
Tatnall.
Brought Arms from Nassau.
Shortly afterward Capt. Peck was
placed by John Fraser & Co. in COM
mand of his old vessel Cecile, IN
which about 10 O'Clock one night, he
skipped out of Charleston harbor un-
observed by the blockading fleet and
proceeded to Nassau for cargo OF
arms. Instead however, of returning
to Charleston he ran across the Florl-
da Strait to Smyrna, where he land
ed his arms successfully.
About the same time, the steamer
Kate, commanded by Capt. Tom
Lockwood, also from Nassau, and
loaded with arms, made the same
port. These two cargoes of arms
were conveyed over land to Gen. AL
bert Sidney Johnston, and with them
he fought the battle of Shiloh. An
incident connected with the landing
of those arms is illustrative of the
intrepidity of the blockade runners.
Capt. Lockwood wishing to take
his wife and family over to Nassau
ran up to Charleston for them, while
his ship the Kate, was unloading.
Railroad communication between
Florida and Charleston was not in
those days what it is to-day and Capt.
Lockwood was longer in making the
round trip than he expected to be.
When he returned to Smyrna, he
found his mate had already carried
the Kate back to Nassau. Nothing
daunted Capt Lockwood purchased a
sailboat and carried his family
across the strait.
Capt. Peck after bringing the
Cecile back to Charleston was trans
ferred by John Fraser & Co. to the
Herald, afterward renamed Antomi-
la. He made one round trip in the
Herald, but, for some reason that has
been forgotten, turned her over for
the second voyage to Capt. L. NJ.
Coxetter, who will be remembered
by old Charlestonians as the comman-
der after the war of the steamer
Dictator. which piled for years be-
tween Charleston Savannah and