426 Norra Carona Troops, 1861-’65.

leave, he returned home, and fretting under the dull routine
of service ashore, accepted the command of the entire Turkish
Navy, at the outbreak of the war with his old antagonists, the
Russians. He died in 1886 and was buried in the English
Cemetery at Scutari. Following is his account of adventures
in blockade-running to Wilmington :

“We left the quay at Wilmington, cheered by the hurrahs
of our brother blockade-runners, who were taking in and dis-
charging their cargoes, and steamed a short distance down the
river, where we were boarded to be searched and smoked.
This latter extraordinary proceeding, called for, perhaps, by
the existing state of affairs, took me altogether aback. That
a smoking apparatus should be applied to a cargo of cotton
seemed almost astounding. But it was so ordered, the object
being to search for runaways, and, strange to say, its efficacy
was apparent, when, after an hour or more’s application of
the process (which was by no means a gentle one) an unfortu-
nate wretch, crushed almost to death by the closeness of his
hiding place, poked with a long stick until his ribs must have
been like touchwood, and smoked the color of a backwoods
Indian, was dragged by the heels into daylight, ignomin-
ously put into irons and hurled into the guard boat. This
discovery nearly caused the detention of the vessel on suspi-
cion of our being the accomplice of a runaway ; but after some
deliberation, we were allowed to go on.

“Having steamed down the river a distance of about 20
miles, we anchored at 2 o’elock in the afternoon near its
mouth. We were hidden by Fort Fisher from the blockading
squadron lying off the bar, there to remain till some time
after nightfall. After we anchored we went on shore to
take a peep at the enemy from the batteries. Its command-
ant, a fine, dashing young Confederate officer (Colonel
Lamb), who was a firm friend of blockade-runners, accom-
panied us around the fort. We counted twenty-five vessels
under way; some of them occasionally ventured within
range, but no sooner had one of them done so than a shot
was thrown so unpleasantly near that she at once moved out
again.

“We were much struck with the weakness of Fort Fisher,

 

BLocKADE RUNNING. 427

which, with a garrison of 1,200 men, and only half finished,
could have easily been taken at any time since the war began
by a resolute body of 5,000 men making a night attack. It is
true that at the time of its capture it was somewhat stronger
than at the time I visited it, but even then its garrison was
comparatively small, and its defences unfinished. I fancy
the bold front so long, shown by its occupiers had much to do
with the fact that such an attack was not attempted till just
before the close of the war.

“The time chosen for our starting was 11 o’clock, at which
hour the tide was at its highest on the bar at the entrance of
the river. Fortunately the moon set about 10 and as it was
very cloudy we had every reason to expect a pitch-dark night.
There were two or three causes that made one rather more
nervous on this occasion than when leaving Bermuda.

“In the first place, five minutes after we had crossed the
bar we should be in the thick of the blockaders, who always
closed nearer in on the very dark nights. Secondly, our
cargo of cotton was of more importance than the goods we
earried in; and thirdly, it was the thing to do to make the
double trip in and out safely. There were also all manner
of reports of the new plans that had been arranged by a zeal-
ous Commodore lately sent from New York to catch us all.
However, it was of no use canvassing these questions, so at a
quarter of 11 we weighed anchor and steamed down to the
entrance of the river.

“Very faint lights, which could not be seen far at sea, were
set on the beach in the same position as I have heretofore de-
scribed, having been thus placed for vessels coming in; and
bringing these astern in exact line, that is, the two into one,
we knew that we were in the passage for going over the bar.
The order was then given, ‘Full speed ahead,’ and we shot
at a grand speed out to sea.

“Our troubles began almost immediately; for the cruisers
had placed a rowing barge, which could not be seen by the
forts, close to the entrance, to signalize the direction which
any vessel that came out might take. This was done by rock-
ets being thrown up by a designed plan from the barge. We
had hardly cleared the bar when we saw this boat very near