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Narrator 0:23
From the British blockade of Napoleonic Europe to the international blockade of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, the history of the naval blockade is long. For centuries, nations have understood the importance of economics in conducting war, but can constant economic pressure bloodlessly accomplish military aims. Is it a substitute for combat? Such questions lead us back to America's first great effort at the naval blockade, and to those men determined to break it. You

Narrator 1:03
at 4am on April 12, 1861 Confederate batteries in Charleston thundered the beginning of America's greatest tragedy. The causes were as old as the American nation itself. Arguments over tariff laws, states rights, and of course, that peculiar institution slavery would now be settled with cannon and musket that dark April morning brought two drastically different cultures into conflict, a genteel, aristocratic Southland and a vibrant, industrial north. Whatever the respective merits or sins of these two cultures, the Northern Command quickly grasped one key difference, the North had resources and manufacturing, the South did not. Almost immediately, the Union announced its plan for a blockade of the Confederacy. It was known as the Anaconda Plan, because, like an anaconda snake chokes its victim, so this blockade would choke the South. Without imported supplies and equipment, the Confederacy would die. The truth of this seems plain, but southerners had a different perspective. King Cotton was going to sustain them. The Confederates felt that Britain, which bought 78% of the South's cotton, would send its navy crashing through any blockade. Southerners were sure cotton was much too important, but the British were not coming, at least not directly. Within a month of the war, Queen Victoria issued a proclamation barring her subjects from participating in the hostilities on land or sea. However, it was very loosely interpreted. The Richmond government immediately dispatched agents to Britain to buy needed military supplies. Cargo space was obtained on board the steamship Bermuda, which entered Savannah without incident in September 1861 she brought in 6500 British infield rifles and carried out again without incident, 2000 bales of cotton. The age of the blockade runners had begun. News of the Bermuda's safe and highly profitable journey attracted many southern companies to the blockade running game. A number of British companies soon followed.

Michael Way 3:18
910 of all vessels now engaged in the blockade running business were built and fitted out in England by Englishmen and with English capital and are now owned by Englishmen.

Narrator 3:30
Especially successful was the Anglo Confederate Trading Company, which once paid out dividends of over 2,000% the success of so many blockade runners did not necessarily help the Confederacy. Most of the cargo space was taken by private goods. Cases of brandy and champagne and dresses of silk and satin did nothing to help the war effort. The commander of Fort Fisher, Colonel Lamb and his wife Sarah, often invited blockade runner captains to dinner.

Chris Watkins 4:00
Let me tell you the presents I had from captains in two days, a large bag of white sugar, four bottles of rum, two jars of pickles, a large cheese, six boxes of sardines, a quantity of limes and two pineapples, a box of toilet soap, a half a dozen bottles of claret, one dozen bottles of port, two bottles of brandy and two beef tongues. Isn't that doing very well

Narrator 4:29
seeking a solution to their cargo space problem, the Confederate government bought the steamer Fingle. The fingals run through the blockade was a huge success, but political infighting and personality clashes within the Richmond government delayed an organized blockade running program for over three years. Meanwhile, the Union navy was not oblivious to the emergence of blockade runners. Steadily, the union blockading squadrons grew in numbers and efficiency by focusing on the few southern. Harbors with adequate rail connections to move goods inland, the union blockade tightened. Certainly, some small sailing schooners could always get through the blockade, but it was the larger steamships the union wanted to stop by blockading the few southern deep water ports, deep draft steamships from England could not enter the South. The South countered with a better blockade runner. British steamers would continue to transport southern goods across the Atlantic, but not directly to the south. Instead, the goods were taken to intermediate ports and reloaded onto shallow draft steamers better suited for running into the shallow southern harbors, the sleepy tropical port of St George, Bermuda quickly became a bustling center of blockade runner traffic. Confederate agent Josiah, gorgeous chief of ordinance, chose St George as a major center for Confederate military equipment. Wilmington, 674 miles west, was the main destination for these supplies, the most popular port for blockade runners was Nassau in the Bahamas, home to pirates. A century before, the islands were unnatural for the runners, the native population, generally sympathetic to the south, enjoyed the profits from the trade

Michael Way 6:17
the wharves of Nassau were piled high with cotton during the war, and huge warehouses were stored full of supplies for the Confederacy. At times, the harbor was crowded with lead colored short mastered rakish looking Steamers. The streets alive with the bustle and activity in the day, swarmed with drunken revelers at night, though

Narrator 6:39
less used, Nova Scotia was a useful port of call, since it was free of the dreaded yellow fever epidemics common in the tropical ports, but Nova Scotia proved too far away from Southern ports, and in the end, mainly served as a repair station for damaged blockade runners. Also of importance was the Spanish port of Havana. Cuba. Havana was an excellent port for blockade runners operating around the Gulf of Mexico. Indeed, the run from Havana to New Orleans had great promise when the war began. New Orleans was the South's busiest port before the war, but only a few runs were made before its fall in 1862 with the loss of New Orleans, mobile became the center for Gulf Coast blockade running mobile had an excellent harbor with adequate rail connections, but problems developed in September 1862 Captain John maffet of the Confederate Navy ran his armed commerce Raider The Florida into Mobile Bay in broad daylight. The embarrassed Union fleet was determined to keep maffett from leaving mobile, and tightened the blockade for months, mobile was practically closed. Undaunted by all the attention, Captain maffet determined to make the run out of mobile at 2am on a pitch black January night, the Florida prepared to make her escape. With storms approaching, she eased across the shallow bar red flares shot up from the union ships. The Chase was on all through the next day, the union blockaders chased maffet and his crew, but by evening, the Florida had pulled out of sight with maffetts escape, the blockade of mobile relaxed and runners again used the port cargos coming out of Havana also could make their way to the Texas coast, especially Galveston, but the union occupation of Sabine city and Galveston ended temporarily all significant blockade running on the Texas coast by early 1863 it was clear that most blockade running would be done on The Atlantic coast, principally into Charleston and Wilmington, since the deep water port of Savannah had been closed early in the war, Charleston, resting on the peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper rivers, had not been a center of wartime activities. Since the storm over Fort Sumter blockade running changed all that Charleston was the nearest Confederate port to Nassau, the three day run to Charleston was usually timed to make port at night, preferably a moonless one. The wars along the Cooper River were crowded with cargos of blockade runners and with bales of cotton for them to export. Much of this cotton belonged to the Confederate government, which financed most of its purchases in Great Britain by issuing cotton bonds. With the arrival of the shipment of southern cotton, these bonds could be redeemed. Cotton bonds were used to purchase everything from gunpowder to blockade runners. By 1863 a design for the consummate blockade runner had emerged from the shipyards of England, came vessels specifically built to run the blockade. Most were constructed in the shipyards along the Clyde River in England. While differing in detail, most shared certain features. Their draft was shallow, perhaps as little as eight feet. This was essential to navigate the shallow waters of southern harbors. Side wheel steamers usually over 200 feet in. Length were most common. The decks were stripped down to allow maximum cargo space and a low silhouette. On some runners, the mass could be dropped to lower the ship's profile, a dull white or gray paint was found to best camouflage the ships. In fact, at night, dawn or dusk, they were nearly invisible. In addition, these ships normally burned smokeless anthracite coal, which eliminated the hazards of a smoky trail. The stream of goods through Charleston prompted action by the union in 1863 federal forces landed on Morris Island. The infantry assault was led by the black troops of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. The assault stalled at Battery Wagner for two months, but eventually Union troops took the island, though the Confederates still controlled Sullivan's Island, blockade running became very difficult. From July 1863 until March 1864 only four steamships made the run into Charleston, even with the drop in blockade running, the citizens of Charleston were still the occasional targets of union shelling. They took the nuisance of a stray federal shell with calm and humor.

Chris Watkins 11:11
Here's a chance for your house to have a hole made through it by a Yankee ball and render it historical. The house at number 36 had been struck again. The shell came through the roof into the sullen room. The pieces of shell were scattered all around, and one sticking in the wall, which I charred Robert not to take out, but to leave for Aunt Janey satisfaction to show after the wall

Narrator 11:43
with Charleston effectively closed the Center for blockade running, moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington was the perfect site for blockade running. The city, while modest in size, was located 28 miles up the Cape Fear River, safe from naval bombardment. Wilmington possessed excellent rail connections, especially the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, which carried supplies north to Robert E Lee's troops. The Cape Fear River provided runners with two entrances, old inlet and new inlet, the preferred entrance cut by a hurricane in the 1600s new inlet was protected by the guns of Fort Fisher. Fort Fisher, which began as a series of unconnected earthworks, was engineered by Colonel William lamb into the most impressive coastal fortification of the war. The guns of the mound battery and battery Buchanan turned back many a pursuing federal blockator. The Cape Fear area was a nightmare for the blockading fleet. Not only did they have to contend with Fort Fisher, but the two entrances to the Cape Fear River were separated by frying pan shoals projecting south for miles, forcing the blockaders to form two separate squadrons. Standard blockade practice called for two picket lines, an outer line well offshore and a more formidable line closer in blockade. Runners tried to skirt the pickets by running in well north of New inlet, then making their way tight along the shoreline. Then under the guidance of a knowledgeable Cape Fear River pilot, the runner would make the dangerous dash through the blockade.

Michael Way 13:16
Soon there is added to the incessant noise of wind and waves the ominous roar of the breakers as the surf complains to the shore and the deep sea lead gives warning of shoaling water. Are you ready to take her? Pilot? Ready, sir? Slow down, steady. Port, port, hard of port. She is now in the thick of the blockading Squadron, and suddenly, out of the darkness comes a horse hail, heave two or I'll sink you, followed by the blinding glare of rocks and the roar of heavy guns, the range of four Fisher's guns is yet a mile away. Will she make it? A shell explodes above them, smashing the wheelhouse. Another shell tears away the starboard paddle box as she flies like lightning past the nearest cruiser, a sudden roar from purple lambs artillery warns of pursuers that they have reached their limitations. A close shave gym was all the captain said. It was, sir for a fact was the pilot's answer.

Narrator 14:19
The city of Wilmington had ceased to be her former self by 1863 no longer the leisurely home of southern gentility. She now more closely resembled the frontier town of Dodge City.

Chris Watkins 14:32
Last night, we were treated to a murder right under our windows. One of the lynxes crew went into a bar kept by a notorious fellow named Kelly. Soon after, the man emerged, closely pursued by Kelly, who fired at him as he ran, I

Michael Way 14:50
saw the murdered man on the forecastle of the Lynx. He looked like a dead Tiger. His comrades were munching their breakfast around him with the most perfect indifference. He. The

Narrator 15:00
constant presence of young blockade runner crews, usually British, led many wilmingtonians to move out of the city. One who stayed, however, was Miss Mary Ann Bowie. Mary had a strong dislike for Thomas Crenshaw, manager of several blockade runners. She stated publicly that she hoped his ship would wreck, and that night it did. So did the next runner. Crenshaw sent out. Soon every captain was worried about Miss Bowie's curse, seldom his history brought together a wilder group than the blockade runners. They ranged from loyal southern patriots to British profiteers. Blockade running required a cool hand and a quick mind, for the ship could not fight back, or the crew would face charges of piracy and be executed. When Captain Lewis Coxeter was pursued by a federal blockator, he coolly went below deck, pulled out his Colt revolver, pointed it at his engineer, and told him to get up more steam, or else, when Captain Bono, another successful blockade runner captain was confronted by the Union blockader Nippon. He ordered his pilot to put on more steam and run the blockator down. Blockade running could have its lighter moments. Michael P arcina, the youngest man to Captain a runner always sailed with his dog tinker. Tinker was or seen as good luck charm, and arcina never sailed without him. Once offered 500 in gold for his dog. Arsena refused to part with Tinker. British captain Augustus, Charles Hobart Hampton, on leave from the British Navy, personified the profit motive. Like most captains, he was allowed, in addition to a large salary, to carry a certain amount of cargo for private speculations. Captain Hobart imported everything from girdles to coffin nails, both were in great demand. Captain Hobart, also known as Captain Hewitt, carried a cargo of a different sort when he captained the new runner Condor on a trip from Nova Scotia to Wilmington in October 1864 on board was none other than Rose greenow, the rebel rose, famous Confederate spy and southern patriot. She was returning from England with gold earned from the publication of her book advocating the southern cause. The Condor ran aground off New England with memories of her stay in a federal prison fresh in her mind, rebel rose pressed the captain to launch a boat for sure, against the captain's wishes, a small boat was lowered into the pounding surf. It capsized immediately and Rose weighted down by the leather bag of gold coins she was carrying to the Confederacy. Sank beneath the waves, Rose green owl was by no means the only woman to run through the blockade. Women were frequent passengers on blockade runners and one captain was led to comment. My

Michael Way 17:50
observation of the fair sex under trying and novel circumstances has convinced me that they face inevitable dangers more bravely than men. I have frequently seen a frail, delicate woman standing erect and unflinching upon the deck as the shells were whistling and bursting over us, while her lawful protector would be cowering under a cotton bale.

Narrator 18:15
By March 1864, the Confederate government belatedly enacted a comprehensive blockade running program. In essence, the plan demanded one half the cargo space on privately owned blockade runners. The owners were compensated, and though they complained bitterly, they kept their ships in service. In addition, by April, the Confederates began a serious program of purchasing their own blockade runners, with the help of the Liverpool based firm of Frazier Trenholm and Company. George Trenholm, a Charleston businessman, had been heavily involved in blockade running from the beginning of the war, when Trenholm was appointed secretary of the Confederate treasury, blockade runners gained a knowledgeable supporter in Richmond, North Carolina, Governor Zebulun Vance took issue with the new Confederate policy advances, urging the state had bought its own Clyde river steamer and rechristened her the advance. The vessel was fast at 20 knots and well designed. Her crew was experienced and mostly British, but her officers were mainly Southerners. The regularity

Michael Way 19:18
of her trips was remarkable and could be forecast almost to the very day. Indeed, it was common to hear upon the streets the almost stereotyped remark, tomorrow the advance will be in and when the morrow came, she could generally be seen gliding up to her dock.

Narrator 19:36
The advance completed 14 successful trips in her career, providing North Carolina troops with equipment and the state with some profits. Governor Vance's scheme included purchasing cotton within the state for export on the advance with funds made from the sale of cotton, the advance would load up in Bermuda with supplies, munitions, shoes, blankets and bacon, all aimed at making North Carolina. Atlanta troops, the best equipped in the Confederacy. The plan also benefited civilians. The advance imported 112,000 cotton cards used to make cotton yarn, which helped many North Carolina families make their own clothing. But troubles for Governor Vance and his namesake vessel began when one half interest in the ship was sold to private investors. Confederate Regulations now applied to the advance. The restrictions in meddling from Richmond aggravated Vance to no end when the advance was at last captured in September of 64 Vance was quick to blame the Confederate government, insisting that the advance was lost because her supply of anthracite coal was commandeered for a cruiser. He felt that without the hard coal, her black smoke trail gave her away to the blockade. However, records show that coal seizures actually began weeks after the loss of the advance. But her story doesn't end here. Since blockading crews got a share of any cargo seized, it was much more profitable to capture a blockade runner than to sink it, as was common practice, the advance was taken north, armed with cannon, and converted to a union blockator stationed off Cape Fear she patrolled the very waters she once had run. Converted blockade runners made up such a portion of the federal blockading fleet that some captains making the run would slip through the blockade by simply showing United States colors and pretending to be a blockading vessel. By the end of 1864 the union at last, decided to close the Port of Wilmington for good. This could only be done by capturing the Confederate Goliath Fort Fisher which is exactly why it had not been attempted sooner. In December, a federal Armada appeared off the fort. After landing a small army ashore, General Benjamin Butler took one close look at the defenses and left. But in January, the Federals returned and launched a well planned attack on the fort. The 1500 Confederate defenders held on bravely, but the combination of naval bombardment and overwhelming land assault was too much Fort Fisher surrendered. Wilmington was soon to follow. The blockade runners had lost their main port, Charleston, however, still offered some hope. Since March 1864 a few blockade runners had been able to steam in and out of the city. One of the last runners to make use of Charleston Harbor was the little Hattie, under the command of Captain H s Levy. In February, little Hattie made a run into Charleston that would not soon be forgotten. In the black of night, she slipped past the outer line of blockading vessels, but a union gunboat on the inner line spotted her and immediately opened fire. Flares went up and the rest of the fleet joined the chase. As she cut East past Fort Sumter, the Hattie now confronted two barges manned by Union troops who opened fire with rifles. No sooner had Captain Levy and the Hattie escaped the hail of rifle fire. Then she ran into the path of a union monitor that opened fire at such close range that Captain levy could hear the Union commander call out firing orders. Miraculously, the Hattie survived the gauntlet and glided into dock. But little Hattie's run was all in vain. Charleston was already being evacuated under a fierce union barrage offshore. Captain John Wilkinson observed the bombardment from aboard his Runner The chameleon, and sadly commented,

Michael Way 23:31
I was tempted to force the pilot to make the attempt in but finally yielded to his assurances that access was impossible under the circumstances, as this was the last night when the bar could be crossed during the dark hours, the course of the chameleon was again and for the last time, shaped for Nassau. As we turned away from land, our hearts sank within us, while the conviction forced itself upon us that the cause for which so much blood had been shed, so many miseries, bravely endured, so many sacrifices cheerfully made, was about to perish at last,

Narrator 24:08
and so it did perish with the fall of Charleston and Wilmington, the lifeline of the Confederacy was severed. So what of these blockade runners? Did these men managed to outwit the union blockade. It seems that to a degree, they did while the federal blockade caused severe hardships for civilians, especially with items such as coffee, sugar, cloth and medicine. It also seems clear that huge quantities of military supplies continued to be brought through in 1864 when the union blockade was at full strength, the Confederacy still imported 26,000 rifles, 1 million pounds of saltpeter for gunpowder, and 290,000 pairs of shoes. Profits were just too alluring. The Confederate meat supply is a classic example. While J. General Grant's armies died in the trenches near Richmond, their Confederate adversaries were fed on meat raised in the northern states. Supplies of Midwestern meat would be shipped to Canada or England, where they were immediately resold to Confederate agents and sent through the blockade, eventually to Lee's troops. The main southern problem was not the blockade, but inadequate internal transportation. There were simply not enough rail connections to move incoming supplies to the front. In addition, the need to rely on private companies to fill public needs created problems. Patriotism often took a back seat to profit. And of course, the confused and petty nature of the Richmond government made coordinated blockade running next to impossible, and one of the men who ran the blockade were they patriotic heroes who risked their lives for homeland, or simply glorified smugglers? Certainly, both views carry some truth, perhaps the Wilmington daily journal best summed up the southern view of the blockade runner.

Michael Way 26:04
The men who run the blockade have to be men who can stand fire without returning it. It is a business in which every man takes his life into his own hands, and he so understands it. An ordinary, brave man has no business on a blockade runner. He who makes a success of it is obliged to have the cunning of a fox, the patience of Job and the bravery of a spartan warrior. The runners must not be armed and must not resist. They must simply be cool and quick and watchful and for the rest, trust to God and their good ship to deliver them safely to their friends and keep them from harm's way.

Narrator 26:44
So ended a unique era in Naval History. You