; 423
4292 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River Be Blockade Running

more revolutions out of the engines.’ He went below, and I took
forty-five bales of cotton from forward, rolled them abaft the
paddles, cut them open, so that the enemy could make no use
of them, and threw them overboard. ‘The loose cotton floating
in our wake caused him to deviate from his course occasionally,

age, respectively, but each had received his baptism of fire in
Virginia—Bradford, with a Virginia artillery company; Hor-
sey, with the Washington Artillery, of Charleston; and I, with
the Oglethorpe Light Infantry, of Savannah. Yet, though long in

the service, not one of us three ever saw the inside of a Federal io +3 a A uack dae aes
prison. Such were the men who supplied the munitions of war, which helped us some. About this time wassard se

: a g
clothing, and food for our armies up to the close of the war, come down to the pee where he said: ena -
while the United States Government, with an immense fleet of getting all the revolutions possible out of the CNEMECS. =
ships and the whole world to draw upon, was powerless to following steam full stroke; this is a new ship, first voyage 5
prevent it. these boilers are, I hope, good English iron. All there is now

“When I was promoted to the command of the Mary Celeste, between us and eternity are these ee Fa —_ —_
I was fortunate to have associated with me as brave and faith- there is on them I don’t know.’ He had a kedge an

ful a set of officers as ever fell to the lot of any man; and I fast to the safety valve. In my opinion it takes a mighty brave

; d found the
needed them, for I was the boy captain, the youngest man to =en to do that. I went on deck, ig the — Newer toad
command a blockade runner. My chief engineer was John ship to be making raw _— ~~ nse eth ot there
Sassard, of Charleston, and I have never known a better engi- -_ “Al : fat —— — <i a ae spat her” We
neer nor a more conscientious Christian gentleman. I never is no ship pie 5 f ite = Sa sot euns and enabled to
knew him to take a drink, and I never heard an oath issue from , were ws out o - 4 ac ket ot oe a
his lips. Shrinking from anything like notoriety, he was a true manele Se Prere d +s first assistant engineer
Confederate and as brave as brave could be. I think one of rated -_ aie = ot ke ee Be sg et life
the best illustrations of his nerve was an incident that occurred Midd = te 5 t the mouth of the “Mersey with very
on my first voyage in command. We had succeeded in getting pone she Wee Soe? s the heroic
through the blockade off Wilmington and shaped a course for iteely. ll: hands. yee Seen

Bermuda. Daylight found us in the Gulf Stream, the weather McKay , who afterwards drove the Armstrong es a —
dirty, raining, and a heavy sea, our ship small and heavily while three ships were raining shot and shell at her. My pilot,

loaded. The rain clearing away, there was disclosed to our view Thomas M. Thompson, of Wilmington, was another officer who

a large brig-rigged steamer within easy gunshot, with all her knew no fear.

canvas set, bearing down upon us. I found out afterwards that “To illustrate more fully the kind of men with whom I ae
she was the steamship Fulton, a very fast ship built for the associated, I will relate a few incidents that occurred on boar

passenger trade between New York and Havre, France the Atalanta on her last run into Wilmington, when she ye
? . °.* . e
“We altered our course head to wind and sea, causing the turned over to the naval authorities and converted into t

chasing steamer to do the same and to take in her sails, which cruiser T'allahassee. — ee
gave us a little advantage; but she was a large, able ship, and “Just before leaving Bermuda for Wilmington, several of

i ts to get
made good weather, while our little craft would bury herself our fastest ships —— —————— oe iil
clean out of sight, taking the green seas in over the forecastle. into the Confederacy and reported that the

Calling Mr. Sassard, I said: ‘John, this will never do. That alive with the enemy’s ships and that it was impossible to get

ip wi d I determined
ship will soon sink us or catch us unless we do better.’ He read a We were ready for 3 igs = Willcacaston
answered in his quiet manner: ‘Captain, I am doing all that 0 make the trial. We approached the en

ight 3 ] ly one da
a sane man dare do.’ “Then,’ said I, ‘you must be insane, and Harbor on a beautiful moonlight night in July, only y

: ing the blockaders the
that quick, for it is destruction or Fort Lafayette for us, and I a the full moon. a ee gegen gate a
would rather go to the former. I am going to lighten her for- cers and men were notified tha

- 2 ; h against us. (There were
ward, so that she will go into the sea easier, and you must get made, with the chances very much ag (

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