Isaac Oxford said, "If you will hold my gun, I will pray;" but instead of praying for the men, he thanked God that they were to be brought to justice, and that none of the party had been killed. After this Rev. W. R. Gwaltney offered an earnest prayer for them, and then they were shot, "as nearly in strict conformity to military usage as these old Confederate soldiers, under the excitement of the occasion, could conform to." After the prisoners were shot, the fort was set on fire. When the flames reached the cellar, the firing of guns was like a hot skirmish. Wade's men had stored away a great many loaded guns and a large quantity of ammunition. Wade was seen in the vicinity several days after. He claimed to have been a major in Stonemen's command and a native of Michigan. He said that he had escaped to the Yadkin river from the fort and had hid under the banks until night; that in searching for him the soldiers had frequently come within six feet of him. On the way back to Alexander county Captain Cowan, from Iredell, was met with a small body of men on their way to Fort Hamby. Also a company of Federal troops, then stationed in Statesville, were met on their way to the fort. They were told what had been done. "The captain ordered three cheers, which the men gave with a good will." (Dr. W. C. Green.) The bodies of Linney and Brown were brought back home for final burial. Though all the desperadoes were not brought to justice, this completely broke up their depredations. ROBERT L. FLOWERS. NOTE.—The information for this article was obtained from Hon. R. Z. Linney, Colonel George W. Flowers, Rev. W. R. Gwaltney, and Dr. W. C. Green, all of whom took an active part in the capture of the fort. 18 [From the Richmond (Va ) Dispatch, Sunday, November 24, 1895] CRUISE OF THE CLARENCE, TACONY-ARCHER. Read's Daring Exploits. HOW HE CARRIED TERROR TO THE NORTHERN PORTS. Left a Blazing Path-Desperate Federal Pursuit of the Little Rover- Some Exciting Incidents. On the 6th day of May, 1863, the American brig Clarence, bound from Rio de Janeiro to Baltimore, with a cargo of coffee, was captured off the coast of Brazil by the Confederate States steamer Florida, Captain John N. Maffitt, Confederate States navy, commanding. Lieutenant Charles W. Read, Confederate States navy, an officer of the Florida, a young Mississippian, of scarce twenty-three years, filled with a patriotic devotion to the cause of the Confederacy, immediately proposed to take the Clarence, with a crew of twenty men, and proceed to Hampton Roads, Virginia, and there cut out a gunboat or steamer, with which it was his intention to go on a raid against the Federal commerce. Captain Maffitt granted his request, gave him a howitzer, with ammunition and equipments, and the necessary small arms for a crew of twenty men, and bade him God-speed. Read was accompanied by Second-Assistant-Engineer E. H. Brown, so that, altogether, he had twenty-one men, besides himself. He immediately shaped his course for the capes of the Chesapeake Bay, drilling his crew, and preparing them for the arduous service which was expected of them. He also kept the men busy making wooden guns, as he sailed northward, to supply in appearance what he lacked in reality. Off the Windward Islands he chased several weeks, but failed to overhaul them, on account of the inferior sailing qualities of the Clarence. On the 6th of June, in latitude 33 degrees, 39 minutes, 0 e north; longitude 71 degrees, 29 minutes, west, he captured and burned the bark Whistling Wind, of Philadelphia, bound to New Orleans, with coal for Rear-Admiral Farragut's squadron. This vessel had been insured by the United States Government for $14,800. On the 7th of June he captured the schooner Alfred H. Partridge, of New York, bound to Matamoras, Mexico. As this vessel was loaded with arms and clothing for citizens of Texas, the captain's bond for $5,000 was taken as a guarantee for the delivery of the cargo to loyal citizens of the Confederate States, and she was allowed to proceed on her journey. On the 9th of June the brig Mary Alvina, from Boston to New Orleans, loaded with commissary stores, was captured and burned. From the prisoners and papers of the Whistling Wind and Mary Alvina, Read gained information which convinced him that it would be impossible for him to carry out his original intention, as no vessels were allowed to go into Hampton Roads unless they had supplies for the United States Government, and even then they were closely watched. The vessels lying at the wharf above Fortress Monroe were guarded by a gunboat and sentries on the wharf, whilst just outside of the fort there were two armed boarding steamers, which inspected everything entering the bay, from a dug-out to a frigate. He then determined to cruise along the coast and try to intercept a transport for Fortress Monroe, and with her to carry out his original design. SUBSTITUTED THE BARK. On the morning of the 12th of June, in latitude 37 degrees, north; longtitude 75 degrees, 30 minutes, west, almost in sight of the capes of the Chesapeake, the bark Tacony, in ballast from Port Royal, S. C., to Philadelphia, and the schooner M. A. Shindler, of Philadelphia, were captured. The latter was burned; but Read, who was as full of expedients and resources as Paul Jones himself, with the quick eye of a seaman, saw at a glance that the Tacony was a better sailer than the Clarence; so he determined to burn the latter and take the bark for his purposes. He immediately set to work to transfer his gun and his small arms to the Tacony, as time was short, and he was almost in the presence of the enemy. Any one familiar with the sea can appreciate the difficulties of such an operation on the rolling deep in a seaway. While the howitzer was being transferred, a schooner was discovered coming down before the wind. As she was passing near the Clarence, a wooden gun was pointed at her, and she was commanded to heave to, which, through fright, she did immediately. She proved to be the schooner Kate Stewart, of Philadelphia. As Read was then short of provisions, and had over fifty prisoners on board, he determined to bond the Kate Stewart and make a cartel of her. He bonded her for the "sum of $7,000, payable to the President of the Confederate States, thirty days after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the Confederate States and the United States." He then burned the Clarence and M. A. Shindler, and gave chase to a brig, which proved to be the Arabella, of New York. This vessel having a neutral cargo on board, he bonded her for $30,000. Up to this time the Federal Government had no knowledge that Read was off the coast destroying the commerce of its citizens; but, on the 13th of June, Captain Munday, of the bark Tacony, having been landed from the cartel Kate Stewart, on the coast of New Jersey, took the train to Philadelphia, and arriving there at 3 P. M., reported that there was a pirate off the coast, and all the scenes which he had witnessed the day before. The news was at once telegraphed to the Navy Department at Washington, and immediately the telegraph-wires waxed warm with orders to Admiral Lee, commanding the North Atlantic blockading squadron, and to the commandants of the Boston, New York, and Philadelphia navy-yards, to send out vessels in pursuit of the "pirate." It may be well to explain here that this was the generic name used by the Federal Government and its citizens for all Confederate cruisers. It was a misnomer, for a pirate is hostis humani generis, while the Confederates only made war on the United States Government and its citizens. However, it matters little what you call your enemies in war-time, so that you do not treat them when they fall into your hands according to the hard names you call them. GIVING CHASE. Nothing illustrates better the power and splendid resources of the United States Government at this time and the magnificent discipline of the Navy Department than the fact that, notwithstanding they were blockading with an iron cordon a coast of three thousand miles, and occupying the inland rivers to the extent of five thousand miles, and had twenty-five cruisers in search of the Confederate steamers Alabama and Florida, in less than three days from the reception of the news of the appearance of the Clarence-Tacony on the coast there were thirty-two armed vessels out on the high seas in search of her. Four left Hampton Roads on the night of June 13th; five left New York on the morning of the 14th, and the remaining twentythree got out from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Hampton Roads on the 15th and 16th; and in the next ten days (till June 26th) there were fifteen more vessels sent out after her in obedience to the urgent appeals, petitions, and clamors of the owners, underwriters, and chambers of commerce of the various seaboard cities along the northern coast, whose commerce was being destroyed. ALMOST A PANIC. To understand fully the almost-panic effect in these cities, it might be well to say that they had been comparatively free from such a visitation so close at home for about two years; not since the privateer Jefferson Davis was off the coast. But lately rumors had been threatening an attack on the New England coast by the Alabama and Florida. Moreover, this period was the climax of the Confederacy. It was straining every nerve in one grand effort. Stonewall Jackson had made his last, but splendid, march around Hooker's right flank at Chancellorsville, doubling him up, and leaving him hors de combat, and General Lee, with his victorious legions, was marching triumphantly into Pennsylvania. The ironclad Atlanta had been sent out from Savannah, Ga., with a view to raising the blockade and making a raid on the Northern cities, and demonstrations were being made in various directions to tighten the tension and prevent reinforcements from being drawn off to oppose Lee's advance. No wonder, then, that affairs looked dark and gloomy, and that the pulse of the Northern cities beat uneasily. Meantime, the Tacony played havoc along the coast. On the 15th of June, in latitude 37 degrees, 40 minutes, north, longitude 70 degrees, 51 minutes, west, she captured and burned the brig Umpire, from Cardenas to Boston, loaded with sugar and molasses. On the 20th, in latitude 40 degrees, 50 minutes, west, and longitude 69 degrees, 20 minutes, west, she captured the fine packet-ship Isaac Webb, from Liverpool to New York, with 750 passengers, and the fishing-schooner Micawber. The latter was burned, but Read being unable to dispose of the large number of passengers of the Webb, she was bonded for $40,000, and sent in as a cartel to New York. On the 21st, in latitude 41 degrees, north, longitude 69 degrees, 10 minutes, west, the Tacony captured and burned the clipper ship |