The Narrative of a Blockade-Runner

E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Martin Pettit, and the Project Gutenberg
Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net)



Transcriber's note:

   Some obvious typographical errors have been corrected. The use
   of double quotation marks for quotations within quotations has
   been retained as in the original, and the reader's attention
   is called to the author's failure to close some quotations.





THE NARRATIVE OF A BLOCKADE-RUNNER.

by

J. WILKINSON,
Captain in the Late Confederate States Navy.







New York:
Sheldon & Company,
8 Murray Street.
1877
Copyright,
Sheldon & Company,
1877.




PREFACE.


In deference to the judgment of two or three literary friends, I have
entitled this, my first attempt at authorship, "The Narrative of a
Blockade-runner." They do not agree with Shakspeare that "a rose by any
other name would smell as sweet," to the reading public; nor that it is
always advisable to call a thing by its proper name. It will be seen,
however, by any reader who has the patience to peruse the work, that it
embraces a wider scope than its title would imply. I have endeavored to
give a full account of the passage by the U. S. fleet of the forts below
New Orleans; and to contribute some facts that will probably settle the
controversy, in the judgment of the reader, as to the real captors of
that city. "Honor to whom honor is due."

It will be seen that I have been favored with access to Commodore
Mitchell's official report of that conflict, a document never published.
The information derived from it, added to facts and circumstances
coming under my personal observation, furnishes the means of laying
before the public an account of that action from a new point of view.

In bearing testimony to the kind and humane treatment of the prisoners
of war at Fort Warren, I perform a most grateful duty. It was my good
fortune to be captured and held a prisoner, before the "retaliatory"
measures were adopted by the United States Government.

I have contributed some new, and, I hope, interesting facts about the
manner in which blockade running was conducted.

I cannot do better than furnish the following extract from a literary
friend's letter to me in reference to this effort of mine. "I am
particularly glad, believing as I do, that such a volume will help to
the production of that state of mind, North and South, which every good
man wishes to see grow. It is only necessary that we shall all fall into
the habit of talking and writing about war matters without feeling; that
we shall forget the bitterness of the conflict in our interest in its
history; and if you or I can amuse Northern readers, or entertain them
with our recollections, we shall certainly leave them in a pleasanter
and better state of mind than we found them in."

I should be happy to believe that I had contributed, in ever so small a
degree, to this consummation so devoutly to be wished for. But I would
make no sacrifice of principle nor of interest to achieve this end.

While accepting the situation consequent upon the unsuccessful appeal to
arms, the Southern people do not stultify themselves by professing to
renounce their conviction of their right and duty in having responded to
the call to defend their respective States from invasion.

But they believe that the war was conducted by the Confederate
Government in a spirit of humanity. Conceiving it to be the duty of
every southern man to submit any testimony in his possession relating to
this subject, and especially to the treatment of prisoners of war, I
have quoted some passages from a "Vindication of the Confederacy against
the charge of Cruelty to Prisoners." This work was recently published by
the Southern Historical Society, and was compiled by the Rev. J. Wm.
Jones, D.D., author of "Personal Reminiscences of Gen. R. E. Lee." The
candid and dispassionate student of History, in seeking after the
truth, should read this work before forming a judgment upon this point,
which has, perhaps, caused more bitter resentments among the Northern
people than all the other deplorable events of our civil strife
combined.

WOODSIDE, AMELIA CO., VA., Oct. 15th, 1876.




CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I.
                                                                 PAGE

Secession of Virginia.--Service at Fort Powhatan.--Volunteers
at the Big Guns.--"Wide Awake" Clubs.--Want of preparation in
Virginia.--Fort Powhatan abandoned.--Service at Acquia
Creek.--The "Tigers."--Coal Mining on the Potomac.                 15


CHAPTER II.

Ordered to New Orleans.--The Naval Fleet there.--The "River
Defence" Squadron.--The iron-clad "Louisiana."--Difficulty in
managing the Fleet.--Going down the River.--Want of
concert.--Admiral Farragut.--Our crew.                             29


CHAPTER III.

The 24th April.--Passage of the United States Fleet.--After
the Storm.--The "River Defence" boats.--The Refuge in the
Bayou.--Surrender of the Forts.--Extracts from Commodore
Mitchell's official Report.--Council of War.--Destruction of
the "Louisiana."--Our Surrender.--General B.