the strange adventures
of the confederate
cruiser, "shenandoah"
by rapt. s. a. aslie
(In (he -N. C. Booklet," October.
1913.»
Capt. James Iredell Waddell re¬
lumed from his last cruise as an of¬
ficer in the United States Navy August.
1861, and tendered his resignation,
which the Department refused to ac¬
cept.
On a dark and stormy night early
in January, 1862, he. with his brother-
in-law, Mr. Iglchart. shipped as oyster-
men on board an oyster dredging boat
and sailed out into the Chesapeake;
and after some striking adventures,
narrowly escaping capture, made good
their way into Dixie.
The Navy Department at Washing¬
ton struck his name from the navy
roll, spitefully entering on the record.
"Dismissed."
Lieutenant Waddell who had been
the ordnance officer at the Naval sta¬
tion at Drcwry's Bluff, was in 1864
sent abroad to carry on the work of
distressing the commerce of the
enemy. Vessels carrying the United
States flag had measurably dis¬
appeared from the Atlantic ocean But
in the Pacific a whaling fleet was still
to be found, and it was important to
destroy it.
The Confederate Navy department
selected Lieutenant Waddell for that
service. His reputation as a seaman was
superb, and he enjoyed the entire con¬
fidence of the department.
Captain Bulloch, the representative
of the Confederate government in
Europe, had succeeded in purchasing
the "Sea King." a vessel built for the
East India trade, and on her maiden
voyage. She was commodious and well
adapted to carrying a large comple¬
ment of men; sailed well under can¬
vas, and had her screw propeller so
adjusted that when not in use it could
be raised out of water. In September.
1 864, flag-officer Barron at Paris, pur¬
suant to instructions from the depart¬
ment. gave to Lieutenant Waddell his
particular directions.
His orders were to the effect that
he should proceed to London and sail
on the steamer "Laurel" to the Island
of Madeira. The "Laurel" had already
on board a cargo apparently of mer¬
chandize — but really of cannon and
munitions of war, which had been in¬
voiced as machinery and other inno¬
cent goods and chattels.
The difficulties that beset Confed¬
erate operations abroad were almost
insurmountable; the British authori¬
ties being vigilant to give no offense to
the United States.
The “Sea King." a new screw
steamer, however, had been secretly
purchased, and she also set sail for
Madeira.
On October 19th the two vessels met
off Funchal, and. a preconcerted sig¬
nal being given, recognized each other,
and proceeded to an anchorage on the
shores of an uninhabited island some
miles distant, where the transfer of
stores was rapidly made, and Lieuten¬
ant Waddell read his commission, and
raising the Confederate flag over the
"Sea King." christened her the "Shen¬
andoah." The little nook in which the
vessel lay was well protected and the
sea was smooth. The day was bright
and lovely, and Lieutenant Waddell
was inspired by the auspicious circum¬
stances with the confident hope of
success. In thirteen hours the consort
had discharged every conceivable out¬
fit intended for the "Shenandoah," and
then remained only to receive such
passengers as were to return.
Captain Waddell has left an account
of the eruise of the "Shenandoah" —
front which I make some quotations;
“1 now felt." says Waddell, "that 1
had a good and fast ship under my
feet — but there was a vast deal to
be done, and to accomplish all that a
crew was necessary."
In picking out the crew of the two
vessels in England particular efforts
were made to secure adventurous
spirits who might be induced to enlist
on the “Shenandoah." No married man
was shipped, and none were taken ex¬
cept with the hope that when the time
came they could take service under
the Confederate flag; but out of the 55
men present only 23 were willing to
adventure in such an undertaking.
Waddell's force was indeed so weak
that they could not weigh anchor —
without the assistance of the officers.
These were young Confederates who
had been sent abroad for such service,
the first Lieutenant being William C.
Whittle, of Virginia, whose fine ca¬
pacity rendered him of great assistance
to Captain Waddell. The officers threw
off their jackets, and amid hearty
cheers, soon had the anchor hanging
at the bow; and the "Shenandoah"
entered upon her new career, throw¬
ing out to the breeze the flag of the
South and taking her place as a Con¬
federate cruiser on her ocean home,
as a war vessel duly commissioned
according to the law of nations. That
flag, wrote Waddell, "unfolded itself
gracefully to the favoring breeze and
declared the majesty of the country
it represented, amid the cheers of a
handful of brave hearted men — and
the "Shenandoah" dashed upon her na¬
tive clement, as if more than equal to
the contest — cheered on by the ac¬
clamations of the "Laurel," which was
steaming away for the land wc love —
to tell the tale to those who would re¬
joice that another Confederate cruiser
was afloat!"
But work was to be done! The "Sea
King” was to be metamorphosed into
a cruiser, and armed with a battery
for which she was not constructed. The
deck was to be cleared, the stores put
away, the guns mounted, gun ports cut
in the vessel’s sides, and the ship put
in readiness to uphold the honor of the
Confederate flag. All was to be done
in mid-ocean without an organized
force, and with a small crew never
before associated together.
for 8 months after the surrcniler, she car¬
ried the flag' of battle around the world:
cape foar here» was her skipper.
io
THE STATE. MARCH 24. 1956