456 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

erate States. By some error in calculation, instead of making
Cape Fear Light at 3 a. m., as was intended, they made the
light on Cape Lookout, a long distance out of their course.
What was best to be done was the question to be solved, and to
be solved at once, for daylight comes very soon in J uly. The
ship had scarcely enough coal in her bunkers to take her back
to the port she had left and almost certain capture stared them
in the face should they attempt to run in. It was determined,
however, to make the attempt to get in. The ship was headed
for New Inlet and, hugging the shore as closely as possible,
with all steam on, she dashed down the coast with the speed
of a thoroughbred on a hotly contested race-course. Fortunately,
at that time many persons were engaged in making salt on the
coast, and the smoke rising from the works created a cloud, or
mist, which concealed the ship from the blockaders, although
it was broad day; but as she neared the inlet she was compelled
to change her course further out to sea on account of a shoal,
or spit, that makes out into the ocean at that point, and she was
immediately discovered by the blockading fleet, that opened fire
upon her and gave chase like a pack of hounds in eager pursuit
of a much coveted quarry. It was a most trying situation, for
the ship was compelled to keep her course, although it carried
her nearer and nearer to the enemy, until she could round the
shoal and run in towards the land, when she would be in com-
parative safety. Round shot and shell were flying around her in
every direction, but she held steadily on, though rushing, as it
seemed, to certain destruction, when suddenly a roar was heard
from the fort—the heavy guns upon the mound had opened
upon the pursuers and with such effect as to check their speed
and force them to retire; and the gallant ship, which had been
so hard pressed, soon rounded the shoal and was safe beneath
the sheltering guns of the fort.

“But the pitcher that goes often to the fountain is broken at
last, and the time came when the career of the Advance, as a
blockade runner, was to cease forever. She was captured on
her outward trip a few miles from our coast, owing to an in-
ferior quality of coal she was compelled to use, which was very
bituminous and emitted a black smoke that betrayed her to the
watchful eyes of the fleet, and, being surrounded by them, she
was obliged to surrender with her cargo of cotton, her officers
and crew becoming prisoners. She was a noble ship, greatly
endeared to the people of our State, and her capture was felt
by all as a personal calamity.

Blockade Running 457

“In 1867 she made her reappearance in the waters of »
Cape Fear as the United States man-of-war Frolic, sent to this
port to prevent the Cuban warship Cuba from leaving Wilming-
ton, which duty was successfully performed. It happened on
that occasion that Capt. George Morrison, her former engineer,
met some of her officers and was asked by them her rate of
speed while he had charge of her engines. He replied, ‘Seven-
teen knots, easily.’ ‘Impossible,’ they said, ‘for we have not
been able to get more than eight or nine out of her. —
thing wrong then,’ said the captain, ‘and, unless you have made

some alterations in her machinery, I will guarantee srg
her to Smithville at a rate of seventeen knots an hour. e

was cordially invited on board to examine, did so, and found

that they had placed a damper where it ought not to pasate
prevented the generation of steam. He removed it, - ri
ran down to Smithville at a rate of nineteen knots an hour, to

the creat surprise of all on board. =
As Captain Morrison held such an important position on the

Advance and was so competent and reliable, it is thought that a
brief sketch of his early life will not be out of place in this
volume. He was born in Philadelphia, served four years in a
machine shop, and at the expiration of his service removed to

Baltimore, where he was appointed engineer on one of =~
Chesapeake Bay boats ; subsequently he was chief engineer 0 -
steamer plying between Norfolk, Old Point Comfort, and the
eastern and western shores of the peninsular counties of ‘Vir-
ginia. He came to Wilmington about 1540 and was appointed
assistant engineer on the steamer Gladiator, running between
Wilmington and Charleston. When the boat was sold, he be-
came a conductor on the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, and
served with great acceptability for a number of years. He
made six trips on the Advance, but was not on board when =
was captured. For more than fifty years he was a citizen 0
Wilmington and enjoyed in his ripe old age, as in earlier years,

the general esteem of the community.

“Another engineer on the Advance was Capt. James a

an Irishman, who on her last trip was chief engineer. : er

her capture, the Advance was carried into New where

Captain Maglenn escaped and got to Baltimore. ere some