Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-07
BLOCKADE RUNNERS
OF THE CIVIL WAR
While the Federal Patrol Was Max
ing International Law Bold Evad-
ers Were Playing a Perilous
and Romantic Game

COMEHOW the British blockade never be-
- came really interesting until the German
cruiser with a name that looks like the cry
of a cat slipped safely into a home port after
eluding all enemy ships in its path. It's
achievement as blockade runner equals its
achievement as a commerce raider for daring,
for skill, for romance. A blockade runner is
like the blockade itself; it means hats off"
if the management, so to speak, can get away
with it. Hats off" to the Moewe.
Hats off" in ex post facto fashion. to the
steamer Kate, heroine of a. successful trips
through the Federal blockade in the Civil
War. That was the record up to November,
1862. The Robert f.. Lee had a record Of 81
times in six months. True, these were ex-
plots of the early part of the war, but even
in the time of its highest efficiency the block
ade was penetrable and in January, 1865, the
runners were still doing business. The block
ade was proclaimed in April, 1861. The Fed
eral ships then the job numbered about
dozen. The fleet gradually increased to
about 800. The coast 10 be patrolled extended
thousands of miles and it's character made the
work Of the blockaders extra dffcult-the
sounds Of North Carolina behind the outlying
beaches; then the inlets among the sea islands
of South Carolina; then the sandbarred estu-
aries Vi IeOIBld ana flOIlua'
What Might Have Been
On the character of the Carolinian coast
hangs curious tale Of what might have been.
At Pocotatigo, in October of 1852 two bat
teries Of artillery and a company two of
dismounted cavalry succeeded in repelling an
all-day assault of 5000 Federals and driving
them back to their ships. 1t was partly the
dread of country fever" that lost the battle
nighttime and country fever" But all day
long" says reputable historian, the Federas
had the Charleston and Savannah Railroad on
their left less than a mile away, and with
absolutely obstacle between them and it's
possession. Beyond the railroad lay the high
healthfu pine lands. In brief there was no
reason whatever, aside from mere laundering
why they should not then and there have
seized upon the Charleston and Savannah
Railroad made themselves masters of the
entire coast and proceeded to the easy con-
quest isolation of Charleston on the one
hand and Savannah on the other
Here was another of the errors that served
to proong through four years war that
ought to have been brought TO an end during
its first campaign"
Such was one incidental aspect of blockade
history in the war for the Union. The prin.
cipal aspect, of course, was the general effect
of the blockade on theifortunes of the South
The South was almost exclusively an agri-
cultural country. Very scanty were its means
of supplying itself with those articles of manu-
facture which enable communities to live and
carry on war. Lacking in capacity to create
arms. ammunition and other fighting equip
ment and TO turn out clothing, shoes, medi
cines and the like. either for military or non.
military use, the South nevertheless managed
to secure these supplies, though in gradually
quantities, and TO the very end the
Confederate soldiers were clad in English.
made cloth, shod with English-tanned leather
and largely fed upon Cincinnati bacon and
corned beef that had been shipped to Nassau.
Havana or the Bermudas and transferred TO
the blockade runners. If the blockade had
been effective from the hrst the war of neces.
sity must have come to an early end.
British and Southern merchants, but espe-
eially British merchants, made fortunes out
of the traffic. 1t has been reckoned that a
single cargo carried either way and success
fully delivered would pay for the loss of ship
and cargo on the return voyage and leave a
rich margin Of profit besides. An ounce of
quinine that cost $3.50 In Nassau was worth
s1lO0 or $1,000 in Charleston, while the Confed-
crate money received for the quinine would
buy cotton at 40 cents a pound in gold at
Nassau. Blockade running. however. was not
wholly to the advantage of the South, in that
it led to consequences described by Southern.
ers as "corrupting our people" and running
our currency" and to the exorbitant prices
that were forced upon the Government by
traders. The Government commissioned
blockade runners Of its own and passed regu-
latlons governing the traffic on the part of |
private individuals.
For the first time in history blockade run
ners had the powerful help Of steam. new
type Of vessel was developed for the business
in hand. long, narrow vessels. in which every
hing was sacrificed to speed -side-Wheel
steamers Of low draught, gray or leaden Ia
color and hardly 10 be distinguished even By
daylight against the shadows Of the sea. the
lorizon mist or the sandy shore. Pennsylva-
"a ooal. 70 avoid smoke. was utilized when L