South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-10-20
REBEL TERROR
RECALLED BY U-53
Confederate Ship Manned by
Twenty Men Tore UP
Coast For Weeks.

NEW YORK. oct 20.-The con-
rfernation occasioned In shipping
circles by the raid or the German
submarine U-53 is a remarkable du-
pication. naval men say. OF what
happened in 1862 az New York and
other eastern ports when the Tacony
under the command Of Lieut.. G. w
Read OF the Confederate states navy,
passed up the Atlantic coast. burn
ing end scuttling American ships.
For two entire weeks Read con-
tinued mis- foray on American COM
mere. and Notwithstanding that
more than st. cruisers and chartered
vessels were sent out in search Of
him. the intrepid Confederate was
only captured when ne ventured
into the harbor Of Portland. Me, in
an attempt 20 cut out a steamer OF
shat Diace
Burned Clipper Ship.
During a period Of three days the
'Tacony cruised off the Nantucket
shoals, and IN that time burned a
fuH-rigged clipper ship, bound from
London 20 New York. "a bark and a
Liverpool packet. These three craft
were destroyed in the same locality
where the U-53 on last Sunday sent
six steamers 70 the bottom.
II was in May. 1863. when the
Confederate cruiser Florida being off
Cape ST. Rogue, Brazil. on cruise
against American commerce, cap
tured the American brig Clarence.
The Florida was commanded by
Commander J. y. Nomtt. Serving on
the Florida as a watch officer was
Lieut.. G. w Read. Commander
Mofhtt was about 20 burn the Car
ence, when he was approached with
request from Lieut.. Read to be
permitted to take tke Clarence, man
her with 90 men from the Florida s
crew. and proceed 20 Hampton
Roads. Va. there 70 slip in Fortress
Monroe and cut out a steamer. With
the steamer Read proposed 20 cruise
against American commerce. Failing
in the attempt TO get by Fortress
Monroe. Read proposed as an al
tentative then TO proceed to Balti-
more, Md, and fire the shipping Of
hat port
Approves Request.
Commander Mofit approved of
Reads request. and transferred 10
the Clarence 90 men and one hOwit-
ger. With his new command Read
parted from the Florida and follow
ed a course for the American coast.
One month later he was off the
Carolina coast where he burned and
bonded three American vessels.
Learning from his captives that no
craft were permitted TO pass Fort
Monroe without strict examination,
and then only in the event that the
vessel attempting TO enter was laden
for government account. Read de-
cided 10 abandon his original idea
and instead TO make a raid up the
Atlantic coast
on June Il, when about so miles
east Of Cape Henry. the entrance 20
the Chesapeake. the Clarence made
false signals OF distress to a fine
bark in the distance. The bark bore
down on the Clarence and before her
people were aware of il. Reads men
clambered on board armed 20 the
teeth. and the bark was their prize
she proved 10 be the Tacony. an
American craft. Read at once saw
that she was a fine craft. and not
being altogether satisfied with the
sailing qualities OF the Clarence, he
burned the latter after first transfer
ring his howitzer and crew 10 the
Tacony. Before leaving the ground
where the TacOny was captured
Read gathered in three more craft,
one or these. the schooner Schmidt
he burned. The others. a brig and
schooner. he bonded Finding him
self encountered with many prison
ers. Read transferred all 20 the last
captured schooner and sent them
into Philadelphia
Burns More ships.
The TacoUy now stood off shore
laying n course to intercept the
homeward-b bound American ships
engaged in the West Indies trade
on June Is the TaCony, being about
$50 miles east of cape Charles. she
burned a brig Then she made for
the Nantucket shoals. where on June
90 and q. she burned the three YES
sells above mentioned.
on June %. the TacOny was of
the Georges Bank. and in that local
fty she burned eight American yes
sells. BY June "a the Tacont had
reached a position TO the northwarI
81 the track of vessels bound from
Ev,troDe 70 tho mort Of Rostor and