The Blockade Runners
Their operation* through the port of Wil¬
mington played an important part in aid¬
ing the Confederacy. Dozens of ureeks
along tli<> coast testify to llieir activity.
ON
К
of the six score and more
Liberty ships built during re¬
cent months bv the North
Carolina Shipbuilding Company
(probably the state's greatest indus¬
trial operation at present), at Wil¬
mington, very properly was named for
Captain John Newiand Mnffitt, a
Wilmingtonian, who wn* a gallant
officer in the Confederate States
Navy. As master also of the block¬
ade runners Owl and Lillian, which
he commanded prior to duty as Cap¬
tain of the Confederate cruiser
Florida, he rendered valiant service.
Launching of the steamer John
Xe-wland Maffill some weeks ago
brought back recollection- and mem¬
ories of the blockade runners of 1861-
65. Their operations made Wilming¬
ton the busiest port along the South
Atlantic coast. The thousands of
readers of
Тик
Stati: may bo inter¬
ested in knowing about the accom¬
plishments of the blockade runners.
Cargoes they brought enabled the
Confederacy to continue the struggle
for state rights until the fall of Fort
Fisher, 18 miles below Wilmington,
on January 15, 1865.
Silent but eloquent reminders of
the blockade runners are the thirty
to fifty wrecks along the ocean front¬
age of New Hanover and Brunswick
counties. A list of many of these will
be given at a later point in this story.
These were swift and graceful steam¬
ers. They were employed in perilous
and dangerous enterprise. As a mat¬
ter of course every trip they made
brought danger either of
capture, or sinking, by
the Northern fleet, which
hovered close to the coast
in the effort to suspend
the bringing in of supplies
of varied nature.
Speedy Craft
The blockade runners
were designed for
»|мч*1.
In many cases the fa»t
craft escaped capture sim¬
ply by running away from
flic lurking gunboats.
Some completed trips with
the regularity of mail
I .OTIS T. >IOOHK
boat*. Many made from forty to
sixty round trips successfully, accu¬
mulating millions of dollars for their
fortunate owners. Successful opera¬
tion, as a matter of course, depended
upon the skill and daring of their
commanders and pilots. It has been
said that those commanded by Con¬
federate naval officers were never cap¬
tured; but many were sunk or other¬
wise disposed of when such officers
were not in charge.
The principal volume of traffic
originated with the British port of
Nassau, located in the Bahama Is¬
land*. The type of cargo which was
loaded there and brought to Wilming¬
ton was of varied and miscellaneous
nature. A large proportion consisted
of “Nassau bacon." This constituted
meat which was cun*! in Northern
packing houses, sent to the West In¬
die*. and eventually brought to Wil¬
mington. It was then distributed to
the interior for use by Confederate
soldiers. Other items wore candles, su¬
gar. cloth for uniforms, cotton goods
for dresses, and various other prod¬
ucts. Without recourse to supply by
the blockade runners, the South would
have been denied many of the necessi¬
ties of life through deprivation by
war.
A- a result of the operation of
blockade runners, the accompanying
volume of business made Wilmington
one of the most important ports of
the Confederacy. There were a great
many Englishmen living here-. They
were representatives of manufactur¬
ers, wholesalers in England and the
West Indies, and agents for ship own¬
ers. Many of these strangers entered
into the social life of Wilmington
and they were extended unbounded
welcome and hospitable greeting.
On outward voyage* to the West
Indies, Bermuda and other destina¬
tions, the fleet blockade runners car¬
ried return cargoes of cotton and na¬
val stores. Products such a* these were
assembled here by the railroads and
then loaded on ships at Wilmington.
This volume had direct effect upon
the installation of new warehouses,
enlargement of others, and employ¬
ment of hundreds of Negro laborers.
Their work was necessary to handle
expeditiously and satisfactorily the
heavy volume of im|>orts and exports.
Bcoords indicate that during the
|>eriod from May 20, 1863. through
December 24, 1S64, in excess of 264
blockade-running steamer* entered the
port with their valuable cargoes. Offi¬
cials representing the Confederacy
utilized the blockade runners for trips
to other countries, as emissaries from
their government. The Federal gov¬
ernment in the fall of 1S6I reached
the conclusion that the way to defeat
the Confederacy was to stop blockade
running through the port of Wil¬
mington. With this objective in mind,
a constant patrol of the
coast was maintained by
warships of the United
States Navy. The first at¬
tack on Fort Fisher Dec.
24-25, 1861, was cheeked.
•Superior forces consisting
of an armada of 58 ships,
and an army of 10.000
men, again attacked the
Fort January 13-15, 1865.
The outnumbered defend¬
ers were forced to capitu¬
late. This was followed
with the fall of the Port
of Wilmington. In April,
( Conl'd on fiatjc fourteen)
