State

Illustration by Л1 Barrett. Sword in the Sea A treasure ship lies off Wriglitsville lleaeli with Hubert E. Lee's unde¬ livered gift. By JOII\ НЛ1ШЕ\ Thai fascinating sircich of ocean front that extends from Topsail Inlet, on the North Carolina coast to George¬ town. in South Carolina, is the un¬ marked grave of a strange squadron of ships that sailed the seas and fought for the Southern Confederacy. When the War between the States broke out in the early sixties, the Con¬ federacy didn't have a ship — not one! North Carolina's contribution to the hastily improvised navy was an old tugboat and a small passenger vessel, both unlit for sea service. But this state also contributed a group of men who helped to make a navy for the Con¬ federacy — such a navy as had never been seen or heard of before. Of course, as the war years wore on, the South got her sea legs — and fast. Л Confederacy, once without a navy, soon threatened to drive the mer¬ chant Hag of the United States from the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, it was the Confederacy that came forward with a droll but dynamic iron battering ram that floated, and in so doing revolu¬ tionized the navies of the world. The Merrimac, an ironclad sea monster, brought a new potency to warfare at sea. The most perfect military or naval blockade in modern history is credited to the Yankee forces during America's War between the States, when the United States Navy finally threw a complete barricade around leading Southern ports. In that war the South possessed a long land frontier, but ex¬ cept along the Mexican border it was dominated by the United States forces. The Federal Navy held several bases in Southern territory, and commerce with foreign ports became a great Con¬ federate problem during the final phases of the war. To meet this situation, the Confed¬ erate states brought into use a new ship built for a new purpose — the blockade runner. Today remains of these ships lie buried along our coast by the score, some visible and some covered by the sea that bred the men who devised and manned this strange craft. Especially built and especially Note: This story originally appeared in the collection " The Devil's Tramp • ing Ground " (U.N.C. Tress ) and is re¬ published by special permission. equipped for the job that was at hand, these blockade runners were fast for their day. shallow of draft, silent, small, and powerful. They were in¬ tended for use in slipping quietly through the Federal blockade lines un¬ der cover of darkness to go to foreign ports and bring back to the South the food, the clothing, the medicine, the arms and the ammunition needed to carry on the war. It was this new and strange and brave fleet that kept the Confederacy alive long after it would otherwise have collapsed in surrender. Slipping into and out of inlets on the North Caro¬ lina coast, daring crews on dangerous missions kept the life-giving supply route open and provided the substance that kept that thin gray line of men called the Army of Northern Virginia from starving and sustained the l.ost Cause for months after it was indeed lost. These compact aquatic life-savers were sidewheel steamers of between 400 and 700 tons gross, were rigged as fore-and-aft schooners, and had from one to three funnels. They were 200 feet long and drew from 5 to 1 1 ТИК STATE, Vol, XXI: No. 13. Enterrd a* tr<ond-rlat« matter. Junr I. 11*33. at the I'oUolTIcr at Itatelgh. North Carolina, under Ihc art оГ .March 3. ixl3. I'ublbhrd by Sharpe Publishing Co. Inc., I.awycrs Bids.. Kalclgh. N. C. Copyrlshl. 1333. by the Sbarpc Publishing Co. Inc.