CONFEDERATE COMMERCE DESTROYERS: 
 Wood and Sinclair 
 
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 CONFEDERATE COMMERCE DESTROYERS: 
 
 THE "TALLAHASSEE'S" DASH INTO NEW YORK WATERS. 
 By John Taylor Wood. 
 
 THE EVENTFUL CRUISE OF THE "FLORIDA" . 
 By G.Terry Sinclair. 
 
 Century 
 July, 1898. 
 
Library of 
 The University of North Carolina 
 
 COLLECTION OF 
 NORTH CAROLINIANA 
 
 ENDOWED BY 
 
 JOHN SPRUNT HILL 
 
 of the Class of 1889 
 
 Cp9?0/TS-lA/S2 
 

 Zih~ .'.'. BY J. O. OAVIOSON 
 
 NIGHT ESCAPE OF THE "TALLAHASSEE OFF WILMINGTON. 
 
 CONFEDERATE COMMERCE -DESTROYERS. 
 
 I. THE "TALLAHASSEE'S" DASH INTO NEW YORK WATERS. 
 
 BY HER COMMANDER, JOHN TAYLOR WOOD, COLONEL C. S. A. 
 
 
 FROM the capes of the Chesapeake to 
 the mouth of the Rio Grande is a coast- 
 line over three thousand miles; and, as the 
 blockade began at Washington on the Poto- 
 mac, if we include the inland waters of Vir- 
 ginia, North Carolina, and other States, this 
 distance is doubled. It was this long stretch 
 of coast, fronting on nine States, that by 
 proclamation of President Lincoln was 
 placed under blockade in the spring of 
 1861. The means of making it effective 
 were inadequate. The navy of the United 
 States, comprising some forty vessels, was 
 distributed on different stations in every 
 part of the world. Not more than five or 
 six steamers were immediately available. 
 However, a navy was rapidly improvised by 
 the purchase or charter of a large number 
 of steamers of all kinds and classes, from a 
 
 1 Colonel Wood was a lieutenant on the Merrimac in 
 the fight with the Monitor, and described that action in 
 The Century Magazine for March, 1885. See also the 
 Century War-Book, "Battles and Leaders of the Civil 
 War," Vol. I, page 692. -Editor. 
 
 408 
 
 ferry-boat to a Liverpool steam-packet; and 
 in the course of a few months the principal 
 points were covered; but not as they were 
 later, when, during the last years of the war, 
 a larger number of vessels were employed in 
 blockading Wilmington or Charleston than 
 were used on the whole coast during the first 
 year. Independent of the men-of-war built 
 at the Union navy-yards, nearly 500 vessels, 
 principally steamers, were taken from the 
 merchant service and converted into cruisers. 
 As great as was the extent of the Con- 
 federate coast, but comparatively few points 
 had to be guarded. From Cape Henry to 
 Wilmington there was but one harbor that 
 could be used— that of Beaufort, which was 
 soon occupied by the Federals. The inlets 
 and sounds of the Carolinas, Georgia, and 
 the Gulf States, which were easily accessi- 
 ble, were not used by the blockade-runners, 
 for they had no connections with the inte- 
 rior, and no facilities for handling cargoes. 
 And e\en the few ports that could be en- 
 tered were rapidly lessened by occupation, 
 
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 YD 
 
 CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 409 
 
 both in the Gulf and the Atlantic; so that 
 after the second year of the war but two 
 ports— Wilmington and Charleston— were 
 open to the Confederacy. 
 
 It was through these that the Confederates 
 continued to receive supplies of all kinds to 
 within a few months of the close of the war. 
 Both were difficult of approach on account 
 of the shoals which obstruct their harbors, 
 and for the same reason it was difficult to 
 blockade them effectually. With the occupa- 
 tion of Morris Island, and the closing of all 
 channels but one leading to Charleston, Wil- 
 mington became the favorite resort. This 
 town is situated on Cape Fear River, 
 about thirty miles above its two entrances 
 into the Atlantic. Fronting the mouth of 
 the river is Smith's Island and Frying-Pan 
 Shoals, extending seaward some eighteen 
 miles. Though the two entrances are only 
 six miles apart, the distance by sea is some 
 forty miles, and each required a distinct 
 blockading squadron. The access to both 
 was hazardous on acccount of shoals, shift- 
 ing in position and depth of water with every 
 heavy gale. The western inlet was guarded 
 by Fort Caswell, an ante-bellum work. The 
 eastern or new inlet was protected by Fort 
 Fisher, a very formidable earthwork with 
 outlying defenses. 
 
 On either flank and in front of the Atlantic 
 coast of the United States are the English 
 stations of Halifax, Nassau, and Bermuda. 
 The last two were the main feeders of the 
 blockade. Nassau, on one of the Bahamas, 
 is six hundred miles south of Wilmington, 
 and Bermuda seven hundred miles east. 
 Both can be approached from every direc- 
 tion, and afforded safe and hospitable ports 
 for the blockade-runners. Halifax, eight 
 hundred miles to the northward and east- 
 ward, was used only occasionally. At the 
 outset steamers, and even sailing-vessels, 
 were used for this trade; but as the strin- 
 gency of the blockade increased, steamers 
 better fitted for the work were employed, and 
 finally a class especially adapted to the ser- 
 vice was built in England. They were long, 
 low, lightly constructed iron steamers of 
 light draft, with powerful motive power, 
 either screw or feathered paddle-wheels, with 
 no spars, and were painted lead-color. 
 
 The captain of a successful blockade- 
 runner needed to be a thorough seaman and 
 a skilful navigator. His work required bold- 
 ness, decision in emergencies, and the faculty 
 of commanding and inspiring the confidence 
 of his crew. There were captains who ran in 
 and out a great number of times. Captain 
 Vol. LVI.-52. 
 
 John Wilkinson made twenty-one successful 
 runs inside of twelve months, and not in a 
 fast steamer. That absence of these quali- 
 ties would invite loss was made apparentin 
 a great number of instances, when the steam- 
 ers were almost thrown away by bad land- 
 falls, or by the captain or crew wilting at 
 the first sight of a cruiser or the sound of 
 a gun. The pecuniary stake was large; and 
 blockade-running offered a certain amount 
 of excitement and adventure that drew 
 into its service some distinguished foreign 
 naval officers, who, under their own or 
 assumed names, made the most successful 
 commanders. 
 
 Among the steamers coming to Wilming- 
 ton I had long been on the lookout for a suita- 
 ble one which would answer for a cruiser, and 
 finally selected the Atlanta, an iron twin- 
 screw of seven hundred tons gross, and two 
 hundred feet long. She had been built at 
 Millwall, below London, ostensibly for the 
 Chinese opium trade; and was a first-class, 
 well-constructed vessel, and fast, making 
 fourteen and a quarter knots on her trial 
 trip. She had two engines, which could be 
 worked together or separately. The neces- 
 sary changes were soon made to receive the 
 crew and armament. The latter consisted 
 of one rifled 100-pounder amidships, one 
 rifled, 60-hundredweight 32-pounder for- 
 ward, and one long Parrott aft. The 
 officers and crew were all volunteers from 
 the Confederate gunboats on the James 
 River and North Carolina waters. She was 
 formally put in commission on July 20, 1864, 
 and rechristened the Tallahassee. 
 
 My orders from the Secretary of the Navy 
 were general in their scope. " The character 
 and force of your vessel," they said, " point 
 to the enemy's commerce as the most appro- 
 priate field of action, and the existing block- 
 ade of our ports constrains the destruction 
 of our prizes." 
 
 Ten days sufficed to get things in working 
 order, and the crew into shape, when we 
 dropped down the river to wait a favorable 
 time for running the gantlet, which was 
 only when there was no moon and when the 
 tide served. I determined to try the eastern, 
 or new, inlet, and on the night of August 4 
 the outlook was favorable. Everything was 
 secured for sea. The lights were all care- 
 fully housed, except the binnacle, which was 
 shaded; fires were cleaned and freshened, 
 lookouts were stationed, and the men were 
 at their quarters. The range lights were 
 placed; these, in the absence of all buoys 
 and lights, were necessary in crossing the 
 
410 
 
 THE CENTURY MAGAZINE. 
 
 bar, and were shown only when vessels were 
 going in and out. The Mound, a huge earth- 
 work, loomed up ahead, looking in the dark- 
 ness like a black cloud resting on the horizon. 
 We started ahead slowly, but brought up on 
 the " rip," or inner shoal. Two hours of hard 
 work with the engines, and with a kedge 
 astern, were lost before we got off, and then 
 it was too late for the tide. We turned up 
 the river a short distance, and anchored. 
 The next night we had the same experience, 
 except that we grounded so badly that it 
 required three steamers to tow us off. 
 
 Finding that with the state of the tide and 
 our thirteen and a half feet draft the eastern 
 inlet was impracticable, I determined to try 
 the western one. Steaming down to Fort 
 Caswell, we waited for darkness. Only a few 
 fleeting clouds were in the sky. As the moon 
 went down on the night of August 6, at ten, 
 we approached the bar, fearful of a repeti- 
 tion of our previous mishaps; and as the 
 leadsman called out the water in a low tone, 
 our hearts rose in our throats as it shoaled: 
 "By the mark three, — and a quarter less 
 three,— and a half two,— and a quarter two." 
 She touched, but did not bring up. Then 
 came the joyful words: "And a half two." 
 
 We had just grazed the " Lump," a bad 
 shoal in mid-channel, and were over the bar. 
 Chief Engineer Tynan was by my side on 
 the bridge. I turned to him and said: " Open 
 her out, sir, but let her go for all she is 
 worth." With a bound he was in the engine- 
 room, and in a few moments I knew from the 
 tremor of the vessel that the order was obeyed, 
 and with a full head of steam we leaped on. 
 "A sharp lookout ahead!" was the order 
 passed forward. We were hardly clear of the 
 bar when back came the words: "A steamer 
 on the starboard bow!" "A steamer ahead!" 
 The two made us out at the same time, and 
 signaled. I hailed the forecastle, and asked 
 how the steamer under our bows was heading. 
 " To the southward," was the reply. The helm 
 was accordingly ported, and we passed be- 
 tween them, so close under the stern of the 
 one that was ahead that a biscuit could have 
 been tossed on board. As we dashed by we 
 heard the sharp, quick words of command of 
 the officer in charge of the after pivot: " Run 
 out!" "Starboard tackle handsomely!" "El- 
 evate!" "Steady!" "Stand clear!" Then the 
 flash from the muzzle, like a gleam of light- 
 ning, illumined the water for a moment, and a 
 heavy shell flew singing over our heads, leav- 
 ing a trail like a comet. It was an excellent 
 line shot. That order, " Elevate! " had saved 
 us. The steamer on the starboard side opened, 
 
 and our opponents, now on our quarter, joined 
 in; but their practice was wild, and in a few 
 moments they were out of sight. I did not 
 return their fire, for it would only have shown 
 our position, and I did not wish our true char- 
 acter to be known, preferring that they should 
 suppose us an ordinary blockade-runner. 
 
 During the night we ran to the southward 
 until clear of Frying-Pan Shoals, and then 
 hauled up to the eastward. More to be feared 
 than the inshore squadron were the vessels 
 cruising offshore from forty to fifty miles, in 
 a position to sight at daylight the vessels 
 that might come out during the night, and 
 these were the fastest and most efficient 
 blockaders. I was not surprised when, at 
 daylight the next morning, a cruiser was re- 
 ported in sight astern, hull up. As we were 
 outlined against the eastern sky, she had 
 seen us first, and from the dense smoke issu- 
 ing from her funnel I knew she was in sharp 
 chase. At eight another steamer was made 
 out ahead. I changed our course eight 
 points, bringing one on each beam, and the 
 chase became interesting. One we made out 
 to be a large side-wheeler, and she held her 
 own, if she did not gain. Mr. Tynan made 
 frequent visits to the engine-room, trying to 
 coax out a few more revolutions; and he suc- 
 ceeded, for we brought them gradually on our 
 quarter, and by noon had lowered their hulls 
 two or three strakes. It was at times like 
 this that the ship and engines proved them- 
 selves reliable; for had a screw loosened or a 
 journal heated we should have been lost. 
 
 The ship was very deep with an extra 
 supply of coal, and probably out of trim, so 
 we were prepared, if hard pressed, to sacri- 
 fice some of it. Fortunately it was calm, and 
 they could not use their canvas to help them. 
 It was Sunday, and feeling relieved as to our 
 pursuers, all hands were called, and divine 
 service was read. By 4 p. M. our pursuers 
 were astern, hull down, and had evidently 
 given *up. About the same time another was 
 sighted from the masthead; but by changing 
 our course a few points she was kept at a 
 respectful distance. Just after dark we were 
 nearly on top of another before we could 
 change our course. Burning a blue light, 
 the stranger headed for us. As we did not 
 answer her signal, it was repeated, and a 
 minute later she opened fire. The shells 
 passed uncomfortably near, but in a half- 
 hour we lost sight of each other in the dark- 
 ness. The fact that we were chased by four 
 cruisers on our first day out proved how 
 effective was the blockade. Upward of fifty 
 vessels were employed at this time outside 
 
CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 411 
 
 the port of Wilmington, — vessels, of all kinds, 
 from the 40-gun frigate to the captured tin- 
 plate blockade-runner, — a larger number than 
 were ever before employed on like service at 
 one port. 
 
 The next few days were uneventful. We 
 stood to the northward and eastward, under 
 easy steam, and spoke several English and 
 foreign vessels, from one of which we got 
 late New York papers. Twenty miles below 
 Long Branch we made our first prize, the 
 schooner Sarah A. Boice of Boston, for Phil- 
 adelphia in ballast. Her crew and their per- 
 sonal effects were brought on board, and she 
 was scuttled. In all cases the prisoners were 
 allowed to retain a bag of their clothes; nor 
 were they asked for their money, watches, 
 etc. In one case it was reported to me that 
 one of the crew had taken a watch from a 
 prisoner; this being found to be true, it was 
 returned, and the man was punished. The 
 chronometers, charts, and medicine-chests 
 were the only things taken out of the prizes, 
 except such provisions as were necessary. 
 
 Standing over toward Fire Island Light, 
 on the Long Island shore, we found seven 
 sail in sight. One ran down toward us, which 
 we recognized at once as a New York pilot- 
 boat. She luffed to under our quarter, 
 launched a small boat, and a few minutes 
 later a large, well-dressed man in black, with 
 a high hat, heavy gold watch-guard, a small 
 valise, and a bundle of papers under his arm, 
 stepped over the side. As he did so his eyes 
 glanced up at our flag at the peak, which was 
 lazily unfolding in a light breeze. 
 
 "My ! what is that? What ship is 
 
 this?" said he, turning to me. 
 
 "The Confederate cruiser Tallahassee," I 
 replied. 
 
 A more astonished man never stood on 
 deck of vessel. He turned deadly pale, and 
 drops of perspiration broke from every pore; 
 but rapidly bracing himself, he took in the 
 situation, and prepared to make the best of 
 it. He was told that his vessel was a prize, 
 and that I would make a tender of her. He 
 was ordered to go on board, and return with 
 his crew and their personal effects. It was 
 the pilot-boat James Funk, No. 22, one of a 
 class of fine weatherly schooners found off 
 New York, from one to two hundred miles out, 
 at all seasons, manned by as thorough seamen 
 as ever trod ship's deck. Years before, while 
 attached to the sloop of war Germantown, I 
 had seen one of them work this vessel under 
 sail down the East River, against a head wind 
 but fair tide, " backing and filling " in a man- 
 ner that called forth the admiration of all. 
 
 I put on board two officers and twenty men. 
 with orders to keep within signal distance, 
 She was very efficient when several sail were 
 in sight, overhauling and bringing alongside 
 vessels, that I might decide upon their fate. 
 The captures of the bark Bay State and the 
 brigs Carrie Estelle and A. Richards followed 
 in quick succession. We had now over forty 
 prisoners and their baggage on board, lum- 
 bering up our decks, and it was necessary 
 to make some disposition of them. Toward 
 night No. 22 brought alongside the schooner 
 Carroll. She was bonded by the captain, act- 
 ing for the owners, for ten thousand dollars; 
 and after he had given a written engagement 
 to land the prisoners at New York, they went 
 on board with their effects. Before leaving 
 they were all paroled. All the prisoners we 
 made, with hardly an exception, were most 
 eager for their paroles. One said: "This is 
 worth three hundred and fifty dollars to me." 
 "I would not take a thousand dollars for 
 mine," said another. One skipper said that if 
 it would protect him from the draft he was 
 partly reconciled to the loss of his vessel. 
 Another, whose vessel had been bonded, 
 brought all his crew on board to secure 
 their papers. 
 
 The next victim was another pilot-boat, 
 the William. Bell, No. 24. My object in cap- 
 turing these vessels was, if possible, to secure 
 a pilot who could either be paid or coerced 
 to take the ship through Hell Gate into 
 Long Island Sound. It was now near the 
 full moon. It was my intention to run up 
 the harbor just after dark, as I knew the way 
 in by Sandy Hook, then to go on up the East 
 River, setting fire to the shipping on both 
 sides, and when abreast of the navy-yard to 
 open fire, hoping some of our shells might set 
 fire to the buildings and any vessels that 
 might be at the docks, and finally to steam 
 through Hell Gate into the Sound. I knew 
 from the daily papers, which we received 
 only a day or two old, what vessels were in 
 port, and that there was nothing then ready 
 that could oppose us. But no pilot could be 
 found who knew the road, or who was willing 
 to undertake it, and I was forced to abandon 
 the scheme. 
 
 From these inquiries arose the report that 
 I would attempt to enter the harbor. Three 
 days were spent between the light-ship and 
 Montauk Point, sometimes within thirty miles 
 of the former — and about twenty prizes were 
 taken. The most important was the packet- 
 ship Adriatic, one thousand tons, from Lon- 
 don, with a large and valuable cargo and one 
 hundred and seventy passengers. On account 
 
THE "TALLAHASSEE" CHASING THE PILOT-BOAT "WILLIAM BELL." 
 
 of the latter I was afraid I would have to 
 bond the ship; but fortunately our tender 
 came down before the wind, convoying the 
 bark Suliote, and I determined to use her as 
 a cartel after the captain had given bonds 
 for ten thousand dollars. She was laden with 
 coal; but the distance to Sandy Hook was 
 only seventy miles. The passengers were 
 nearly all Germans, and when told that their 
 ship was to be burned were terribly alarmed ; 
 and it was some time before they could com- 
 prehend that we did not intend to burn them 
 also. Three hours were occupied in transfer- 
 ring them and their effects with our boats. 
 In many cases they insisted upon taking 
 broken china, bird-cages, straw beds, and the 
 most useless articles, leaving their valuables 
 behind. After all were safely on board the 
 Suliote, the Adriatic was fired [see page 417] ; 
 and as night came on the burning ship illu- 
 mined the waters for miles, making a picture 
 of rare beauty. The breeze was light and 
 
 412 
 
 tantalizing, so our tender was taken in tow, 
 and we steamed slowly to the eastward to- 
 ward Nantucket. The neighborhood of New 
 York had been sufficiently worked, and the 
 game was alarmed and scarce. 
 
 Rounding South Shoal light-ship, we 
 stood in toward Boston Bay. As the tender 
 proved a drawback to our rapid movements, 
 I determined to destroy her. It was a mis- 
 take, for I was authorized by the government 
 to fit out any prize as a cruiser, and this one 
 ought to have been sent along the eastern 
 coast. A number of sail were sighted, but 
 most of them were foreigners; this could be 
 told by the " cut of their jibs." It was not 
 necessary to speak them. A few unimportant 
 captures were made, and then we sighted a 
 large bark. First Lieutenant Ward, the 
 boarding officer, returned, and reported the 
 Glenarvon, Captain Watt, a fine new vessel 
 of Thomaston, Maine, from Glasgow with 
 iron. He was ordered to return and secure 
 
CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 413 
 
 the nautical instruments, etc., and scuttle 
 her, and bring on board the prisoners. The 
 captain had his wife on board, and as pas- 
 sengers another captain returning home with 
 his wife— an elderly pair. We watched the 
 bark as she slowly settled, strake by strake, 
 until her deck was awash, and then her stern 
 sank gradually out of sight until she was in 
 an upright position, and one mast after an- 
 other disappeared with all sail set, sinking as 
 quietly as if human hands were lowering her 
 into the depths. Hardly a ripple broke the 
 quiet waters. Her head spars were the last 
 seen. Captain Watt and his wife never took 
 their eyes off their floating home, but side 
 by side, with tears in their eyes, watched her 
 disappear. " Poor fellow," she said afterward ; 
 " he has been going to sea for thirty years, 
 and all our savings were in that ship. We 
 were saving for our dear children at home— 
 five of them." 
 
 Miserable business is war, ashore or afloat. 
 A brave, true, and gentle woman, at the same 
 time strong in her conviction of what she 
 thought right, was the captain's wife, and she 
 soon won the admiration and respect of all 
 on board. But what shall I say of the pas- 
 senger and his wife? If I said she was the 
 very reverse of the above, it would not begin 
 to do her justice. She came on board scold- 
 ing, and left scolding. Her tongue was slung 
 amidships, and never tired. Her poor hus- 
 band, patient and meek as the patriarch, 
 came in for his full share. Perhaps the sur- 
 roundings and the salt air acted as an irri- 
 tant, for I can hardly conceive of this cataract 
 .of words poured on a man's head on shore 
 without something desperate happening. 
 Even Mrs. Watt did not escape for quietly 
 criticizing President Lincoln and his conduct 
 of the war, particularly as regards the navy, 
 on which point she could speak feelingly, 
 Xantippe even threatened to report her to the 
 police as soon as they reached the United 
 States. At rare intervals there was a calm, 
 and then she employed the time in distribut- 
 ing tracts and Testaments. When she left 
 us to take passage in a Russian bark, she 
 called down on us all the imprecations that 
 David showered on his enemies. And as a 
 final effort to show how she would serve us, 
 she snatched her bonnet from her head, tore 
 it in pieces, and threw it into the sea. Peace 
 to her memory! I gave them my cabin; in- 
 deed, from the time of leaving Wilmington 
 I had but little use of it. I slept and lived on 
 the bridge or in the chart-room, hardly tak- 
 ing off my clothes for weeks. 
 
 We ran along the eastern coast as far as 
 
 Matinicus, Maine, but overhauled nothing of 
 importance, only passing a large number of 
 small fishing-craft and coasters. One night 
 a large steamer, heavily sparred, passed 
 within musket-shot, but did not see us. 
 Her lights were in sight for an hour, but we 
 showed none. Steering to the eastward round 
 Seal Island and Cape Sable Island, the west- 
 ern extremity of Nova Scotia, we, of course, 
 had our share of the " ever-brooding, all-con- 
 cealing fog " which in the summer season is 
 a fixed quantity in this neighborhood. Sud- 
 denly, one evening, the fog lifted, and we dis- 
 covered a ship close aboard. Passing under 
 her stern, we read James Littlefield of Bangor. 
 Hailing the captain, and asking him where 
 from, and where bound, " From Cardiff, with 
 coals for New York," came back as his an- 
 swer. He was told to heave to. Here was 
 the cargo of all others that we wanted, and 
 I determined to utilize it, if possible. Lieu- 
 tenant Ward was sent on board to take 
 charge, put her under easy sail, and keep 
 within one or two cable-lengths of the 
 steamer. As the night closed in the fog be- 
 came denser than ever, so much so that one 
 end of the vessel could not be seen from the 
 other — a genuine Bay of Fundy fog, one that 
 could be handled. For some hours, by blow- 
 ing our whistle every five minutes, while the 
 ship was ringing a bell, we kept within sound 
 of each other. But the latter gradually grew 
 duller, until we lost it altogether; and I spent 
 an anxious night, fearing that should it con- 
 tinue thick we might be separated. But soon 
 after sunrise a rift in the fog, disclosing a 
 small sector of the horizon, showed us the 
 ship some five miles away. Steaming along- 
 side, I determined to take no more risks in 
 the fog. Banking our fires, we passed a 
 hawser from our bows to the ship's quarter, 
 and let her tow us. I held on to the ship, 
 hoping it would become smooth enough to 
 lay the two vessels alongside and take out a 
 supply of coals ; for although there was only 
 a moderate breeze, there was an old sea run- 
 ning from the south'ard. To use our boats 
 would have been an endless and dangerous 
 operation. I thought of taking her into one 
 of the small outposts on the neighboring 
 coast of Nova Scotia; but this would have 
 been a clear case of violation of neutral ter- 
 ritory. The day passed without change in 
 weather or sea, and very reluctantly I was 
 compelled to abandon the hope of free coals, 
 and look to Halifax for a supply. Ordering 
 Lieutenant Ward to scuttle the ship, we left 
 her to be a home for the cod and lobster. 
 After being two or three days without 
 
THE SINKING OF THE BARK "GLENARVON." 
 
 observations and without a departure, to find 
 your port in a thick fog requires a sharp 
 lookout and a constant use of the lead. 
 However, we made a good hit. The first 
 " land " we made was the red head of a fish- 
 erman, close under our bows, in a small boat, 
 who, in the voice of a Boanerges, and in words 
 more forcible than complimentary, warned us 
 against tearing his nets. In answer to our 
 inquiries in regard to the bearings of Sambro, 
 Chebucto Head, etc., he offered to pilot the 
 ship in. Accepting his services, and taking 
 his boat in tow, we stood up the harbor. 
 Soon we emerged from the fog, and the city 
 of Halifax was in sight. 
 
 The harbor of Halifax is well known as 
 safe, commodious, easy of access, and offer- 
 ing many advantages. Coming to anchor, I 
 had my gig manned, and went on board the 
 line-of-battle ship Duncan, to call upon Sir 
 James Hope, commanding on this station, 
 and then upon the governor, Sir Richard 
 Graves MacDonald, who received me very 
 kindly, asking me to breakfast next morning, 
 a compliment which I was obliged to decline, 
 owing to the limited time at my disposal. By 
 the Queen's proclamation, the belligerents 
 could use her ports only for twenty-four 
 hours, except in case of distress, and take 
 no supplies, except sufficient to reach the 
 nearest home port. I wanted only coal, and 
 by the energetic action of our agents, Messrs. 
 B. Wier & Co., I was able to procure a sup- 
 ply of the best Welsh. To a distinguished 
 gentleman of the medical profession we were 
 indebted for a new spar; for I neglected to 
 mention that while off New York we were in 
 collision with the ship Adriatic, and lost our 
 mainmast and all attached. 
 
 From the time of our arrival, Judge Jack- 
 son, the energetic American consul, had not 
 
 ceased to bombard the authorities, both civil 
 and military, with proofs, protests, and pro- 
 tocols in regard to our ship. He alleged gen- 
 eral misdemeanors, that we had violated all 
 the rules of war, and protested against our 
 taking in supplies. The provincial govern- 
 ment acted as a buffer, and I heard of the 
 protests only in a modified form. However, I 
 was anxious to conform to the Queen's man- 
 date, and could only plead our partly dis- 
 abled condition for exceeding the twenty- 
 four hours. To my request for an additional 
 twelve hours I received the following answer: 
 
 Government House, Halifax, N. S., 
 19th August, 1864. 
 Sir: In reply to your application for additional 
 time to ship a mainmast, I have no objection to 
 grant it, as I am persuaded that I can rely on your 
 not taking any unfair advantage of the indulgence 
 which I concede. I do so the more readily because 
 I find that you have not attempted to ship more 
 than the quantity of coals necessary for your im- 
 mediate use. I have, etc., 
 
 (Signed) Eichard G. MacDonald, 
 Lieut. -Governor. 
 Com. J. Taylor Wood, C. S. Cruiser Tallahassee. 
 
 In writing to Mr. Cardwell, Secretary of 
 State for the Colonies, on the 23d of August, 
 the lieutenant-governor said: 
 
 It was clear that a cruiser reported to have 
 captured or destroyed between thirty or forty 
 vessels in about twelve days, and said to have 
 speed exceeding by five knots that of the Alabama, 
 was the most formidable adversary which Federal 
 commerce had yet encountered. Under these cir- 
 cumstances, if she was permitted to take in a sup- 
 ply of coal here in excess of that strictly allowed, 
 I felt that I should be enabling her to use one of 
 her Majesty's ports for the purpose of procuring 
 the material most destructive to the shipping and 
 property of a power with which her Majesty is at 
 
CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 415 
 
 peace. In the peculiar case of the Tallahassee, 
 every five tons of coal in excess of the amount 
 strictly allowable might be regarded as insuring 
 heavy loss to Federal shipping. Accordingly, when 
 Captain Wood applied later in the day for permis- 
 sion to complete his complement of coals up to one 
 hundred tons, I informed him that he was at liberty 
 to do so, and expressed my gratification at finding 
 that he had not been using the extra period of his 
 stay for the purpose of obtaining more coals than 
 sufficed for his immediate wants. I also, in com- 
 municating that permission to the admiral, re- 
 quested the latter to relieve Captain Wood from 
 further surveillance, as I was extremely anxious, 
 under the circumstances, to avoid wounding his 
 feelings. Later in the day he applied for, and I 
 gave him, permission to remain twelve hours 
 longer for the purpose of shipping a new main- 
 mast. He did not, however, wholly avail himself 
 of that permission; for without waiting to step the 
 mast, he left the harbor soon after midnight, as 
 appears from the inclosed full and satisfactory re- 
 port obligingly transmitted to me by the admiral. 
 
 At the close of the second day our new 
 mast was towed alongside and hoisted in. 
 Immediate preparations were made for sea. 
 During the day two or more of the enemy's 
 cruisers were reported off the harbor; indeed, 
 one came in near enough to communicate 
 with the shore. During our stay we had seen 
 late New York papers with accounts of our 
 cruise, and the excitement it had caused on 
 the seaboard. The published reports of most 
 of the prisoners were highly colored and 
 sensational. We were described in anything 
 but complimentary terms. A more blood- 
 thirsty or piratical-looking crew never sailed, 
 according to some narratives. Individually I 
 plead guilty; for three years of rough work, 
 with no chance of replenishing my wardrobe, 
 had left me in the plight of Major Dalgetty. 
 When I called upon the admiral I had to 
 borrow a make-up from some of the ward- 
 room officers. 
 
 We noticed that a number of vessels had 
 been sent in pursuit. A Washington telegram 
 said: "The first information of the depreda- 
 tions of the Tallahassee was received by the 
 Navy Department on the 12th instant, after 
 office hours. Secretary Welles immediately 
 ordered the following vessels in pursuit; 
 namely, Juniata, Susquehanna, Eolus, Pon- 
 toosuc, Dunbarton, and Tristram Shandy, on 
 the 13th; the Moccasin, Aster, Yantic, R. R. 
 Cuyler, and Grand Gulf on the 14th; and on 
 the 15th the Dacotah and San Jacinto. These 
 were all the vessels available in the navy." 
 
 It began to look as though we would have 
 to run the blockade again. To my request to 
 Mr. Wier for a good pilot, he sent on board 
 Jock Fleming. He was six feet in height, 
 
 broad, deep-chested, and with a stoop. His 
 limbs were too long for his body. His head 
 was pitched well forward, and covered, as was 
 his neck, with a thick stubble of grayish hair. 
 His eyes were small and bright, almost hid 
 beneath overhanging eyebrows. His hands 
 were as hard, rough, and scaly as the flipper 
 of a green turtle. Bronzed by exposure to 
 sixty seasons of storm and sunshine, he 
 could tell of many a narrow escape, carrying 
 on to keep offshore in a northeast snow-storm, 
 or trying to hold on in a howling nor'wester, 
 when every drop of water that came on board 
 was congealed into ice, and soon the vessel 
 was little better than an iceberg, and noth- 
 ing remained but to run off into the Gulf 
 Stream to thaw out. He knew the harbor as 
 well as the fish that swam its waters. He was 
 honest, bluff, and trusty. 
 
 MacNab's Island divides the entrance to 
 the harbor of Halifax into two channels. 
 The main, or western, one is broad, deep, and 
 straight, and is the only one used, except by 
 small coasters. The eastern is just the re- 
 verse, without buoys or lights. In looking 
 over the chart with Fleming, I asked him if 
 it was not possible to go out through the 
 latter passage, and so avoid the enemy lying 
 off the mouth of the main channel. I saw 
 only five or six feet marked on the chart over 
 the shoalest spot at low water. 
 
 "How much do you draw, cap'?" 
 
 " Thirteen feet, allowing for a little drag." 
 
 " There is a good tide to-night, and water 
 enough; but you are too long to turn the 
 corners." 
 
 "But, pilot, with our twin-screws, I can 
 turn her around on her center, as I turn this 
 ruler." 
 
 " Well, I never was shipmate with the likes 
 of them; but if you will steer her, I '11 find the 
 water." 
 
 "Are you certain, pilot, there is water 
 enough? It would never do to run ashore 
 at this time." 
 
 " You sha'n't touch anything but the eel- 
 grass. Better get ready about eleven." 
 
 I hesitated; and divining from my face 
 that I was not satisfied, he said as he rose: 
 
 "Don't be 'feared; I '11 take you out all 
 right; you won't see any of those chaps off 
 Chebucto Head." 
 
 As he spoke he brought his hand down on 
 my shoulder with a thud that I felt in my 
 boots. His confidence, and my faith in the 
 man, determined me to make the attempt. 
 Some friends and English officers were on 
 board to the last; and as we hove up the 
 anchor and started ahead at midnight, they 
 
416 
 
 THE CENTURY MAGAZINE. 
 
 left us with hearty good wishes. The moon 
 was old and waning, with dark clouds rapidly 
 chasing one another across its face from the 
 southward. Steaming slowly out, only the 
 dark shores of MacNab's Island on one side 
 and the mainland on the other could be seen, 
 but whether a stone's throw or a mile distant 
 could not be discovered. Once or twice Flem- 
 ing appeared lost, but it was only for a mo- 
 ment. At the sharp twists in the channel I 
 sent a boat ahead with a light to mark the 
 turns. At one place, by the lead, there was 
 hardly room between the keel and the bottom 
 for your open hand. In an hour we opened 
 the two lights on Devil's Island, and the 
 channel broadened and deepened. Soon we 
 felt the pulsating bosom of the old Atlantic, 
 and were safe outside, leaving our waiting 
 friends miles to the westward. Fleming 
 dropped his boat alongside, and with a 
 hearty shake of the hand, and an earnest 
 God-speed, swung himself into it, and was 
 soon lost in the darkness. He had kept his 
 word, bringing us out without feeling the 
 bottom— a real achievement. Years after I 
 often met him, and there was nothing in the 
 old man's life he was so fond of relating as 
 how he piloted the Tallahassee through the 
 eastern passage by night. 
 
 The run down the coast was uneventful, a 
 few unimportant prizes being made. Many 
 vessels were spoken, but most were foreign. 
 A number were undoubtedly American, but 
 to avoid capture had been registered abroad, 
 and were sailing under other flags. I had in- 
 tended going to Bermuda for another supply 
 of coal, but the prevalence of yellow fever 
 there prevented. As we approached Wilming- 
 ton we were reminded, by sighting one or two 
 steamers, that we were again in troubled 
 waters. The first one we made out was 
 a long, low, paddle-wheel boat, evidently a 
 captured blockade-runner. By changing our 
 course we soon parted company with her. 
 Later in the day another was dodged. In 
 running the blockade, if with good observa- 
 tion we were certain of our position, the best 
 plan was to run direct for the Mound or har- 
 bor. If not, then better strike the shore to 
 the northward (if running for New Inlet), 
 and follow it down. As the soundings are 
 very regular, this could be easily done. The 
 weather was hazy and smoky — so much so 
 that we could not depend on our sights. I 
 therefore ran in toward Masonboro Inlet, 
 about thirty miles to the northward of Fort 
 Fisher, making the land just at dark; then 
 ran into five fathoms, and followed the shore, 
 just outside the breakers curling up on the 
 
 beach. A sharp lookout was kept, and the 
 crew were at their quarters. The fires were 
 freshened, and watched carefully to avoid 
 smoking or flaming. The chief engineer had 
 orders to get all he could out of her. I knew 
 that one of the blockaders, if not more, would 
 be found close to the shore; and soon one was 
 made out ahead. I tried to pass inside, but 
 found it impossible; the enemy's ship was al- 
 most in the surf. A vigilant officer certainly 
 was in command. Our helm was put a-star- 
 board, and we sheered out. At the same time 
 the enemy signaled by flash-lights. I replied 
 by burning a blue light. The signal was re- 
 peated by the first and by two others. I re- 
 plied again by a false fire. Some valuable 
 minutes were gained, but the enemy now 
 appeared satisfied as to our character, and 
 opened fire. We replied with all our battery, 
 directing our guns by the flash of theirs. 
 This was entirely unexpected, for they ceased 
 firing, and began to signal again. Our reply 
 was another broadside, to which they were not 
 slow in responding. The Tallahassee was now 
 heading the bar, going fourteen knots. Two 
 or three others joined in the firing, and for 
 some time it was very lively. But, like most 
 night engagements, it was random firing. We 
 were not struck, and the enemy were in more 
 danger from their own fire than from mine. 
 
 Soon the Mound loomed up ahead, a wel- 
 come sight. Our signal-officer made our num- 
 ber to Fort Fisher, and it was answered. A 
 few minutes later the range lights were set, 
 and by their guidance we safely crossed the 
 bar and anchored close under the fort. The 
 next morning, at daybreak, the blockading 
 fleet was seen lying about five miles off, all 
 in a bunch, evidently discussing the events 
 of the night. At sunrise we hoisted the Con- 
 federate flag at the fore, and saluted with 
 twenty-one guns. The fort returned a like 
 number. During the day we crossed the rip, 
 and proceeded up the river to Wilmington. 
 So ended an exciting and eventful cruise of 
 a month. In this time we had made thirty- 
 five captures, about half of which were 
 square-rigged vessels. 
 
 The Tallahassee, it is true, was built in 
 England, but not for a blockade-runner. She 
 was fitted out and equipped in a Confederate 
 port. Of her armament, two guns were cast 
 in Richmond, and one was captured. Her 
 officers and crew were all in the sendee pre- 
 vious to joining her. She sailed from a Con- 
 federate port, and returned to one. She was 
 regularly commissioned by the Navy Depart- 
 ment, and was as legally a cruiser as was 
 General Lee's force an army. Her status was 
 
DRAWN BY J. O. 
 
 ENGRAVEO 8V T. SCHUSSLER. 
 
 THE "TALLAHASSEE" BURNING THE PACKET "ADRIATIC." (SEE PAGE 412.) 
 
 entirely different from that of cruisers fitted 
 out in England. The Geneva award was in- 
 tended ,to cover only losses arising from the 
 cruises of the Alabama, Shenandoah, etc., 
 vessels fitted out or sailing from English 
 ports, or which, like these, had never visited 
 a Confederate port; and its recipients were 
 at first wisely confined to those who could 
 establish their losses from these vessels. 
 But after paying all these, half of the £3,- 
 000,000 sterling still remained. After some 
 years it was determined to divide it among 
 the sufferers by all the cruisers. The claims 
 presented to the court for the disposal of 
 the award were of the most extraordinary 
 character. I received from different attorneys 
 letters asking for information upon points in 
 regard to the Tallahassee's cruise, and inclos- 
 ing schedules of losses of different parties. I 
 have no idea how the court adjusted these 
 losses; but I do know that if some of the 
 
 claimants were paid ten per cent, of their de- 
 mands, they were amply reimbursed for all 
 losses. One captain of a small vessel put in 
 a claim for $200 for a feather-bed, a hair-mat- 
 tress, and a pair of blankets, and for nearly 
 $800 worth of clothing! Another exhibit, of 
 a mate, for losses called for $26 for a feather- 
 bed. Another claimant had sixteen different 
 suits of clothing, besides miscellaneous arti- 
 cles of wearing-apparel of all kinds— enough 
 to furnish a Chatham-street shop. Nothing- 
 was left out: razor, brush, and cup, $3.50; 
 shoe-brush and blacking, $1.03. Of course 
 every one, from the captain to the cook, had 
 a watch and chain, generally gold, valued 
 at from $100 to $250, never less. And these 
 exhibits were all sworn to! 
 
 The Tallahassee made another short cruise, 
 under Lieutenant Ward, and then returned 
 to England. Later she was sold to the Japa- 
 nese government as a cruiser. 
 
 II. THE EVENTFUL CRUISE OF THE " FLORIDA." 
 BY G. TERRY SINCLAIR, FORMERLY MIDSHIPMAN, C. S. N. 
 
 AFTER the evacuation of Norfolk, Vir- report to Commander North or Lieutenant 
 
 ix ginia, in May, 1862, our forces retreated Maffitt for duty. The following evening, in 
 
 to Richmond; and soon after my arrival company with several officers, I left for 
 
 there I was ordered to proceed to Charles- Charleston; but on arriving and taking a 
 
 ton, and thence to Nassau, where I was to survey of the blockading fleet off the bar, 
 Vol. LVI.-53. m 
 
418 
 
 THE CENTURY MAGAZINE. 
 
 tended for use against the United 
 States. After a long and tedious 
 trial, the Oreto was released in 
 August, and, in charge of her 
 English captain, left the harbor. 
 Going out in her as passengers 
 were Captain Maffitt, Lieutenants 
 J. K. Stribling and J. 0. Brad- 
 ford, Paymaster Read, two engi- 
 neers, Midshipmen R. S. Floyd, 
 George D. Bryan, and myself. At 
 one of the small uninhabited islands 
 back of Nassau we were met by a 
 schooner, which had on board our 
 armament and stores, with a few 
 men, whom we hoped to induce to 
 join us after our object was made 
 known. Captain Maffitt now read 
 his commission, hoisted the Con- 
 federate flag, and changed the ves- 
 sel's name to Florida. A short 
 speech having been made to the 
 men, setting forth the advantages 
 of enlistment with us, they were 
 told they could either join or re- 
 turn in the schooner. About twenty 
 took the former course. 
 
 We were nearly a week taking 
 in stores and mounting guns. In 
 that time one of our men was taken 
 down with yellow fever, and died 
 which were plainly visible from the city, in a few days. With a boat's crew I car- 
 concluded it was easier to issue such orders ried the body ashore the same night, and 
 than to execute them. On the evening of prepared the grave in time for Lieutenant 
 June 3 I went on board the Cecile, a small Stribling, who came on shore in the morn- 
 river steamer, painted lead-color to render ing and read the burial service— a sad duty 
 her difficult of observation at night. About which we performed for poor Stribling also 
 
 ENGRAVED BV E. CLEMENT. 
 
 JOHN TAYLOR WOOD, COLONEL C. S. A., COMMANDER OP THE 
 "TALLAHASSEE." (FROM AN OIL PORTRAIT BY GALT.) 
 
 midnight, as the moon settled behind the 
 hills, we slowly steamed out of the harbor, 
 and were soon in the midst of the enemy, 
 whose dark hulls were plainly visible to us. 
 We crept slowly by, our wheels barely re- 
 volving, lest the sound should reach the ears 
 of the enemy. Knowing well that discovery 
 meant a prison for an indefinite time, each 
 minute seemed an hour. To us, who so 
 plainly saw the dark hulls of the enemy, it 
 barely seemed possible that they did not also 
 see or hear us; but they did not. Before 
 morning we encountered a heavy gale from 
 the southward and eastward, and for thirty- 
 six hours had little hope of reaching Nassau; 
 but we arrived safely on the 5th, when I re- 
 
 within a month. 
 
 We now started for Cardenas, at which 
 place we buried Paymaster Read, one of our 
 engineers, and three of our men, all of whom 
 died of yellow fever. At this point our cap- 
 tain was seized with the fever. He at once 
 ordered the ship to be run into Mobile, 
 touching at Havana on our way, where we 
 obtained the services of an experienced 
 physician, Dr. Bennett of Georgia, who 
 agreed to share our dangers. 
 
 About half-past four on the evening of 
 September 5 we came in sight of the block- 
 ading fleet off Mobile, consisting of the 
 Oneida, Winona, and a small sailing-craft. 
 Captain Maffitt, who was at this time scarcely 
 
 ported for duty to Lieutenant-Commanding able to stand on deck, at once decided that, 
 
 J. N. Maffitt. 
 
 At Nassau I found the Oreto (afterward 
 the Florida), which had been seized by the 
 British authorities on suspicion of being the 
 property of the Confederate States, and in- 
 
 in the absence of a pilot, he would take day- 
 light rather than darkness for a dash in. In 
 order to make the enemy hold his fire as long 
 as possible, the English ensign was hoisted 
 on our ship, and with all speed we made a 
 
CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 419 
 
 dash for the bar, the Oneida and Winona 
 coming out to meet us as we approached, 
 the latter coming up on our starboard side, 
 and the former on our port, at the same time 
 hailing, and ordering us to heave to, which 
 we promised to do, but "forgot it." There 
 was now but a short lapse of time between a 
 blank cartridge and broadsides fired into us, 
 at a distance of only about one hundred 
 yards. As our English flag was no longer a 
 protection, we lowered it, and in its place 
 hoisted our own colors. According to the re- 
 port of Commander Preble of the Oneida, we 
 were under this terrible fire from 6:03 till 
 6: 22, when we crossed the bar and ran under 
 the guns of Fort Morgan. The ravages of 
 the fever had prevented our doing more 
 than mounting our guns and securing them 
 for sea; otherwise we should have returned 
 the enemy's fire. We received one 11-inch 
 shell opposite our port gangway, near the 
 water-line. It passed through our coal- 
 bunker, painfully wounding one man and 
 beheading another, thence to the berth deck, 
 where our men had previously been ordered 
 as a place of safety. Fortunately this shell 
 did not explode, the fuse having been 
 knocked out, probably by contact with the 
 ship's side. Another shell entered the cabin, 
 and, passing through the pantry, raised 
 havoc with the crockery. The ship to the day 
 of her destruction bore the marks of upward 
 of fourteen hundred shrapnel balls. Our 
 additional casualties were two men slightly 
 wounded. As we came to anchor under the 
 
 guns of Fort Morgan, cheer upon cheer from 
 the soldiers on the ramparts greeted us. We 
 remained in Mobile Bay, repairing damages, 
 putting ship and battery in order, and select- 
 ing and drilling our crew, until January, 
 when we considered ourselves ready for an- 
 other dash. 
 
 The Florida was now officered in full, and 
 as well equipped as it was possible for a ship 
 to be with our limited resources. She was 
 barkentine-rigged, 700 tons, 192 feet in length, 
 16 feet beam, and drew 12j feet. Her speed 
 under steam alone, in smooth water, was 
 about 10f knots. She had two funnels, work- 
 ing upon hinges, one lowering forward, the 
 other aft. We made good use of this ar- 
 rangement by appearing, and being reported 
 by vessels, sometimes as a steamer with two 
 funnels, then as with one, and at other times 
 as a sailing-vessel. Our battery consisted of 
 six broadside guns, formerly smooth-bore 
 32-pounders, but now rifled and carrying a 
 68-pound conical shell; in addition to these, 
 we carried two pivot-guns, 110-pounders. 
 This arrangement enabled us to fight five 
 guns on a side. Our officers were now Com- 
 mander J. N. Maffitt; Lieutenants S. W. 
 Averett, J. L. Hoole, C. W. Read, and S. G. 
 Stone ; Chief Engineer W. S. Thompson ; Sur- 
 geons F. Garrettson and J. D. Grafton; Mid- 
 shipmen R. S. Floyd, George D. Bryan, James 
 H. Dyke, and myself (the first two were after- 
 ward made lieutenants); Master's Mates T. 
 T. Hunter and L. Vogel; and a crew of about 
 one hundred men. 
 
 DRAWN BY SCHELL. A HOGAN, FROM / 
 
 SKETCH f 
 
 THE ' 
 
 !• REAR-ADMIRAL HENRV WALKE. 
 
 FLORIDA" RUNNING THE BLOCKADE OFF MOBILE BAY. 
 
420 
 
 THE CENTURY MAGAZINE. 
 
 The fleet off Mobile now consisted of eleven 
 vessels; but notwithstanding this force, on 
 the night of January 13, 1863, Captain Maffitt 
 determined to take advantage of the heavy 
 gale which was blowing, and make the at- 
 tempt to get out; but we were compelled to 
 turn back, owing to some slight accident to 
 our machinery, which occurred just before 
 
 everything ready for making sail at a mo- 
 ment's notice. Now came the words, "Sail 
 right ahead, sir!" "Starboard your helm!" 
 was the reply, and slowly we passed within a 
 few hundred yards of a black, lowering object. 
 Scarcely was she passed when again came 
 the words, "Sail right ahead, sir!" and now 
 followed by "Port your helm!" Thus we 
 
 THE "FLORIDA" CHASING THE SHIP "STAR OF PEACE." 
 
 reaching the bar. This trip, however, was 
 not without its lesson, as we found many 
 phantom ships were reported by the crew. 
 We regulated this, on the next trial, by 
 placing officers about twenty feet apart, 
 forming a continuous line aft to the wheel, 
 where stood the captain and the pilot. The 
 ship had previously been whitewashed. 
 
 The gale continuing, and the night being 
 very dark, we again started early on the fol- 
 lowing night; but before we reached the bar 
 the pilot informed us it was too dark for him 
 to get his bearings, and we were again com- 
 pelled to turn back, but were all ordered to 
 lie down and rest in our clothes. Shortly be- 
 fore two o'clock, a few stars having made 
 their appearance, the pilot announced his 
 readiness to take the ship to sea. We called 
 "All hands up anchor!" and by two o'clock 
 were again heading for the bar. In the mean- 
 time we had men stationed aloft, with gaskets 
 cast off, and the bunt of the topsails in hand, 
 
 worked our way out until five had been 
 sighted, the last two lying one on each 
 beam. At this critical moment the engineer 
 reported that the coke, which was being 
 burned to avoid making smoke, was all 
 gone, and unless he put coal on at once he 
 could not answer for the consequences. The 
 order was at once given to put coal on; and 
 as soon as the first shovel entered the furnace 
 a volume of thick black smoke shot straight 
 across the deck of the blockader on our 
 starboard beam, and in an instant a bright 
 light flashed from him, answered by all the 
 others, and we knew we were discovered. 
 
 Then came the command, "Let fall and 
 sheet home your topsails!" There was the 
 rattle of chains, and the tramping of feet, as 
 all speed was made to get sail on our ship. 
 We soon had our little craft under fore- and 
 maintopsail, spanker, and jib, with fore- 
 and mainsails; then men were sent aloft, 
 and topgallant-yards crossed, and topgallant- 
 
CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 421 
 
 sails set, and also lower and topmast stud- 
 dingsails. 
 
 With this heavy pressure of canvas in 
 such a gale, our little craft seemed to stand 
 for a moment and tremble ; but gradually she 
 rose, and in a few seconds was off like a deer. 
 We soon found that only one vessel was fol- 
 lowing us, and she rapidly falling astern, 
 we secured our battery. After all sail was 
 made, the Tog was hove, and showed a speed 
 of 13.6 knots; and this was the first time we 
 had ever tested our speed under steam and 
 sail. Our pursuer was soon out of sight; but 
 just before day we passed a sloop of war, 
 hove to under close-reefed topsails, which 
 we believed at the time to be the United 
 States steamer Richmond. If so, we made 
 a narrow escape, as she had greater speed, 
 and was in every way a superior ship to ours. 
 But we were not stopped, although we passed 
 within half a mile of her. As soon as we 
 passed out of sight of our suspicious-look- 
 ing friend, we altered our course, steering 
 for the Yucatan Banks. Daylight showed 
 us one of the blockaders still in pursuit, but 
 only as a speck from our topgallant-yards; 
 but the carrying away of ourmaintopsail-yard 
 about this time forced us to shorten sail, 
 and before we could send another yard aloft, 
 and make sail again, our pursuer was well in 
 sight from our deck. When all was in order 
 again, however, he soon passed out of sight. 
 
 On the 17th we captured our first prize, 
 the brig Estelle, off the coast of Cuba; and 
 about eight o'clock on the night of the 21st 
 ran into Havana, came to anchor, and, 
 ordering the drum and fife on deck, intro- 
 duced ourselves to the tunes " Bonnie Blue 
 Flag " and " Dixie." In a few minutes our 
 deck was crowded with visitors. We left 
 Havana next day, steaming along the 
 coast to the eastward, and before sundown 
 made our second capture. Our third prize 
 saved us the trouble of a chase, running into 
 our arms while we were making ready to de- 
 stroy number two. As darkness approached 
 we noticed the smoke of two steamers com- 
 ing from the direction of Havana. Think- 
 ing they might be the enemy's cruisers, we 
 hastily fired both prizes, got clear of the 
 light, and hid under the shadow of the land; 
 and from our position saw the two steamers 
 stop, make a short survey, and then dart off. 
 
 We now shaped our course for the Ameri- 
 can coast, but found the weather too cold 
 and boisterous to admit of boarding vessels, 
 so we turned our nose to the southward again, 
 touching at Barbados on our way to the 
 equator, where we proposed remaining in the 
 
 track of homeward-bound ships. Many ves- 
 sels were captured on our way down; but on 
 the 12th of February our most valuable cap- 
 ture was made— perhaps the most valuable 
 taken by a Confederate cruiser during the 
 war. We sighted this vessel about eight in 
 the evening, but not until ten o'clock did we 
 get near enough to give her a shot from our 
 bow pivot, and even this fell considerably 
 short. She rounded to, however; and as 
 she lay thus, with black hull, gilt streak, 
 scraped and varnished masts, and snow-white 
 sails, there was a general exclamation of ad- 
 miration, coupled with regret that such a 
 thing of beauty must be destroyed. She 
 proved to be the clipper-ship Jacob Bell, from 
 Foochow, bound to New York with a cargo, 
 mostly tea, valued at upward of a million 
 dollars. On March 27 we captured the bark 
 Lapwing, with a fine assorted cargo of Yankee 
 notions, canned meats, fruits, vegetables, etc. 
 The most valuable part of the cargo to us was 
 several hundred tons of coal, which we deter- 
 mined to hold; and with this idea in view, 
 Lieutenant Floyd, myself, and seven men, 
 with arms and a 12-pound howitzer, were 
 transferred to her. A quantity of the canned 
 goods was sent to the Florida for the use of 
 the officers and men. 
 
 We now made a place of rendezvous with 
 the Florida, where we could meet a month 
 later, which we did, coaling ship, and start- 
 ing on a fresh cruise, having previously ar- 
 ranged another meeting. Owing to calms 
 and currents, we were unable to reach the 
 point of meeting on time, and thus we parted, 
 not to meet again for some time. During 
 these two cruises Lieutenant Floyd and I 
 took alternate nights for duty on deck, lying 
 down near the man at the wheel, who would 
 call us when a squall was seen coming up. 
 These blows, although short, are very severe 
 in the calm belt while they last; so we were 
 compelled to rouse the men and shorten sail 
 until they passed over, when we would lie 
 down again. This would sometimes be the 
 case two or three times during the night. 
 
 With the Lapwing we captured and bonded 
 a ship by a little ruse and impudence. Hav- 
 ing first sawed a spar to the requisite length 
 to represent a long gun, we painted and then 
 mounted it on two wheels taken from a 
 family carriage found on board. With this 
 trained on the enemy, but not too conspicu- 
 ously in view, we hove him to with a shot 
 from our 12-pounder. With four well-armed 
 men I was sent on board, and brought the 
 captain, with his papers, back with me, he 
 coming in his own boat. It was not until 
 
422 
 
 THE CENTURY MAGAZINE. 
 
 intention to make the people 
 on shore believe we had ac- 
 cidentally taken fire; and with 
 this idea in view, we had our 
 men dressed merchant-sailor 
 style, we assuming the same 
 rig ourselves. But when 
 about two miles from the 
 town, we were met by two 
 negroes in a canoe, who sailed 
 close alongside, and asked us 
 where the Florida was, silen- 
 cing us, when we expressed 
 ignorance of the existence 
 of any such vessel, by inform- 
 ing us that they had visited 
 the ship when in Barbados, 
 and remembered our faces. 
 Seeing that disguise was now 
 useless, we had the men put 
 on their best blue uniforms, 
 while we donned our nattiest 
 gray, and, with a small Con- 
 federate flag in the stern, 
 pulled for the dock in true 
 man-of-war style. At the 
 landing we were met by a 
 yelling crowd of not less than 
 five thousand, mostly blacks. 
 So great was the crush that 
 Floyd was borne to the cus- 
 tom-house over the heads of 
 the crowd; and making his 
 exit by a rear door, paid 
 his respects to the governor, 
 and obtained permission to 
 land. We were cordially re- 
 ceived, many courtesies being 
 the captain came on board our ship that he extended by merchants and others. The 
 discovered our weakness ; but it was then too day after our arrival— Sunday— a gentleman 
 
 CAPTAIN J. N. MAFFITT, COMMANDER OF THE FLORIDA. 
 
 late, and there was nothing else to be done, 
 so he bonded his ship to us, returning in his 
 own boat. 
 
 Failing to meet the Florida, we shaped our 
 course for Barbados, arriving about 3 A. M., 
 May 30. Heaving to, we waited for day- 
 light, when we found ourselves off the center 
 of the island and about seven miles from land. 
 We launched the boat, putting the nautical 
 instruments, charts, provisions, water, and 
 clothes in her; and about seven o'clock, all 
 being ready, fired the Lapwing fore and aft, 
 and started for the southern point of the 
 island, and thence up the western side, where 
 
 stopped his carriage while on his way to church, 
 and kindly invited us to join him; but we were 
 compelled to decline. We, however, accepted 
 an invitation to dine with him at his country- 
 seat. His carriage called for us later at the 
 hotel. Arriving at his house, we had the 
 pleasure of meeting several of the English 
 officers attached to the garrison. After din- 
 ner we had a fine view of the ocean and har- 
 bor; and while thus pleasantly engaged saw 
 the United States steamer Vanderbilt, the 
 presence of which cut our visit short. She, 
 however, after communicatingwith the Amer- 
 ican consul, went to sea; but our friends in- 
 
 the harbor is located. A strong breeze soon formed us that she was not far away when 
 
 set in, blowing us toward the breakers, and for night came. We, however, got away safely a 
 
 several hours it looked as if we would be on few nights afterward, taking passage in an 
 
 them before we could clear the point; in fact, English bark, and arriving at Queenstown 
 
 it was noon before we did so. It was now our about the middle of July. 
 
CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 423 
 
 Shortly after our arrival the Florida put 
 into Brest, France, for needed repairs, and 
 to fill up her depleted complement of officers. 
 Besides Lieutenant Floyd and myself, Lieu- 
 tenant Read and one of the engineers had 
 been sent off on another prize, the Tacony. 
 The Tacony was abandoned in the harbor of 
 Portland, Maine, by Lieutenant Read, who 
 had previously captured the revenue cutter 
 Caleb Cushing, in which he was attempting 
 to escape when captured by a force hastily 
 organized for pursuit. Our assistant surgeon, 
 Grafton, was drowned in the surf while at- 
 tempting to land at a small deserted island 
 called Las Rocas; and the health of Lieuten- 
 ants Averett and Hoole was such as to pre- 
 vent them from continuing longer with us. 
 At Brest our greatest misfortune befell us. 
 Captain Maffitt had permitted all his officers 
 to go up to Paris on a short leave, when a 
 report was started among our crew that only 
 the officers would be allowed to go ashore 
 during our stay in port. This caused a 
 mutiny, in which all the crew engaged ex- 
 cept about thirty. These we retained, but 
 the others were forced to leave, notwithstand- 
 ing their repentance when they found they 
 had been deceived. 
 
 The French government extended us 
 every courtesy, granting us the use of their 
 dry-dock, where we gave the ship's bottom 
 a thorough overhauling. As usual, a protest 
 was entered against our being permitted to 
 make repairs. The American minister took 
 the ground that repairs to our machinery 
 could not be regarded as " necessary repairs," 
 giving as a reason the fact that the Florida 
 captured as many, if not more, prizes under 
 sail than under steam. To this Napoleon re- 
 plied : " Because a duck can swim is no reason 
 why his wings should be cut." 
 
 During our cruise on the Lapwing the 
 Florida made a visit to Bermuda; and when 
 Captain Maffitt called on the governor, who 
 was an admiral in the English navy, the 
 latter in a joking way expressed surprise 
 that an ex-officer of the American navy 
 should be guilty of a breach of etiquette in 
 entering the harbor without saluting the 
 English flag. To this Captain Maffitt replied 
 that he could not do otherwise, as his salute 
 would not be returned. The governor replied 
 that he (Captain Maffitt) could not tell unless 
 he tried. This was hint enough for Captain 
 Maffitt, who returned to his ship, went to 
 quarters, and hoisting the English ensign at 
 his masthead, saluted it; to which the fort 
 replied. This, I think, is the only instance 
 in which the Confederate flag was saluted 
 
 by a foreign nation; but it caused the gov- 
 ernor's recall. 
 
 It was not until February, 1864, that we 
 were thoroughly ready for sea again, and left 
 Brest. During nearly all this time the United 
 States steamer Kearsarge was in the harbor 
 with us. Our agents in London succeeded in 
 getting about sixty men for us, who were en- 
 listed for secret service, and were not aware 
 of their destination until we dropped down 
 to the lower harbor, when they were brought 
 on board at night, and the next day they had 
 matters explained to them. Nearly all joined 
 us, and we now had a crew of about ninety 
 men. The rest of our complement, one hun- 
 dred and twenty men, was afterward drawn 
 from the foreigners found on prizes. Our 
 officers were now Commander Charles M. 
 Morris, who succeeded Captain Maffitt; Lieu- 
 tenants T. K. Porter, S. G. Stone, Samuel 
 Barron, Jr., R. S. Floyd, and George D. 
 Bryan; Surgeon Thomas J. Charlton; As- 
 sistant Surgeon Thomas Emory; Paymaster 
 Richard Taylor; Chief Engineer W. S. 
 Thompson, and two assistants; Midshipmen 
 William B. Sinclair, Jr., James H. Dyke, 
 and myself; and Master's Mate Thomas T. 
 Hunter, Jr. 
 
 After leaving Brest, we continued the work 
 of destruction until we were off the island of 
 Bermuda, where an English man-of-war came 
 out to meet and invite us in. As she passed, 
 her flag was dipped, her officers at the same 
 time raising their hats in salute. Such un- 
 usual compliments as these, and from such 
 a source, had their effect upon our new re- 
 cruits, who had seen enough of man-of-war 
 life to know we had been specially honored. 
 From Bermuda we returned to our old cruis- 
 ing-ground near the equator. American ves- 
 sels were growing scarcer every day, and at 
 times weeks would pass without our crew 
 making a capture. One of our prizes, the 
 Star of Peace, had a cargo of saltpeter. We 
 fired her just before dark, and when upward 
 of fifty miles away could see the glare in the 
 heavens. At times a column of flame would 
 shoot high in the air, as if from some Vesu- 
 vius. 
 
 Another of our captures, a vessel from the 
 East Indies, contained a rare character in an 
 old lady, who, we were told, was a mission- 
 ary on her return home for a vacation. As 
 usual, Captain Morris gave this lady one of 
 the state-rooms in his cabin ; but it was not 
 long before she had the entire cabin, and I 
 think, had she stayed much longer, would 
 have been captain. She was intensely Union, 
 and had little use for " rebels," nor did she 
 
. O. DAVIDSON. 
 
 T. SCHUSSLER. 
 
 THE WACHUSETT RAMMING THE FLORIDA. 
 
 hesitate to tell us so. We got in the habit 
 of watching for her head, as it came up out 
 of the cabin hatch, when there would be a 
 general scamper; but the poor officer of the 
 deck was compelled to stand and take her 
 tongue-lashing. The old lady usually prom- 
 enaded the deck with a green-cotton um- 
 brella raised ; and on one occasion one of the 
 retreating ones returned and found that 
 Lieutenant Stone, who was in charge of the 
 deck, had gone into the rigging, where he 
 remained, looking very much like a cat up a 
 tree, with a dog watching him. 
 
 Turning out, one morning, and coming on 
 deck, I saw three burning vessels around us, 
 and our decks crowded with the crews and 
 their luggage; and we, of course, remained 
 thus lumbered until a foreigner was found, 
 who was always our outlet for prisoners. 
 About noon on July 10 we sighted a steamer 
 between us and the land, and standing to the 
 southward and eastward. We hoisted the 
 English flag, and altered our course so as to 
 intercept her. Shortly before one o'clock, 
 when about a half-mile off, we lowered the 
 English and hoisted the Confederate flag, at 
 the same time firing a shot across her bow. We 
 were now runningparallel with her ; and seeing 
 that she had increased her speed, and would 
 probably get away, fired a shot, which passed 
 close over her rail, and the captain's passen- 
 gers then forced him to stop. She proved 
 to be the Electric Spark, from New York for 
 
 124 
 
 New Orleans, and carrying the United States 
 mail, all of which was brought on board and 
 carefully overhauled with the view of obtain- 
 ing useful information. At one time we were 
 in sight of Sandy Hook. All the passengers 
 and crew were transferred before dark to a 
 fruit-schooner bound for New York, only a 
 few miles distant. We then prepared to 
 carry off our prize, to be converted into a 
 cruiser; but a sad accident changed the 
 captain's plans, and he ordered her to be 
 sunk, which was done. Midshipman W. B. 
 Sinclair, Jr., cousin of the writer, was placed 
 in charge of a boat containing the steamer's 
 money safe, and attempted, after dark, to 
 pull to the Florida, about a half-mile distant. 
 With this load his speed was necessarily 
 slow. The wind, freshening in the mean- 
 time, caused his boat to ship considerable 
 water, and she sank when not more than one 
 hundred yards from the ship. He had secured 
 one of the oars, when the cockswain, William 
 Sharkey, appealed to him for help, saying he 
 could not swim. His appeal to this brave lad, 
 only in his teens, was not in vain, but with 
 the oar he gave his life. The Confederate 
 Navy Department did not let this gallant 
 act pass unnoticed. A " general order," eulo- 
 gizing the self-sacrifice, was read on board 
 every vessel in commission, with colors at 
 half-mast. It is a remarkable coincidence 
 that Surgeon Grafton, who was drowned at 
 Las Rocas, was appealed to in the same way 
 
CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 425 
 
 as was Midshipman Sinclair, by the same 
 man, and with the same result. 
 
 With sad hearts we now stood to the east- 
 ward, with a wind which before morning in- 
 creased to a gale. In due course we arrived 
 at the island of Madeira. It was night when 
 we came to anchor, and a bright moon at the 
 time revealed a man-of-war at anchor near 
 us, which we were satisfied was an American. 
 The morning opened bright and beautiful. 
 As eight o'clock approached, the hour for 
 hoisting colors on a man of war, the officers 
 and men on our neighbor were eagerly 
 watching our movements, no doubt as well 
 satisfied of our identity as we of theirs. As 
 our colors floated to the breeze we could see 
 a stir on board. Immediately a boat was 
 lowered from her and started for the shore. 
 The object of that visit was made known 
 when we went on shore to make arrange- 
 ments for coaling and provisioning the ship. 
 The governor requested us to leave,— he 
 could not order us to do so,— saying the 
 American threatened to fire on us if we at- 
 tempted to coal ship. In vain we appealed 
 to the governor, and cited our rights as bel- 
 ligerents, at the same time telling him our 
 enemy was only bluffing. Being a sailing- 
 vessel, and the weather perfectly calm, he 
 would be at our mercy. Finally we agreed to 
 take twenty-four hours' coal, and run down 
 to Teneriffe, in order to relieve the Portu- 
 guese governor's mind ; but our enemy would 
 not agree to this. 
 
 We now went to " quarters," paid an extra 
 price for the labor, got the coal alongside, 
 and without being molested hoisted it on 
 board. The next morning we anchored at 
 Teneriffe. The same evening our friend 
 sailed in and came to anchor near us, and the 
 same game of bluff was tried as at Madeira; 
 but this being a Spanish possession, and two 
 of their men-of-war being present, the result 
 was that the American was allowed the usual 
 twenty-four hours in port, and we, by per- 
 mission of the authorities, remained four or 
 five days. 
 
 Our cruise was no holiday, though our 
 victims were only defenseless merchant- 
 men. We were liable to meet an armed ship 
 at any time. The difficulty of getting coal 
 forced us to keep our fires banked, and in 
 this condition we could not get under steam 
 in less than fifteen minutes— ample time for 
 an enemy to destroy us should he come sud- 
 denly upon us while under steam himself. 
 As evidence of the risk we ran in chasing 
 vessels at night,— which we always did when 
 we sighted them, — we on one occasion 
 Vol. LVI.-54. 
 
 chased a vessel, and upon her refusal to 
 heave to fired a blank cartridge, and in re- 
 sponse received a like salutation, and found 
 ourselves in dangerous proximity to a man- 
 of-war, and with all hands at quarters and 
 ready for action. Our supposed prize turned 
 out to be an Englishman. 
 
 In regard to the duties and discipline on 
 board the Florida, we were governed by the 
 same rules and regulations as the United 
 States navy. The majority of our officers 
 had received their education at the Naval 
 Academy at Annapolis, and all the others 
 save one were the sons of officers who had 
 served in the same navy, so they were not 
 ignorant of what constituted a well-dis- 
 ciplined ship. It may seem strange, but it 
 is nevertheless true, that we could ship a 
 crew in the manner we did, and at the same 
 time have men who cared for the officers and 
 ship, as ours always did. It is true our 
 officers, without exception, did everything 
 in their power to make the crew comfortable 
 and happy, and every indulgence consistent 
 with discipline was granted. 
 
 One of our orders was that the private 
 property of the officers and crews of prizes 
 should always be respected, and I cannot 
 recall an instance where it was disobeyed. 
 To be sure that this order was not violated, 
 and to prevent the men from getting liquor 
 from the prizes, a midshipman was sent with 
 every boarding officer, and remained with 
 the men at all times. Many of the men 
 taken on board at Brest had for a while 
 abandoned the ocean and followed the for- 
 tunes of Garibaldi; and often at night, when 
 all was calm, these Italian voices joined in 
 singing their camp-songs, and, later on, our 
 Confederate songs. 
 
 The sight of an American flag on the high 
 seas had become such a rare occurrence that 
 in October it was decided to round Cape 
 Horn and make a raid on the whalers in the 
 Pacific Ocean ; and with this object in view our 
 prow was turned to the southward, with the 
 intention of stopping at Bahia, Brazil, where 
 we were to give our own men a much-needed 
 run on shore, and at the same time make 
 some slight repairs. We were running straight 
 for port, and expected to arrive the same even- 
 ing, when about noon we discovered a sail to 
 windward and seaward which looked like an 
 American. We at once set fore and aft sails, 
 lowered the propeller, and started in pur- 
 suit. The stranger at once altered his course, 
 crowded on all sail, and showed every evi- 
 dence that he suspected our mission. This 
 proved to be our last, as well as our longest, 
 
426 
 
 THE CENTURY MAGAZINE. 
 
 chase, not coming up with him until eight 
 o'clock at night. As I came over her side 
 with Lieutenant Bryan, our boarding officer, 
 the captain remarked: "It 's no use to say 
 anything; I knowed ye as soon as I seed ye; 
 but you did n't get any coffee this time, only 
 a load of stones." She proved to be the bark 
 Mondamen, from Rio bound to Baltimore, and 
 it seems her captain had been made prisoner 
 by us before. On October 4 we burned this 
 our last prize, and at nine o'clock that night 
 steamed into the harbor of Bahia. As we 
 approached our anchorage, a boat, evidently 
 a man-of-war, pulled. near us, and, in reply 
 to our inquiries, stated she was H. M. S. 
 Curlew. Lieutenant Stone, who was standing 
 near the captain at the time, remarked that 
 her Majesty's officers never talked through 
 their noses. Daylight proved his suspicions 
 to be correct, for near us lay the United 
 States steamer Wachusett, Commander Na- 
 poleon Collins. A boat soon left the enemy's 
 vessel for shore, and later on our captain 
 went on shore making an official call upon 
 the governor, and asking his permission to 
 make the repairs which we needed. 
 
 During this visit Captain Morris, at the 
 request of the governor, pledged his word to 
 commit no overt act while in the harbor; and 
 United States Consul Wilson, acting for Com- 
 mander Collins, gave the same promise. Rely- 
 ing upon this pledge, we allowed half of our 
 crew to go on shore, -and the following day 
 permitted the others to do the same. Previ- 
 ous to this, however, the shot were drawn 
 from our guns, a precaution usually taken 
 while in port, to avoid accident. 
 
 Shortly after eight o'clock on the evening 
 of October 5, while in charge of the deck, a 
 boat approached, which I hailed, and was in- 
 formed that it contained the American con- 
 sul. Captain Morris not being on board, I sent 
 for Mr. Porter, at the same time telling the 
 consul to come alongside, and apologizing 
 for not asking him on board. When Mr. 
 Porter came on deck, he was handed from 
 the boat a letter addressed, " Captain Morris, 
 Steamer Florida." To this form of address 
 he took exception, and so informed Mr. 
 Wilson. But the latter objected to address- 
 ing our captain or ship in any other way 
 notwithstanding Mr. Porter's calling his at- 
 tention to the fact that General Grant, in 
 his communications with General Lee, ad- 
 dressed him as the commander of the forces 
 of the Confederate States. Mr. Porter also 
 told him he was satisfied as to the object of 
 his visit, and that if he (the consul) was very 
 anxious for a favorable reply, he could get it 
 
 by addressing his communication properly. 
 This ended the interview. 
 
 The following day Captain Morris was ap- 
 proached by a gentleman, who stated he was 
 authorized by Mr. Wilson to challenge us to 
 fight the Wachusett, and that he (Mr. Wilson) 
 would assist us, in any way in his power, to 
 have such repairs put upon our ship as we 
 deemed necessary. To this Captain Morris 
 replied : " You may say to Mr. Wilson that I 
 have come to Bahia for a special purpose, 
 and when this is accomplished I shall leave. 
 I will neither seek nor avoid a contest with 
 the Wachusett, but should I encounter her 
 outside Brazilian waters, I will use my utmost 
 endeavors to destroy her." 
 
 About two o'clock on the morning of the 
 7th, Master's Mate T. T. Hunter, being in 
 charge of the deck at the time, heard the 
 Wachusett slip her cable, and saw at once 
 that she was under way and standing for 
 us. He had Mr. Porter called at once, the 
 captain being on shore; but as the latter 
 reached the deck the Wachusett struck us in 
 the starboard mizzen-chains, carrying away 
 our mizzenmast and maintopmast, both of 
 which came down on our deck, crushing our 
 awnings, which were set at the time down to 
 the deck, and thus, as it were, enveloping 
 us in a bag. At this time two shots were 
 fired from their battery, in order to make 
 sure of sinking us; but their guns were de- 
 pressed too much, and the shot only struck 
 the water alongside. 
 
 Oft-repeated and anxious inquiries were 
 now made to know if we were willing to sur- 
 render; but not until an engineer was sent 
 below, and reported the ship was rapidly 
 sinking,— a report, I may add, without a 
 shadow of truth,— did Mr. Porter and his 
 adviser Mr. Stone agree to surrender the 
 ship; nor would they have surrendered had 
 they not believed she would sink before the 
 enemy could tow her out. During the time 
 which elapsed between the ramming and the 
 surrender of the Florida, a constant and 
 heavy fire from small arms was kept up, 
 but, strange to say, with only three wounded 
 as the result, and they were on the Wachusett. 
 
 It will doubtless be said that we showed a 
 want of vigilance in permitting ourselves to 
 be caught unprepared to give battle as we 
 were; but there are some extenuating cir- 
 cumstances. As previously stated, it was 
 our intention to start upon a long and tedi- 
 ous cruise. Our men, with few exceptions, 
 had not been on shore since we left Brest 
 in February, and therefore greatly needed 
 recreation. The moment we sincerely gave 
 
CONFEDERATE COMMERCE-DESTROYERS. 
 
 427 
 
 our pledge to make no attack upon the 
 enemy we placed ourselves at a disadvan- 
 tage, and it would have been better to have 
 left the harbor at once. When I say we 
 placed ourselves at a disadvantage I mean 
 that if a collision occurred after that, it 
 must be begun by the enemy; and the at- 
 tacking party, particularly at night, has 
 greatly the advantage. 
 
 Commander Collins gave as an excuse for 
 thusattackingus in a neutral portthat his gov- 
 ernment would never overlook his permitting 
 the Florida to escape him; but I leave it to 
 the reader to decide if the conversation be- 
 tween the representatives of the American 
 consul and Captain Morris, and the previous 
 interviews between the consul and Mr. Porter, 
 looked as if we intended to run away. But 
 supposing that such was our intention, the 
 Wachusett was a heavier ship than ours, and 
 had a larger crew. The formation of the 
 harbor of Bahia was such that a single vessel 
 could have completely sealed it, nor can I 
 think that an enemy who would thus attack 
 us in a neutral port would hesitate long 
 about blockading such port. 
 
 I am glad to be able to say that those 
 officers of the Wachusett who expressed them- 
 selves to us on the subject deprecated the 
 manner in which we were taken; and I should 
 also add that our treatment while on the 
 Wachusett was uniformly courteous, to the 
 extent even of surrendering their rooms to 
 us. Had Captain Morris cared less for his 
 word than he did, the Wachusett would prob- 
 ably have met our fate, as on the night of 
 our arrival, and certainly a portion of the 
 next day, a part of the Wachusett's machin- 
 ery was on shore, and this was known to us 
 at the time. 
 
 As soon as the ship was surrendered, a 
 
 prize crew was placed on board, and all our 
 officers and men transferred to the Wachu- 
 sett, who took the Florida in tow, and pro- 
 ceeded to sea, touching at St. Thomas, 
 where we met the Kearsarge, with the pris- 
 oners taken from the Alabama, arriving in 
 Hampton Roads in due course. Of course a 
 demand was made by Brazil go have the 
 Florida, with her officers and crew, returned 
 to Bahia; but all the beautiful rhetoric of 
 Mr. Seward and the Brazilian minister was 
 cut short when a careless tug accidentally 
 ran into and sank the Florida while lying in 
 deep water in Hampton Roads. 
 
 After this accident we were released from 
 Fort Warren on February 1, and were per- 
 mitted to go to Europe in a Cunarder. We 
 were not allowed to place ourselves under any 
 obligations to the enemy, being permitted to 
 pay our own passage. The captures by the 
 Florida and her tenders, while under the 
 command of Captain Maffitt, amounted to 
 fifty-five vessels; but I have no data which 
 would enable me to give the number cap- 
 tured during Captain Morris's command. 
 They probably amounted to twenty or twenty- 
 five vessels. It was a lively and brilliant 
 entertainment; but John Bull kindly came in 
 when it was at an end, and paid the fiddler. 
 
 It always struck me as a distinction with- 
 out a difference when orders were issued to 
 us to destroy the property of Northern mer- 
 chants, but to respect the property of the 
 officers and crew. In the former case the 
 owner was absent; in the latter he was pres- 
 ent. But our instructions and example in 
 this mode of warfare came from those who 
 were our victims. It is to be hoped, how- 
 ever, that this relic of barbarism will in 
 time be frowned down by the whole family 
 of nations. 
 
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