386 NortH Carouina Troops, 1861-’65.

Fla., that he had his first experience of ‘yellow jack’ and
came near losing his life. His first independent command
was the Gallatin. He commanded also the brig Dolphin
and several others. He was engaged under Professor Bache
for some years on the coast survey, and was of great service to
the professor, which the latter was not slow to acknowledge.
Much of their work was in the harbors of Nantucket, Charles-
ton, Wilmington and Savannah. A channel in the harbor
of Charleston still bears his name.

“In January, 1860, while in command of the Crusader,
and also acting as paymaster of the vessel, he was ordered
by the Secretary of the Navy to proceed to Mobile and there
cash a check on the collector of the port for prize money due
the officers and crew. The city being agitated at the time by
the ordinance of secession just passed by the State of Ala-
bama, he was forced to put his vessel in a defensive position
and soon retired to the port of Havana. Here, failing to ne-
gotiate with the Bank of Havana for the funds requisite for
the necessities of the vessel, he advanced from his private
funds the money needed to work the steamer to New York,
where he was ordered. He turned the steamer over to the
proper authorities and went to Washington to settle his ac-
counts. His cash accounts received no attention, though for
several months he was a constant applicant for settlement.
A trying position was his since his wife was dead and his
children had no kinsfolk save in North Carolina. If he re-
mained in the navy his property, which was all North,
would be secured to him. All that appealed to his interests
lay there. Love of profession was entwined with every
fibre of his being. On the other hand he would have been com-
pelled to fight against his people—perhaps fired upon the
very home that had sheltered him and was then sheltering his
defenceless children. One night a friend informed him that
his name was down for arrest the next day. His affections
drew him South. Tis resignation having been accepted, he
felt free to leave and cast his fortunes with his people.

“His war record is well known. Captain Maffitt reached
Nassau 16 May, 1862, and at the request of Captain Bul-
lock, Confederate navy agent in Europe, he took charge of

a ae ren einstein: Amgen rs owt

tinea

peel anng hasta aeiaaisaN aia ae

eestor

PAT ere RROD

Brockape Runnina. 387

the gunboat Oreto, afterwards christened the Florida, and
hastened to sea. Afterwards he was in command of the
blockade-runners Lilian, Owl and other vessels engaged. in
bringing in supplies and munitions of war for the South.
His Tilinnt career on the seas continued until the failure
of a health compelled his resignation in April or June,
186

ef the close of the war, his pr ‘operty confiscated and he an
exile, he applied for a dccavendt in the English merchant ser-
vice and was given the command of a fine steamer running
between Liverpool and Rio Janeiro. She was subsequently
sold to the Brazilian Government, and used as an army trans-
port. While conveying several hundred soldiers to the scene
of action, smallpox joaee out among them, and as the well
refused to nurse the sick or bury the dead, these duties de-
volved upon Captain Maffitt, and a fearful time he had—
‘sickening to the last degree’—he described it; and the sol-
diers were mutinuous and without discipline. He retained
command of this steamer for eighteen months, when at the
urgent entreaty of his family, he resigned the command and
came home. He soon after purchased a small farm near
Wilmington, where he resided for nearly eighteen years. In
July, 1885, he moved to Wilmington. For a year or two
his health had been failing, but he determined to make a
brave effort to retrieve his fortunes and provide for his young
family. The disappointment of that hope was too great a
shock for his feeble frame; the thought that he could no
longer provide for his loved ones broke his heart. After an
illness of more than three mothe, he died on 15 May, 1886,
in the 68th year of his age.’ .

The followi ring experience of Captain Maffitt in running the
blockade, i is told by himself:

“In consequence of my knowledge of the Southern coast,
IT was ordered to command one of the steamers offered to the

. government by Frazier, Trenholm & Co., of Charleston, S.

C. She was reported to be unusually fast, and could stow to
advantage 700 bales of cotton. With the cargo on board we
departed from Wilmington and before sunset anchored off
the village of Smithville (Southport). Twilight afforded an