Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

RESCUE OF MADAME DerROSSET.

In the summer of 1864, while the Lilian was undergoing
repairs, we found at the shipyard in Wilmington the noted
blockade runner Lynx, commanded by one of the most daring
spirits in the service, Captain Reed. This officer has been de-
scribed in a Northern magazine as a pirate, but he was one of
the mildest mannered of gentlemen, a capital seaman, and ap-
parently entirely devoid of fear. He had previously commanded
the Gibraltar, formerly the first Confederate cruiser Sumter;
and he brought through the blockade in this ship to Wilmington
the two enormous guns which attracted so much attention at that
time. One of them exploded, through a fault in loading; the
other was used for the defense of Charleston, and rendered
effective service.

A thrilling incident occurred in the destruction of the Lynx,
a few weeks after we left her at Wilmington, which nearly
terminated the life of a brave and charming lady, the wife of
Mr. Louis H. DeRosset, and of her infant child, who were
passengers for Nassau. At half past seven o’clock on the even-
ing of September 26, 1864, the Lynx attempted to run the
blockade at New Inlet, but was immediately discovered in the
Swash Channel by the Federal cruiser Niphon, which fired
several broadsides into her at short range, nearly every shot
striking her hull and seriously disabling her. Notwithstanding
this, Captain Reed continued his efforts to escape, and for a
short time was slipping away from his pursuers; but he was
again intercepted by two Federal men-of-war, the H owquah
and the Governor Buckingham,

Mrs. DeRosset, describing the scene a few days afterwards,
said: “Immediately the sky was illuminated with rockets, and
broadside upon broadside, volley upon volley, was poured upon
us. The captain put me in the wheelhouse for safety. I had
scarcely taken my seat when a ball passed three inches above
my head, wounding the man at the wheel next to me; a large
piece of the wheelhouse knocked me violently on the head. I
flew to the cabin and took my baby in my arms, and immediately
another ball passed through the cabin. We came so near one
of the enemy’s boats that they fired a round of musketry and
demanded surrender. We passed them like lightning; then our

 

Blockade Running 451

vessel commenced sinking! Eight shots went through ;
through below the water line. I stayed in the cabin unti

ade runner at so short range that her commander fired all the
charges from his revolver at Captain Reed and his pilot on =
bridge. The continual flashing of the guns brightly eam 2
the chase and, escape being impossible, Captain Reed, muc
concerned for the safety of his passengers, headed his sinking
ship for the beach. In the meantime Fort Fisher was —
upon his pursuers with deadly effect, killing and woun oe:
five men on the Howquah and disabling one of the ag : e
sea was very rough that night, and the treacherous ne ers
with their deafening roar afforded little hope of Jan 4
woman and a baby through the surf; nevertheless, it was the
only alternative, and right bravely did the heroine meet it.
Through the breakers the Lyna was driven to her destruction,
the shock, as her keel struck the bottom, sending her crew head-
long on the deck. Boats were lowered with great difficulty, the
sea dashing over the bulwarks and drenching the sailors to the
point of strangulation. Madame DeRosset, with the utmost
coolness, watched her chance, while the boat lurched and

pounded against the stranded ship, and jumped to her place;

the baby, wrapped in a blanket, was tossed from the deck to her

mother ten feet below, and then the fight for a landing began;

while the whole crew, forgetful of their own danger, and in-
Spired with courage by the brave lady’s example, joined in
three hearty cheers as she disappeared in the darkness towards
the shore. Under the later glare of the burning ship, which
was set on fire when abandoned, a safe landing was effected, but
with great suffering. Soaking wet, without food or drink, they
remained on the beach until a message could reach Colonel
Lamb at Fort Fisher, five miles distant, whence an ambulance
was sent to carry the passengers twenty miles up to Wilming-
ton. The baby blockade runner, Gabrielle, survived this peril-

_0us adventure, and also an exciting run through the fleet in
the Confederate steamer Owl. She is now the widow of the

late Col. Alfred Moore Waddell, formerly mayor of Wil-
mington.

 

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