Evening star., 1918-06-30
Daring Raids OFF the North Atlantic Seaboa During the Civil War

tel schooner was Capt. Frohoch of
the brig Mary Alvina. who recorded
his experience while a prisoner on the
Clarence. On the night after his cap
ture a strange sail was sighted close
aboard. Frohoch was expecting TO
see another capture and subsequent
bonfire. He was leaning over the
rail, gazing in the direction OF the
stranger, when one of Reads quar-.
termasters came to him and warned
him not to attempt to hail the vessel
At the same time he noted that the
Clarence was not making any eHoft
to close in with the strange ship. ana
that the crew of the privateer were
suddenly very busy about decks. The
Quaker guns were being dismounted
and tumbled into the hold. and the
howitzer was being disposed OF IN the
same way. The night was SO DARK ana
the weather so thick that only the
loom of the stranger could be seen.
but Reads keen eye had detected her
character. Frohoch understood what
the commotion on deck had meant
and why a grim quartermaster was
standing by his side. when out OF the
darkness roared a hail:
This is the United States ship -"
Frohoch could not catch the name.
What ship is that?"
The former master of the Alvina
confessed his admiration at the au-
dacity of the reply, which was:
Alvina, from Boston for New Orleans,
with stores for the blockading feet"
From the warship was roared an
order to heave to and prepare to re-
ceive a boat. At this point Frohoch,
who had been paroled as prisoner
at large. was ordered to join the other
prisoners below, and a guard was
placed over them. Within an hour
or SO he was released, and Read. who
seems to have been a cheerful young
fr1I hfvx. xxvt,n ho1
pened.
It appears that the boarding officer
and ten men Of an armed boats crew
who had hurriedly drawn on a SOU
wester and a suit OF oilskins to con-
ceal his naval uniform Of Confederate
gray. escorted the officer to his cabin
and produced the papers of the Al
vfna, which he had taken from the
brig at the time Of her capture. While
awaiting the coming Of the boat. he
the Aivina's log to date-a work hur-
ception.
The Federal officer glanced over
manifest and log, noted the last en-
try. accepted a glass Of sherry. and.
rendering his apologies for delaying
hdmisai Az has1 .nd ragues saS stores. got into
And that boarding officer" Read
reminiscentiy added, graduated fully
twenty numbers ahead of me-"
This recalls a description of Reads
Annapolis days. given to the writer
ton whn knou Raad a a student
French was one Of the studies then.
as 1t Is now" the colonel said: but
the only French word Read could
master was saves and as a conse-
'Savex Read to all his intimates. he
SO little distinguished himself in his
other studies that after four years OF
tremendous effort he triumphantly
graduated at the foot Of his class"
It may be noted, however. that even
classmates whose name has found an
enduring place in American history;
for william Barker Cushing. famous
as the destroyer of the Albemarie
was obliged" at Annapolis on account
of his failure to pass his examina-
tion.
Although sluggish in looks. with her
blum bows and clumsy stern. the
Tacony proved to be fast sailer, and
there was no enemy craft coming In
sight that Read did not overhaul
Warned to look out for q white
of the danger that lay hidden In a
numbering, black-hulled bark. The
first intimation was the bang Of the
toy gun and the dag of the Confed-
crate states at the gan.
The brig Umpire. from Cardenas for