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THE UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 THE WILMER COLLECTION 
 
 OF CIVIL WAR NOVELS 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 RICHARD H. WILMER, JR. 
 
fhJ 
 
 ^iLMER COLLECTION 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arcliive 
 
 in 2010 witli funding from 
 
 University of Nortli Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
 http://www.arGhive.org/details/jackbensonslogorOOnort 
 
" DAVY AND I WERE PERCHED IN THE CROSSTREES.' 
 
JACK BENSON'S LOG; 
 
 OR, 
 
 AFLOAT WITH THE FLAG IN '61. 
 
 BY 
 
 CHARLES LEDYARD NORTON. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE GIBBS. 
 
 Boston : 
 W. A. WILDE & COMPANY, 
 
 25 Bromfield Street. 
 
COPYRIGHT, 1895. 
 
 By W. a. WILDE & CO, 
 All ris^hts reserved. 
 
 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER. PAGE. 
 
 I. A Sailor Boy's Birthright 7 
 
 II. Secession at Rockledge 25 
 
 III. On the Danger Line 38 
 
 IV. The Saving of '' Old Ironsides " 58 
 
 V. Massachusetts and New York to the Rescue ... 85 
 
 VI. Mutiny or Treason 93 
 
 VII. The "Otter's" First Prize 122 
 
 VIII. A Running Fight 138 
 
 IX. Contraband of War 1 51 
 
 X. Our First Innings 161 
 
 XI. Contrabands as Coast Pilots 175 
 
 XII. The Slave Driver of Santee 19c 
 
 XIII. " Come Aboard, Sir 1 " 225 
 
 XIV. Iron Against Wood 252 
 
 XV. Iron Against Iron ,, 266 
 
 603164 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 "Davy and I were perched in the crosstrees" . . . Fro}ttispiece 
 " Where are you going with that bag, young fellow ? " . . . 42 
 
 " Old Abe was elected, you say? " gg 
 
 Getting into action off Hatteras 168 
 
 " Come aboard, sir!" 238 
 
JACK BENSON'S LOG. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A SAILOR boy's BIRTHRIGHT. 
 
 T JOHN BENSON, a retired officer of the navy, 
 A J was born in the ancient seaport town of Stony- 
 haven in the year of grace one thousand eight 
 hundred and forty-five, and of the independence 
 of the United States the sixty-eighth. 
 
 Probably I am thus particular in detailing the 
 facts of my appearance in this world from early 
 recollections of Thanksgiving and Fast Day procla- 
 mations as read annually from the church pulpits 
 of my native town. My father was skipper and 
 part owner of the fishing schooner "Molly 
 Pitcher," which, when she was not hauled out on 
 the ways undergoing repairs after some unusually 
 rough treatment on the high seas, was away in 
 pursuit of herring, or mackerel, or cod, or halibut, 
 according to the season of the year or the de- 
 mands of the market. 
 
 Built for the Crowninshields of Salem by " Kit" 
 
 7 
 
8 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 Turner, she served her owners as a pleasure yacht 
 until the first international sailing matches were 
 arranged for the seasons of 1812-14, when she, 
 refitted with a brace of long thirty-twos and sundry 
 carronades in broadside, shipped a crew of North 
 Shore sailormen, and won nearly every race for 
 which she entered, whether it was running away 
 from lumbering British men-o'-war or capturing 
 merchant vessels of many times her own tonnage. 
 
 When I was old enough to make her acquaint- 
 ance she was still stanch from stem to sternpost, 
 and so tight that her crew used to say " she did 
 not leak enough to keep her sweet." My grand- 
 father was one of her crew when she took in a 
 West Indiaman in the Bahama Channel, and as I 
 look up from my library table I can see the old 
 privateersman's cutlass and brass-mounted pistols 
 hanging against the chimney-piece beside Captain 
 Abner Shumway's sword and cocked hat. 
 
 My earliest recollection is of lying awake at 
 night and listening to the thunder of breakers on 
 the rocky headland that sheltered Stonyhaven 
 Harbor and seeing my mother come in with a 
 frightened face, shading the candle with her hand 
 so that the light should not awaken me. Some 
 silly boyish instinct prompted me to feign sleep, 
 and she presently kissed me softly and went out. 
 
A SAILOR BOY S BIRTHRIGHT. 9 
 
 The revolving light on the cape was distant only a 
 short mile from my father's house, and was visible 
 from the tiny square window of my little sleeping- 
 room. From earl}' infancy I had habitually fallen 
 asleep watching the red square of reflected light 
 that appeared and re-appeared on the wall at the 
 foot of my bed with such mechanical regularity 
 that to watch it was to become drowsy and finally 
 to drop off into unconsciousness. How many 
 times since then, when harassed by wakefulness, 
 have I longed for that sleep-compelling light fi'om 
 Stony haven Head ! ,U 
 
 But on the night in question the red square was 
 blurred, and indistinct, and irregular by interven- 
 ing sheets of rain and scud. It would not send 
 me to sleep as usual, and presently, through the 
 roar of the tempest, there came the dull sound of 
 a distant gun, and then, after a long pause, it was 
 repeated, and I, frightened, sat up in bed and 
 called my mother. For, little as I was, I was a 
 sailorman's boy and knew that minute guns meant 
 a ship in distress. 
 
 She came in, looking pale and watchworn, for, 
 as she said, it was now near dawn, and she had 
 not closed her eyes since it came on to blow just 
 after the tide turned at midnight. I dressed hastily 
 and found her in the sitting-room, with a bright 
 
10 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 fire in the kitchen beyond ; and presently the 
 windows on the easterly side of the house became 
 whitish gray instead of black, and we knew that 
 the horror of thick darkness was passing away. 
 And then my mother made coffee and we both had 
 something to eat, and then, for by that time it was 
 light enough to see houses across the street, she 
 began putting on her storm wraps, and I knew that 
 she was going down to the breakwater to learn if 
 there was any news of the " Molly Pitcher." 
 
 I sat half tearfully watching her, for I had 
 always been left at home on such occasions before, 
 but now, being comparatively big, I took a sudden 
 resolve, fetched my red-topped boots, the pride of 
 my boyish heart, from the closet, and began putting 
 them on. 
 
 "Where are you going, Johnny?" asked my 
 mother. 
 
 "Going with you to meet father," I replied 
 sturdily. And forthwith got into my oilskin cape 
 and small sou'wester. 
 
 Poor mother made but feeble protest, for I was 
 big and determined of my age, and she must have 
 seen something in my mien that led her to hesitate 
 about telling me to stay at home. Moreover, she 
 probably longed secretly for my company and 
 support. 
 
A SAILOR BOYS BIRTHRIGHT. 11 
 
 So leaving a bountiful repast artfully disposed 
 where it would keep warm without being spoiled, 
 we sallied forth into the tempestuous dawn, and 
 made our way toward the wharves, keeping the 
 lee of buildings, as seashore folk learn to do when 
 the winds are abroad, and waiting for a lull in the 
 tempest before venturing to scurry across the places 
 where it had full sweep. All the fishermen's 
 quarter of the town was astir, and we gleaned here 
 and there bits of news from one neighbor and 
 another as we went. All night the fishing fleet had 
 been coming in one by one, and a score of them 
 was safe at anchor by now. 
 
 " Was the ' Molly Pitcher ' among them? " 
 
 Nobody knew. Those whose menfolk were 
 known to be safe were so well content with their 
 good news that they had no thought as yet for the 
 grim uncertainties that still hung over the fate of 
 others. So we pushed on and at length joined a 
 storm-lashed group that cowered behind the last 
 available shelter, whence we could look out across 
 the wind-swept harbor, and see great white rollers 
 bursting against the headland, and spreading them- 
 selves out in a vast sheet of whiteness along the 
 bar. 
 
 Quite a little swing of a sea made into the harbor 
 itself, and the sturdy fishing craft rode uneasily at 
 
12 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 their hempen cables, even in those comparatively 
 sheltered waters. The "Molly" was not among 
 the anchored craft, as I knew at a glance, and so 
 told my mother, who was not familiar as I with 
 the individuals of the fleet. So we kept our eyes 
 on the headland around which those that had weath- 
 ered the gale off shore must presently begin to 
 appear. 
 
 The light-keeper, meanwhile, on the headland 
 across the harbor, well aware of the anxiety that 
 must prevail at such a time, had set a signal on his 
 flagstaff which said to the townfolk, " Nothing in 
 distress is in sight." So all took heart of grace and 
 hoped that the next vessel to come in would be 
 their very own. We now learned for the first time 
 that the minute guns heard in the night were from 
 a large merchant-ship that had gone to pieces on 
 Spanish Reef, and was apparently lost with all 
 hands, for at daybreak no sign of her was visible 
 from the shore, and the outer beach was already 
 strewn with her wreckage. To do anything for 
 her people, before the gale subsided, if any had 
 managed to survive the night on the reef, was out 
 of the question. Moreover, most of the able-bodied 
 seafaring population had all they could do for the 
 present to mind their own affairs. So we stood 
 for an hour, women, and old men, and a few 
 
A SAILOR BOYS BIRTHRIGHT. I3 
 
 children, keeping one another in countenance with 
 gossip and guesswork. 
 
 But, see ! there is a dim something half obscured 
 with rain and spray driving in past the lighthouse. 
 It is a fisherman sure enough, and another is close 
 astern of her. On they come, under storm trisails 
 and with topmasts sent down, riding easily over the 
 tremendous seas that the ebb tide makes off the 
 headland. Evidently they are all right. But 
 what are their names? Old Captain Spencer, too 
 infirm to go to sea any longer, is on hand with his 
 spyglass at his eye, but he cannot yet make them 
 out. They come on, however, like racers, more 
 plainly in sight at every moment, and presently a 
 dozen voices, mine included, cry out joyfullv, " It's 
 the ' Molly Pitcher,' " and my mother goes down on 
 her knees with her arms around me, and it is some 
 minutes before she can summon strength enough to 
 go home and make ready for her menfolk, who are 
 certain to be half famished after their all night 
 battle with the wild Atlantic. 
 
 I stayed behind to receive my father, nor had I 
 long to wait. For the " Molly" promptly doused 
 her storm trisail and made straight in for the shelter 
 of the breakwater under foresail alone. You may 
 be sure that I jumped the rail as soon as her fenders 
 touched the wharf, and was forthwith gathered up 
 
14 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 in the arms of a great creature in shining oilers who 
 dripped salt water where he stood and asked out 
 of his wet beard if all w^as well at home. 
 
 Such are my earliest recollections of life. One 
 may think that they should have filled my mind 
 with horror and fear of this great insatiable monster, 
 called the sea, who held up glittering prizes before 
 the face of honest fisherfolk only to snatch them 
 away, and leap hungrily at their throats when they 
 trusted in its good faith. Yet, strange as it may 
 seem, these happenings only made me long for 
 manhood that I might take part in those wild 
 encounters that seemed to me the only really worthy 
 aim for a boy's ambition. Such and so strong is 
 the instinctive love of ph3^sical excitement implanted 
 in every spirited boy's heart, to the infinite per- 
 plexity of their mammas, who cannot comprehend 
 why boys take naturally to guns, and boats, and 
 games that are more or less fights, instead of to 
 dolls and ribbons and gentler pastimes like the 
 majority of their sisters. 
 
 But there came a time to me, as the like has 
 come to many Stonyhaven boys, three years later, 
 when the " Molly Pitcher" did not come sailing in 
 with the rest of the fleet, and when some of the 
 last of them staggered home over the bar under 
 shortened sail, one set her colors at half mast as 
 
A SAILOR boy's BIRTHRIGHT. l5 
 
 she dropped anchor, which signified either a death 
 among her own crew or some other disaster involv- 
 ing loss of life. In this case it meant the worst 
 possible for us. The "Molly" had foundered on 
 George's Bank at the height of the gale, and all 
 hands were undoubtedly lost. I was ten years old 
 at the time and my mother, never very " rugged," 
 as the New England saying is, left me alone in the 
 world shortly afterward, having, however, set her 
 modest house in order, and made me over to the 
 care of old Dr. Shumway, as he was called by 
 virtue of his office of principal of a select school 
 for boys, which in its day was famous among its 
 fellow institutions of learning. 
 
 The " doctor " was in fact a retired sea captain, 
 who had commanded a troop-ship in the war with 
 Mexico, and had his knee shattered by a musket 
 ball in an encounter with one of the few Mexican 
 cruisers that did an}^ actual sea service during the 
 year or two of hostilities. He had a battalion of 
 regulars for passengers bound for Vera Cruz, and 
 handled his ship so well, wounded as he was, ^vhile 
 the soldiers were standing off the Mexicans, that 
 the officers of the regiment united in a memorial to 
 Congress that brought him an appointment in the 
 navy and eventually gave him a comfortable pen- 
 sion, as was quite right and proper. After the 
 
i6 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 surgeons had done their best with his knee, how- 
 ever, he found himself no longer fit for sea service, 
 and, casting about for means of livelihood, bethought 
 him one day of school-teaching. 
 
 " I am not very much of a scholar," he said, 
 " but I know the three R's and English grammar, 
 and I am a first-rate disciplinarian ; if any of my 
 pupils — that are to be — want any higher educa- 
 tion than that, Fll find somebody that can teach 
 'em." 
 
 Now it happened that there stood on a rough 
 granite ledge, two miles or so from Stonyhaven 
 Port, an old gray gambril-roofed mansion, consid- 
 erably antedating the Revolution in age, and enjoy- 
 ing an enviable local reputation as a haunted house. 
 For this latter reason it was for sale cheap, and 
 Captain Shumway was enabled to become its owner, 
 with the adjoining acres of poverty grass, and cedar 
 patches, and granite boulders, which were pictur- 
 esquely distributed over the hillside. A few hun- 
 dred dollars judiciously expended repaired the 
 ravages of time and neglect, and the captain- 
 doctor, with his two maiden sisters, made sliort 
 work of the alleged ghosts. 
 
 The old house was renovated throughout ; floors 
 leveled up where they had settled away from the 
 big central chimneys, timbers renewed where the 
 
A SAILOR boy's BIRTHRIGHT. I7 
 
 hard oak of a century before had crumbled to 
 powder, sagging rafters replaced by new and 
 straight ones, and the roof covered with thick split 
 shingles from Maine (tlie captain would ha\'e none 
 of the then comparatively new sawed variety), and 
 the whole structure made tit for another century of 
 usefulness. All this was effected without impairing 
 the comfortable, dignified, colonial aspect of the 
 exterior. 
 
 When the new shingles had assumed their 
 weather stain of gray, the old house looked for all 
 the world just as it did when the British were 
 looting Stony haven in 1781 and storming the fort 
 on the heights opposite. The captain and his 
 sisters moved in with their old-fashioned furniture 
 in late summer, and spent the ensuing winter in 
 making things comfortable and getting to rights. 
 Very comfortable and homelike they made the old 
 mansion, and shortly after Christmas the captain 
 issued a characteristic circular and prospectus, of 
 which the following is a faithful copy : — 
 
 Captain Abner Shtunzuay, late of the United 
 States jVavy (^retired), will open a boarding and 
 day school for boys at Rockledgc^ near Stony haven. 
 
 Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and English 
 grammar taught THOROUGHLT, if the pupil 
 
lO JACK BENSON S LOG'. 
 
 /s capable of leaniiug them. If not he will he 
 taught something useful instead. 
 
 The so-called " Higher Branches " -will be taught 
 if desired to the j^oint of preparation for college., 
 but only after the pupil has actually learned the 
 essentials of a common education as specified. 
 
 Every hoy will he taught to szvim during his 
 first summer term. Every boy zuill be required to 
 take a reasonable amount of exercise. Every hoy 
 will be helped to cultivate such artistic or mechan- 
 ical gifts as Nature may have given him. 
 
 Military or naval drills tzvice a week. 
 
 Modified naval discipline maintained at all times. 
 
 Then followed the rates of board and tuition and 
 the like, which were not so very moderate, but were 
 subject, as many a deserving applicant found, to 
 substantial reduction in special cases. My own 
 was one in point. 
 
 I was, as I have said, left alone in the world 
 shortly after the great storm of 1854, which sent 
 the brave old "Molly Pitcher" to Davy Jones. 
 Dr. Shumway, as he was known in Stonyhaven, 
 or " captain," as he insisted upon being called when 
 on duty at Rockledge, was appointed my guardian 
 by my mother, and I can pay no higher tribute to 
 his memory than to say here that he did his duty 
 
A SAILOR boy's BIRTHRIGHT. I9 
 
 by me like an officer and a gentleman, managing 
 my little inheritance so judiciously that by the time 
 I came of age I had quite a comfortable investment 
 to my credit, although he had, as was quite right, 
 conscientiously charged up my educational ex- 
 penses. 
 
 By this time Rockledge was in the heyday of 
 prosperity. A queer, rambling, weather-beaten 
 structure it had become as its needs increased, 
 pretty well covering the crest of its granite ledge 
 that looked out to sea between the chops of the 
 harbor. It was built mainly of wood, though brick 
 and the underlying granite bore no inconspicuous 
 part in its construction. It had grown in a helter- 
 skelter sort of a way from the original structure to 
 its present dimensions with dormitories for fifty 
 boys and classrooms for as many more. The old 
 captain's circular hit the popular taste, and he was 
 overwhelmed with applications to receive pupils for 
 whom he had no room. Meanwhile he had been 
 his own architect and had conformed his plans for 
 additional room to the local irregularities of the 
 hilltop with a charming disregard of consequences. 
 
 Here the edifice was content with but one story ; 
 there it temporarily climbed to three ; and there 
 again, where it had been found necessary to span 
 a narrow gulley in the granite ledge, it was not 
 
20 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 easy to determine where cellars or basements began 
 and stories ended. Withal, however, the effect 
 was quaintly picturesque, and in this present year 
 of grace artists and art students from the " summer 
 institute " down on the point and photographers 
 with all sorts of cameras walk indifferently past the 
 modern colonial and Elizabethan imitations with 
 which the vicinity has been decorated, and carry 
 away more or less unsatisfactory negatives and " im- 
 pressions " in water color of Shumway's old school. 
 
 It was to this quaint home that the captain took 
 me after the funeral was over, and for the first 
 week or so I was given a room away from the 
 other boys, where Miss Electa and Miss Becky, 
 the captain's sisters, could look after me till I 
 began to get over the mingled feelings of desola- 
 tion and homesickness that succeeded my mother's 
 death and the abandonment of my boyhood's 
 home. I cried myself to sleep the first two or 
 three nights, but then became accustomed to my 
 surroundings, which, indeed, were not altogether 
 strange to me, for my mother had taken me out 
 to the school on one or two occasions during my 
 younger days. 
 
 A short time after my arrival the captain called 
 me into his office — he never would allow it to be 
 called a study, because, as he said, he had enough 
 
A SAILOR boy's BIRTHRIGHT. 21 
 
 to do keeping school without studying — and told 
 me as much as he thought necessary about my per- 
 sonal affairs and what he expected of me. Then 
 he tried me on the multiplication table, which I did 
 not know very well ; made me read a few verses 
 from the Bible and one or two sentences from the 
 Constitution of the United States, and questioned 
 me in each instance as to what I had been reading 
 about. Then he asked me to spell a few com- 
 monplace words, and finally took me to the school- 
 room, and showed me a desk pretty well up to 
 the front. "You may sit here," he said, " and 
 study, and look about you for two or three days, 
 and listen to the recitations ; perhaps you can 
 decide for yourself which classes you ought to 
 join." 
 
 From the schoolroom we went to the dormitory, 
 and I was shown a tiny room under the roof just 
 big enough for a narrow bed, a washstand, ward- 
 robe, bureau and chairs, — all of the plainest and 
 most substantial description, and all as neat as 
 wax, thanks to the housekeeping care of Miss 
 Becky, in whose department it was. This room, 
 the captain told me, was my very own, and that I 
 should be held responsible for it. Every boy, 
 indeed, was required to sign a receipt for the room 
 and its contents, just as an army or navy officer re- 
 
22 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 ceipts for any government property when he takes 
 possession. 
 
 A brief set of printed rules of discipHne and 
 behavior " in quarters " was posted on the wall. 
 Beyond these there were very few rules, indeed, but, 
 somehow, the entire school was permeated with a 
 boyish sense of honor that went far to counteract 
 the blackguardism that is apt to get the upper hand 
 where a lot of boys are thrown together and mis- 
 governed or not governed at all. 
 
 We were organized as a two-company battalion, 
 with full complement of captains, lieutenants, and 
 warrant officers, but official rank was recognized 
 only during official hours, that is, during school 
 and drill, and after "taps" at night, when ever}^- 
 body was supposed to go to sleep. Of course we 
 had our black sheep. Some of them capable of 
 reformation, others irreclaimable ; but these last, 
 after having at least three chances to prove their 
 good intentions, had a way of quietly disappearing 
 over night, and it would be mysteriously whis- 
 pered about the next day that they had been sent 
 home. 
 
 Whenever practicable, good government was 
 enforced by a sentence of a formally constituted 
 court-martial, the captain himself usually presid- 
 ing, and seeing to it that the laws of evidence 
 
A SAILOR boy's BIRTHRIGHT. 2^ 
 
 were duly observed, and all things done decently 
 and in order. As I recall some of these trials, I 
 think sometimes that the boys regarded the simple 
 form of affirmation used with more reverence 
 than is often accorded to the oath administered 
 in so-called courts of justice. The captain would 
 rise in his seat, and, calling the witness, make 
 him stand in full view of all his schoolmates, 
 facing them. "Now," he would say, "repeat 
 after me, I, James Lynch," or whatever the 
 boy's name might be, " promise on honor to tell the 
 truth about the matters now to be brought before 
 this court." And, as a general thing, the truth 
 was told and a righteous decision reached. 
 
 But I fear I am making myself tiresome over 
 this account of the manners and customs of the old 
 school and the way it governed itself. We had, 
 besides, plenty of boy fun, plenty of play hours, a 
 good-sized and reasonably level playground back 
 of the ledges, a swimming beach only a few 
 hundred yards from the door, games of all sorts, — 
 football that was .real football, and did not make 
 brutes of us besides ; baseball that had not been 
 reduced to an exact science ; and a sturdy little 
 schooner-rigged fishing smack, on which we 
 cruised about the vicinity, under the proper 
 supervision, in almost any weather, and which we 
 
24 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 learned to handle as smartly as any crew of man- 
 of-warsmen could have done. 
 
 We had a loose-fitting uniform of blue jeans, 
 with brass buttons, which could be worn either over 
 our ordinary clothes or in warm weather by itself 
 alone, and which answered very well for sea or 
 shore duty, costing, if I remember rightly, some- 
 thing less than two dollars for the entire suit, 
 including a sort of tam-o-shanter-shaped cap of 
 white duck. Very smart the battalion looked, I can 
 tell you, with its white belts and white canvas shoes, 
 and we prided ourselves very greatly on our martial 
 bearing and steadiness in ranks when we turned 
 out for parade or marched into town on state occa- 
 sions. Little did we guess in those days how 
 many of us would in a few months be wearing 
 other uniforms and finding the usefulness of our 
 school drill on shore and at sea in more serious 
 work. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 SECESSION AT ROCKLEDGE. 
 
 WE did not ordinaril}^ pay much attention at 
 Rockledge to political or national affairs, 
 except that most of us were nominally either Whigs 
 or Democrats, according to our bringing up. The 
 young Republican party hardly guessed at its own 
 strength then. There were in the school a number 
 of Southerners, and five or six years after I became 
 a pupil, when I had risen to be captain of one of 
 the battalion companies, there began to be insensi- 
 bly a certain drawing apart of these boyish repre- 
 sentatives of the two great sections. Heretofore 
 we had been friendly enough, barring the slight 
 differences that result from home traditions, but 
 Captain Shumway's training tended to make us all, 
 as it were, a happy family together. The Kansas- 
 Nebraska troubles began to mark the dividing line 
 more clearly ; then came John Brown's raid in 
 Virginia (1859), and a certain intensifying of the 
 anti-slavery sentiment in the Northern States. The 
 election which resulted in the choice of Mr. Lincoln 
 
26 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 for president followed, and then Southern boys 
 began to be called home by their parents. 
 
 After what I have said about my guardian it is 
 hardly necessary to explain that he was eccentric, 
 and with his eccentricities he possessed a certain 
 faculty of prediction ; I do not call it prophecy or 
 foresight, for that rather savors of the super- 
 natural, but he had that not uncommon gift among 
 born disciplinarians of apparently seeing what 
 mischief we boys were up to out of the back of 
 his head, and if there was any scheme on foot for 
 raiding a neighbor's orchard or melon patch he 
 was pretty nearly certain to know about it before- 
 hand and frustrate it in some highly original and 
 effectual way that generally made us ashamed of 
 ourselves. I cannot resist relating one instance of 
 this kind. Billy Bunsby was, perhaps, one of the 
 worst boys in school, the ringleader in most of the 
 mischief that was perpetrated. 
 
 One day, while the crew of the gig was out, 
 they discovered across the harbor from the school a 
 promising melon patch, and Billy organized an 
 expedition for the next night to test the quality of 
 the crop ; the most profound secrecy was enjoined, 
 and all the intending participants were pledged by 
 solemn oaths known to boyhood. Nevertheless, 
 when they started out, after having made their 
 
SECESSION AT ROCKLEDGE. 2*] 
 
 escape from the dormitory undiscovered, they were 
 hailed by the captain just as they were shoving 
 off, and told that Deacon Giles had gathered his 
 entire crop of melons that afternoon. The boys 
 slunk back to their beds, of course, in the most 
 crestfallen mood, and somehow the whole stor}^ 
 leaked out the next day, and the participants in 
 the midnight raid did not hear the last of it for 
 many a day. 
 
 It will be readily understood from this that 
 among those of us who had any sense the cap- 
 tain's word was fairly good law in the school, and 
 his predictions regarding wind, weather, and 
 human affairs in general commanded profound 
 respect in his little kingdom. 
 
 The strict, local Puritanical observance of 
 Sunday made the day rather trying for half a 
 hundred boys, who had somehow to be kept in 
 order, and none realized this better than the cap- 
 tain. He used to give us all a tolerably long walk 
 to church, and when the weather was anyway 
 passible, would turn out the whole battalion just 
 after sundown, when, according to the New Eng- 
 land creed, a little recreation, even on Sunday, 
 was admissable. After a short marching drill at 
 the double around the grounds up hill and down, 
 until all hands were pretty well blown, we were 
 
28 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 fairly well disposed to keep still in the evening 
 after tea. 
 
 It was his custom to give us informal talks on 
 Sunday nights, especially in winter. It may seem 
 incredible to men, who have once been boys and 
 still remember it, when I say that these talks 
 almost always commanded unflagging interest, 
 even on the part of the dunces. 
 
 " Most as good as a circus," Billy Bunsby used 
 to say reflectiveh', when one of them was over. 
 Somehow, at this time of which I write all these 
 talks had a more or less patriotic bearing, and 
 I think, perhaps, that accounts for the fact that 
 nearly every mother's son of us boys who was old 
 enough served on one side or the other during the 
 Civil War. 
 
 I remember with peculiar vividness, toward the 
 end of i860, after Mr. Lincoln had been chosen 
 president, but before his inauguration, that, one 
 evening, the captain rather overdid himself. At 
 this period it was the policy of Southern leaders 
 to misrepresent the character, wishes, and inten- 
 tions of Northerners in every conceivable way. 
 Perhaps they believed what they taught regarding 
 Northern cowardice and general inferiority, 
 moral, physical, and mental. At all events, they 
 succeeded in leading their followers to death, de- 
 
SECESSION AT ROCKLEDGE. 29 
 
 feat, and ruin, and to this very day they boast of 
 their achievement. 
 
 On this particular evening the captain looked 
 rather serious when the reading-hour came. I 
 cannot, of course, pretend to report what he said 
 word for word at this distance of time, but I think 
 I recall the gist of it. After rapping for silence, 
 he looked round for a moment, and then, turning, 
 unrolled a map of the United States and hung it 
 where we could all see it in the light of the hang- 
 ing lamp. 
 
 " Boys," he began, " you don't any of you know 
 it, and I rather doubt if I can make most of you 
 understand, but you are all going to see some his- 
 tory made presently." 
 
 The phrase caught our attention. The idea of 
 turning out history ready made was certainly new 
 and fetching, and even the small boys who were 
 playing criss-cross on the sly in the corner stopped 
 and began to listen. I think they really believed 
 that he was going to take a lump of history out of 
 some one's hat, just as the magician had produced 
 a live pigeon at the performance we had witnessed 
 the week before. But the captain went on : — 
 
 " I don't bother you very much with politics, as 
 you know very well. I don't think many boys of 
 your age care much about it, but most of you have 
 
30 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 heard more or less about Kansas and Nebraska 
 and the John Brown raid, and, whichever party 
 you or your families sympathize with, you must 
 see that there is rather a disturbed state of things 
 just now. That, in short, there is trouble brewing. 
 I think I can feel it in the air, and you know by 
 experience that I am something of a weather 
 prophet. 
 
 "A lot of you boys are Southerners, and in your 
 homes the servants are by law the property of 
 your parents and guardians. All this seems per- 
 fectly natural and proper to you, and why should 
 it be otherwise when you have been accustomed to 
 it all your lives? And I can see that you may be 
 very naturally indignant at any one who thinks 
 that this is not the best possible condition of 
 things. 
 
 "To us Northerners, however, it seems very 
 unnatural. There are a great many things about 
 it that we cannot understand, so you must make 
 allowances for us — we must make allowances for 
 each other. Most of us Northerners think that 
 the South would be better off and more prosperous 
 if the slaves could be set free, not all at once, but 
 by slow degrees, so that they could have a chance 
 to work for themselves. Some Southerners agree 
 with us of the North in this respect. Here is a 
 
SECESSION AT ROCKLEDGE. 3 1 
 
 book very recently published of which something 
 like two hundred thousand copies have sold already. 
 I suppose that none of you have read it. I will 
 merely say that it is written by a Southerner, that 
 it sets forth the contrast between the commercial 
 prosperity and general intelligence of the North 
 and South, and ascribes to negro slavery all the 
 blame for the existing state of things. Whether 
 the author is right or not I do not pretend to say ; 
 but I know that the South is very much enraged 
 at the publication of the book, and that it is almost 
 unsafe for any bookseller to keep it in stock south 
 of Mason and Dixon's line.* 
 
 "At any rate, the Southern leaders are afraid, now 
 that a Republican president has been elected, that 
 laws will be passed which may make slave property 
 very insecure. I do not myself think there is any 
 danger of this ; I am an anti-slavery man, but I do 
 not wish and I do not believe that one in a thou- 
 sand of intelligent Northerners wishes to have 
 slavery meddled with where it is. We merely do 
 not want to have it extended, and we think with 
 Mr. Helper, the author of this book, that the South 
 
 *The book referred to, entitled "The Impending Crisis of the South," was 
 published in 1859, and in a few months went through many editions, and, strange 
 as it may seem, probably bore a considerable part in exasperating the South against 
 the North, which was precisely the reverse of the effect intended by its author, 
 Mr. Hinton Rowan Helper. 
 
32 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 will be very much better off if it will try to regu- 
 late slavery, rather than to extend it. 
 
 " I think, however, that the Southern States, or 
 most of them, are going to withdraw from the 
 Union. I think that most of you Southern boys 
 will not be allowed to come back to school after 
 the Christmas holidays. By that time your States 
 will have passed resolutious withdrawing from the 
 present Union. The government at Washington 
 will ha\'e declared this action to be rebellion, and 
 both sides will be getting ready to fight. 
 
 " Now, there are a number of you boys old 
 enough and big enough for military service, either 
 in the arm}^ or nav}', and it is by no means impos- 
 sible that some of you may find yourselves under 
 arms before many months have gone. All of 3^ou 
 have gotten some notions of discipline and drill into 
 your heads since you have been here, and I hope 
 you will do your duty wherever you are and, I 
 will add, under whichever flag. 
 
 " Now I want to tell you what I think is going 
 to happen, and you know I ha\'e had pretty good 
 luck in hearing of secret expeditions before they 
 come off" (a subdued titter ran round the room at 
 this, for everybody remembered Billy Bunsby's 
 recent experience). " Here is a map of the United 
 States on which one of you fourth class youngsters 
 
SECESSION AT ROCKLEDGE. 33 
 
 may make a mark with this piece of charcoal sepa- 
 rating the free and slave States." 
 
 After some hesitation, two small urchins stood 
 up, and the ^-ounger of them was invited to step to 
 the map and mark the division. I wonder how 
 many schoolboys of his age can do it to-day? 
 
 But here came an unlooked-for interruption. 
 Haines Gordon, a tall fellow from South Carolina, 
 rose and " stood attention." We did not hold up 
 our hands at Rockledge when we wanted anything, 
 but simply stood up and kept still till we were 
 noticed. 
 
 " Well, Gordon, what is it? " 
 
 Gordon swallowed hard once or twice ; he was 
 evidently under considerable excitement, but found 
 his voice in a moment. 
 
 " Captain Shumway, the term slave State is 
 very distasteful to us Southerners, and — and — 
 well, sir, we don't like it." 
 
 The old captain's eyes flashed ; it was a bold 
 and unheard-of thing for one of his boys to do, 
 arraigning him thus in the presence of the whole 
 school. I could see that he was all ready to deliver 
 a very cutting retort, if nothing more, but he 
 checked himself. 
 
 " Very well, Gordon ; I'll see what I can do." 
 
 He leaned his elbow on the table, and for a 
 
34 JACK BENSON'S LOG. 
 
 moment shaded his eyes with his hand ; then, 
 standing up : — 
 
 "Thank you, Gordon; it was inconsiderate on 
 my part, and I give you my word that it never 
 occurred to me before that the term might be offen- 
 sive, but now I see it. To call any State a 
 ' slave State ' may certainly convey the idea that 
 the whole State is in slavery. While this is not at 
 all the idea that is intended, I will promise not to 
 offend again, but you need not expect the general 
 public to be equally considerate. The phrase has 
 found its way into the public prints, North as well 
 as South, and I am afraid it can't be got rid of. 
 But we won't use it here ; we will call them the 
 ' slave-holding States.' That is all right, isn't it?" 
 
 Gordon gave rather doubtful assent, but sat 
 down, having no reasonable objection to offer. 
 
 " Now, Martin," turning to the little map-marker, 
 who had been tiptoeing back and forth at his task, 
 ' ' how do you get on ? " 
 
 Martin had been standing at one side with the 
 pointer in his hand, and now traced the mark from 
 where the boundary between Pennsylvania and 
 Delaware touches the Atlantic Coast to the Ohio 
 River, then up and around Missouri, and across to 
 where California and Mexico lie side by side on 
 the Pacific. 
 
SECESSION AT ROCKLEDGE. 35 
 
 "Very good, Martin; that will do. That is 
 quite correct, as far as I see." 
 
 Martin received a little round of applause as he 
 returned to his seat, for he was a well-liked little 
 fellow among us. 
 
 " I am not at all sure," the captain went on, 
 " that I can make you understand what a tremen- 
 dous thing this is, and I do not think that I will 
 even try. Martin's charcoal mark here stands for 
 an actual line some three thousand miles long. It 
 divides families, it cuts railroads and navigable 
 water-ways ; it separates planters and farmers from 
 their markets, merchants from their customers, 
 children from their parents. Now, as I said before, 
 I believe that the slave-holding Southern States, or 
 most of them, will assert their right to withdraw 
 from the Union, and will attempt to do it. The 
 Northern States will undertake to prevent this ; the 
 Union Navy will blockade the Southern ports, and 
 after awhile Northern armies will invade the South. 
 I say after awhile, for the South, by all accounts, 
 is already well under arms, while here at the 
 North we are going about our business very much 
 as usual. We shall only wake up to our danger 
 when we hear the Southern troops are marching on 
 Washington. 
 
 " As a school, we have our work to do. I 
 
36 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 know very well that there has already been some 
 skirmishing between North and South among you, 
 and I want to have you agree that it shall go no 
 farther. The Northerners far outnumber the 
 Southerners, and, moreover, we are at home 
 among our own people. In a sense, our Southern 
 schoolmates are our guests. Let us treat them as 
 such, and let me say to you Southern boys — I 
 think we are pretty good friends now, are we 
 not? — don't be too quick to take offence. We 
 have all got to stay here together, at least, until 
 your parents take you away, or you act so badly 
 on your own hook that I shall have to send you 
 home ; let us be as happy a family as we can as 
 long as we can." 
 
 Upon the whole, the captain's address was well 
 received. Haines Gordon and most of the South- 
 ern boys came up and told the captain that they 
 would try and keep the peace. So did the leaders 
 of the New England faction. The older ones 
 among us were cool-headed enough to see that the 
 captain was right, and between us we managed to 
 keep the firebrands of both sections from being 
 fanned into a blaze. The Southern delegation 
 was practically eliminated after the Christmas 
 vacation, for South Carolina seceded in December, 
 several of the other States followed suit in Jan- 
 
SECESSION AT ROCKLEDGE. 37 
 
 uary, and Virginia, last of all, in April. Southern 
 families began to think it time to keep their boys 
 at home, and when the summer term opened at 
 Rockledge the music had already begun, but 
 much had occurred in the meantime affecting my 
 own personal fortunes. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 ON THE DANGER LINE. 
 
 SHORTLY after the New Year of 1861, I being 
 then just turned sixteen years of age, my 
 guardian sent for me to his office. I was rather a 
 good scholar for my years, and was pretty well 
 along with the school course. Another year or so 
 would have fitted me for the height of my ambition, 
 namely, the examination for a cadetship in the 
 naval academy at Annapolis, and until now my 
 plans had all been shaped to this end. It had not 
 occurred to me that any change was possible. 
 
 The captain, however, had been quietly turning 
 things over in his mind, and on this particular 
 evening he had something special to say. It was 
 after nine o'clock. He never allowed himself to 
 show me any favors because of the fact that I was 
 a member of his family, and only on rare occasions 
 was I summoned to a private interview. 
 
 "Jack," he began, without any preliminaries, " I 
 am thinking of turning you adrift. You remem- 
 ber the tedious talk I gave the school when young 
 
 38 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 39 
 
 Gordon protested against my using the term ' slave 
 States'?" 
 
 "Yes, sir; I should think I did remember it, 
 though I don't recall its being tedious, as you say." 
 
 " Well, I don't want to brag, but I wasn't so 
 very far out in my predictions, was I, now ? 
 South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, 
 and Georgia have seceded and seized all the 
 arsenals and ungarrisoned forts within their borders. 
 Several weeks remain during which the old ad- 
 ministration will be in power at Washington, and 
 after the new one comes in it will be several weeks 
 more before they can pull themselves together and 
 decide what to do. Now, I remember well enough 
 what I was at your age. What do you suppose I 
 would have done if there had been a game like 
 this called?" 
 
 "I'll tell you," I interrupted eagerl}^ ; "you'd 
 have run away from home if your folks wouldn't 
 let you go, and 3'ou would have shipped as a pow- 
 der-boy in the navy or as a drummer in the army, 
 wouldn't you? " 
 
 "Well, I rather think I should. And that is 
 just what I don't want you to do, when we can 
 work it quite as well otherwise. My old friend 
 and shipmate Rogers is in command of the ' Con- 
 stitution ' at Annapolis ; she is stationed there as a 
 
40 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 practise-ship, you know ; has a small crew of 
 ' Jackies ' on board to do the heavy work, and the 
 cadets go aboard now and then for gun drill and 
 the like. I've been corresponding with him, and 
 he says he'll take you as a sort of cabin boarder 
 for awhile ; you can go on with your studies under 
 his tuition and get broken in to navy ways a bit. 
 Maybe something will turn up. Anyhow, think 
 of it over night and let me know how you feel in 
 the morning." 
 
 Think about it over night, indeed ! As if any 
 doubt could be possible on such a question in the 
 mind of a Stonyhaven boy. Was I really to stand 
 on that quarter-deck, where Hull, and Bainbridge, 
 and Stewart had stood to see the British ensign 
 lowered on the "Java" and the " Guerriere," the 
 "Levant" and the "Cyane"? Was I really to 
 sling my hammock from the old oak timbers that 
 had shivered to the recoil of guns in action and 
 still bore scars made by cannon shot? There was a 
 singing in my ears at the thought, and every drop 
 of sailor-boy blood in my veins went coursing at 
 double quick. 
 
 " O Uncle Abner," I cried, forgetting in my 
 excitement that it was term-time, when I was not 
 allowed to address him by the title of adoption ; 
 " do you really mean it? " 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 4I 
 
 "Yes, my bo}', I'm afraid I do. I'd like to 
 keep you along with me and carry you a little 
 farther in your studies, but the curtain is going to 
 ring up presently on a drama, the like of which 
 won't occur again within a century, and I want my 
 Jack to see what he can of it." 
 
 So, after a little more talk, I went away in a high 
 state of excitement to my little cot in the dormitory, 
 intending to dream about sea-fights and all sorts of 
 warlike experiences, including desperate encounters 
 with fierce and piratical-looking rebels. But I 
 thought instead — such is the unaccountable nature 
 of dreams — that I was a good little girl at a Sun- 
 day-school picnic in pinafore and pantalettes, and 
 with my hair done up in a long yellow braid. 
 When I awoke and remembered what I had been 
 dreaming about I was dreadfully ashamed of myself 
 and thankful that the rest of the boys didn't know. 
 
 The next day was Sunday, and I am afraid I 
 did not hear much of the sermon, for the plot 
 rapidly thickened. Uncle Abner did not believe in 
 an elaborate wardrobe for a sailor boy. Much to 
 the horror of his soft-hearted sisters, I was packed 
 off a few days afterward with nothing but a hand- 
 bag ; Uncle Abner going with me as far as New 
 York, so as to see me safely aboard the train for 
 Baltimore. 
 
42 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 And so it came to pass that on a certain after- 
 noon toward the end of January I found myself 
 fairly south of Mason and Dixon's line in a sure- 
 enough slave State, where the spirit of secession 
 was boiling hot and all ready to burst the bonds of 
 prudence. Several marines and sailor men were 
 on board the Annapolis train, returning from shore 
 leave, and to one of them I presently made bold to 
 speak, showing him the letter that the captain had 
 given me to present to Lieutenant Rogers. 
 
 He looked very knowingly at the superscription, 
 as if he was constantly in the habit of reading 
 handwriting, though I had my doubts, even at the 
 time, whether he could decipher Uncle Abner's 
 chirography. 
 
 "That's all right, sonny," he said. " I belong 
 on the ' Constitution ' myself ; you'd best keep along 
 with me when we get off the train, 'cause the rebs 
 are getting mighty sarcy round Annapolis, and it 
 don't do to go outside the academy grounds much 
 alone." 
 
 So, bag in hand, I marched along beside my new 
 acquaintance, who, with his hands in the pockets 
 of his pea-jacket, rolled along, man-o'-war fashion, 
 his wide blue trousers flapping about his ankles. 
 He kept talking to me, in a voice that was music 
 in my ears, albeit it was gruff with many years of 
 
WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THAT BAG, YOUNG FELLOW?' 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 43 
 
 sea service. He turned out afterwards to be a 
 veteran gunner, who was a boy on board the 
 "Essex" when Captain Porter fought a British 
 squadron in Valparaiso Harbor, and while I re- 
 mained attached to the " Constitution " our friend- 
 ship was unbroken. 
 
 In the street of the town we passed a company 
 of men in citizens' clothes, who were drilling with 
 and without arms, and very black looks we re- 
 ceived as we swung along toward the academy 
 gates, taking no notice whatever of the uncompli- 
 mentary remarks that were now and then hurled 
 after us. 
 
 We were not destined to go quite scot free, 
 however, for the local secessionists had partly 
 organized, and had already gone so far as to open 
 recruiting offices in Annapolis and Baltimore. 
 They even kept the government grounds under 
 surveillance, and two men, with big revolvers in 
 their belts and saddle-horses hitched near by, 
 watched us keenly as we approached. 
 
 One of them stepped in front of us. " Where 
 are you going with that bag, young fellow? " 
 
 "None of your business," said my escort 
 roughly. 
 
 "Easy now, Jackey," said the man; "we've 
 got orders not to let any strangers into the academy, 
 
44 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 specially if they're carrying anything with them ; " 
 and he stepped forward as if to seize my bag. 
 
 "Orders be blowed," said my escort. "I've 
 got my orders, too. Come along, youngster." 
 
 But by this time the other man had me by the 
 collar, upon which my escort promptly knocked 
 him down, backed me up against the wall, and 
 squared off, as he said, " to repel boarders." Our 
 companions of the train, two or three marines, and 
 as many blue jackets had come along just in the 
 nick of time, and, though an ugly-tempered and 
 rough-looking crowd rapidly gathered about us, 
 the blue uniforms and stern faces representing 
 established authority had their effect; rebellion 
 was cowed, and we went on, passing presently 
 into the beautiful academy grounds. 
 
 My heart was beating high over this, my first 
 encounter with armed secession, and it was very 
 comforting to see the smart sentry, who, with pol- 
 ished equipments, walked his beat in front of the 
 guardhouse, and the formidable line of stacked 
 rifles, with a strong reserve of marines close at 
 hand ready to fall in at a moment's notice. Two 
 or three brass howitzers stood at commanding 
 angles among the buildings, and everything looked 
 ready for business, should occasion require. In 
 point of fact, however, the situation was very critical 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 45 
 
 within as well as without the government grounds. 
 A large proportion of officers and cadets were more 
 or less in sympathy with secession, and Captain 
 Blake, the superintendent, hardly knew whom he 
 could trust if Maryland should pass an ordinance 
 of secession and attempt to seize government prop- 
 erty, as some of her sister States had already done. 
 His own son, indeed, an officer in the regular 
 army, was an avowed secessionist. 
 
 My old gunner friend led me across the parade 
 toward some lofty masts that towered over the in- 
 tervening buildings, and presently we came out 
 upon a kind of sea wall, whence I could see the 
 gallant old frigate that was to be my home for 
 awhile. She lay a short distance from shore, an- 
 chored bow and stern to keep her from swinging, 
 and her grim row of thirty-two-pounders projecting 
 through her port holes looked quite formidable to 
 my unaccustomed eyes, although they were anti- 
 quated even in those days. 
 
 A clumsy, flat-bottomed ferry-boat took us 
 alongside, and, my old gunner having privately 
 instructed me how to salute the deck properly, we 
 climbed the gangway, and I stood at last upon 
 
 " Her deck once red with heroes' blood 
 Where knelt the vanquished foe, 
 
46 JACK Benson's log 
 
 When winds were hurrying o'er the flood 
 And waves were white below." 
 
 The gunner and I touched our caps in due 
 form, reported " Come aboard, sir," to the officer 
 of the deck, and my new friend made known my 
 errand. Whereupon, a boy of about my own size, 
 and in a ship-shape sailor rig that aroused my 
 envy, was directed to take me to the captain's 
 cabin. We looked one another over somewhat 
 askance, as stranger boys always do, with a view 
 to possible future hostilities, and he led the way to 
 the break of the quarter-deck, past all sorts of 
 fascinating sea-going devices that delighted my 
 innermost heart, and finally knocked at a stout, 
 white door with a brass knob. 
 
 Ah, what a suite of rooms that was that I was 
 ushered into ! Lighted by overhead skylights in 
 the quarter-deck, and by certain queerly shaped 
 stern gallery windows, it showed to the best ad- 
 vantage in the level rays of sun that streamed in 
 across the bright rugs that lay about the spacious 
 floor. The rooms were handsomely furnished, 
 but the objects that caught my attention were 
 several large, heavy cannon, covered with white 
 canvas, that ranged along the sides of the cabin, 
 and thrust their black muzzles outboard through 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 47 
 
 semi-circular cuts in the half ports. The com- 
 mander's quarters were, in fact, really part of the 
 main gun-deck, roofed in by the quarter-deck 
 overhead, and forming part of the main battery 
 when the ship was in action. 
 
 Lieutenant Rogers, in undress uniform, received 
 me kindly, and his servant showed me a little 
 cubby-hole below, wiiere I was bidden to make 
 myself at home. It was rather dimly lighted 
 through a circular port, but had a bunk with some 
 drawers underneath, and was very comfortable 
 withal. Indeed, I was in such a state of mental 
 exaltation that I should have been charmed with 
 any quarters that had been given me on board the 
 old ship. 
 
 It was not long before I had my modest belong- 
 ings stowed away in what I was then pleased to con- 
 sider man-of-war fashion. On returning to the 
 cabin, Mr. Rogers questioned me a little about my 
 studies, and then proposed that we should walk 
 over to the superintendent's office and procure the 
 necessary official authority for me to take up my 
 residence on board. So he threw his loose, cape- 
 like regulation coat over his shoulders, and I 
 donned my own, w^hich I gloried to tind was not 
 unlike the reefers worn by Uncle Sam's blue- 
 jackets. Everything was new and fascinating ; 
 
48 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 the cadets in their tight-fitting uniforms on guard 
 at the doors of the barracks, the exquisite neatness 
 of the grounds, the long row of guns in the 
 saluting battery, all appealed to the enthusiasms of 
 my boyish nature. 
 
 The superintendent sat at his desk writing a 
 despatch ; behind him, stiff as a poker, was a 
 marine, the orderly for the day, in full uniform. 
 He stood in that graceful pose known as " the 
 position of the soldier," his little fingers on the 
 seams of his trousers, heels together, and feet 
 accurately turned out at right angles. 
 
 " One moment, Rogers," said the superintend- 
 ent, and, finishing the despatch, he handed it to the 
 orderly, who saluted with his white-gloved hand, 
 mechanically executed an " about face," stepped 
 off, left foot foremost, and vanished. Hardly had 
 the sound of his footfalls died away, however, 
 when the superintendent, seeming suddenly to 
 remember something, sprang up, and opened the 
 window. 
 
 " Here, orderly," he called. 
 
 "Yes, sir," from below. 
 
 " Give my compliments to Mr. Marshall, and 
 ask him to send two of the guard to the telegraph 
 office with you with their side arms." 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 49 
 
 "With side arms only, you understand." 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 Closing the window and turning to Mr. Rogers, 
 the old superintendent totally forgot my presence. 
 "I wish I knew," he said, "where this thing is 
 going to end. I have to send an escort for my 
 orderly to go to the telegraph office. It's unsafe 
 for a United States marine in uniform to walk 
 through the streets of Annapolis. Here I've just 
 got a cipher from the Department, telling me to 
 exercise the greatest caution not to provoke hostili- 
 ties. It doesn't sa}^ anything about resisdng 
 hostihty, if they provoke it themselves. It's my 
 notion that the honorable secretary just wants to 
 nurse things along as they are till the fourth of 
 March, and after that they won't care, for the other 
 fellows will take their innings. By the way, how 
 many men do you muster on board the ' Constitu- 
 tion ' now ? " 
 
 "Thirty-two, all told, sir." 
 
 "I must try and get you an additional draft. 
 There's some secesh talk of getting possession of 
 her." 
 
 Mr. Rogers flushed up to the roots of his hair. 
 " You don't mean it, sir ! " 
 
 "Yes, but I do, though. Here's the very latest 
 from Norfolk. Poor old McAuley is at his wits' 
 
50 JACK BENSON'S LOG. 
 
 end ; he's got a lot of Southern officers at the yard, 
 and they're badgering the old gentleman's life out 
 of him. Oh, they won't try for 'Old Ironsides' 
 yet awhile, but think what a feather it would be 
 in the cap of the Confederacy if they could start 
 their new navy with her for a flagship ! " 
 
 " I'd like to see them try it, even with no more 
 than my present crew on board ; but I beg your 
 pardon, sir ; I came in to introduce Shumway's 
 boy, the one that I spoke to you about a week or 
 two ago. I'm afraid you've forgotten all about it, 
 with all that you have on your mind." 
 
 The superintendent knit his brows and scowled 
 at me in a way that rather made my heart quake. 
 Mr. Rogers resumed: "Let me remind you; 
 Shumway wants to get him into the navy in some 
 shape in time to be of service to the country, and 
 the boy himself is equally anxious to accomplish 
 it. I find he's pretty well up in the essentials of 
 navigation, and he is quite ready to ship as a 
 powder-boy rather than lose the chance. He is to 
 be my guest for awhile, and perhaps get ready 
 for entrance into the academy this fall. His ap- 
 pointment is all arranged for, as I told you." 
 
 " Yes, I remember now," the superintendent said, 
 glancing indifferently at me. " All right, make the 
 most you can of him. We shall want all the good 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 5 1 
 
 boys we can get, I'm thinking, before we're through 
 with this business. Here, Moseley," this to his 
 secretary, " make out a permanent pass for this 
 youngster, will you, and bring it to me to sign." 
 The formality was soon over, and I went back to 
 my ship with a pass in my pocket authorizing 
 me to come and go at will within the academy 
 grounds. 
 
 Of my experiences during the next few weeks, I 
 need not enlarge ; I had my regular study hours, 
 and spent most of my spare time on shore or in 
 the riorain[T watching the cadet battalion at its 
 drills, gun exercise, fencing, and the like, until I 
 had a pretty fair idea of what would be required 
 of me if ever I joined its ranks. 
 
 On board the "Constitution" I occupied a 
 rather peculiar position, being, as it were, one of 
 the captain's family, and at the same time not 
 prohibited by the strict considerations of naval 
 etiquette from associating with the crew and with 
 the boys of my own age, and learning all that I 
 could about a seaman's life in the nav}'. My first 
 acquaintance, the old gunner, retained a sort of 
 fatherly interest in me, and put me up to a deal 
 of naval lore, and tradition, and routine that I 
 should otherwise have been long in finding out. 
 
 We had rather more than the usual complement 
 
52 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 of boys on board, thirteen being the 3'oungest age 
 at which boys were admitted to the navy ; their 
 duties being to carry cartridges when the battery 
 was in action and practically do anything and 
 everything that was required of them, including a 
 somewhat uncertain period to be daily spent in 
 study under the supervision usually of some 
 warrant officer, who was supposed to be competent. 
 
 Two or three of these boys were decent fellows 
 enough, but the majority were a far rougher sort 
 than any that I had been accustomed to associate 
 with in my previous life. Several of them, how- 
 ever, I found quite companionable, and with one, 
 particularly, whom I will call Davy Jones, — the 
 same, by the way, who first led me to the captain's 
 cabin, — I became quite intimate. The most of 
 them looked upon me at first with some suspicion 
 as being a kind of a swell, whose intimacy with 
 the captain was not to be regarded altogether with 
 approval. The boys were regularly exercised at 
 gun drill with the lighter pieces, at single stick 
 exercise, which was the equivalent of cutlass drill, 
 and at any other of the lighter duties of a man-o'- 
 warsman. 
 
 Naturally, in view of the universal instincts of 
 mankind, the boxing and fencing were the favorite 
 exercises, and I soon learned that one of Lieuten- 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 53 
 
 ant Rogers' theories was that no considerable 
 number of men and boys, such as make up the 
 personnel of the navy, can Hve together for any 
 considerable time without occasional and often 
 salutary fights by way of settling disputes and 
 establishing the individual reladons that must 
 always exist. The only rule — and that was 
 an iron-clad rule — was "no fighting without 
 gloves." 
 
 Many a quarrel which might have been serious 
 was thus settled in a comparatively amicable 
 way. Occasional knock-downs and broken heads 
 naturally enough occurred as the result of quick 
 and unforeseen quarrels, but there was a general 
 understanding that in such cases the bystanders 
 should at once interfere, send for gloves or the 
 regulation single stick equipment, and make the 
 contestants settle their quarrel according to rule. 
 
 Among the boys, of course, small fallings-out 
 were more frequent than among the men, and I 
 soon learned that I should have to find my level 
 among my companions if life was to be anyway 
 endurable. Accordingly, after thinking it over by 
 myself, I decided to make a thorough job of it, 
 and began by telling Davy Jones, with whom, as I 
 have said, I was on most friendly terms, what I 
 was going to do. 
 
54 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 Davy grinned and wanted to know who I was 
 going to fight first. I told him I thought I should 
 fight him. We agreed accordingly to pretend that 
 we had had a quarrel, and fight to a finish that 
 same evening, — that is to sa}^, until one or the 
 other of us was so pumped out that he could not 
 come to time. When word was passed, therefore, 
 that there was a fight on at the fore section of the 
 main deck we had a very respectable audience, 
 and made believe glare at one another as though 
 nothing but life blood could satisfy our wrath. In 
 fact, we were so nearly matched that, after a set-to 
 lasting some twenty minutes, we were separated by 
 the senior warrant officer present, who declared the 
 fight a draw. 
 
 There is a popular delusion to the effect that 
 black eyes and damaged noses cannot result from 
 encounters with soft boxing gloves, but our appear- 
 ance, Davy's and mine, as we went to the water- 
 butt together, under proper escort to prevent us 
 from renewing the fight, would not have been 
 reassuring to our friends at home. 
 
 On reaching the captain's cabin, after having 
 performed a careful toilet, he saw in a momicnt 
 that I had been in a scrimmage, and, of course, I 
 made a clean breast of the whole affair, telling him 
 also that, if he didn't mind, I was going to fight 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. ^5 
 
 the entire contingent of boys, one after the other, 
 beginning with the largest, just for practise. 
 
 "What a little gamecock it is!" he said, 
 laughing heartily. "Well, I don't know that I 
 mind, if you keep your tempers. You are all 
 here to be turned into fighting material for your 
 country's navy, and I don't know how you can get 
 better practise." 
 
 Next day I went to look for Davy right after 
 morning quarters, and found him forward with a 
 good many of the men standing about. I went 
 right up to him and shook hands, both of us grin- 
 ning rather consciously over the fraud that we had 
 practised, and each secretly aware that the fighting 
 demon had been aroused in us toward the finish. 
 
 Jones had a very respectable black e3'e, and my 
 nose was considerably enlarged from its ordinary 
 proportion and not very pretty to look at. 
 
 Chance favored my plans so far as to cause the 
 biggest of the boys to be standing close by, and I 
 heard him say to a man next him : — 
 
 "Daisy nose Davy gave the old man's cub, 
 didn't he?" 
 
 "What's that?" and I faced round toward him 
 sharpl}'. 
 
 " Oh, nothin', Jackey, my son. I was just 
 admirin' of your cut-water.'* 
 
^6 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 "You called me the ' old man's cub.'" 
 
 "Well, what of it?" 
 
 "It's an insult, and I'm going to fight you. 
 Will you fight?" 
 
 " Yes," he said, rather reluctantly. " When? " 
 
 " As soon as my nose shrinks so I can see you," 
 I said. 
 
 " Done," replied he. 
 
 So the fight duly came off, and I was duly 
 knocked out, as I expected to be, but I gaye him 
 more hard work than he looked for, and won no 
 end of fame for my audacity. 
 
 After I had challenged and fought two or three 
 more of the larger boys, I worked down into my 
 own class, age, and weight, and yery soon had no 
 worlds left to conquer, for there was no boy of my 
 size left on the list. By this time I was easily the 
 best boxer and swordsman on board, for the con- 
 tests were occasionally varied by the substitution of 
 single-sticks for gloves. My reputation even spread 
 among the cadets, and, as I was a member of 
 Lieutenant Rogers' family, I began to be asked 
 oyer to the fencing-room, where I speedily picked 
 up bits of science that I should not have learned in 
 the rougher tutelage of the main deck. 
 
 I am well aware that all this must seem very 
 shocking to my gentle readers in this gentler age, 
 
ON THE DANGER LINE. 57 
 
 but, as Lieutenant Rogers said, "What are we 
 here for ? " 
 
 With the aid of the older warrant officers, he 
 took good care that this kind of thing should not 
 go too far, and the result was that serious fights 
 were almost unknown among men and boys, and 
 we youngsters became a tough, active lot, with an 
 utter contempt for physical pain and a readiness to 
 endure fatigue and privation that served many of 
 us well in after days. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE SAVING OF "OLD IRONSIDES." 
 
 DURING all this time the storm clouds of 
 secession became more and more threaten- 
 ing along the Southern horizon. Early in Febru- 
 ary a provisional Confederate Congress had met 
 at Montgomer}', Ala., and Jefferson Davis was 
 chosen president. The attempt to capture Mary- 
 land for the Confederacy had failed, thanks to the 
 loyalty of Governor Hicks, but his position was 
 very critical. 
 
 Baltimore, with its two hundred thousand in- 
 habitants, was strongly in sympathy with the 
 South ; the State capitol at Annapolis was equally 
 devoted to the same cause, and the national capitol 
 at Washington without adequate means of de- 
 fense, with all the government departments at 
 least half filled with Southern sympathizers, and 
 it was even doubtful at the end of February 
 whether the president-elect could be brought safely 
 to Washington in time for lawful inauguration on 
 March 4. Reach Washington he did, however, 
 
 58 
 
THE SAVING OF '' OLD IRONSIDES." 59 
 
 in spite of a well-organized plan for his assassina- 
 tion, passing through Baltimore in disguise a night 
 or two before. 
 
 Then followed a painful period of suspense, 
 while the rebels went on perfecting their civil and 
 military organization and completing the invest- 
 ment of Fort Pickens at Pensacola and of Fort 
 Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, the only two 
 forts still held by United States troops. It was 
 not until the end of March that the president and 
 his advisers so far solved the legal and constitu- 
 tional problems that confronted them that they 
 could decide upon a definite course of action. It 
 was then determined that the Rebellion had gone 
 so far that active steps must be taken if the govern- 
 ment would save itself. 
 
 All the available regular troops within reach had 
 been summoned to Washington for the defense of 
 the Capitol ; but they numbered only a few hundred, 
 and could not offer protracted resistance to the 
 numerous battalions that were organizing across 
 the Potomac. It was determined at last to send 
 relief expeditions to the beleagured fortresses, and 
 these were fitted out in New York with the utmost 
 secrecy and despatch. 
 
 Everything was known, however, to the Con- 
 federate authorities, and on April 12 the bom- 
 
6o JACK Benson's log. 
 
 bardment of Fort Sumter began. News of this 
 opening of hostilities reached Washington the next 
 day, Saturday, April 13, and on the Sunday fol- 
 lowing the president issued his proclamation call- 
 ing out the militia of the loyal States to defend the 
 Capitol and aid in enforcing the laws of the United 
 States. 
 
 In those days the State militia, or, as it is now 
 called, the National Guard, was not so well organ- 
 ized as it is now ; comparatively few regiments 
 were fully equipped with arms and field accouter- 
 ments ; fewer still were habitually drilled as battal- 
 ions, and hardly a single company of volunteers 
 had at this time been organized. Nevertheless, 
 two days after the president's call was issued the 
 Massachusetts Sixth Regiment was on its way to 
 Washington, and on April 19, the anniversary 
 of the Battle of Lexington, it was fighting its way 
 through Baltimore, opposed by a furious mob of 
 Southern sympathizers. 
 
 Blood was shed and lives were lost on both sides, 
 but the regiment forced its way through to the 
 Washington station, and went on to the Capitol, 
 leaving the city and State behind it aroused to a 
 frenzy. For near a week it was a mere toss-up 
 whether Maryland should go over to the Con- 
 federacy or remain loyal to the Union. But the 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 6l 
 
 governor, though almost overborne by the pressure 
 brought to bear upon him, steadily refused to call 
 an extra session of the legislature, and even deli\'- 
 ered the State seal to General Butler, commanding 
 Massachusetts troops, for safe keeping, lest it 
 should be used in the official execution of some 
 compromising document. Meanwhile the Balti- 
 more mob burned the railroad bridges, so that no 
 more troops from the North could go to the rescue. 
 
 At Annapolis we were for the time completely 
 isolated, getting our news only at second hand, 
 and poor Captain Blake, the superintendent of the 
 naval academy, was still further perplexed by the 
 arrival on leave of his secessionist son. The 
 old gentleman and his wife could not turn their 
 son out of doors, and were yet afraid to have him 
 within the lines. Still, he made the best of it, ap- 
 pealed to the young man's sense of honor, and, 
 so far as is known, his confidence was not abused, 
 and, although young Blake subsequently resigned 
 his commission and served in the Confederate 
 Army throughout the war, still he did not betray 
 his father's trust. 
 
 The chief anxiety of the little garrison at Annap- 
 olis was concerning the old " Constitution," though 
 little danger w^as to be apprehended from an attack 
 by land, for the academy grounds were surrounded 
 
62 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 then, as now, by water on three sides and a stout 
 brick wall on the fourth. The approaches could 
 be easily commanded by artillery and riflemen, 
 but for the gallant old frigate there was no such 
 ready means of defense. To be sure, the senior 
 class of the academy was quartered on board 
 during part of the time, but no additional draft of 
 seamen from the navy could be obtained to fill out 
 her crew to its full complement. 
 
 Nevertheless, the best was done that could be 
 done, boys and all taking their turns at various 
 kinds of duty. Through my influence and inti- 
 macy with the commanding officer, I was able 
 sometimes to get myself and Davy detailed to con- 
 genial tasks, one of which was going aloft to the 
 main royal cross-trees with a good glass and keep- 
 ing a lookout on the movements of Confederates, 
 in the neighborhood of the State capitol. 
 
 On the forenoon of one beautiful spring day 
 early in April, which in that latitude means green 
 grass and the trees pretty well leaved out, Davy 
 and I were perched in the cross-trees to relieve the 
 regular lookout for an hour. We were spying 
 about half carelessly, when one of us noticed some 
 movement in an old brickyard, where nothing had 
 been done for months, so far as we knew. We 
 could make out four negroes working about a 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 6^ 
 
 couple of old scows, apparently cleaning them out, 
 but for what purpose, of course, we did not know. 
 
 After awhile, however, the scows were cast off 
 from their moorings, and with two men in each 
 working the big, clumsy sweeps, they passed out of 
 sight into a little cove, which formed part of an 
 estuary, known as Spa Creek, that makes up in- 
 land to the southward of Annapolis. We watched 
 them out of sight without having our suspicion 
 particularly aroused, and then chanced to see a 
 couple of horsemen riding from the direction of the 
 State capitol toward a point which would bring 
 them not very far from where the scows had dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 " Davy," said I, a sudden thought entering my 
 head, "what bullv good boats those would be to 
 bring boarders alongside this old ship of ours." 
 
 Davy stared at me with mingled wonder and 
 admiration. 
 
 " Well, I should say so," he said at last. 
 " Maybe that's what they're up to. Let's go out 
 sailing in the 'Junior,' and see where they've left 
 those boats." 
 
 "Junior," short for " Constitution, Junior," was 
 the name of a little sailing dingy in which we boys 
 who knew how to manage a sailboat were allowed 
 to cruise around in the vicinity of the sea wall and 
 
6j\. jack Benson's log. 
 
 the academy anchorage. When we were reheved 
 by the regular lookout, therefore, we slid down by 
 the back stays, and got leave to go sailing. 
 
 Fortunately, we were favored by a clipping 
 breeze, and a few minutes carried us out up the 
 creek and past the mouth of the little cove which I 
 have before mentioned. Just within the mouth of 
 this an old canal-barge had grounded, and was 
 now almost high and dry on the beach. Along- 
 side of this our two brick scows had been moored 
 end to end, and one or two men, with the negroes 
 whom we had seen before, were standing about, 
 apparently examining the situation. 
 
 We did not deviate from our course, lest we 
 might arouse suspicion, as the" Junior " was known 
 as part of the academy equipment. Having thus 
 located our quarr}^ we headed back for the ship, 
 and on the way concocted an elaborate scheme 
 for the afternoon. 
 
 The usual hour of drill for the Confederate 
 troops that were organizing in and about An- 
 napolis was rather late in the day, — say, about 
 five o'clock. We had often watched tliem march- 
 ing and countermarching from some point of 
 vantage aloft on the " Constitution," and we knew 
 pretty well at what hour they would begin and 
 when they would leave off. Putting these things 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 65 
 
 together, we decided that if the brick scows meant 
 any business at all one or more of the companies 
 would be marched down there for practise that 
 very afternoon. 
 
 The question was how could we both of us 
 manage to get off so as to see them and learn 
 what they were up to. Fortunately, the crabbing 
 season was just beginning, and I knew that both 
 Lieutenant Rogers and Captain Blake, the superin- 
 tendent, were uncommonly fond of these delicacies. 
 So Davy and I innocently asked leave to go 
 crabbing that afternoon. 
 
 In the meantime all our leisure moments were 
 devoted to busy preparation. We rummaged 
 about among the cast-off sea toggery of the crew, 
 and succeeded before long in fitting ourselves out 
 with some half-worn overalls and shirts that had 
 been cast aside, and finding some battered straw 
 hats and blouses in rags, we rigged ourselves out 
 as far as we could with our white faces so that we 
 might pass for a couple of young darkies. 
 
 The perplexing question was " how should we 
 blacken our faces." We had heard of using burnt 
 cork, but, as we should have to change our com- 
 plexions without the assistance of a looking- 
 glass, we did not very well see how it could be 
 accomplished in that way. Finally, I consulted 
 
66 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 my old friend, the gunner, and he, being a person 
 of resource, like all good sailor men, forthwith 
 suggested lampblack and slush, ingredients of 
 which there is always a plentiful supply on board 
 a man-of-war. 
 
 At an early hour in the afternoon we had our 
 clothing and cosmetics done up in a portable 
 shape, had smeared over the sides of the "Junior" 
 with mud, which would be easily washed off, so as 
 to disguise her too familiar appearance, and leav- 
 ing our sails behind, we pushed off and headed 
 across the creek so as not to give any indication 
 of our destination. I should have said that be- 
 sides the ordinary equipment of crab fishermen we 
 had borrowed a three-inch augur from Chips, the 
 carpenter, and had also found some old wooden 
 bungs that would fit the hole it made. To each of 
 these bungs we had attached a piece of small line 
 some three or four feet long ; besides this we were 
 ourselves provided with a coil of line something 
 like a hundred feet" in length altogether. 
 
 Rowing along beyond the cove where the scows 
 were moored, we found the place beyond Windmill 
 Point where a grove of trees pretty well concealed 
 us from view, and there we proceeded to change 
 our clothes, and smear our faces, hands, arms, 
 and legs as far up as our knees with the not par- 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 67 
 
 ticularly agreeable mixture of slush and lamp- 
 black. One difficulty which had not occurred to 
 us now developed itself, — namely, our hair. That 
 it was not wool was perfectly obvious to the most 
 casual glance, but great are the powers of lamp- 
 black and slush, and we managed to trice our hair 
 up so that when concealed under our hat brims it 
 would pass very well for wool if the observer was 
 not too near. 
 
 By this time it was well after eight bells (four 
 o'clock), and all being read}', we pulled on into the 
 cove, and went to work catching crabs, imitating so 
 far as we could the lazy motions of the average 
 Annapolis darky. 
 
 There was no sign of life whatever about the 
 barge and its attendant scows, but we had fixed 
 half past five as probably the earliest hour for the 
 appearance of the enemy, so we possessed our 
 souls in patience. It was, in fact, between that 
 hour and six o'clock when we heard voices, and 
 presently the head of a column of infantry came 
 in eight out of a street which, if I remember 
 rightly, was named Charles Street, leading from 
 the direction of the State House. 
 
 These companies were not yet uniformed, but 
 they carried United States rifles, no doubt some of 
 those that were so generally distributed all over 
 
68 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 the seceding States by the secretary of war, Mr. 
 Floyd, and all their accouterments were in good 
 shape. They swung along, carrying their pieces 
 at the right shoulder, very good specimens of the 
 splendid lighting material that formed the Confed- 
 erate army. We counted the files as they turned 
 along the beach before coming to a halt, and found 
 that there were little short of two hundred men 
 present. 
 
 They marched down the beach to a point op- 
 posite the old canal barge, and there halted and 
 stacked arms. Of course, no two black boys 
 out catching crabs for somebody else could be ex- 
 pected to go on with their work when a military 
 company was drilling within sight. Accordingly, 
 we stopped about two hundred yards off shore, 
 and gazed with mouths and eyes wide open. Our 
 appearance was so disreputable, I suppose, that it 
 aroused no suspicions. At any rate, the drill went 
 on, and we watched keenly everything that was 
 done. 
 
 Evidently the officer in command understood his 
 business. Probably he was a West Pointer or an 
 ex-naval officer; at any rate, he instructed his 
 men how to get on board the scows without mass- 
 ing too much on either side, and when they had 
 learned that, he made them at a given signal 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 69 
 
 scramble up the side of the barge, which was con- 
 siderably higher than the scows, and no doubt 
 represented in their minds the lofty sides of the 
 old " Constitution." 
 
 They were put through this drill several times, 
 with their arms at the last, until, with the ready 
 adaptability of Americans, they became proficient, 
 and the officer evidently thought that they would 
 be able to go through the same motion in the 
 darkness of night, and perhaps under the excite- 
 ment of cracking rifles and bursting shells. 
 
 The sun was nearing the horizon and probably 
 most of the men were anxious to get home to their 
 suppers, being as yet volunteers not inured to 
 campaign habits in the matter of going without 
 their regular meals, so they were marched off just 
 before sunset, the officer making a little address to 
 them after they had fallen in behind the stacked 
 rifles. 
 
 We could not hear all that he said, but his voice 
 carried well in the still evening air, and we caught 
 a few words, the substance of which was, " Be 
 ready to turn' out under arms any time to-night." 
 Then followed the usual orders to march, and the 
 column passed off through the gathering dusk. 
 
 It may well seem incredible to any military man 
 of experience that such a drill could have been 
 
70 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 performed and such instructions given almost 
 within sight of an enemy's headquarters, but it 
 must be remembered that these men were almost 
 in their own private dooryards ; they knew that 
 they were surrounded by friends, and that any 
 spies or enemies could be watching them at that 
 time probably never occurred to the otlicer in 
 command. 
 
 There were, however, two very wide-awake 
 little darky boys, who a few weeks later would 
 probably have been referred to as contrabands, 
 watching all their movements with two very sharp 
 pairs of eyes and drawing their own conclusions 
 from what they saw. 
 
 We poled slowly along as soon as things had 
 become quiet, drawing in to the shore and gradu- 
 ally getting nearer to the scows as it became 
 darker. At length we slid in between the two, 
 fastened our skiff, and, taking our tools, scrambled 
 aboard the overhanging scow. The first thing to 
 be done was to look the boats over so as to be sure 
 of our ground ; this took but a moment, as there 
 was sufficient light from the western sky to enable 
 us to see where we were going. 
 
 The scows, as we supposed, were simply flat 
 boats, clear of all thwarts and cross timbers amid- 
 ships, and having merely a footboard crossing 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IROXSIDES." 7 1 
 
 them at either end, Measurino- on the outside so 
 as to locate the water Hne exactly, Davy started in 
 at a suitable place to bore a hole through the side 
 of the scow just where the water would not come 
 in while the boat remained empty. Our respective 
 duties had been arranged beforehand, and while 
 Davy bored the hole I climbed over the side and 
 made the end of a line fast to the side of the barge 
 by means of a screw-eye that I had brought with me. 
 
 The bung, with its shorter line attached, was all 
 ready, and while Davy finished the first augur 
 hole, I promptly pushed the bung into it from the 
 outside, and tapped it gently home. Then it was 
 but the work of a second to tie the short line and 
 the long line together, and we ran to the other end 
 of the scow to repeat the operation. Two three- 
 inch augur holes were made in each scow, and the 
 lines secured and made fast to the bungs all inside 
 of half an hour. 
 
 By that time it was pretty dark, and we hurried 
 to gather up the fresh chips that had been made 
 by the augurs, and get into our skiff as speedily as 
 possible. 
 
 Now I think that the veriest landsman can 
 understand that pushing off the scows would 
 tighten the lines and pull out the bungs, and with 
 a load of a hundred men the auffur holes would be 
 
72 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 well under water, and it would take only a few 
 minutes, with two three-inch streams flowing in- 
 board, to send both boats to the bottom. 
 
 We had just finished boat number two when we 
 heard voices and footsteps, which drew nearer, and 
 Billy and I had only just time to scramble into our 
 skiff and hide under the shadow of the overhang- 
 ing bows when a corporal's guard of three or four 
 men, with guns on their shoulders, came along the 
 beach. Evidently the commander's mind had mis- 
 given him regarding the safety of leaving his boats 
 without protection, and he had sent these men to 
 be at hand until the time for action came. 
 
 " Stay here, boys, while I go up and see that 
 everything is right," said the man in charge. 
 
 We lay low as possible in our little skiff, and 
 heard the corporal walk up the gang plank and 
 march back and forth slowly the whole length of 
 the barge. Apparently his inspection of the scows 
 was satisfactory, for we heard him go back and 
 descend the gang plank, rejoining his companions 
 on the beach. A short colloquy ensued as to 
 whether the party should make its temporary 
 bivouac on shore or on the old canal barge, but it 
 was finally decided in favor of the former, and we 
 presently heard the men gathering wood for a fire 
 and making themselves comfortable. 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 73 
 
 This was the signal for us to shove off and 
 make our way home before the Hght of the lire 
 would endanger our safe retreat. 
 
 It was nearly eight o'clock when, half famished, 
 wet, and tired, we reached our ship, after a most 
 exciting afternoon. Climbing the gangway, we 
 got on deck, and found some difficulty in getting 
 ourselves recognized by the quartermaster on duty, 
 who held up his lantern and scrutinized our black 
 faces with suspicion and amusement. 
 
 After we had convinced him who we were, he 
 said that Mr. Rockers had left orders that on our 
 arrival we were to report immediately to him. 
 Accordingly, without stopping to put ourselves to 
 rights, we went to his cabin, and, in answer to his 
 summons, advanced within the circle of light. 
 Knowing nothing of our designs beyond the mere 
 announcement of a crabbing expedition, he had no 
 reason to anticipate anything beyond the ordinary 
 smartly dressed sailor boys whom he was in the 
 habit of seeing about his ship. 
 
 When his eyes fell upon us, black, tattered, wet, 
 and generally disgraceful, an expression of utter 
 amazement spread over his countenance. Look- 
 ing keenly at us for a moment, he seemed to 
 recognize us. We pulled our forelocks and re- 
 ported as usual. After trying for a moment to 
 
74 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 retain upon his features a stern expression of 
 severity, he gave it up and burst into laughter. 
 
 "Well," he said at length, "what mischief 
 have you two been up to? " 
 
 Billy and I glanced rather guiltily at one an- 
 other, and I suppose his eyes told me that he 
 thought I had better make a clean breast of it. So 
 I told him in a few words how our suspicions had 
 been aroused, what we had discovered in the fore- 
 noon, and what steps we had taken after our sus- 
 picions were confirmed to disable the equipment of 
 the expedition. 
 
 " Why didn't you report to me what 3'ou saw in 
 the morning? That's what you ought to have 
 done." 
 
 " Well, you see, sir, there wasn't anything to 
 report. Just those two brick scows, and we 
 thought if we said anything about it we should 
 simply get laughed at." 
 
 After a little cross-examination, Mr. Rogers rose 
 suddenly and dismissed us, saying, " Get your- 
 selves cleaned up, and come right over to the 
 superintendent's office." 
 
 We ventured to disobey orders in so far as to visit 
 the cook's galley on the way, where we managed 
 to beg a bit of hard tack and a cup of coffee, be- 
 fore going on an errand which might detain us for 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES. 75 
 
 some time. Changing our clothes was a simple 
 matter, but the slush and lampblack refused to 
 yield kindly even to soap and hot water. After 
 spending all the time we dared in vigorous scrub- 
 bing, we started for headquarters. 
 
 The orderly on duty grinned when he saw our 
 still smutty faces, but ushered us immediately into 
 the presence of the grim old superintendent, who 
 was sitting in his office with Mr. Rogers, evi- 
 dently in consultation. 
 
 We stood side by side, caps in hand, toeing an 
 imaginary seam in the deck, and awaited develop- 
 ments. Captain Blake looked us over very keenly, 
 glancing sternly from one to the other for a mo- 
 ment, and then, seeing that neither of us winced, 
 he relaxed his official manner a little. 
 
 " Mr. Rogers tells me," he said, " that you boys 
 think you have discovered a rebel plot. Tell me 
 what you have seen." Then, as we both hesi- 
 tated to begin, he added, "Which of you is tlie 
 elder?" 
 
 " I am the oldest," said Davy, " but he planned 
 it all out, sir ; " and he pointed at me with his left 
 thumb. 
 
 "Well, go on." 
 
 So Davy gave a tolerably coherent account of 
 how our suspicions were aroused, and how we 
 
76 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 were afraid we should not be allowed to go at all 
 if we told what our real purpose was, and how we 
 effected a change of clothes and blackened our 
 faces over beyond Windmill Point. He went on 
 with his narrative without interruption until he 
 came to the augur, then Captain Blake interrupted 
 him. 
 
 " Augur," said he, " how came you to have an 
 augur ? " 
 
 " We borrowed it of ' Chips,' sir — the carpenter, 
 I mean, sir — and we rigged the lines to the bungs 
 before we started out, sir." 
 
 " Bungs," asked the captain. 
 
 " Yes, sir, to plug the holes with, sir." Davy 
 glanced apprehensively at me, for he was beginning 
 to get rattled under this fire of cross-examination. 
 
 "Well, and what next? " said the captain, now 
 trying hard to keep from laughing. 
 
 Davy was speechless, so I had to take my turn, 
 and, being more accustomed than Davy was to 
 public speaking, I succeeded in making all the 
 doubtful points clear to the officer's mind. 
 
 Before I had finished they both appeared to be 
 in very good humor, and I even detected them 
 winking at one another when they thought we 
 were not looking. 
 
 " Rogers," said the captain at last, " I do believe 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 77 
 
 these young rascals have unearthed something of 
 importance. Here, Benson," said he, turning to 
 me, " show me just where the barge and boats He, 
 on this chart." 
 
 He laid the harbor chart on the table, and I was 
 able to locate the position of the barge with almost 
 perfect accuracy, because a small wharf was indi- 
 cated on the chart quite near the position of the 
 barge. 
 
 "Now, boys," said Captain Blake, "you may 
 go and get a good supper. I shall want one of 
 you to go out on the patrol boat later. Rogers, 
 stay here a few moments I want to see you." So 
 we took our departure, each of us wild to go on 
 the expedition. 
 
 While swallowing the supper that the good- 
 natured cook had kept for us, we drew lots as to 
 which should volunteer, but the loser always re- 
 fused to abide by the result, and at length we 
 patched up the excuse that we must both go any- 
 how, so Davy conveniently forgot certain things, 
 and I forgot certain others, and when we were 
 examined as to our qualifications it became per- 
 fectly evident that only by taking the two of us 
 along could the patrol boat expect to reach its 
 destination safely. 
 
 During all these nights of anxiety a regular 
 
78 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 patrol boat went on duty at sundown and cruised 
 about all night in the vicinity of the academy 
 water front. The usual beat of this boat was, of 
 course, well known to the rebels, and it was 
 arranged that an extra boat should be sent out a 
 little before midnight, as it was morally certain that 
 no movement would be made on the part of the 
 enem}^ until after that hour. 
 
 A cutter was made read}', and a crew of a 
 dozen picked men selected to go out in charge of 
 Mr. Findley, a young officer of some experience 
 in actual service. All were well armed, except us 
 two boys, who, to our unspeakable disgust, were 
 considered too young to be entrusted with firearms 
 under excitement. However, we were well enough 
 content to be allowed to go at all, and we suc- 
 ceeded in getting a little sleep before we were 
 called to turn out at midnight. 
 
 That was the first boat expedition that either of 
 us ever took part in, and I suppose we shall 
 never forget the silent embarkation, the carefully 
 muffled oars, and all the precautions usual on an 
 occasion requiring perfect secrecy. We pulled 
 directly across the creek to Sycamore Point, and 
 then skirted the shore till we could cross over 
 without the least risk of being observed. 
 
 Carefully keeping behind the rude wharf that I 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 79 
 
 have mentioned, which was between the barge 
 and the creek, we took sheUer among its upright 
 piles where we were well concealed in the dark 
 shadow. The bivouac fire still smoldered on the 
 beach, and we could dimly make out the forms of 
 three men sitting about it, while a fourth marched 
 up and down to keep himself awake and on the 
 alert. 
 
 Detailing two of our own men to watch, the rest 
 of us made ourselves as comfortable as we could 
 on the thwarts and on the bottom of the boat, and 
 awaited developments. It was along watch, and, 
 in spite of the extra jackets we had brought with 
 us, we found a chill striking to our bones. Most 
 of us, however, went to sleep after awhile, but at 
 four bells (two o'clock, a. m.), some one shook 
 me gently out of a sound sleep, and I found that 
 everybody else, including Davy, was wide awake. 
 
 "They're coming," whispered Mr. Findley. 
 "Quiet, men," he added; "for heaven's sake, 
 don't make a sound." This in the lowest possi- 
 ble tone that could be heard by the men in the 
 boat. 
 
 So still was it, however, that we could hear 
 every movement of the approaching party. They 
 came along without any special precautions, 
 carrying three or four lanterns, and scarcely 
 
8o JACK Benson's log. 
 
 lowering their voices. Only about half had their 
 rifles with them. But all were provided with 
 heavy revolvers, as we could see by an occasional 
 gleam of reflected rays from the lanterns. 
 
 The commanding officer halted them on the 
 beach and reminded them of the afternoon's drill, 
 cautioning them against haste and confusion that 
 micrht be the natural result of unaccustomed con- 
 ditions in the darkness. Then, taking his stand 
 by the gang plank and stationing men with lan- 
 terns where they would be most useful, he started 
 the embarkation. 
 
 We could see the long succession of dark figures 
 in silhouette against the dim lanterns, passing one 
 after the other up the steep gang plank. It took 
 nearly half an hour to get them all on board and 
 safely bestowed, seated, each in his own place, on 
 the bottom of the boat. The officer in charge, with 
 his lieutenants, superintended every part of the 
 embarkation, and at length remained standing 
 alone on the barge. 
 
 " All right on board No. i ? " 
 
 "Yes, sir," came the answer. 
 
 "No. 2 all right?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " Then cast off the mooring lines and prepare to 
 shove off." 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 8l 
 
 At this he swung himself down into one of the 
 scows, and we could hear the oars run out and 
 the gurgling of the water, as the heavily laden 
 boats were pushed side wise away from the barge. 
 
 In a moment they floated clear and we could 
 hear the men getting out their sweeps and begin- 
 ning to paddle slowh' ahead. Now came the 
 critical time. Only Davy and I in that cutter knew 
 exactly how the work had been done that was 
 intended to disable the expedition. You can 
 imagine that our hearts beat high with excitement, 
 and indeed everybody on the cutter was nearly 
 as excited as we, though their maturer years en- 
 abled them, perhaps, to hold themselves in a little 
 better. Everything seemed progressing satisfac- 
 torily ; the loaded boats had drawn clear of the 
 barge, when swish, snap, as of something cutting 
 sharply through the water and bringing up with a 
 jerk. 
 
 " What was that? " asked a voice. 
 
 " Avast pulling." 
 
 More swishing and snapping as the different 
 lines tightened. 
 
 Evidently some of the oarsmen knew what 
 " avast" meant and others evidently didn't. 
 
 " Stop rowing, you lubbers ! " the officer roared, 
 seeing that the order was not understood. 
 
82 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 There was a moment's silence and a whispered 
 consultation. Then a voice with the characteristic 
 drawl of the eastern shore spoke out : — 
 
 " Say, cap, I am a-settin' in about five inches o' 
 water." 
 
 "So be I, and I," came from various parts of 
 the two boats. 
 
 In our own cutter at this stage of the proceedings 
 was developed an almost irrepressible desire on 
 the part of the men to laugh and cheer. It was 
 perfectly evident that our plan had succeeded, but 
 a word of warning from Findley enabled us to keep 
 ourselves under control, and at the same time the 
 word was given to pass the cutter astern out from 
 under the sheltering wharf. The men reached 
 over, shoving against the piles with their hands, 
 and sent the boat out under the still starlight. 
 Concealed by the intervening wharf, we got our 
 oars, and a few strokes sent us within hailing dis- 
 tance of the enemy, who apparently had not 
 discovered our presence. 
 
 The subdued talk among them had now given 
 way to a babel of noises, as the scows settled down, 
 and hurried orders were given to search for the 
 leaks and light the lanterns which had been extin- 
 guished. It was impossible to do anything in the 
 dark. The water, however, was but shallow, and 
 
THE SAVING OF " OLD IRONSIDES." 83 
 
 there was little or no panic among the sinking 
 crews. Most of them could swim, and those who 
 could not stood on the partly submerged scows, 
 and easily kept their heads above water. 
 
 We could only guess what was going on rather 
 than see, for the darkness was very dense. From 
 snatches of sentences we knew that the fight was 
 pretty well taken out of our Confederate friends. 
 At last Findley stood up and hailed. 
 
 " Hallo, there I " 
 
 No answer, but an ominous silence. The talk- 
 ing and splashing ceased. 
 
 " Hallo, there, I say; who are 3'ou?" 
 
 Still silence. 
 
 " This is the United States naval patrol boat. 
 Answer, or I'll fire." 
 
 Here some crazy desperado, who had managed 
 to keep his revolver dry, fired at us, the bullet 
 singing past just over our heads and cutting the 
 water be3'ond. 
 
 " Steady, there," shouted Findley sternl}^ for he 
 heard a number of ominous clicks as our own men 
 cocked their big navy revolvers. " Don't fire 
 without order." 
 
 Then addressing the half-drowned secessionists, 
 " I don't know who you are, but don't try that 
 again. I could kill you all where you stand if I 
 
84 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 chose to give the word. If any of you are in 
 danger of drowning I'll set you ashore. You 
 don't want any help? No? Well, good-night, 
 then. Oars ! Give way all," and setting the helm 
 hard aport, the smart cutter swept past the forlorn 
 and baffled Marylanders, who, as we afterwards 
 learned, all got safely ashore. Our crew pulled 
 home in high glee, and Davy and I came in for 
 much slapping on the back and rough congratula- 
 tion. 
 
 Next day the local secessionist paper contained 
 the following paragraph : — 
 
 " Two companies of the ist Maryland infantry, under command of 
 Major MacKenway, started out last night on what promised to be a 
 successful expedition, aimed to secure certain property of the 
 United States which may prove useful for the use of the Confed- 
 eracy. The expedition was to go by water, and was safely embarked 
 shortly after midnight. After leaving the wharf, however, the 
 boats were found to be leaking so badly that it was necessary to 
 abandon the expedition and return to the shore. Major MacKen- 
 way and his men were greatly disappointed at having to give up 
 what seemed an excellent opportunity to try their new weapons on 
 the tyrant invaders. But their time will come! Maryland will not 
 long endure the sight of Northern mercenaries on her sacred soil! 
 But for the weakness of certain State officials we should long since 
 have been rid of this incubus." 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW YORK TO THE RESCUE. 
 
 BY this time, having learned the routine of a 
 boy's life in Uncle Sam's service, I w^as 
 anxious to enlist and become a regular man-o'- 
 warsman so far as a boy of my age could accom- 
 plish this end. But Mr. Rogers dissuaded me. 
 
 "Wait awhile," he said. "If this thing tides 
 over, and we do not come to blows with the seced- 
 ing States, you can enter the academy as a naval 
 cadet without any interruption. Whereas, if you 
 enlist now, you'll find yourself tied up and unable 
 to make a choice of stations. But, if worst comes 
 to worst, as now threatens, we can get you drafted 
 into a good ship that is likely to see service, and 
 you will learn more in six months than you would 
 in two years of academy life." 
 
 I am afraid that in those da3^s we youngsters 
 longed for nothing so much as for war. The little 
 taste of adventure that we had, simply stimulated 
 the desire for more, and we could not be expected 
 to foresee or appreciate all the horrors that actual 
 
 ss 
 
86 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 war implies. To us it meant no end of excitement, 
 possible promotion, and prize money, and, in short, 
 all the fascinating phases of life that ordinary boys 
 only find in the pages of novels. In short, we 
 were full of fight, and the uniformly singly conduct 
 of the few Confederates that we had thus far 
 encountered only served to make us the more 
 eager. 
 
 Shortly after this time came the attack on Sumter, 
 news of which reached us a day after it had taken 
 place. Then followed rumors that the president 
 had issued a call for troops, that regiments from 
 the north and east were making their way to 
 Washington, and that there had been actual fight- 
 ing in Baltimore. 
 
 Of the details we knew nothing ; but the air was 
 full of rumors, and if half the stories had been 
 true of the concentration of Maryland troops in 
 the vicinity of the State capitol it would have taken 
 a very large Yankee army to resist their onslaught. 
 We noticed, however, that there was less drilling 
 of new levies in the streets after it became actually 
 certain that Massachusetts troops had marched 
 through Baltimore. 
 
 The railroad leading from Annapolis toward 
 Washington was torn up, nearly all the rolling 
 stock having previously been taken away. We 
 
TO THE RESCUE. 87 
 
 were almost wholly without trustworthy news. Of 
 course the vigilance of the sentries was redoubled, 
 and a sharp lookout kept at night, the chief dan- 
 ger being anticipated from the water side, since it 
 was thought that a hostile expedition could be 
 readily sent down the Chesapeake from Balti- 
 more. 
 
 Accordingly, when there was a sudden call to 
 arms at about three o'clock on the morning of 
 April 20, it took only a few minutes for all hands 
 to be at their stations. The patrol boat, it seems, 
 had showed its danger signal, and the different 
 sentries and lookouts had passed the word along. 
 Drums were soon beating the long roll, and every- 
 thing was in readiness to repel an attack in short 
 order. Presently we could make out the dim 
 outline of a steamer coming up the harbor, but 
 whether she was friend or foe we had no means 
 of ascertaining, and orders were given not to 
 fire until more accurate knowledge could be ob- 
 tained. 
 
 She came to anchor in absolute silence, and in a 
 few minutes a boat put off toward her from the 
 superintendent's landing. Then came another long 
 wait, and then the report that the steamer was the 
 ferryboat "Maryland," from Havre de Grace, 
 which had been seized by Massachusetts troops 
 
bo JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 under General Butler and pressed into the service 
 as a transport. 
 
 Captain Blake, who was himself a Massachusetts 
 man, went on board as soon as he received the 
 welcome intelligence, and an eye-witness of the 
 meeting says that the old gentleman broke down 
 and cried like a child when he shook hands with 
 General Butler, and the first words that he managed 
 to enunciate were : — 
 
 " General, will you save the ' Constitution? '" 
 
 General Butler at first, according to his own 
 account, thought the captain was taking leave of 
 his senses, and was referring to the Constitution of 
 the United States ; but he quickly reassured him, 
 and the old sailor's anxiety was relieved when he 
 looked around upon the thousand well-armed 
 though somewhat untrained Bay State men, who 
 had thus unexpectedly arrived to his rescue. 
 
 The presence of the Massachusetts troops 
 aroused grave apprehensions in the minds of the 
 local authorities. The governor, although loyal at 
 heart, was oppressed by an ever-present fear lest 
 some hasty act should bring on actual hostilities, 
 and he immediately protested officially and other- 
 wise against the landing of troops on the sacred soil 
 of Maryland. General Butler, however, was not 
 very much given to standing on ceremony, so the 
 
TO THE RESCUE. 89 
 
 troops were landed in short order and in spite of 
 protests. Friendly relations were before long 
 established, and the once haughty and belligerent 
 mayor of Annapolis applied within thirty days for 
 the position of post sutler. 
 
 Before the general landing was effected two 
 companies were detailed, at Captain Blake's request, 
 to go at once on board the " Constitution " and 
 help her short-handed crew, acting at the same 
 time as a marine guard. These two companies 
 came respectively from Salem and Marblehead, 
 and a large portion of their nmnbers were sailor 
 men. Fore-and-aft sailors, it is true, but having 
 the adaptability of Yankees, and quite ready to 
 learn the ropes on board an old-fashioned square- 
 rigged frigate. 
 
 It was very amusing to see them fraternize with 
 the regular blue-jackets, and still funnier to see 
 Lieutenant Rogers adapt his old-school ideas of 
 naval discipline to the circumstances. He knew 
 very well that free and easy Yankee fishermen of 
 northern New England could not come down to 
 quarter-deck etiquette all of a sudden, so he gov- 
 erned himself accordingly and got as much work 
 out of them as another man would have gotten out 
 of double their number. 
 
 The ship had to be lightened of her guns before 
 
90 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 she would float, and her huge anchors had lain 
 in one place so long that they had settled down 
 many feet into the mud. But many willing hands 
 made quick work. The " Maryland " was brought 
 alongside, and the big guns hoisted on board of 
 her in short order. Then the old-fashioned cap- 
 stans were manned, and by main strength the 
 anchors were hove up out of their deep bed. 
 Everything was clear at last and the " Maryland" 
 towed us out into the deep water of Annapolis 
 Roads. 
 
 That night the " Constitution " once more rode 
 freely to her anchors, and if ships are sentient 
 beings, as some sailor men hold, her old timbers 
 may have thrilled with memories of the past. 
 Never before had she more narrowly escaped 
 having her honored flag lowered and an alien 
 emblem hoisted in its place. But now she was 
 afloat once more, and, singularly enough, manned 
 and guarded by descendants of the very men who 
 built her in 1797 and fought her so gallantly in 
 1812. 
 
 Next day the New York Seventh Regiment 
 arrived by steamer from Philadelphia, and after 
 a short delay both regiments started for Washing- 
 ton ox-erland, reaching the Capitol without opposi- 
 tion and in time to reenforce the slender garrison 
 
TO THE RESCUE. 9I 
 
 of regulars and hastily gathered volunteers that 
 had thus far been the only guarantee of safety. 
 
 It is one of the strangest facts in connection 
 with this period of the Civil War that, with all 
 their ability and all the means at their disposal, 
 the Confederate leaders did not seize the Capitol 
 at Washington when it was in a defenseless con- 
 dition. That they could have done this almost 
 without opposition is now generally conceded, and 
 if they had done so they would probably have 
 had little difficulty in securing the recognition of 
 foreign governments and in practically placing 
 the Northern States on the defensive. The border 
 States, as the}" were called, would no doubt have 
 quickly joined the Confederacy, and the history of 
 the North American continent would have read 
 very differently. 
 
 After the departure of the troops, Annapolis was 
 left in comparative quiet. But it was presently 
 decided by the authorities to move the whole 
 academ}' establishment to Newport, R. I., until 
 hostilities were over. Annapolis was too near the 
 border land of actual hostilities, so, after as little 
 delay as possible, all hands were embarked on 
 board the "Constitution," and after an uneventful 
 voyage of three or four days she dropped anchor 
 in the harbor of Newport. 
 
92 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 This trip gave me my first taste of actual sea 
 life and ended my relations with the fine old 
 frigate. From Newport I ran over to Stony- 
 haven and renewed my acquaintance with school- 
 mates and scenes that I had left two short but 
 eventful months before. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MUTINY OR TREASON? 
 
 WITHIN a few days after the opening of 
 hostilities in Charleston Harbor, the presi- 
 dent issued a proclamation announcing a blockade 
 of the entire coast of the United States south of 
 the Chesapeake, — a measure which excited bound- 
 less ridicule in the Confederacy, and was sneered 
 at by enemies of the United States all over the 
 world. 
 
 According to the law of nations, a blockade 
 must be effectual in order to be binding. That is 
 to say, all the accessible harbors must be 
 guarded so that merchant vessels can neither go in 
 nor come out. A simple notification to the world 
 that a blockade has been established is not sufficient. 
 When, therefore, the president of the United 
 States, who had only about two dozen effective 
 war steamers at his disposal, announced a blockade 
 of three thousand miles of seacoast, everybody 
 laughed and said it was a paper blockade. 
 
 But now that the aggressive policy had actually 
 
94 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 been adopted by the new government at Washing- 
 ton there was no lack of energy on the part of 
 army or navy. Vessels that were ready for ser- 
 vice were promptly despatched to stations off the 
 more important ports. All sort of craft, from ferry- 
 boats up to ocean steamers, were purchased, volun- 
 teers were enlisted, vessels were armed as rapidly as 
 possible, and in a surprisingly short space of time 
 even the English and the Confederates themselves 
 were forced to admit that a reasonably strict block- 
 ade of the Southern ports had been established. 
 
 The world's supply of cotton came at that time 
 from the Southern States. English mill owners 
 bought up every pound of cotton that they could 
 lay hands upon, and the price naturally went up 
 with a jump in all the markets of the world. 
 
 Then it was that the possibilities of blockade 
 running dawned upon the British mind, and ship- 
 builders were presently busy fitting out swift 
 steamers of light draft and low free-board that 
 could slip into any of the hundred rivers and 
 harbors between the Chesapeake and Cape Canav- 
 eral. Painted lead color, such vessels are invisible 
 on a moderatel}?^ dark night at a hundred yards 
 distance, and the chances were largely in their favor 
 if under the management of daring skippers and 
 skilful pilots. 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? 95 
 
 The world wanted the Confederacy's cotton, and 
 the Confederacy wanted the world's war material 
 and general merchandise. The magnitude of the 
 trade that immediately sprang up surpassed belief. 
 The three most available American ports on the 
 coast were Wilmington, Charleston, and Savannah, 
 and within a short run of them were the British 
 islands of Bermuda and Nassau. 
 
 Never before have these two crown colonies of 
 Great Britain enjoyed such a period of prosperity 
 as during those four years of Civil War. They 
 were awakened suddenly from their long period 
 of quiet, and, after a brief career of bustle and 
 money making, they dropped again into their 
 natural state of quiescence, from which it is not 
 very likely they will ever be aroused. 
 
 Before the day of these professional blockade- 
 running steamers, and, indeed, throughout the war, 
 small sailing vessels played their part along the 
 coast ; beginning on the Chesapeake, they drove a 
 brisk trade for a short time, but a fleet soon gath- 
 ered in Hampton Roads that made escape to sea 
 well-nigh impossible, and the Potomac flotilla soon 
 cleared the shores of batteries and put a stop to 
 local defiance of Federal authority. 
 
 Shortly after the proclamation of the blockade 
 the opportunity came for which my sponsors, un- 
 
96 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 beknown to me, had long been watching. The 
 old sailing sloop-of-war, "Wakulla," which had 
 been on the China station on a three years' cruise, 
 came home unexpectedly. She was homeward 
 bound in the reg^ular order of thingrs when the 
 secession fever broke out. Orders countermanding 
 her return were sent to intercept her at the Cape of 
 Good Hope, as they were also sent in the case of 
 many another United States cruiser that was, con- 
 veniently for the Confederacy, absent at some 
 distant foreio-n station. 
 
 Luckily, the " Wakulla" was driven far to the 
 southward out of her course ; so far, indeed, that 
 it was not worth while for her to work back to 
 Cape Town. Therefore, she most fortunately 
 missed the order sending her back into the Indian 
 Ocean, and instead shaped her course direct for 
 Newport. 
 
 She had left Hong Kong early in January. 
 News did not travel around the world so rapidly in 
 those days as it does now, and the result of the 
 presidential election at home had not reached the 
 China station. During her lonjj vovage she had 
 not fallen in with a single vessel that could grive 
 her news of the situation, and when she cast anchor 
 off Fort Adams her people were entirely ignorant 
 of all that had taken place. 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? ()^ 
 
 Lieutenant Rogers recognized her as she came 
 up the liarbor, and ordered out his launch to go on 
 board shortly after she had cast anchor, taking me 
 with him. They had picked up a pilot off shore, 
 and from him had got some inkling of the over- 
 turning that had taken place since they had any 
 news. Naturally, however, he had been busy with 
 his duty of working the ship into harbor, and tlie 
 whole company was in a state of suppressed anxiety 
 and excitement. 
 
 Recognizing the old "Constitution" and our 
 boat as a probable source of trustworthy informa- 
 tion, all the officers crowded around the gangway 
 as we came on board, and Lieutenant Rogers was 
 almost carried aft to the quarter-deck, whither I 
 followed him, almost unnoticed amid the excite- 
 ment. 
 
 Few men could have been better qualified than 
 he to answer their questions and tell the story of 
 secession, as well as he could for the constant 
 interruptions, so far as it had gone. I had mounted 
 unnoticed upon the quarter-rail, whence I could 
 both see and hear ; and, boy as I was, I was pres- 
 ently aware that there was a division of sentiment 
 among the " Wakulla's " officers. 
 
 The captain, a South Carolinian by birth, as I 
 afterwards learned, did not hesitate to show his 
 
98 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 pride and gratification at the action of his State 
 and the result of the bombardment of Sumter. 
 Several of his subordinates, while less outspoken, 
 were evidently in sympathy with him. But I was 
 glad to see that a majority of the officers were 
 apparently deeply shocked, not only at the occur- 
 rences that had taken place, but at the apparent 
 lack of loyalty in their brother officers. To all 
 this I was listening with absorbed attention when 
 I felt some one pluck my sleeve from behind. 
 Looking down, outside the rail, I saw a weather- 
 beaten blue-jacket standing in the chains and look- 
 ing up anxiously at me. He could not be seen by 
 the officers on deck. 
 
 "Say, youngster," he whispered hoarsely, 
 " come forard, won't yer? Come forard and tell 
 us Jackies about it ; we don't know nothin'." 
 
 " All right," I replied, and slipped quietly to the 
 deck. My blue-jacket friend joined me in the 
 waist, and I was soon the center of a dense crowd 
 in the wake of the forecastle, whose mutterings 
 and black looks more than half frightened me as 
 I found m3^self in the midst of them. 
 
 They had evidently picked up enough of the news 
 to be in a state of intense exasperation. My head 
 came barely above the average of their shoulders, 
 and the fire of savage questions, uttered in a sort 
 
^^tvy^^^ ft^ i i" ^ g — 
 
 ■' OLD ABE WAS ELECTED, YOU SAY 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? 99 
 
 of suppressed tone so that the voices should not be 
 unduly raised, almost took my breath away. I 
 answered, however, as best I could, till the eager- 
 ness of those on the outside of the circle burst the 
 bonds of naval etiquette. 
 
 "Louder, young 'un ; we can't hear yer," and 
 the like ; till at length some one sung out, " Set him 
 up on the capstan." 
 
 This last cry was taken up and became so gen- 
 eral and imperative that I was summarily seized 
 by legs and shoulders, and quickly but firmly 
 placed upon the broad, circular top of the capstan. 
 Around me thronged the blue-shirted crew, who, 
 reenforced by those who happened to be below 
 decks, now nearly covered the topgallant fore- 
 castle and perched upon every available point of 
 the near rigging. 
 
 "Now, young fellow, give it to us straight. 
 ' Old Abe ' was elected, you say. Go on, what 
 next?" 
 
 "Well, then South Carolina seceded." 
 
 "What's that? See what? " 
 
 "Seceded, you lubber; cut adrift from Uncle 
 Sam, that's what." This from one of the men 
 who stood near the capstan. 
 
 " Go on, youngster." 
 
 "Yes," I continued, " South Carolina seceded, 
 
lOO J-'-CK UENSOX S LOG. 
 
 and liiL'u the rest of the slave States seceded, too, 
 — most of them, that is." 
 
 " How about little Delaware?" 
 " She's all right ! Didn't secede." 
 " Ror for the ' blue hen's chickens ! " * 
 A dozen voices questioned me about Kentucky 
 and Tennessee ; but these States were still in 
 doubt, and I could not say whether they were 
 saved to the Union. As well as I could for con- 
 stant interruptions, I told them about the fall of 
 Fort Sumter and the burning of the Norfolk navy 
 yard, and I couldn't resist the temptation of telling 
 the part I had borne in saving " Old Ironsides" 
 from capture in the harbor of Annapolis. I need 
 not say that this elicited sundry cries of " Bully 
 for you, youngster," and poundings on the back 
 that made me see stars. 
 
 Then at last I told them that the blockade had 
 been ordered, and that the Northern States were 
 rallying to the defense of the Capitol at Washing- 
 ton. I never expect to have such an attentive 
 audience again. They listened with many a 
 hearty, if rough, expression of loyalty to the stars 
 and stripes and many equally hearty threats for 
 
 * This was the nickname of Colonel Caldwell's First Delaware Regiment in the 
 Revolutionary War. The original " blue hen " was the mother of a famous breed 
 of fighting gamecocks. Later the name was applied to the inhabitants of the whole 
 State. 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? lOI 
 
 the traitors. There seemed to be but one senti- 
 ment before the mast on board the " Wakulla," but, 
 as I found afterward, the quarter-deck and the 
 wardroom were not so unanimous. 
 
 Lieutenant Rogers and I went back to the " Con- 
 stitution," he seemingly in a very thoughtful frame 
 of mind and I in a high state of elation. I 
 chattered away to him, boy like, about my ex- 
 perience among the rough sailor men on the 
 forecastle, and he listened rather absently, think- 
 ing, no doubt, of the puzzling questions that had 
 got to be worked out in the near future among the 
 officers. 
 
 "Your audience was better than mine," he said 
 sadly, after awhile, and when, in my enthusiasm, I 
 proposed to ship on board the " Wakulla," he shook 
 his head rather doubtfully, as if he thought I 
 might make a better selection. I had, however, 
 ascertained that she w^as short of boys when I was 
 on board, so, as she must of necessity be detained 
 a few days at Newport, I telegraphed to Stony- 
 haven, and my guardian came over on the next 
 train in answer to my summons. 
 
 To him I confided my wishes, and he held a 
 council of war with Mr. Rogers, after which they 
 went on board the "Wakulla," not taking me 
 with them, much to my chagrin; but at length 
 
I02 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 it was decided that I might as well make my 
 plunge into the service now as at any time. So 
 the requisite papers were executed by Captain 
 Shumway, as my guardian, and when the ship 
 was ready to sail I went on board and duly 
 signed articles. My kit consisted of a canvas 
 hammock, a pair of blankets, and a change of 
 clothing such as I had been accustomed to wear 
 ever since my introduction to the " Constitution." 
 
 "You'll find the fo'castle a rougher world than 
 my cabin, Jack," said Mr. Rogers, as he wrung 
 my hand and said good-by. " But you won't mind 
 as soon as you get used to it." 
 
 So that night I slung my new hammock for the 
 first time between decks, and went to sleep watch- 
 ing fifty or a hundred other similar hammocks 
 swing lazily to and fro, as the old sloop of war 
 surged out to sea under easy sail between Block 
 Island and Montauk Point, bound for Philadelphia. 
 
 I suppose never a boy entered the United States 
 service under better auspices than I. Ordinarily, 
 they are thrown in among the rough elements of a 
 ship's crew with small ceremony. Indeed, there 
 was not the least ceremony in my case. But yet 
 my circumstances were exceptional. Every man 
 on board knew me at sight as the youngster who 
 had delivered an impromptu lecture on secession. 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? IO3 
 
 I found myself quickly surrounded by friends, 
 and, with very few exceptions, all continued to treat 
 me well. The boys of my own age were not so 
 kind, and I presently found out that if I would 
 retain my self-respect I must fight without gloves. 
 I may say that I did not altogether disgrace my 
 record, as established at Annapolis, and after one 
 or two of the larger boys had tried it on I was 
 treated with due respect. 
 
 The "Wakulla" was only a moderately fast 
 sailer, and three days after dropping Montauk 
 Light we were still out of sight of land. About 
 this time I began to notice a certain seriousness of 
 deportment among the older seamen and warrant 
 officers. It was an undeiinable something that 
 seemed to pervade the atmosphere of the ship fore 
 and aft. Men looked askance at each other. The 
 marines kept together at their own section of the 
 main deck. Nothing was said apparently, and yet 
 as the afternoon of the third day drew to a close I 
 think there was not a soul on board that did not 
 know something was wrong. I had not as yet 
 formed any very intimate friendships, and could 
 not expect to be treated with confidence by any of 
 my shipmates. Therefore, it was with a certain 
 unsatisfied and anxious curiosity that I turned into 
 my hammock that night. 
 
I04 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 The steady roll of the ship, the swish of the 
 water along the side, which I could hear through 
 the open port, came drowsily to my ears, and 
 before long I felt myself dropping off to sleep. 
 But just at the last moment of consciousness a 
 murmur of voices near at hand aroused me. By 
 straining eyes and ears, I recognized the sergeant 
 of marines and two or three gunners and quarter- 
 masters standing near the port at the foot of my 
 hammock. Now any intimacy or intercourse be- 
 tween blue-jackets and marines is contrary to all 
 precedent on board a man-of-war. Indeed, if any 
 great cordiality should exist between the two grades 
 the marine corps might as well be dispensed with 
 altogether, for they are depended upon to make 
 arrests among the crew, to maintain discipline in 
 case of need, and to stand between the quarter- 
 deck and the fo'castle in case of anything so 
 serious as mutiny. I was wide awake in a mo- 
 ment, my curiosity instantly aroused by this evi- 
 dently secret consultation. By dint of cautiously 
 turning a bit in my blanket whenever the ship 
 rolled, I was able to assume a posture where I 
 could see and hear better. 
 
 " Sure, it's true what I'm telling you, sergeant," 
 one of the quarter-masters was saying. " The 
 wind's been nor' and west ever since we dropped 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? IO5 
 
 Montauk, and instead of gi\-inor us a course sou'- 
 west by west, which ought to have picked us up 
 the Delaware Capes by now, the ole man is giv- 
 ing her southing enough to clear Hatteras and run 
 us over Charleston bar before we know what's up. 
 You know what that means, — good-by. Uncle 
 Sam. I don't guess the3^'d hurt us much, but 
 they'd freeze onto the old ' Wakulla ' and all her 
 outfit, you can bet your life." 
 
 The sergeant was a man of few words and slow 
 of speech withal. He stood silent for awhile. 
 " You may be right, quarter-master," he said at 
 length. " I aint sayin' you're wrong; I ain't no 
 navigator myself, but it 'ud be mutiny, quarter- 
 master, to go agin' him. It'ud be straight mutiny, 
 sure." 
 
 " I'm as much agin mutiny as you be, sergeant, 
 but I axes you what would it be if the ole man 
 should carry the ship into Charleston and hand 
 her over to the State of South Carolina? Would 
 that be 'mutiny or wot? Mutin}^ agin Uncle Sam, 
 for instance? " 
 
 The sergeant shook his head and said nothing ; 
 evidently so profound a problem in political 
 ethics had never before been presented for his con- 
 sideration. 
 
 " No," resumed the quarter-master, his voice 
 
io6 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 getting a bit shaky, " it wouldn't be mutiny, ser- 
 geant, but I'll tell you what it would be ; it would 
 be TREASON, that's what it would be." 
 
 The rest of the members of the little group 
 nodded their heads, and I could hear them say in 
 whispered tones, "That's so, sergeant ; no more 
 nor less than treason." 
 
 " It's hard lines for an old sergeant of marines," 
 he said at length musingly. " I've always obeyed 
 orders whether I liked them or not." 
 
 " So have I," broke in the more reckless sailor- 
 man ; " but you mark my words, Sergeant Jones, 
 this here ship never gits across Charleston bar." 
 
 There was more talk of the same nature before 
 the conspirators dispersed, and I lay awake an 
 hour or more, dimly aware that something untoward 
 was going on around me ; dark figures flitted from 
 one part of the 'tween decks to another, as if men 
 were consulting together on the sly. But at last 
 drowsiness asserted itself and I went off to sleep, 
 only to be awakened when the watch was called in 
 the morning. 
 
 The wind had changed during the night, and 
 sunrise of the fourth day found it blowing from 
 the southwest and we heading northwest on the 
 port tack. As I went on deck, I was conscious 
 of the same atmosphere of suppressed excitement 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? IO7 
 
 prevailing among all hands. I was told that we 
 had been heading in this direction since midnight, 
 but no land was in sight, and no one seemed to 
 know exactly where we were. 
 
 It was the custon on board this ship to have 
 boys take their trick at the wheel under proper 
 supervision in moderate weather, and it chanced 
 that I was on duty there when the meridian obser- 
 vation was taken. Three officers "took the sun," 
 as usual, reported eight bells, and went below to 
 work up the ship's position. Presently two of 
 them came on deck again, and I saw them ex- 
 change a quick, significant glance. They com- 
 pared their figures, whicli apparently agreed, and 
 the customary entry was duly made in the log- 
 book. Then the navigating officer went below to 
 report to the captain, who presently came on deck. 
 
 The two officers saluted and vacated the 
 weather side for Captain Randall, who, barely 
 acknowledging the salute, fell into a mechanical 
 walk back and forth the length of the clear space 
 between the quarter-bits and the break in the 
 deck. He was a tall, dark-faced man, an ex- 
 cellent officer in every professional sense, but, as I 
 have before said, a Southerner, and one of the 
 proudest and bitterest of his class. 
 
 The second in command, Lieutenant Selden, 
 
io8 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 was, on the contrary, a New Englander by birth, 
 and every bit as proud of his birthplace and of 
 his family as was Randall himself. The two 
 had been good enough friends, as friendships go 
 among naval officers on a long cruise, but the 
 .denouement at Newport had rather strained the 
 relations of the cabin and wardroom all round, 
 and it was whispered about the ship that of late 
 there had been some pretty plain talk between the 
 seniors in the seclusion of the captain's cabin and 
 arguments on the political situation that made 
 matters rather uncomfortable. Before the mast, 
 of course, we had our own disputes and opinions, 
 but there was almost no disloyalty to the flag. 
 
 While this little tableau was arrangingr itself on 
 the quarter-deck the ship silently forged ahead 
 under all plain sail, dipping over the long rollers 
 with every inch of canvas drawing, and the great 
 white pyramid of lofty sails swaying gently to and 
 fro across the blue sky. 
 
 From my place at the wheel I could watch all 
 this display from the main truck to the foot of the 
 foresail, with the keen enjoyment of a sailor boy 
 who had not as yet known enough sea service to 
 be tired of it. My companion and sponsor at the 
 wheel was one of the quarter-masters whom I had 
 overheard talking patriotic mutiny the night before 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? IO9 
 
 near my hammock, and it was evident to me that 
 he was in a state of deep, though suppressed, excite- 
 ment. Indeed, the air of suspense to which I have 
 referred as pervading the whole ship's company 
 had rather increased than diminished during the 
 night. 
 
 The watch on deck was for the most part walk- 
 ing back and forth in couples or busied about 
 some kind of rigging or other ship's work. It 
 seemed to me, however, that rather an unusual 
 number of the off-duty men were on deck, and, 
 indeed, this afterward proved to be the case. 
 
 Half an hour or so passed in almost absolute 
 silence. Randall continued his walk, stopping now 
 and then to scan intently the horizon to windward. 
 At length he seemed to have made up his mind to 
 something, for he stopped half way in his walk aft 
 between the gangway and the bits, went forward, 
 and hailed the officer of the deck. 
 
 " Is there a lookout aloft, Mr. Fraser? " 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Where is he?" (For the sails shut off his 
 view of the foremast.) 
 
 " In the foretopmast cross-trees, sir." 
 
 " Send him up to the royal yard." 
 
 " Very good, sir." 
 
 A pause of five minutes ensued while this order 
 
no JACK Benson's log. 
 
 was carried out. Then there was a hail from 
 aloft, but we could not make out the words on the 
 quarter-deck. 
 
 " What does he say, Mr. Fraser?" asked Ran- 
 dall, in the gangway. 
 
 " He reports something nearly abeam, sir, but 
 he can't make out whether it's a sail or a light- 
 house." 
 
 Here the quarter-master whispered to me, " Now, 
 then, young 'un, if anything happens to take me 
 away from the wheel, you just stick to it, and keep 
 her full as she goes." 
 
 I suppose I must have looked rather wonderingly 
 at him, but he nodded encouragingly, hitched up 
 his trousers, sailor fashion, and felt inside the 
 bosom of his jacket with his right hand. As he 
 withdrew his hand I caught the gleam of some- 
 thing that looked very much like the butt of a 
 revolver. I will not deny that I began to wish I 
 was safe at Rockledge. Excitement, and fighting, 
 and boat expeditions, and so on were one thing, 
 but this dreadful suspense, and not knowing what 
 was the matter, — for nobody thought it would do to 
 trust a boy with a secret — was something terrible. 
 
 I noticed now that several of the other officers, 
 including Lieutenant Selden, had come on deck. 
 Going forward, he joined the officer on duty amid- 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON r III 
 
 ships, and the two walked back and forth together. 
 At an ordinary time these httle incidents would 
 have made no impression on my mind, but now 
 everything seemed to have a suggestive significance, 
 and around it all the calm summer sea, blue and 
 sparkling, and not a sail in sight, but beyond that 
 horizon to the westward of us we knew that nearly 
 half the territory of our country was in avowed 
 rebellion against the government to which we all 
 owed allegiance. What plots and counterplots were 
 hatching there for our capture we could not tell. 
 
 Presently Randall addressed one of the junior 
 officers on duty. "Coles," he said, "will you 
 oblige me by going aloft with the glass, and see 
 what you can make of it?" 
 
 "Certainly, sir." And Coles, who was an 
 active young fellow, went aloft like a topman, and 
 presently reported, " It's Hatteras Light, sir, sure 
 enough. I can see the keeper's house now." 
 
 "Very good, sir; you may come down. Stand 
 by to tack ship, Mr. Fraser." 
 
 Now every officer on deck and a good many of 
 the men who had an intelligent comprehension of 
 the state of things knew what this order meant, — 
 namely, Charleston and a surrender of the ship 
 and her crew to the Confederate authorities. This 
 did not dawn upon me at first. Then it suddenly 
 
112 JACK BENSON S LOG, 
 
 flashed upon me that we were heading ahnost in 
 the direction of the Delaware Capes. We had 
 sighted Hatteras, which was, so to speak, the turn- 
 ing point between North and South. To go about 
 on the other tack meant that the captain had made 
 up his mind to run for Charleston ; a cold shiver 
 ran down my back as I realized this. 
 
 My quarter-master gripped the spoke of the 
 wheel with a hand that visibly trembled, and, 
 although he did not speak audibly, I was in 
 momentary terror lest he should draw his revolver 
 and shoot down the captain where he stood. 
 
 As it turned out, however, there was no danger 
 of this. The program had been too well ar- 
 ranged by the cool, loyal heads that had had the 
 matter in charge. In pursuance of the order, the 
 boatswain piped stations and the watch stood by 
 tacks and sheets and manned the braces. 
 
 " Give her a good full." 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir." 
 
 "All ready there?" 
 
 " All ready, sir." 
 
 " Hard a lee then." 
 
 The quarter-master and I simultaneously threw 
 our weight on the wheel to put the helm down, but 
 not an inch would it budge. After one or two in- 
 effectual efforts he sung out : — 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? II3 
 
 " Wheel's jammed, sir." 
 
 "As you go, then. Mr. Selden, see if you can 
 find out what's the matter." 
 
 Selden came up the gangway. His face was 
 very pale, but he did not flinch. Walking straight 
 up to Randall and standing close to him, he touched 
 his cap in due form, and said very slowly and 
 distinctly : — 
 
 "The wheel is jammed. Captain Randall." 
 " Yes, I know^ that ; go and get it cleared." 
 " The — wheel — is — jammed, — sir ! " 
 I will not repeat here the precise language that 
 Captain Randall used at this juncture. Suffice it 
 to say that it was fluent and expressive. Selden 
 heard him through, standing before him, and re- 
 peated : — 
 
 " The zvhccl is /aiiimcd, sir.'' 
 
 At this, Randall, literally livid with rage, faced 
 about, and glanced into the waist of the ship. The 
 entire crew had assembled on deck without orders, — 
 rather an unusual proceeding on board a man-of- 
 war. Randall paled a little, but summoned the 
 orderly who was on duty. 
 
 " Tell all officers to report on deck at once." 
 The orderly disappeared, and within a few 
 seconds several of the junior officers were at their 
 respective stations. 
 
11^ JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 "Where are Simonds, and Travers, and the 
 rest?" said Randal'l impatiently. 
 
 Selden was still standing near him. He had 
 regained his usual demeanor now. 
 
 " The wheel is jammed, Captain Randall," he 
 said again and he could not quite disguise a certain 
 exultation in his tone. Randall was a brave and 
 passionate man, but he knew when he was beaten, 
 and, with marvelous coolness, accepted the situation. 
 
 "Mr. Fraser," he said, advancing to the gang- 
 way, " there seems to be something the matter 
 with the steering gear ; loose the headsails if she 
 pays off too much, and keep her on her course for 
 the present. Mr. Selden, will you come below 
 with me? " 
 
 As the two officers disappeared down the after 
 companionway I think nearly every one on deck 
 drew a sigh of relief, and there was a little grumble 
 of congratulation, not unmingled with threats, 
 passed among them as the off-duty men began to 
 go below, while the watch on deck coiled away the 
 running rigging. 
 
 At this moment I was aware, partly through my 
 grip on the wheel spokes and partly through the 
 evidence of my ears, of a certain clanking, as of a 
 chain being overhauled. Presently the wheel 
 surged naturally to the lift of the sea, the compass 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? II5 
 
 card slowly revolved till the "lubber's mark" 
 touched N. W. by N., the weather leech of the 
 topsail shook a little, and the quarter-master winked 
 profoundly at me and thrust his tongue into his 
 cheek as two men came aft to relieve us. 
 
 Everybody felt that a grave crisis w^as safely 
 passed, but very few knew that a certain volunteer 
 from among the ship's boys had been slung over 
 the stern in a bowline an hour or two before, and 
 had temporarily shortened the rudder chain pend- 
 ants with a rope seizing, so that, while the helm was 
 available for ordinary steering, it could not be put 
 " hard over" until the seizing was cast off. 
 
 What passed between Randall and Selden at 
 their interview in the cabin none of us blue- 
 jackets ever knew, but they both came on deck 
 after an hour or so, and walked amicably together 
 while the watch was changing at eight bells that 
 afternoon. Nothing more was said about tacking 
 ship, and as the wind held from the southwest, 
 we made the Virginia capes before morning, and 
 forty-eight hours later were safe inside the break- 
 water and running up the Delaware between the 
 loyal States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 
 
 For the benefit of landsmen, it should, perhaps, 
 be explained here that mutiny .on ship board, 
 even in the merchant service, is punishable with 
 
ii6 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 death. In the navy, where discipHne is far stricter, 
 every man knows that he takes his hfe in his 
 hand if he ventures to defy his superior. The 
 loyal officers of the " Wakulla," therefore, showed 
 a high quahty of courage when they conspired 
 together to save the ship to the government to 
 which they owed allegiance. Secession was not 
 even branded as a punishable offense. Officers 
 in the military service of the United States 
 had willingly — nay, eagerly — surrendered ships, 
 forts, and public property, and were not even 
 censured by the Department. 
 
 Such were the doubts and distrust that unavoid- 
 ably prevailed at Washington under conditions 
 that had never been foreseen that peace on some 
 terms was still among the possibilities, and there 
 was no telling what might happen to officers who 
 interpreted maritime law according to their own 
 personal views and in defiance of what was cer- 
 tainly established authority at the time. 
 
 Never, I suppose, w^as a revolt on the high seas 
 and its suppression conducted so systematically as 
 was this one on the Wakulla. Not a single muti- 
 nous word was spoken aloud from beginning to 
 end. The nearest approach to it was Selden's 
 reiterated assertion that the wheel was " jammed," 
 but that could hardly have been construed as 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? Il7 
 
 actual mutiny. It is a question for sea lawyers to 
 wrangle over, whether, under such unprecedented 
 circumstances, treason was intended on one side 
 and mutiny justifiable on the other. 
 
 If the senior officer had not been cool-headed 
 enough to see that the game was lost he would, 
 without question, have been seized and put in irons. 
 That this would have been rank mutiny goes with- 
 out saying, and it will never be known what a 
 court-martial would have done in such a case. No 
 doubt Selden expressed this to his commander in a 
 friendly way during their interview in the cabin, 
 and, no doubt, he explained, too, why the Southern 
 officers on whose help Randall had relied had not 
 found it altogether convenient to obey when they 
 were ordered on deck. 
 
 On our arrival at Philadelphia, the Southerners 
 promptly resigned their commissions, the only 
 honorable step open to them under the circum- 
 stances, and took service at once with the Con- 
 federacy. 
 
 There was a general paying off and dispersion 
 of the crew on our arrival at the navy yard. But 
 most of them re-enlisted for the war after a few 
 days, having gotten rid of their money in the mean- 
 time, with the traditional facility of sailor men. 
 Some few of my mates, however, who, for some 
 
ii8 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 reason or other, had nowhere to go and no inclina- 
 tion to squander their savings, shouldered their 
 canvas bags with me and went over to the receiv- 
 ing ship that lay alongside the wharf. 
 
 This was an old dismantled three-decker that 
 had been lying in the mud off League Island from 
 time immemorial. Slie afforded comfortable quar- 
 ters, however, for recruits, and we were soon as- 
 signed messes during our stay. I was presently 
 drafted, and assigned to a small coasting steamer 
 that had just been purchased for the government 
 and was in process of conversion into a gunboat 
 for blockading and reconnoitering duty down the 
 coast. 
 
 She was named the " Otter," and carried two 
 four-inch pivot rifles, one forward and the other 
 aft, with four howitzers amidships, two on a side. 
 All four of these, however, could be brought into 
 battery on either side in case of need. Although 
 she was still in the hands of riggers and ship car- 
 penters when we went on board, I could see that 
 she had ship-shape possibilities. We of the new 
 draft dumped our kits in the wake of the windlass, 
 where they were out of the way, and patiently 
 awaited developments. 
 
 Everything was in confusion on board, in conse- 
 quence of the land-lubberly ways of the workmen 
 
MUTINY OR TREASON? IT9 
 
 and mechanics, but your true sailor man has a cer- 
 tain compassionate pity for fellow mortals who are 
 not bred to the sea, so we sat around and con- 
 tented ourselves with ridiculing these honest fellows 
 who were fitting up our future home for us. I 
 am bound to say that they gave back as good as 
 they received, so that in the end we became fairly 
 good friends. In the course of the day, we some- 
 how got our mess assignments, and wrote our 
 names or made our marks in the ship's book accord- 
 ing to the degree of our literary accomplishments. 
 
 The work of bolting down traverse circles, 
 fitting hatches, reenforcing timbers, and the like 
 went on by shifts day and night, and, finding thaf 
 there would be no such thing as sleep for me if I 
 remained on board, I proposed to another boy with 
 whom I had already fraternized that we should 
 slip ashore and camp among some ship's stores 
 that lay under a shed a little way back from the 
 wharf. 
 
 Amid the prevailing busde it was not difficult for 
 us to swing ourselves down to the wharf, and 
 then, watching our chance when the guard was 
 looking the other way, to slip under the dark 
 shadow of the shed. Here we soon found a com- 
 fortable retreat among certain bales of blankets, 
 and slept the sleep of youth and innocence, in 
 
I20 JACK Benson's log, 
 
 defiance of naval regulations and of the noisy 
 hammers of the workmen who made night hideous 
 on board the " Otter." I, at least, was totally un- 
 conscious until daylight, when, by the merest good 
 luck, my companion awoke just in time to learn 
 from the bustle that he could hear outside that the 
 "Otter" was actually casting off her lines pre- 
 paratory to departure. 
 
 We made a desperate run for it, and succeeded 
 in scrambling aboard by the chains before she 
 swung clear of the wharf. The gang of mechan- 
 ics, it appeared, was to accompany her down the 
 river, to be brought back by the tug, such was the 
 haste, in those early days of the war, with which 
 vessels were equipped for service. It was no un- 
 usual thing to start on a voyage without knowing 
 whether the engines would work or not. No 
 elaborate trial trips were possible over measured 
 miles, and with a small squadron of tenders and 
 time-keepers. As likely as not, a trial trip in 1861 
 might end under the guns of a rebel battery or on 
 some blockading station where fire rafts and 
 cutting-out expediiions were among possibilities by 
 no means remote. 
 
 In reality, however, the work was pretty well 
 along in our case before we started, and when we 
 reached the Delaware breakwater that afternoon 
 
MUTINY OR treason: 121 
 
 there were only the finishing touches to be added. 
 The engineer had gotten up steam on the way 
 down, and the last twenty miles we had run with 
 our own machinery. Everything appeared to 
 work so well and the night promised to be so 
 calm that it was decided to send the workmen 
 back on the tug and put to sea at once. Accord- 
 ingly, the regular watches were told off, the decks 
 were swept, and just before sunset the little 
 " Otter" rounded the breakwater, pointed her nose 
 to the South, and began to rise and fall regularly 
 on the Atlantic swells. 
 
 From Delaware Bay to the Chesapeake is only 
 a hundred and fifty miles, but our engines had 
 been largely made over, and, like all new ma- 
 chinery, must be treated with much tenderness. 
 We proceeded, therefore, under easy steam, the 
 engineers having orders to take no risks, and by 
 afternoon of the next day entered Hampton 
 Roads. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE otter's first PRIZE. 
 
 THE mouth of Chesapeake Bay in the vi- 
 cinity of Fortress Monroe assumed great 
 importance as soon as hostiHties fairly began. 
 The proclamation of the blockade naturally 
 brought together a considerable fleet in Hampton 
 Roads, and the near vicinity of the navy yard at 
 Norfolk, now in Confederate hands, and of Rich- 
 mond, shortly to be the Confederate capital, ren- 
 dered it necessary to maintain a considerable force 
 at that point. As we came up to our anchorage, 
 we could see the rebel flag flying over a newly 
 erected earthwork, just out of range on our port 
 bow, but on the opposite shore the stars and 
 stripes floated over the grim fortress and over 
 extensive camps beyond, which showed that the 
 North was responding in earnest to the president's 
 call for troops. We let go the anchor and re- 
 ported to the flagship, Captain Ross, no doubt, 
 explaining how we had left Philadelphia with 
 workmen on board, and had hastened our de- 
 
THE otter's first PRIZE. I23 
 
 parture to such a degree that it would take us, at 
 least, t\vent3'-four hours to tinish getting to rights. 
 
 Commodore Stringham, an officer of the old 
 navy, was at this time in command of the " North 
 Atlantic" Squadron, having charge nominally of 
 the entire coast. At this time, only a few days 
 after the proclamation, he had not been able to 
 enforce the blockade with any degree of strin- 
 gency, and it was necessary, besides, for him to 
 retain a sufficient fleet to meet emergencies at 
 Hampton Roads itself. His flagship was the fine 
 steam frigate, "Minnesota." 
 
 After leaving us the needed time to complete our 
 repairs, that is to sav until afternoon of the day fol- 
 lowinof, the old crentleman came alongside in his 
 twelve-oared barge, and was piped up the gang- 
 way in as good shape as we could manage with 
 our new crew. He had us called to quarters, and 
 looked us over from the batter}^ to magazine, 
 asking shrewd, seaman-like questions about our 
 draught, and how much coal we carried, and all 
 the rest. 
 
 As he passed my station in company with the 
 captain, I overheard the latter ask him : — 
 
 " May I make a little trial trip to-morrow, com- 
 modore? I'd like to see if the machinery works all 
 right at full speed." 
 
124 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 Permission was granted, but the commodore 
 added : — ■ 
 
 " Don't start till I signal you about it. I may 
 want to have you go in some particular direction." 
 
 The next morning, about ten o'clock, our number 
 went fluttering up to the peak of the flagship with 
 a string of colored pennants below it, which read, 
 "Captain, come aboard flagship." 
 
 The gig was called awa}-, and, as I was told off as 
 bow boy in the captain's crew, I swung myself 
 down from the boom into my place ; the oarsmen 
 followed, and in a moment we were skimming 
 away over the dimpling water toward the big flag- 
 ship. 
 
 The " Minnesota " was one of fl\'e screw frigates 
 that were finished shortly before the Civil War. 
 They were probably the finest vessels of their kind 
 ever built anywhere, outmatching vessels of their 
 class in all the navies of Europe. They were 
 rated at about thirty-five hundred tons displacement, 
 and carried fifty-two guns of the heaviest calibre 
 then in use afloat. They were the last of their 
 type, for "iron pots" were just coming in, and 
 fighting navies had no further use for wooden 
 walls. 
 
 I had been watching this magnificent ship ever 
 since we anchored at a little distance from her, but 
 
THE OTTERS FIRST PRIZE. 125 
 
 I had no conception of her size until a nearer 
 approach. As we rounded to by the starboard 
 gangway and I caught the mooring ring with my 
 boathook, it seemed to me that we were alongside 
 a veritable floating fortress, the long range of black 
 muzzled cannon protruding from the open ports, 
 the massive curving sides, topped with a row of 
 white hammocks, and over all the slender lofty 
 spars, draped at this moment with canvas shaken 
 out to dry, all combined to impress me with a 
 feeling very akin to awe. 
 
 I could dimly remember a somewhat similar 
 sensation when, as a child of tender 3^ears, my 
 father took me on board the " Molly Pitcher," and 
 again when, a brief two months before, I had, for 
 the first time, climbed the side of the old "Con- 
 stitution." 
 
 But here surely was a ship invincible. I would 
 have matched her against anything afloat without 
 a moment's hesitation. Indeed, I was not far out 
 in my estimate of her powers, though I little 
 thought that in less than a year from that ver}^ time 
 I should see her at the mercy of her once sister 
 ship, the " Merrimac," then lying in the mud at 
 Norfolk navy yard, hardly a dozen miles distant. 
 
 We of the crew sat in the boat speculating as to 
 the fighting power of the " Minnesota," while the 
 
126 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 captain went np the gangway to report. lie was 
 detained only a few minutes, and presently came 
 down again in lively fashion, looking as hippy as 
 a boy with a holiday in prospect, and gave orders 
 to pull back to the " Otter." 
 
 Of course he did not say a word to any of his 
 boat's crew ; that wouldn't have been etiquette, but 
 no sooner had he disappeared on deck than the 
 boatswain piped " All boats aboard," and while 
 we were making fast the falls we could hear the 
 clank of the windlass for'ard as the cable was hove 
 short. 
 
 The boats were all at the davits in a few minutes, 
 and then came the cry, " Man the starboard gang- 
 way," and presently Commodore Stringham, the 
 flag officer, came aboard with one of his staff. 
 He had the confidence, I think, of his entire com- 
 mand, and after leading his fleet to the first con- 
 spicuous success of the war on land or sea, 
 every one thought that he was the coming man as a 
 naval commander, but, for some reason or other, 
 he was shelved by the Department and given an 
 inglorious command on shore duty. 
 
 " No, captain, you needn't set my flag," I heard 
 him say as he walked forward. " I'll just go along 
 as a passenger. Run her out past the Capes and 
 see how she takes the sea." 
 
THE OTTERS FIRST PRIZE. I27 
 
 So the anchor was catted ; the captain started 
 easy, but presently gave her " four bells," the sig- 
 nal for full speed, for the first time since leaving 
 Philadelphia, and we went spinning out past the 
 grim, gray fortress, and out between the Capes 
 half a dozen miles to sea. The engines had to be 
 stopped once or twice on account of heated jour- 
 nals, but this was no more than was to be expected, 
 and, upon the whole, for a makeshift gunboat she 
 behaved admirably. 
 
 Returning, we ran through the fleet, and headed 
 for the mouth of James River, Sewell's Point 
 taking a crack at us as we steamed past, but the 
 shot mostly fell short or went wide of us, so we 
 took no notice whatever, but went on up the river 
 toward Richmond till it narrowed so that it was 
 hardly safe to proceed farther. 
 
 Richmond was not as yet the capital of the Con- 
 federac}', and the banks of the James had not yet 
 echoed to the sound of contending armies. All 
 was as peaceful, save for certain uncompleted 
 earthworks that we passed, as it had been since 
 the first settlers came in and made themselves 
 homes along its fertile shores. 
 
 As a New England boy, I knew that two of the 
 very earliest settlements on the shores of this 
 Western Continent had contained the elements of 
 
128 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 discord that were just now bearing fruit in civil 
 war. My own home was not far from where a 
 little band had landed with freedom and liberty for 
 its watchword. Here, on the contrar}/^, I found 
 myself in sight of the first settlement where negro 
 slavery was brought to the shores of America, and 
 I looked upon it from the deck of a gunboat pre- 
 pared to defend the nation against a rebellion, the 
 strength of which was not as yet realized.* 
 
 Of course, I did not formulate all this even in 
 my own mind, but I think I dimly realized the 
 significance of it all, and determined to do my duty 
 though I was only a " powder monkey." 
 
 After going as far as was deemed prudent, and 
 making no discoveries of importance, we returned 
 to our anchorage. Our friends on the Point were 
 ready for us as we came back, seeming desirous, 
 apparently, of expending their ammunition on the 
 slightest possible pretext. A few days afterward 
 the Richmond papers referred to the affair as one 
 which reflected unbounded credit upon the artiller- 
 ists, a formidable naval attack having been beaten 
 off and the enemy compelled to withdraw, appar- 
 ently in a disabled condition. Such exaggerated 
 accounts of trifling affairs of this character were 
 far too common on both sides during the early days 
 
 * See note at end of the chapter. 
 
THE otter's first PRIZE. 1 29 
 
 of the war, when neither side knew what serious 
 work really meant, and every editor considered it 
 his duty to encourage the volunteers to the extent 
 of his ability, regardless of the truth. 
 
 This little picnic excursion we soon found had 
 been undertaken by the commodore in order to 
 satisfy himself regarding our state of discipline and 
 efficiency for more important service. Seemingly 
 he was fairl}' well satisfied, with the performance, 
 for we had been able to show him a speed of 
 twelve or fifteen knots an hour, which was pretty 
 well for a gunboat in those days. 
 
 As a crew we had hardly as yet settled down to 
 good naval form, but Captain Ross was well known 
 to be a good disciplinarian and a good commander, 
 so, as he was lucky enough to have the most effi- 
 cient light draught gunboat that had as yet joined 
 the fleet, we of the crew thought we were pretty 
 certain to see some active service before long. 
 
 Sure enough, we received orders the next day to 
 take on all the coal we could make room for, and 
 closely following this came the orders to sail. 
 Precisely what these instructions were nobody save 
 the captain knew, but there was general rejoicing 
 that, at least, we were not going to be kept indefi- 
 nitely lying in the inglorious security of Hampton 
 Roads. 
 
130 JACK BENSON'S LOG. 
 
 As soon as it was dark enough to hide our 
 movements from the enemy's lookout on Sewell's 
 Point we got under way as silently as possible, 
 and stood out to sea, turning to the southward. It 
 was with something of nervousness, hardly ac- 
 knowledged to myself, that I watched the light on 
 Cape Charles sink out of sight astern. South of 
 this not a single lighthouse, so far as we knew, 
 now sent out its friendly beams over the desolate 
 sea. The Confederates had extinguished them all 
 as soon as the acts of secession were passed. 
 
 Often they had wantonly smashed the costly re- 
 fracting lanterns, and destroyed the complicated 
 machinery, apparently for no reason excepting 
 that there was no one to prevent them from doing 
 it. In one or two instances the lighthouse keep- 
 ers had made a show of opposition, and in one 
 case, at least (at Cape Canaveral), the lantern 
 and its belongings were carried away and hidden 
 by the keeper and saved from certain destruction. 
 It should be said, however, that this was not done 
 from any sense of lo3Aalty to the United States, but 
 simply because the keeper could not bear to have 
 a fine piece of machinery destroyed for which he 
 felt a certain personal attachment. 
 
 Keeping well off the coast, daylight found us off 
 Cape Hatteras, and shortly afterward we were 
 
THE OTTERS FIRST PRIZE. I3I 
 
 cautiously approaching Hatteras Inlet, twelve 
 miles south of the cape, which was the principal 
 navigable entrance to Pamlico Sound. 
 
 Here it was rumored that the rebels were erect- 
 ing fortifications, and we cautiously sounded our 
 way in, the captain conning the ship from the 
 foremast crosstrees. Like a prudent navigator, 
 he had consulted the nautical almanac before his 
 arrival, and had timed it so as to make the bar 
 when the tide was runnincr flood. A long, smooth 
 swell was bursting over bars and beaches, and even 
 from the deck, as we drew in toward the land, we 
 could judge the depth, of the water by its color. 
 
 It was not the captain's intention, however, 
 seriously to engage any fortifications or vessels 
 that might be found here. His object was simply 
 to reconnoiter, and we were all reasonably confi- 
 dent that we had the heels of anything at that 
 time floating the Confederate flag. 
 
 Any one who will take the trouble to look at a 
 map of the North Atlantic coast must be forcibly 
 impressed by the ingratitude of the republic to 
 beneficent nature. Almost the entire coast from 
 the Chesapeake to the extremity of Florida is 
 adapted by nature to encourage the pursuit of com- 
 merce, and yet this great and intelligent republic has 
 not taken advantage of it even to this very day. 
 
132 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 All along this stretch of coast a succession of 
 outlying bars, and islands, and peninsulas lies a 
 few miles or a few rods off the mainland, forming 
 sheltered sounds and estuaries near a thousand 
 miles in extent. On one side the wild Atlantic 
 thunders ceaselessly in storm and calm ; on the 
 other side peaceful waters lap the sand and storm- 
 driven coasters find a safe anchorage. These 
 sheltered sounds are connected with the ocean by 
 numerous inlets which vary in depth, according to 
 the force and direction of the wind, the state of 
 the tide, the outflow of fresh water, and a hundred 
 other conditions that combine to puzzle the enter- 
 prising navigator. 
 
 The Confederate authorities were prompt to 
 recognize the importance of fortifying the more 
 considerable of these inlets, and no sooner had 
 the rich prize of the Norfolk Navy Yard fallen into 
 their hands than they set about transporting guns 
 and war material to Hatteras and Okracoke Inlets. 
 The first named of these is only a few miles south 
 of the stormy cape from which it takes its name, 
 and, although its habits in the matter of shifting 
 sands and the like are very irregular, still they are 
 far more regular than those of its fellows. Indeed, 
 it is the most accessible of any of the entrances to 
 the North Carolina sounds. 
 
THE otter's first PRIZE. I33 
 
 Hatteras Inlet has an outer bar rather more than 
 a mile from the beach, with about fourteen feet of 
 water at high tide. Then there is an inner bar 
 known as the Bulkhead, which, at ordinary tides, 
 has only about seven feet of water. From these 
 depths it would appear that only small vessels can 
 find their way in and out, but with the south- 
 easterly winds which are of quite frequent occur- 
 rence, the water, in some mysterious way, banks 
 up over these bars, until large vessels, under skilful 
 pilotage, can make their way in and out without 
 danger. Over either of these bars we, with our light 
 draught, could pass with impunity, and in the com- 
 paratively quiet water between the two could make 
 our observations without danger from hostile guns. 
 
 At this time the privateers and blockade runners 
 were having it all their own way in the North 
 CaroHna sounds, and Hatteras Inlet afforded them 
 their principal means of egress and entry. Qiiite 
 a number of coasting vessels had already been 
 captured by Confederate privateers, and British 
 blockade runners were already beginning to per- 
 ceive the opportunity that was opening for them. 
 A small fleet was anchored inside the beach, while 
 we could see a considerable force of men at work, 
 apparently throwing up fortifications on both sides 
 of the inlet. 
 
134 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 Running in within easy range, we gave them a 
 few shots from our bow rifle, not with the intention 
 of doing any damage, but in order to invite a reply 
 in kind, so that we could learn the calibre and 
 range of their artillery. Some old hand was ap- 
 parently in charge, however, for as soon as the 
 first shell was fired the men took to cover and only 
 showed themselves long enough to induce us to 
 fire again. No heavy guns were as yet ready for 
 service. 
 
 So, after getting as good an idea as possible of 
 the intended works, we steamed away down to 
 Okracoke, eighteen miles away, and repeated 
 our investigations in that vicinit}'. Nothing was 
 doing there, and by mid-afternoon we were re- 
 passing Hatteras on our return northward, when a 
 sail was reported in the offing, and a few ininutes' 
 observation showed that she was standing in for 
 the inlet. 
 
 Our course was altered at once so as to intercept 
 her and ascertain her character, for if she should 
 prove to be a blockade runner it was well to have 
 her as far from her friends as possible, and if she 
 should be a privateer, why, then our chances would 
 be so much the better in the open sea. In an hour 
 we were able to make her out as a large brigantine 
 pretty well down in the water and, therefore, 
 
THE otter's first PRIZE. I35 
 
 probably not a privateer. We set our ensign and 
 rounded to, indicating a wish to communicate. 
 She showed Enghsh colors and kept on her way. 
 We then fired the customary gun, but Johnny Bull 
 took no notice ; upon which we gave him a solid 
 shot across his bows, which convinced him that we 
 meant business. Accordingl}-, the English cap- 
 tain threw his foreyard aback, and stood at the 
 taffrail bellowing something through a speaking 
 trumpet, but he was to leeward and we could not 
 hear what he said, except that it sounded very much 
 as if he was in a great state of rage. So Captain 
 Ross sent a boat with an officer to examine his 
 papers. In a few minutes he returned, reporting 
 that it was a clear case of blockade running, the 
 Englishman having sailed from Bermuda with a 
 contraband cargo for one of the North Carolina 
 ports, and with full knowledge of the president's 
 blockade proclamation. 
 
 "He says," added the lieutenant, "that the 
 blockade is nothing but paper, anyway, and he is 
 going on as soon as he gets ready." 
 
 Sure enough, the men were already hauling 
 her head sails to windward, preparatory to filling 
 the brigantine away again on her course. 
 
 Captain Ross now hailed from the bridge. We 
 had drifted nearer together. "This is the United 
 
136 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 States blockading steamer ' Otter.' Heave to or 
 I'll fire into you." 
 
 " This is the British brigantine ' Argo.' Fire if 
 you dare." 
 
 Captain Ross spoke to his lieutenant, who went 
 to one of the broadside guns. " Let him have it 
 through the foresail, gunner ; don't damage his 
 spars if you can help it; fire as she rises." 
 
 The gunner sighted carefully, and as she rose 
 on a second roll pulled his lanyard. A big rent 
 appeared in the square foresail of the brigantine. 
 
 " Is that enough? " Ross hailed from the bridge. 
 
 " No, you Yankee pirate, it ain't enough, and 
 you'll sweat for this," the Englishman replied, with 
 considerable unnecessary language in addition, 
 which I will not here repeat. 
 
 By this time the brigantine had gained some 
 headway, and we had rounded to nearly alongside 
 of her, keeping pace with her under easy steam. 
 
 " Look here," said Captain Ross, keeping his 
 temper and hailing again. "Don't you see that 
 I can blow you out of the water in two minutes, if 
 I choose? Throw your ship up in the wind, or 
 take the consequences." 
 
 The Englishman looked forward at his split 
 foresail and glanced at the guns that were trained 
 upon him, and decided that, after all, it looked as 
 
THE otter's first PRIZE. I37 
 
 though the blockade was something more than 
 a paper one. So he concluded to obey orders, 
 and brought his vessel into the wind again, while 
 preparations were hastily made on the " Otter" to 
 send a prize crew on board and start the captured 
 vessel for New York. 
 
 Negro Slavery. In August, 1619, a Dutch warship arrived at 
 Jamestown, Virginia, with twenty African negroes, whom the settlers 
 bought, and they became bondmen. Thus was slavery established 
 at the South. In 1646 the General Court of Massachusetts sent 
 back to their native land two Africans who had been captured in a 
 slave hunt, and pronounced " man stealing" a capital offense. Thus 
 was the idea of equal rights for all affirmed at the North. So 
 profitable was the slave trade, however, that England insisted that 
 slavery should be recognized as lawful in all her American colonies, 
 and so it remained until independence was achieved, when the 
 Northern States, led by Vermont, began to pass laws for its sup- 
 pression. The Southern idea was that certain human creatures 
 might properly be held in perpetual bondage, while the Northern 
 theory pronounced all men — including negroes^ free and equal. 
 With these irreconcilable ideas as to human rights, the two sections, 
 North and South, grew until they began to crowd one another, and 
 each insisted that the other should adopt its ideas. Neither would 
 yield, and the question had to be settled by war. The North won, 
 being richer and stronger than the Sonth, and so, in 1863, the slaves 
 were emancipated by President Lincoln, and the doctrine of equal 
 rights, as declared by Plymouth Colonj in 1620, became the law of 
 the whole land. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A RUNNING FIGHT. 
 
 A DOZEN men were hastily told off, and one 
 of the junior officers detailed to take the 
 prize to New York. Even a man-o'-wars man 
 needs a few minutes to pack when ordered to 
 change his quarters, and while the men were 
 hastily thrusting a change of clothing into canvas 
 bags, and throwing the latter into the boat that 
 was already alongside, the lookout hailed : — 
 " Two steamers coming out of the inlet, sir." 
 We had run out so far from land to meet our 
 prize that the low coast line was now invisible from 
 the deck, and we could see only two feathery 
 lines of smoke in the direction from which we had 
 come. Captain Ross sprang into the rigging with 
 his glass, and by going half way up to the mast- 
 head was able to make out two river craft, side 
 wheelers, just crossing the bulkhead. 
 
 Black smoke was pouring from their funnels, 
 and they straightway headed up the coast with the 
 apparent intention of cutting us off from our re- 
 
 138 
 
A RUNNING FIGHT. I39 
 
 cently captured prize. Jacky is, or always 
 should be, ready for a fight, but he is peculiarly 
 pugnacious in temperament when what he regards 
 as rightfully earned prize money is in danger. 
 None of us knew, of course, the value of the 
 brigantine's cargo, but it did not lose anything in 
 our estimation on that account. 
 
 It was enough that we had gathered that this 
 cargo was in the main composed of war material 
 destined for the Confederacy, and war material in 
 those days was worth a very pretty sum. At any 
 rate, seventy-five or a hundred thousand dollars, 
 divided among our crew of eighty men and boys, 
 would not come amiss, and even if the sum total 
 were considerably less than that it was at least 
 worth fighting for. If we foremast hands had 
 been consulted, I don't doubt but we should have 
 voted unanimously to go about, meet the rebel 
 craft half way, and sink them both, or be sunk 
 ourselves before another hour had passed. 
 
 Fortunately, the commanders of United States 
 vessels are usually possessed of cooler heads than 
 are common between decks. When Captain Ross 
 had finished his survey he replaced his marine 
 glass in its leather case and swung himself down 
 to the deck as coolly as if he had merely gone aloft 
 to watch a school of porpoises play. He walked 
 
140 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 across to the side where the prize men were ahnost 
 ready to shove off, with young Mr. Casey in the 
 stern sheets. 
 
 "I meant to have a word with you, Casey, 
 before you went," the captain called, as he leaned 
 over the rail ; " but no matter, I can tell you here 
 just as well. Bend a new foresail as soon as you 
 can, and square away for New York under every- 
 thing she will carry. Keep well off shore to clear 
 the shoals north of Cape Hatteras. If that English 
 skipper cuts up rough, put him in irons without any 
 hesitation." 
 
 Blue-jackets are not very often privileged to be 
 present when private instructions are given to their 
 official superiors. There were broad grins on the 
 faces of the boat's crew, as well as on the long line 
 of sun-burned countenances that hung over the 
 "Otter's" rail. Jacky greatly relished summary 
 measures with the captain of the prize. 
 
 " Very good, sir," Casey replied ; " I'll see to it, 
 sir. Shove off." 
 
 The men tossed their oars into the rowlocks ; the 
 heavily laden boat swung awa}^ from the side, and 
 soon transferred its load to the prize. To pull 
 back and be hoisted to its own davits was but the 
 work of a few moments. The " Otter " had been 
 practically cleared for action all day, so we had 
 
A RUNNING FIGHT. I4I 
 
 nothing to do but to possess our souls in patience 
 and divide our time between watching the approach 
 of the steamers and commenting on the alacrity 
 with which young Casey made his presence felt on 
 board the " Argo." 
 
 We took position just under the lee of the prize, 
 so as to be at hand if anything happened, and were 
 so near that we could see and could even hear by 
 snatches everything that took place on her sloping 
 deck. The burly, red-faced skipper was walking 
 up and down on the quarter-deck, raging inwardly, 
 no doubt, at the indignity thus heaped upon him. 
 
 Young Casey had stationed two well-armed 
 Jackies aft with a third at the wheel to watch the 
 "old man," and had himself gone forward to see 
 if the new foresail was all right. That work was 
 well under way in charge of an old sailor man who 
 knew far more about bending sails then Casey 
 himself did, so he turned his attention to the some- 
 what sullen-looking group comprising the crew of 
 the brigantine, who had gathered on the forecastle, 
 neither helping nor hindering the work in hand. 
 To them Casey addressed himself ; although the 
 distance was too great for us to hear his words, we 
 could understand pretty well what he was saying. 
 At any rate, the men listened and seemed to consult 
 among themselves quite earnestly as he walked aft. 
 
142 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 Casey took the weather side of the deck, as a 
 matter of course, the skipper continuing his wrath- 
 ful walk and paying no attention whatever to the 
 somewhat cockey youngster in blue uniform who 
 was thus invading his domain. Presently Casey 
 spoke to him, and he stopped abruptly in his walk, 
 with indignation bristling from every hair of his 
 head. He stood with his feet wide apart, sailor 
 fashion, his arms akimbo, and his whole attitude 
 expressive of outraged Insular dignity. Casey ad- 
 dressed a few words to him, and then began walking 
 back and forth, as the skipper had walked before. 
 
 So far as I could hear, nothing further was said, 
 but the skipper's face grew so much redder than 
 before, as he stood rooted to the deck, that I ex- 
 pected to see him fall down in an apoplectic fit. 
 Instead of this, however, after puffing out his 
 cheeks for a moment, he mechanically took off his 
 cap with his left hand, and began to rub the back 
 of his head with his right. He continued doing 
 this for fully two minutes, meanwhile watching 
 Casey as if uncertain whether to throw him over- 
 board or not. Then he suddenly clapped his hat 
 on his liead, and dived down the companionway 
 into the cabin, whence, as we afterwards learned, 
 he did not emerge till the " Argo " dropped anchor 
 in New York Harbor. 
 
A RUNNING FIGHT. I43 
 
 Sympathetic grins and sundry appreciative 
 winks were interchanged among the members of 
 our crew. Casey was rather a favorite among us, 
 and we were glad to see him estabhsh his official 
 standing as commander of the "prize"; not much 
 danger, we thought, that the crew would be able 
 to capture that vessel before she reached her des- 
 tination. Casey stopped walking as soon as the 
 captain was out of sight, looked at his watch, and 
 hailed the forecastle. 
 
 " Time's up, men," he called. " Lay aft here." 
 
 The men slouched aft in a straggling procession, 
 as ordered, and gathered in a group in front of the 
 youthful prize-master. We could not hear what 
 was said, but could see that Casey was talking to 
 them in an earnest way, and, upon the whole, the 
 interview seemed to be satisfactor}-. For, after an 
 appeal to the men and a seeming motion of assent 
 all round, he spoke loud enough for us to catch 
 his repl}'. 
 
 " That's good ; I am glad that you take a sensi- 
 ble view of the case. Many hands will make light 
 work, and I should have been very sorr}^ to have to 
 put any of you in irons. Go forward now and get 
 that foresail bent as soon as possible." 
 
 Then followed an interview with the mate and 
 sub-officers of the brigantine, who apparently ex- 
 
144 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 pressed their willingness to resume their old duties 
 so far as concerned their own men. All sail was 
 put on the brigantine, and on her decks affairs 
 settled down into the ordinary routine of a sailing 
 craft, save for the two or three armed blue-jackets 
 who were posted at certain points of the deck. 
 
 This little drama, seen rather than heard, was, 
 of course, a side issue, and, as I have said, divided 
 our time and served, perhaps, to steady our nerves 
 while we watched the hostile steamers come slowly 
 in sight, first showing their funnels and then their 
 hulls above the western horizon. 
 
 By this time they were in plain sight and over- 
 hauling us quite rapidly. The " Argo," however, 
 under her additional spread of sail, was now bowl- 
 ing along at a famous rate of speed, and we 
 sheered off across her wake to see if, perchance, 
 the enemy would follow us instead of her. But 
 they were not to be diverted. Seeing us head out 
 to sea, they drew together for a moment's consulta- 
 tion, and then both kept their course after the 
 " Arcro." That, indeed, was the onlv reasonable 
 thing for them to do. The outcome of a fight 
 with us was at least doubtful, and if we were 
 afraid to defend our prize they might recapture 
 her with bvit little trouble. Anyhow, to fight us in 
 the vicinity of the prize would involve no more 
 
A RUNNING FIGHT. I45 
 
 risk than chasing us out to sea and taking their 
 chances on blue water. 
 
 The "Otter's" poHcy, on the other hand, was 
 to put off fighting as long as she could. Taking 
 the two steamers separately, she could probably 
 have made short work with either of them, barring 
 accident, but together they were perhaps more 
 than a match for her, because they could choose 
 their own positions, and one of them, at least, 
 would be certain to have a manifest advantage. 
 
 We could see by this time, even with the naked 
 eye, that they both carried heavy guns forward, 
 nine-inch dahlgrens, we thought they were, and 
 lighter ones in broadside. It was astonishing in 
 those davs to see what tremendous guns were 
 mounted for service in the shallow waters of the 
 sound on flimsy little river craft that a regular 
 artillery officer would say could not stand the 
 recoil of anything heavier than a boat howitzer. 
 Stand it they did, however, and throughout the 
 four years while the blockade was maintained the 
 great Carolina sounds were patrolled by little 
 steamers carrying guns weighing almost as much 
 as they weighed themselves. 
 
 Dropping half a mile astern of the " Argo," 
 Captain Ross awaited developments. The enemy's 
 craft separated and crept up, one on either side of 
 
146 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 us ; still, however, at a considerable distance. 
 The situation had changed a little by this, for the 
 " Argo " was now logging off eight knots or so 
 with a southeasterly breeze broad on her quarter. 
 The enemy could overhaul us but slowly at this 
 rate, and, as the sea was rising, it must have been 
 a question with them whether or not they had 
 better venture farther from shore. 
 
 They kept on, however, and we, purposely not 
 going so fast, diminished the gap between us and 
 our pursuers. I was, of course, wholly inexpe- 
 rienced in judging distances at sea, but I inferred 
 from the talk that went on around me that we 
 must be nearly within range. The crew of the 
 after-rifle were at their station, and Captain Ross 
 was watching the chase closely. At length, just 
 as it seemed to me that I could not possibly keep 
 still any longer, but must, at least, yell in my excite- 
 ment, thereby committing a serious breach of dis- 
 cipline, he gave the order : — 
 
 "You may try the offshore one, now, Mr. 
 Bosworth." 
 
 The captain of the gun patted the breach of the 
 big rifle affectionately, the crew swung its muzzle 
 a little to starboard, and Bosworth, sighting with 
 one eye, seemed to watch the lift of the sea with 
 the other. Firing from a reeling deck at a distant 
 
A RUNNING FIGHT. 
 
 147 
 
 object that bobs up and down on the restless sea 
 is uncertain work at best ; it calls for a rare com- 
 bination of quickness of eye, of good judgment, 
 and of scientific accuracy. 
 
 The critical moment, of course, is the instant of 
 firing, and the gunner must anticipate by the frac- 
 tion of a second the probable movement of his gun 
 as the ship rises or falls on the heaving sea. 
 Experience and aptitude often develop a wonder- 
 ful skill in ships' gunners ; they seem to know by 
 instinct the curve that will be followed by the 
 muzzle of the gun as it sweeps up or down, below 
 and above the horizon. That this movement is 
 wholly beyond reach of accurate calculation must 
 be evident to any one who has watched the motions 
 of waves. It is bad enough with broadside guns, 
 but with a pivot rifle on the stern of a little screw 
 propeller the situation was much worse. 
 
 The "Otter" was kicking up her heels in a 
 rising sea, and old Bosworth must have been 
 much put to it. I watched him with intense in- 
 terest, for I hoped some day to be a gunner 
 myself. He waited till he thought there was a 
 fair chance for a good combination of roll, lift, 
 and scend, then pulled the lanyard, and all hands 
 breathlessh' watched to see where the shot would 
 strike. After what seemed a very long interval, a 
 
148 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 column of spray shot up a little astern of the 
 enemy. 
 
 "Very good for a first shot, Bosworth," said 
 Captain Ross. " Load and fire at will now, and 
 don't forget to give the inshore boat a taste of your 
 metal as soon as you fairly get the range." 
 
 The enemy reserved his fire until he had drawn 
 a little nearer, and then let fly a nine-inch solid 
 shot, which, by a most extraordinary piece of good 
 luck for him and bad luck for us, knocked off the 
 corner of our after deckhouse, and smashed one 
 of the quarter-boats into kindling wood. Fortu- 
 nately, nobody was very seriously hurt, but I must 
 admit that it gave me a bit of a turn to hear the 
 roar of the shot overhead, and to see a man led 
 below with a splinter slash across his forehead 
 that filled his eyes with blood and left a ghastly 
 train of red spots on the white deck behind him. 
 
 That first shot, however, was the beginning and 
 end of their luck. They never touched us again, 
 and although the exxhange of shots was kept up 
 till dusk in a leisurely way, it was at long range ; 
 no farther damage resulted to either side, so far as 
 we knew. 
 
 Captain Ross, no doubt, wanted to come to 
 closer quarters as much as the rest of us did, but I 
 can see now that he was quite right not to take 
 
A RUNNING FIGHT. 1 49 
 
 any chances at that thne. As the sun sank 
 behind the low-lying bank of Cape Hatteras our 
 pursuers decided to give it up, and, with a parting 
 shot at them as they presented their broadsides to 
 us in turning, we quickened our pace, overtook 
 and hailed the "Argo" before eight bells, and, 
 finding all right on board, sheered off to complete 
 our reconnaissance by an inspection of Roanoke 
 Island, w^iich, next to Hatteras Inlet, w^as regarded 
 as the most important strategic point on the 
 Carolina shore. 
 
 Standing off and on till daylight, we ran into 
 Oregon Inlet, and speedily found that the island 
 itself was quite beyond our reach, so far, at least, 
 as concerned a satisfactory inspection. The 
 inlet was so shallow that our small boats sent in 
 to take soundings could hardly find water enough 
 to float themselves across the bar. Moreover, 
 quite a litde fleet of steam and sailing craft lay at 
 anchor within the bar, so that it would have been 
 extremely rash for us to venture across. 
 
 We sent armed parties ashore, however, at a 
 place called Nagg's Head, and succeeded in cap- 
 turing some negro fishermen, by whom we were 
 assured that no fortifications were as yet even 
 begun on the island and that onl}^ a company or 
 so of soldiers was quartered there. They told us. 
 
150 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 however, that all the light-draught steamers to be 
 found on the sound had been armed and manned, 
 and were ready to pounce upon any incautious 
 coasting craft that came within reach. 
 
 This information was considered sufficient, so 
 we returned to Hampton Roads, well content with 
 the outcome of our first cruise, and very proud of 
 the performance of our little makeshift man-o'-war 
 "Otter." 
 
 I may say here, before dismissing the subject, 
 that the " Argo" reached New York safely, was 
 duly condemned by an admiralty court in the 
 presence of the British consul, who entered no 
 protest, and was eventually sold for $65,000, of 
 which my share, by some mysterious process of 
 arithmetic whicli T never could fathom, amounted 
 to $237.53, which was proudly placed to my credit 
 in Stonyhaven Savings Bank by my good Uncle 
 Abner as soon as received. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CONTRABAND OF ^VAR. 
 
 AFTER her return to Hampton Roads the 
 " Otter" was used mainly as a despatch boat 
 for awhile, and neither she nor any of her crew, 
 had any adventures worth speaking of until August. 
 The time was passed mainly in drilling at the guns 
 and in boat parties, which latter included landing 
 and the management of the convenient little how- 
 itzers that were part of the outfit of every United 
 States war vessel. 
 
 Commodore Stringham had for some time cher- 
 ished a wish to attack and reduce, with the co- 
 operation of the army, the fortifications at Hatteras 
 Inlet, which we had been sent to inspect. The 
 navy had from the first appreciated the strategic 
 importance of this position, but had been unable to 
 convince the arm}- authorities. 
 
 During these early weeks of declared hostilities 
 the contrast between the army and navy was rather 
 painfully perceptible. From the nature of things, 
 these two branches of the service were very differ- 
 
152 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 entin their official organization. The army, having 
 its stations in time of peace in comfortable quarters 
 and on shore, was naturally under the control of 
 senior officers, who were apt to be crotchety. Of 
 late years this has been in a measure corrected, 
 but at the time of the outbreak of the Civil War the 
 army was notably weak in this respect. 
 
 A venerable officer, who had in his time done 
 noteworthy service for his countr}^ was summoned 
 to Washington to superintend the organization of 
 an army, the like of which had never entered into 
 his wildest dreams. It did not seem possible to 
 him and to the most trusted of his advisers to enter 
 upon any undertaking of consequence without due 
 preparation and without a large number of troops. 
 
 The navy, on the contrary, even in time of 
 peace, is largely on active duty, that is to say, at 
 sea. Its effective ships are always under the com- 
 mand of officers who expect to do their share of 
 sea service. Its cruisers are constantly waging 
 war against the elements in all seas. Its men are 
 frequently exercised at the guns, and are almost 
 invariably kept up to a high degree of efficiency. 
 These facts, taken in connection with the far more 
 complicated features of the political situation on 
 land, conspired to induce a rather unusual degree 
 of caution on the part of the army departments. 
 
CONTRABAND OF WAR. 1 53 
 
 While the ships of the navy, at the outbreak of 
 hostilities, had been widely scattered, a few weeks 
 had sufficed to bring home a considerable number 
 of the cruisers, and, fortunately, Commodore 
 Stringham found himself in harmony with the army 
 commander at Fortress Monroe. Some correspond- 
 ence relative to the contemplated attack on 
 Hatteras Inlet had taken place with the War Depart- 
 ment, but it steadfastly refused to assume any 
 responsibility, except to furnish such troops as were 
 required for landing and assisting the navy in the 
 attack. It was even specified in the orders that 
 the troops thus detailed should return to Hampton 
 Roads as soon as the object of the expedition was 
 attained. 
 
 Perhaps a little digression is justiliable here to 
 say a word about Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, who 
 was in immediate command of the forces. I say 
 in immediate command, for his nominal superior 
 w\as one of the superannuated officers of the old 
 army to whom I have just referred. However 
 justly General Butler may have laid himself open 
 to criticism b}' some of his subsequent military and 
 other operations, he was at this time deserving of 
 high praise for certain bold and independent actions 
 that had won brilliant success and brought his 
 name prominently before the country. 
 
154 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 It was perhaps excusable, therefore, for a sailor 
 boy to take a short shore leave while the Hatteras 
 expedition is in preparation, and see what was 
 happening, as it were, under the very guns of the 
 fleet. I have already told how General Butler 
 suddenly appeared before dawn on a suspicious- 
 looking steamer off the naval academy at Annapo- 
 lis. His march to Washington, in company with 
 the New York Seventh Regiment, has also been 
 referred to. 
 
 After his arrival at the Capitol, Butler was 
 assigned to the command of the District of Annapo- 
 lis, which included Baltimore. This city, after its 
 hostile reception of the Massachusetts troops, had 
 been regarded by the authorities at Washington as 
 an almost impregnable stronghold of secession, at 
 least as regards the doubtful State of Maryland. 
 The governor of the State was inclined to be faith- 
 ful to the Union, but even he was afraid that if any 
 stringent measures were undertaken in Baltimore 
 the city would rise in revolt, and the State would 
 be precipitated into participation in the Rebellion. 
 
 Butler fixed his headquarters at the Relay House, 
 midway between Annapolis and Washington, and 
 very soon satisfied himself that nothing stood in 
 the way of his marching in any direction that 
 pleased him best. He communicated his ideas to 
 
CONTRABAND OF AVAR. I55 
 
 the major-general in command, and was told loftily 
 that the subject was under consideration and that 
 as soon as a force of twelve thousand men could 
 be spared from the defenses of the Capitol an 
 attempt would probably be made to occupy Balti- 
 more. 
 
 General Butler was nothing if not independent, 
 so, without asking leave of anybody, he started with 
 his regiment on the night of May thirteenth, and 
 in the darkness of the earh' morning hours of the 
 next day marched into Baltimore without opposi- 
 tion, seized Fort Federal Hill, commanding the 
 city and harbor, fortified himself there without 
 any opposition whatever, and notified the municipal 
 authorities that he had come to stay, and that 
 United States troops would thereafter be guaranteed 
 safe passage through the city. 
 
 While on his way to Baltimore the same night 
 he detached a company of his regiment to go to 
 Frederick, Maryland, and arrest a prominent 
 secessionist who had been making more trouble 
 for the United States Government than any one 
 else in the State, furnishing arms, subscribing 
 funds to equip companies of Confederate soldiers, 
 and, in short, doing all that he could to force the 
 State into alliance with the Confederacy. This 
 gentleman was summarilv carried to Baltimore and 
 
156 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 placed under guard in Butler's headquarters, only 
 to be released within a few hours by order of the 
 Secretary of State. 
 
 The idea of two such successful expeditions 
 carried out without authorit}- and with a ridiculously 
 inadequate force was too much for the equanimity 
 of the good old major-general commanding. As 
 soon as he heard the news he wrote to General 
 Butler : — 
 
 " Sir, your hazardous occupation of Baltimore 
 was undertaken without my knowledge, and, of 
 course, without my approbation ... It is also 
 reported that you have sent a detachment to 
 Frederick, but that is impossible." 
 
 The old general could not calmly surrender the 
 idea of occupying Baltimore according to his ideas 
 of military etiquette with a force of, at least, 
 twelve thousand men ; that a little Yankee general 
 should have accomplished this with a single regi- 
 ment, and at the same time have effected what was 
 regarded as "impossible" with one, and no more 
 than one company of infantry, could not be recon- 
 ciled with any due respect for the regulations of 
 the army of the United States. 
 
 The president and cabinet, however, not having 
 as yet been impressed by the necessity of doing 
 things strictly according to rule, immediately held 
 
CONTRABAND OP^ WAR. I57 
 
 a meeting and promoted Butler to be a major- 
 general of volunteers, the senior of that grade in 
 the service. 
 
 As he continued to assert that he could hold Bal- 
 timore as easily as he " could hold his own hat," 
 and that " a 3'ellow dog was sufficient escort for 
 him in any part of Maryland," he was evidently 
 unfit to remain in command. Therefore, he was 
 relieved of duty in Baltimore, and sent to Fortress 
 Monroe, where it was thought he could not, for a 
 time, at least, do any especial harm. As a pre- 
 cautionary measure, however, the other old officer 
 to whom reference has been made was placed in 
 command over him. 
 
 But the Yankee general was not to be repressed. 
 The first thing that he discovered was that the 
 garrison at Fortress Monroe was supplied with 
 water from a distant source and brought within 
 the gates by the primitive method of a mule team. 
 His representation of this state of things threatened 
 to strain his relations still further with the War 
 Department, which had always been taught to 
 regard this means of supply as adequate for the 
 small garrison maintained in time of peace. 
 
 His next escapade was perpetrated on the 
 twenty-fourth of May, and was the invention of a 
 phrase that has since almost immortalized him ; 
 
158 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 namely, the term "contraband" as applied to 
 escaped negro slaves seeking refuge within our 
 lines. Three such negroes, belonging to a certain 
 Colonel Mallory of the Confederate Army, had 
 been employed on the fortifications at Sewell's 
 Point, and, learning that their master intended to 
 transport his entire domestic establishment from 
 Virginia to Florida for their greater securit}', 
 these three enterprising chattels made up their 
 minds to desert. 
 
 Whether they begged, borrowed, or stole the 
 boat in which they effected their escape is not 
 known, but certain it is that on the morning in 
 question they were descried making their way 
 across the channel from the rebel battery. How 
 they managed to make their escape without being 
 fired upon has never been explained. Butler 
 promptly put them to work, and soon afterwards 
 was notified that a flag of truce was approaching 
 his picket line a short distance inland. 
 
 Sending word by the messenger that he would 
 immediately repair to the rendezvous, he rode 
 thither, and met Major Carey, of Virginia, with 
 whom he had a previous acquaintance, having met 
 him at the Charleston convention, just before the 
 last presidential campaign. The situation must 
 have been rather odd for both these men, meeting 
 
CONTRABAND OF WAR. I 59 
 
 one day as members of the Democratic National 
 Convention, and the next, riding up to meet one 
 another on a hostile picket line ; one claiming alle- 
 giance to a far Southern State now seceded from 
 the Union, and seeking to overthrow the govern- 
 ment which it had helped to establish ; the other 
 harboring fugitive slaves in the name of the United 
 States. 
 
 After some conversation on matters relating to 
 the safe conduct of white fugitives who wished to 
 seek a haven of safety in the North, the major 
 propounded the subject of the three slaves. 
 "What are you going to do with them?" he 
 asked. 
 
 "I intend to hold them," said Butler. 
 
 " The Constitution of the United States requires 
 you to return them to their owner," said the major. 
 
 "Virginia passed an ordinance of secession the 
 other da3^ I am under no such obligations to a 
 foreign country," said Butler. 
 
 "But," replied the major, "you say that we 
 cannot secede." 
 
 "But you say that you have seceded. I shall 
 hold these negroes as ' contraband of war,' since 
 they were engaged in the construction of your 
 battery. The simple question is, shall they be 
 used for or against the United States? And, 
 
i6o JACK Benson's log. 
 
 unless I receive contrary orders from the Secre- 
 tary of War, I shall give the United States the 
 benefit of the doubt.* 
 
 The consternation of the Cabinet at Washington 
 may be imagined when this new and original in- 
 terpretation of constitutional and international law 
 was brought before them. High legal authorities 
 all over the land declared for or against General 
 Butler's position, according to personal belief, but 
 the comical side of his decision captivated the 
 public at large. The comic papers published car- 
 toons, and the funny columns of the daily papers 
 exhausted the subject in epigrams. The witty 
 and impromptu decision of this Yankee soldier 
 lawyer carried the nation with it, and neither the 
 Secretary of State nor the Secretary of War ven- 
 tured to countermand Butler's orders. The 
 phrase was so apt that escaped slaves remained 
 " contrabands " until they became " freedmen." 
 
 *This account is slightly condensed from General Butler's own narrative of 
 the interview. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 OUR FIRST INNINGS. 
 
 COMMODORE STRINGHAM and General 
 Butler took kindly to one another from the 
 first, and cooperated cordially whenever possible. 
 Butler knew pretty well how to manage his imme- 
 diate superior, who was very well satisfied to remain 
 in his quarters, as long as some one else would 
 originate ideas and take the responsibility of their 
 execution. 
 
 Practically the details of the expedition, so far as 
 concerned the land forces, were left in Butler's 
 hands. He engaged transports and, in harmony 
 with the plans of the commodore, about one thou- 
 sand men were embarked with rations for ten days, 
 and the entire fleet sailed on the twenty-sixth of 
 August. Leaving Hampton Roads early in the 
 day, they rounded Cape Hatteras, which, fortu- 
 nately, belied its stormy character in their behalf, 
 and came to anchor without accident the same 
 afternoon near the inlet. 
 
 The two big sister frigates, "Minnesota" and 
 
i62 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 " Wabash," led the line, and quite a fleet of gun- 
 boats and transports, including the little " Otter," 
 trailed out astern of them. One or two old- 
 fashioned sailing frigates had started out in advance 
 of the fleet, and were, of course, distanced by the 
 steamers. 
 
 The situation at Hatteras Inlet can only be 
 understood by reference to the map. From the 
 inlet to Cape Hatteras is a stretch of twelve miles 
 of desolate beach, on which it was intended the 
 troops should land, well beyond range of the 
 guns of the forts. The process of landing was 
 begun as soon as the fleet arrived, as the sea 
 was quite calm, and the fickleness of the Hatteras 
 weather is well known to all sea-going folk. 
 
 The army had come provided with a clumsy 
 species of surf boat, especially constructed for the 
 purpose and rather ill adapted to carrying it out. 
 With the assistance of some of the navy boats, 
 however, some three or four hundred men were 
 landed, with two effective boat howitzers and the 
 necessary supply of ammunition. Several of the 
 boats were upset in the surf, and as evening drew 
 on most of them were swamped or disabled. At 
 this time, too, the weather became threatening and 
 the flagship signaled that the whole squadron 
 should draw off shore. 
 
OUR FIRST INNINGS. 163 
 
 Commodore Stringham would certainly never 
 have given this signal from his flagship had he 
 known that it was destined to involve a modest 
 sailor boy of the " Otter " in his first case of absence 
 without leave. 
 
 My boat's crew had been one of those detailed to 
 go ashore and assist in landing the troops. To 
 accomplish this our boat had been beached 
 during the quiet hours of the afternoon, and, as I 
 was nothing but a boy and was not expected to 
 take part in the heavy work of pulling and hauling, 
 I wandered up to the ridge of the beach and 
 fraternized with the artillery men, who were 
 throwing up temporary breastworks of sand to pro- 
 tect against any attack from the sound or from the 
 direction of the forts. Becoming interested in 
 these operations and in the maneuvers of the small 
 fleet of rebel gunboats now plainly within sight, I 
 had not paid much attention to what was going on 
 upon the outer beach. 
 
 My consternation may be imagined, therefore, 
 when, at last, casting a glance in that direction, I 
 saw the "Otter's" boat rising over the outer 
 breakers, some hundred 3'ards from shore. My 
 absence had evidently been overlooked, and here 
 I was destined to pass the night on shore, and, 
 what was worse, supperless, because no rations 
 
164 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 had been landed with the troops. Most of them, 
 however, had some scraps left over in their haver- 
 sacks, and were disposed to be generous to a sailor 
 boy, so that we were not entirely without means of 
 subsistence. 
 
 The captain of the company, with whose men I 
 had made friends, told me that, under the circum- 
 stances, I had better report to Colonel Webber, of 
 the Twentieth New York Volunteers, who had 
 landed, and was in command of the detachment. 
 He was standing by a fire of driftwood, trying to 
 dry himself after a ducking incurred during the 
 process of landing, and laughed when he saw my 
 woe-begone countenance. He told me not to mind, 
 and to make myself as comfortable as I could with 
 Captain Black's company. 
 
 There was plenty of driftwood along the beach, 
 and no reason existed why we should not light fires 
 along the seaward slope. The position was easily 
 defended against surprise, for the beach was so 
 narrow that pickets could easily patrol it above 
 and below the bivouac, and we knew that the 
 water of the sound was too shallow for the rebel 
 fleet to approach within effective range. Most of 
 us were pretty thoroughly wet, and were glad 
 enough to try alternately to dry first one side and 
 then the other. I turned in with Captain Black's 
 
OUR FIRST INNINGS. 165 
 
 company, as it so happened, pretty near the divid- 
 ing ridge, where the seaward slope changed to that 
 of the sound. 
 
 The night would have passed without any excite- 
 ment, whatever, but for the negro cook of the 
 company. He, after the manner of his race, had 
 started on an exploring expedition sometime during 
 the small hours. Passing over the beach crest, he 
 had gone down to the water's edge of the inner 
 beach, and, finding the sand still warm with the 
 rays of the August sun, had lain down for an 
 hour of peaceful contemplation. 
 
 He declared solemn!}- that he did not go to sleep, 
 but that he was, in fact, " laying low," with his 
 eyes near the level of the water, so that he could 
 the better observe certain suspicious movements 
 which he thought he detected on the part of the 
 hostile fleet. 
 
 At any rate, he was suddenly startled by per- 
 ceiving what he took to be two rebel gunboats in 
 the nature of ironclads emerging from the water 
 and approaching his resting-place. Naturally he 
 sprang up, and, with a shriek of terror, fled toward 
 the bivouac. As ill luck would have it, he cleared 
 the ridge just where I and my companions were 
 lying, and, stumbling over us, fell headlong upon 
 the men next beyond us. Of course, there was an 
 
i66 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 instant alarm ; the gunners jumped to their stations, 
 men seized their rifles, and it would have taken 
 little more to set everybody to shooting at an3'thing 
 that moved. 
 
 The captain's voice, however, restrained the 
 panic, which he soon learned had been caused by 
 the black cook. This individual, upon being 
 questioned, related his terrible experience upon the 
 beach, and assured the captain that two rebel iron- 
 clads were coming ashore to annihilate the entire 
 command. The captain, of course, thought that 
 the fellow had been frightened b}' some chance 
 prowler, but decided that he would look over the 
 ridtre and see for himself. Half a dozen men 
 accompanied him, including myself, of course, 
 and as we looked down upon the beach level there 
 certainly was something extraordinar}^ So'ing on 
 near the water's edge. We could hear mufiled 
 sounds as of blows and scrapings, but what it all 
 meant no one had the slightest idea. 
 
 Ordering a cautious advance, the captain led the 
 way down the slope, revolver in hand, and I must 
 confess that his followers were not over anxious to 
 keep pace with him, for there was something very 
 uncanny about the appearance of this shapeless 
 but moving mass. At length the captain halted, 
 put vip his hand to shade his eyes from the light of 
 
OUR FIRST INNINGS. 167 
 
 the stars, and after a moment's inspection broke 
 into a quiet laugh. 
 
 " Come on, boys,"' he said; " we'll have some- 
 thing for breakfast after all. It's a pair of sea- 
 turtles come ashore to fight. They do that at this 
 season. I've been down this coast before, and 
 have caught them many a time. Where is that 
 black rascal of a cook ? " 
 
 Jim had prudently remained behind, but was 
 quickly hauled from his hiding-place, and made to 
 join in the skirmish line that surrounded the strug- 
 gling turtles and turned them over on their backs. 
 He was still under the spell of terror, and in his 
 eyes they seemed gigantic monsters ready to work 
 his destruction. He was compelled, however, to 
 assist in the capture, and was straightway set to 
 work cutting up the prisoners, and preparing them 
 for the morning meal. By the time this was done 
 there were faint indications of daylight in the 
 east, and, although we had no coffee to help out 
 our repast, turtle soup and turtle steak for break- 
 fast were not so bad when we could get nothing 
 else. 
 
 The sea had gone down by morning, so that 
 more of the soldiers could be landed on the beach 
 without difficulty, and I managed to get myself 
 taken off at an early hour by one of the Monti- 
 
i68 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 cello's boats, whose coxswain was kind enough 
 to put me on board my own ship. I found that my 
 absence had not been discovered until after dark, 
 when it was impracticable to send ashore for 
 me, supposing I was safe with the troops already 
 there. 
 
 Practically, of course, this was absence without 
 leave, and I was liable, under ordinary circum- 
 stances, to some kind of punishment. My character 
 was fairly good, however, and the division officer 
 only gave me a moderate blowing-up for heedless- 
 ness in letting the boat get away. Indeed, I think 
 the coxswain of the boat got a worse wigging 
 than I did, because he had failed to notice my 
 absence. 
 
 There was no special need of haste in beginning 
 offensive operations, so the commodore took his 
 own time about it. The forts on the end of the 
 sand spit were quite isolated from the mainland ; no 
 reenforcements could reach them from the sound 
 without coming inside the range of our rifled guns, 
 and any reenforcements landed on the beach could 
 easily be dispersed, if not by the troops, then by 
 the fire of the fleet. The commodore, therefore, 
 allowed all his command to have a comfortable 
 breakfast before ordering his ships to take up their 
 stations and open fire. 
 
GETTING INTO ACTION OFF HATTERAS. 
 
OUR FIRST INNINGS. 169 
 
 There were two forts at the inlet, namely, Fort 
 Hatteras and Fort Clark ; the first named, and more 
 important of the works, being close to the inlet 
 proper, while the other was farther out toward the 
 ocean, situated on a low point, and separated from 
 the larger earthworks by a shallow lagoon. The 
 fleet anchored so that the two forts were nearly in 
 a line with one another, and shot passing over one 
 might possibly fall upon the other. 
 
 The superiority of the artillery of the fleet was 
 quickly obvious. Fort Clark was soon silenced ; 
 the men deserting their guns and wading across the 
 shallow lagoon that separated them from the shelter 
 of the larger fort. Upon this the troops advanced 
 along the beach, and by two o'clock in the after- 
 noon the national ensign was floating over the 
 ramparts. 
 
 It was supposed at this time that Fort Hatteras, 
 too, had been abandoned, as its fire had altogether 
 ceased and no flag was displayed upon its flag- 
 staff. Accordingly, the " Monticello " was directed 
 to attempt the passage of the inlet, but no sooner 
 was she well within the breakers than the cannon- 
 ade was resumed, and for a few minutes she was 
 in imminent danger of being sunk. Upon this the 
 flagship, with the " Susquehanna" and " Pawnee," 
 which were opposite the fort, resumed their fire 
 
lyo JACK Benson's log. 
 
 which continued until sunset, when the fleet drew 
 off for the night. 
 
 Next morning the bombardment was resumed, 
 vessels anchoring directly off the inlet and sending 
 heavy projectiles from their long pivot guns into 
 the forts that still held out. It was a one-sided 
 affair, — this capture of the forts at Hatteras, — 
 mere target practise so far as any danger to the fleet 
 was concerned. 
 
 Superior artillery enabled it to remain safely 
 beyond the range of rebel guns, and it was soon 
 apparent that the fort was too hot a place for 
 further defense. Shortly before noon a large shell 
 penetrated one of the ventilators of the magazine, 
 and so narrowly missed blowing the whole estab- 
 lishment to pieces that a white flag was raised 
 preliminary to surrender. 
 
 The army tug, "Fanny," with General Butler 
 on board, had been close at hand, watching pro- 
 ceedings, and with characteristic promptness the 
 general ordered her at once within the inlet. 
 Beyond the bulkhead were two or three Confeder- 
 ate vessels, including one laden with troops, and 
 the general gave them a rifle shot from his six-inch 
 pivot gun that went well over toward the rebel 
 gunboats, which had not yet given any indication 
 of surrender, and were dangerously near at hand. 
 
OUR FIRST INNINGS. I71 
 
 They speedily took the hint and made for safer 
 quarters. 
 
 Upon this General Butler sent a boat with an 
 officer, asking the meaning of the white flag, and 
 presently received a conditional offer of surrender, 
 which he declined, sending word back that the 
 surrender must be unconditional. After some 
 slight delay, word was returned accepting these 
 terms, and shortly afterward the commanding officer 
 of the fort, with some of his staff, came on board 
 the "Fanny." 
 
 This gentleman was Captain Samuel Barron, 
 C. S. N., late of the United States Navy, and some 
 of his officers had only a few weeks before held 
 the commission of the United States. It is not 
 altogether easy to conceive the frame of mind with 
 which these proud secessionists went on board the 
 commodore's flagship, where many of the officers 
 had formerly been their shipmates and whom they 
 had no doubt treated with the supercilious arrogance 
 that was too common among Southerners about to 
 resign their allegiance. More than one of them 
 must have asked himself while awaiting the con- 
 clusion of the negotiations what the Southern 
 secession leaders could have meant in persuading 
 their followers to believe that the Yankees would 
 never fight. 
 
172 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 But while these negotiations were going on the 
 situation had become somewhat critical under the 
 guns of the fort. The " Monticello " in attempting 
 to pass over the bar, had grounded within easy range, 
 and the "Adelaide," an army transport, crowded with 
 troops, had followed her example. It is not at all 
 beyond the range of possibility that if this had 
 occurred before Captain Barron left the fort he 
 would have succeeded in obtaining better terms for 
 surrender. 
 
 The game was lost, however ; the articles of 
 capitulation were signed ; more than seven hundred 
 men surrendered as prisoners of war, with a thou- 
 sand stand of arms, thirty cannon, five stand of 
 colors, a brig loaded with cotton, and sundry stores 
 of provisions, including one hundred and fifty bags 
 of coffee. But far exceeding all these was the 
 strategic value of the position that fell into our 
 hands. In effect, the whole wide extent of the 
 Carolina Sound was under the control of our guns, 
 which would otherwise have afforded a safe refuge 
 for privateers, cruisers, and blockade runners. 
 
 The Hatteras expedition was in reality the first 
 noteworthy success of the Union arms on land or 
 sea, and, coming soon after the disastrous defeat of 
 the army at Bull Run, went far to encourage the 
 Government in its measures to organize an ener- 
 
OUR FIRST INNINGS. I73 
 
 getic campaign. Owing to the superiority of our 
 armament, the affair assumed, after all, a certain 
 holiday aspect, for not a single man was hurt on 
 the national side. Several were killed and wounded 
 in the fort, but their exact number was never 
 known. 
 
 Here again General Butler's readiness to disobey 
 orders stood him and the country in good stead. 
 On looking over the situation, he saw at a glance 
 the importance of maintaining a permanent garrison 
 at this point, and on consultation with Commodore 
 Stringham he decided to leave enough men to hold 
 the position against any possible rebel attack. His 
 orders were to return at once to Fortress Monroe 
 with his entire detachment, but he knew perfectly 
 well that if he allowed the Department to receive 
 his report through the regular channels and learn 
 how its directions had been ignored he would be 
 reprimanded, if not court-marshalled, for disobe- 
 dience of orders. 
 
 Accordingly, while Commodore Stringham took 
 the prisoners on board his flagship and sailed for 
 New York, General Butler embarked in his de- 
 spatch boat, the " Fanny," and made the best pos- 
 sible time direct to Washington. Arriving there 
 in the middle of the night, he aroused one of the 
 cabinet officers, and together they went to the White 
 
174 ]^c^ Benson's log. 
 
 House and imparted their good news to the presi- 
 dent. Lincoln was overjoyed at this, the first sub- 
 stantial success of the national arms, and before 
 the War Department had fairly waked up the next 
 morning a cabinet meeting had been called, and it 
 was voted that the army should continue to hold 
 Hatteras Inlet, with such aid from the navy as was 
 deemed necessary. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. 
 
 NO sooner had the Rebels lost control of Pam- 
 lico Sound and its tributaries than the}' 
 made energetic efforts to keep control of the ad- 
 jacent waters to the northward. Roanoke Island 
 afforded the key to this position, and now that 
 Pamlico Sound was practically under the control 
 of the nav}^ its reduction was probably only a 
 question of time. 
 
 The blockade, as yet, was not effectual. A 
 few vessels were stationed off Charleston, Savan- 
 nah, and a few of the more important ports of 
 entry, but when it is remembered that the whole 
 Southern coast is a series of river mouths, harbors, 
 and estuaries, all more or less navigable to vessels 
 of considerable size, the wonder is that any sort of 
 a blockade was maintained. The fact remains, 
 however, that, although the rebels did all in their 
 power to convince their British friends of its in- 
 efficiency, they never succeeded. 
 
 A British gunboat, the " Gladiator," cruised at 
 175 
 
176 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 least twice up and clown the Atlantic coast to as- 
 certain the true state of affairs. Captain Hinck- 
 ley made his report, presumably adverse to the 
 national cause, but in the meantime several hun- 
 dred foreign vessels, including numerous British 
 blockade runners, had been captured by our 
 vessels, taken into the nearest ports, condemned 
 by admiralty courts and, except in a very few 
 cases, no protests were made. In short, after it 
 was once fairly in working order, the maritime 
 nations of the world reluctantly confessed that the 
 blockade was effectual enough to be recognized, 
 or, at least, too effectual to be ignored. 
 
 The station in Hampton Roads was pleasant 
 enough as navy life goes, and not without its 
 temporary excitement. The intelligent contraband 
 brought rumors from every direction of marching 
 troops and of gunboats and ironclads that were 
 being rapidly prepared at the Norfolk Navy Yard. 
 The " Merrimac " had been raised and was covered 
 with iron plates, and at Richmond other swift 
 rams were in course of preparation. These 
 rumors and announcements were somewhat pre- 
 mature, although, as we afterwards learned, they 
 were not altogether false. 
 
 According to the regulations of Uncle Sam's 
 navy, the boys on board ship are required to de- 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. 1 77 
 
 vote certain hours to study. Sailor boys are not 
 any more fond of study than their shore-going 
 brethren ; still, the rule was reasonably well en- 
 forced ; but it was presently discovered by the 
 teachers who were detailed to take charge of us 
 that I had advanced far be3^ond all that could 
 possibly be required of a powder monkey. 
 
 Therefore, it came to pass when it was found 
 that I could write a fairly good schoolboy hand, 
 and was reasonably trustworthy at copying, that I 
 was promoted to a kind of clerkship which, while 
 it did not interfere with other duties to any serious 
 extent, gave me privileges that were not unac- 
 ceptable. It brought me into relations with the 
 best of the wardroom officers and made it possible 
 for me to go on various expeditions from which I 
 would otherwise have been excluded. 
 
 Occasionally the "Otter" was sent on some 
 minor expedition, but our ordinary life on board 
 would have been unspeakably dull but for the fact 
 that everybody had his regular work. This is the 
 grand secret of all discipline. If idleness were 
 permitted on board a man-of-war, with its hun- 
 dreds of men in close quarters, there would be 
 mutiny within a week. Upon the whole, there- 
 fore, it was acceptable when it began to be whis- 
 pered about that the "Otter" was again under 
 
178 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 orders. How such news gains currency nobody 
 knows. It seems to be in the air, and when the 
 order comes to take on a full supply of coal and 
 stores for a voyage nobody is taken very much 
 by surprise. 
 
 We were ready in a day or two, and an extra 
 force of volunteers was called for from the New 
 England regiments. A hundred men responded, 
 mainly from Marblehead, Gloucester, Newbury- 
 port, and the other sea-going headquarters of that 
 rugged coast. It was tolerably evident, therefore, 
 that some sort of hazardous work was expected of 
 lis. The volunteer sailor men came aboard with 
 their blankets, knapsacks, and rifles, and were 
 stowed away wherever there was room for them 
 to lie on deck. Nearly all were sailor men, and 
 many were the jokes perpetrated about going to 
 sea with rifles and knapsacks. Naturally, they 
 fraternized fairly well with our own crew, who 
 forthwith dubbed them "the horse marines," a 
 nickname b}' which they were known to the end 
 of the expedition, and which they accepted with 
 very good grace. 
 
 We got under way on October 2, and on the fol- 
 lowing day rounded to off a low-lying cape partly 
 covered with a growth of cypress or pine, and 
 marked by an abandoned lighthouse, whose light 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. 179 
 
 had been extinguished by the Confederacy. This 
 was the mouth of Winyah Bay, at the head of which 
 was situated Georgetown, S. C, about twelve miles 
 from the sea. 
 
 Coming to anchor outside the breakers, boats 
 were sent to sound out the channel and see if any 
 sunken obstruction existed. Ever^'thing was clear, 
 and the little "Otter" was soon anchored in five 
 fathoms of water opposite the lighthouse and be- 
 hind the shelter of the sand spit on which it stood. 
 On the opposite side of the bay was a straggling 
 hamlet, where we could see quite an unheard-of 
 commotion among the inhabitants at our unwelcome 
 appearance. 
 
 The lighthouse being close at hand, it was nec- 
 essary first to make sure that there were no fortifi- 
 cations or troops in its vicinity. An officer was 
 accordingly sent to investigate, and found the light- 
 keeper still in possession of his quarters and rather 
 disposed than otherwise to be civil in his replies. 
 There was absolutely no indication of military 
 occupation about the point nor in the woods which 
 made out within a few hundred yards of the gov- 
 ernment reservation ; the keeper assured us, in 
 fact, that nothing had been done toward fortifying 
 the point. 
 
 Toward the latter part of the afternoon a small 
 
i8o JACK Benson's log. 
 
 steamer came down from Georgetown and took a 
 look at us, but, not seeing anything to invite a 
 closer acquaintance, returned whence she came. 
 It was, therefore, certain that news of our arrival 
 had reached the mainland, and the nearest military 
 authorities were no doubt advised of our presence. 
 
 It w^as a rather dark, starlight night, and after 
 the glow had quite faded from the west two armed 
 boats were despatched under charge of Lieutenant 
 Casey, who had long since returned with his prize 
 crew, on a pilot-hunting expedition. Guessing 
 that the hamlet, which has already been referred 
 to, was mainly composed of fishermen's huts and 
 possibly of pilot's houses, Captain Ross had 
 directed us to go ashore and see what we could 
 effect. Some caution was necessary, for the malig- 
 nity and desperate hatred of Yankees that was 
 cherished by all Southern communities at that time 
 is difficult of belief now that it is all over. 
 
 We pulled in the direction of the hamlet with 
 perfect silence, the oars being carefully muffled, and 
 presently drew near enough to perceive a few dim 
 lights in the windows and to hear occasional A'oices 
 along the shore. Under the supervision of Captain 
 Ross, each of the boats had been provided with 
 certain fireworks designed to assist our enterprise. 
 The lower part of some casks had been sawn off 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. l8l 
 
 and lilled with a mixture of oakum soaked with 
 melted pitch and turpentine ; there were four of 
 these altogether, and one of them was provided, in 
 addition to the slow match common to all, with a 
 rocket and a Roman candle. 
 
 The boats paused a short distance off shore, and 
 the slow match that was attached to the rocket was 
 lighted, the tub put softly overboard into the water, 
 an anchor line dropped after it, and then we shoved 
 off, leaving it to its fate. The boats pulled away 
 some two hundred yards and then lay side by side, 
 end on toward the town, with black tarpaulins 
 hung over the bows so as to conceal the white 
 paint from observers on shore. The match was 
 timed "long" for ten minutes, and at the end of 
 about twelve the rocket went whizzing aloft ; the 
 Roman candle followed, sending its brilliant balls 
 high up into the air, and then, as it in turn died 
 down, the quick match connecting with the flare 
 caught fire, and there was straightway a bright 
 blaze rising apparently from the surface of the sea, 
 and lighting the beach for an eighth of a mile in 
 both directions. 
 
 Hardly had the boom of the rocket bursting on 
 high died away when cries of all sorts arose in the 
 little settlement, — cries of wonder and admiration 
 and some few of fear. Doors opened, lights 
 
i82 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 shone out, and the whole population stood spell- 
 bound as the brilliant balls from the Roman 
 candle soared successively aloft. Then followed 
 the steady blaze of the oakum flare, and Casey 
 looked the ground over with his glasses. Not a 
 sign of military organization was visible anywhere, 
 and there were not more than a half a dozen white 
 men in sight, all told. 
 
 One of the better-looking houses had a flagstaff 
 in front of it, which «iight possibly be intended 
 for a signal station. It was not within reason that 
 there could be any formidable armed force in the 
 place, for, whether such a force had been com- 
 posed of raw levies or of seasoned veterans, it 
 would certainly have sprung to its arms, and there 
 was no indication of any such movement. While 
 the people on shore were rubbing their eyes and 
 trying to peer into the surrounding darkness, 
 Casey stood up and hailed : — 
 
 " Hallo, on shore there, we won't fire unless 
 you do, so don't be frightened. But if you do fire 
 on us we'll burn down the whole place, so be 
 careful. Now, I am coming ashore. Take oars ! 
 Give way all ! " 
 
 We were but a short distance from the beach, so 
 that hardly more than two minutes had elapsed 
 before the bows grated on the sand, and the crew 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. 183 
 
 of our boat sprang smartly ashore in front of the 
 flagstaff. By Casey's orders, the other crew re- 
 mained afloat ready to shove off at a moment's 
 notice. Our crew deployed smartly with read^' 
 cocked carbines " at the carry." Another of the 
 prepared flares was lighted on the beach as Case}- 
 walked forward. 
 
 The landing had been effected immediately in 
 front of the best quarter of the settlement, the 
 quarter, that is, where the white people were 
 gathered, and to them Casey addressed himself. 
 
 " I suppose you are all South Carolinians and 
 Secessionists," he said. "We are from the Fed- 
 eral gunboat out there in the stream, and we're 
 going to stay here as long as it suits us. Under- 
 stand, once for all, that we don't intend to do you 
 any harm unless we're attacked, but if you make 
 any trouble, or let anybody fire on us from the 
 shore, we'll burn the entire outfit. 
 
 The whole population, white and colored, had 
 turned out, as curiosity overcame fear, and quite a 
 crowd had pressed forward to the vicinity of the 
 fire. Casey waved them back, " Don't come 
 any nearer," he said, " till I call you." 
 
 Three rather ruffianly white men stood about 
 the door of the principal house, and a few others 
 near them, while a few slatternly looking women 
 
184 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 peered from the doors of the neighboring houses. 
 Casey looked round over the crowd of sable 
 visages in the firelight, and, selecting a venerable 
 old darky, probably attracted to him by the white- 
 ness of his wool, he sung out: "Here, Uncle! 
 You come here." The old man shambled for- 
 ward, a tall, stooping figure, with a dilapidated 
 straw hat in his hand, glancing deprecatingly 
 at the burly white man as if asking permission to 
 come forward. 
 
 " What's your name, uncle ? " 
 
 " Bob, sah." 
 
 "Bob what?" 
 
 "Bob Randall, sah." 
 
 "How old are you?" 
 
 " Don't know, marsa ; mos' one hundred years, 
 I 'spec'." 
 
 " Who do you belong to?" 
 
 " Marsa Jim Randall, sah." 
 
 ' ' Where is he ? " 
 
 " He ober to the big house, ober on Santee." 
 
 " What are you here for. Bob?" 
 
 At this the more important-looking of the white 
 men interposed. " Here, mister, he's my nigger; 
 ask your questions of me, if you want to." The 
 man came forward as he spoke. 
 
 " I'll talk to you presently," said Casey sharply. 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. 185 
 
 '' Meanwhile, step back and keep still." Then in 
 a lower voice : " Now, Bob, do you like to stay 
 here?" 
 
 " Not over muchly, marsa," glancing appre- 
 hensively over his shoulder. 
 
 "Like to go back to the old house sometimes, 
 don't you ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, marsa." 
 
 "Folks there?" 
 
 "Yes, sah." 
 
 "Well, now, Bob, if 3'ou'll come with me I'll 
 give you a chance to go back to the .big house and 
 see your folks, and I want you to bring two good 
 coast pilots with you, — boys that know both the 
 Santees, and Bull's Ba}^ and all the rest dowai 
 below Cape Romain to Charleston. You needn't 
 be afraid of him," nodding toward the white man, 
 who looked on with a scowl. " Now, you go and 
 get two good boys. They shall have good pay 
 and food." 
 
 Bob shambled away, and the big white man 
 started to follow him. 
 
 " Stop where you are," cried Casey. " Boys, 
 keep those men covered with your carbines. 
 Come ashore, second cutter." 
 
 Reenforced by the second crew, the whites 
 abandoned whatever ideas of escape or resistance 
 
1 86 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 they may have entertained, and suffered them- 
 selves to be searched and disarmed. For, after 
 the manner of the South CaroHnian of the period, 
 the three carried heavy revolvers in their belts. 
 
 " Sorry, Mr. , excuse me, I don't know 
 
 your name. But under the circumstances I shall 
 have to search the house. Bring a lantern, quarter- 
 master." 
 
 Brown brought a lantern from the boat, and the 
 two with ready revolvers proceeded to search the 
 house. Nothing of a suspicious character was 
 found beyond a rather liberal supply of firearms 
 and provisions, which seemed excessive and un- 
 necessary to Northern eyes. 
 
 " ril leave you a good shotgun," Casey said, 
 "for I know you depend largely on game for a 
 living hereabouts, but I must take the rest of these 
 arms on board for safekeeping." 
 
 The houses of the other whites were searched, 
 and a number of other weapons seized. Before 
 this search was concluded Bob and his two ' ' boys " 
 were waiting by the boats. Two stalwart, black 
 fellows in disreputable rags, but both having a 
 certain air of the seaman about them, and both ex- 
 pressing themselves ready and willing to act as 
 pilots for a United States gunboat. 
 
 All hands reembarked, and the second cutter 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. 187 
 
 shoved off. The men of the first cutter were in 
 their phices, and Casey was preparing to step 
 aboard when Bob's master again spoke : "I say, 
 mister, are you a United States' officer ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "By what right do you take away my nig- 
 gers ? " 
 
 " By the same right that 3'ou Southerners took 
 Fort Sumter the other da}'." 
 
 "Well, you can't take my niggers ; I know the 
 laws of the United States and of South Carolina, 
 and 3'ou can't do it." 
 
 " I shall do it, all the same. The United States 
 requires their services. Evidently you haven't 
 heard down here that niggers are ' contraband of 
 
 war.' Good evening, Mr. . By the way, 
 
 what is your name ? " 
 
 The answer to this was something inaudible that 
 sounded like Jackson, so Casey replied cheerfully, 
 "Well, good-night, Mr. Jackson ; come aboard if 
 you like; the captain will be glad to see you. 
 No shooting, though, remember, unless you're 
 prepared to keep up a prettv lively fight." 
 
 The fire on the beach still gave light enough 
 for us to see the forlorn population gazing after us 
 as we disappeared in the darkness, and in a few 
 minutes we heard the hail of the "Otter's " lookout. 
 
1 88 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 rounded to alongside, hoisted the boats aboard, and 
 were once more in the comfortable, well-ordered 
 quarters of our ship. The black pilots were duly 
 presented to the captain, and stood the cross-ex- 
 amination through which he put them very well. 
 They seemed to know all about the vicinit}-, as 
 negro slaves did in those times, and even old 
 Uncle Bob, who had been the best pilot on the 
 coast in his day, contributed much valuable in- 
 formation in regard to the lay of the land and the 
 various channels available for boat service. 
 
 Next morning we got under way, and, after stand- 
 ing out across the bar to explore the different 
 channels of entrance, ran up tow^ard George- 
 town, and as soon as w^e came in sight of its houses 
 bells began to ring and drums beat in expectation 
 of an attack. Our purpose, however, was merely 
 to notify the port authorities that the blockade had 
 been established, a proceeding that is always cus- 
 tomary under such circumstances. A warning 
 similar to that given to our acquaintances of the 
 night before was also sent to the military author- 
 ities. 
 
 Hot-headed Southern officers often got into 
 trouble by opening fire on Government gunboats 
 out of mere bravado, and many a Southern roof- 
 tree was burned because some desperado could not 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. 189 
 
 refrain from taking a •' pot-shot " at passing Yankees, 
 when no good to their side could possibly result, 
 beyond the killing of one or two men. Fortunately, 
 there were enough cool heads in Georgetown to 
 restrain local patriotism within the bounds of pru- 
 dence, and after delivering our messages we 
 steamed back to the anchorage without molestation. 
 
 This little excursion up Georgetown Bay was 
 merely a diversion. Our real purpose was a raid 
 into the Santee country, which was rich in cotton, 
 and therefore tempting to blockade runners. - 
 
 Georgetown, however, after thinking it over, 
 decided that their first reception of us had been 
 somewhat pusillanimous, and, having been reen- 
 forced by sundry companies of home guards from 
 the interior, made preparations to annihilate us. 
 These consisted mainly of fire rafts, torpedoes, 
 etc., which generally ran aground before they 
 reached us or refused to explode under any cir- 
 cumstances. 
 
 Upon the whole, they afforded us rather more 
 amusement than cause for anxiet}', and probably 
 served to keep the volunteers from aggressions 
 that would have caused bloodshed. By daylight 
 we did not habitually have any intercourse with 
 "Pilot Town," but ever}^ night one or more of 
 our negro pilots went ashore in a canoe that they 
 
190 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 had brought with them, visited their friends in the 
 settlement, and kept themselv^es informed of the 
 various plots that were in preparation. 
 
 There were, it appeared, several schooners and 
 sloops loading with cotton in the two Santees and 
 at Georo-etown. In the river three of these vessels 
 were reported ready for sea, and Captain Ross 
 determined, if possible, either to destroy or cut 
 them out before they could escape. These three 
 were in the South Santee River, below Brown's 
 Island, and anchored at short intervals, so that one 
 could not well be captured without giving warning 
 to the others. Report had it, moreover, that all of 
 them were provided with armed guards. 
 
 The white men who figured in our first visit to 
 the shore had disappeared before " sun-up," as the 
 local phrase has it, the next morning, and not till 
 the next day after that did Uncle Bob, in a chance 
 conversation with the captain and Lieutenant 
 Casey, speak of their leader by name. 
 
 " Who did you say? " asked Ross sharply. 
 
 " Marsa Jay Hawkson, sah." 
 
 Ross and Case}' stared at one another aghast. 
 
 "Why didn't you tell us that before? " 
 
 "Nobody axed me, sah," said Uncle Bob, un- 
 consciously quoting the classic song. 
 
 " Did you ask his name, Casey?" 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. I9I 
 
 "Yes, sir, and I understood him to say Jackson, 
 or some such name," and Casey's handsome face 
 became very blank. It was evident that he had 
 carelessly missed a chance that was not likely to 
 offer again. 
 
 The captain could hardly disguise his vexation. 
 
 " Great Scott! " he exclaimed, " what a chance 
 you have lost ! The very fellow we are after ! 
 Well, never mind, Casey," he added, seeing that 
 officer's chagrin ; " maybe we can give you another 
 chance at him," — prophetic words that were sadl}^ 
 remembered a few days later. 
 
 On reviewing the incidents of the first night's 
 expedition, it was evident how the mistake had 
 occurred. Uncle Bob, knowing the man's true 
 name, had understood it correctly when it was given 
 in reply to Casey's inquir}^ and supposed that 
 Casey had understood also. The vexatious part 
 was that this Jay Hawkson, a slave trader, was the 
 notorious leader of a local band of Regulators who 
 had hanged two Union men in Georgia a few 
 weeks before. News of this outrage had reached 
 Fortress Monroe, and, hearing that Hawkson was 
 in the Santee country, his capture was planned as 
 part of the " Otter's" duty. 
 
 Poor Casey could not forgive himself for having 
 failed to detect and arrest this desperado when he 
 
192 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 had him within his grasp. Bob declared that he 
 and the boys would find out precisel}^ where he 
 was quartered on the Santee. Indeed, they thought 
 they already knew. It had not occurred to these 
 simple-minded fellows that it was worth while to 
 mention such a commonplace affair as the hanging 
 of one or two Union men and a casual negro or 
 so. 
 
 While these things were transpiring, although 
 only two or three days had elapsed, Uncle Bob 
 was pining for the fulfilment of the promise that 
 he should go over to Santee and see the old folks 
 again, and at last Captain Ross consented to let 
 him go ashore and make his wa}^ across countr}^, as 
 he could by the devious ways known to the negro 
 slave, so that he could see once more the old cabin 
 that he called home. 
 
 The old fellow was a sort of "Uncle Remus," 
 although this latter character was at that time un- 
 known to fiction, and he had become quite a favor- 
 ite with all hands on board. So, with the promise 
 to retvn^n within three days, he was set ashore one 
 evening, and went off in high spirits, thanking 
 everybody for their kindness to the " poor old nig- 
 ger." That same night, however, a little before 
 daylight, the officer on watch heard something of 
 a rumpus on shore — dogs barking, and shouting 
 
CONTRABANDS AS COAST PILOTS. 1 93 
 
 that lasted for a little time. But, as the population 
 of Pilot Town was given to orgies by night when- 
 ever whisky could be obtained in sufficient quan- 
 tities to justif}^ the exertion, he had thought no 
 more of it, and the hours waxed on in quiet. 
 
 But as the sun came up and dissipated the thin 
 mists that floated along the river in early morn- 
 ing, he made his customary survey of the sur- 
 roundings with a powerful marine glass. As he 
 swept the shore line in careful inspection, he came 
 to a sudden stop with his glass leveled at the town. 
 Something was hanging on the limb of one of the 
 trees, something unfamiliar, something that hung 
 heavily down and yet swayed and twisted in ghastly 
 fashion in the gentle morning breeze. A boat was 
 at once lowered and sent to investigate. Sure 
 enough, it was poor old Uncle Bob, who had been 
 waylaid by the Regulators, brought back to the 
 scene of his servitude, and hanged defiantly, under 
 cover of darkness, within easy range of his pro- 
 tectors' guns. 
 
 The remaining negro population of Pilot Town 
 was in terrified retirement, Hawkson and his gang 
 having been liberal with blows and threats. But 
 as the rising sun warmed their bodies and vanished 
 their fears to some extent, they came out of their 
 hiding-places and told the story. The regulators 
 
194 JACK BENSON'S LOG. 
 
 had been recognized as they performed their act 
 of vengeance, and had promptly ridden away be- 
 fore the light of dawn appeared in the East, leav- 
 ing behind them threats of dire vengeance should 
 any further aid be given to the Yankee invaders. 
 
 Of course this atrocious act made us all the more 
 anxious to carry out the purpose of our expedition, 
 and man}^ were the vows of vengeance registered 
 that day on board the " Otter " as the venerable old 
 slave was buried in the sand with the honors of 
 war. Captain Ross reading the burial service, and 
 the ragged negro population standing around with 
 faces still ashy from fright. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 
 
 THE shore expeditions of our negro pilots 
 were rendered still more hazardous by this 
 experience. Nevertheless, they were brave enough, 
 and did not hesitate to venture ashore when their 
 friends signaled that the coa.st was clear. As 
 soon as it was definitely learned where Hawkson's 
 headquarters were, preparations began for as 
 formidable an expedition as could be managed with 
 the "Otter's" resources. With a view to some 
 such emergency, and considering our largely in- 
 creased strength of numbers from the addition of 
 the volunteer " horse marines," we had come pro- 
 vided with extra boats, so that, leaving enough men 
 on board to work the ship, and even defend her in 
 case of need, we could muster one hundred and 
 fifty men for the expedition. Ever since coming 
 into the bay soldiers and sailors had alike been 
 drilled in embarkinij and landing under various 
 conditions, Lighthouse Point being well adapted 
 for such exercises. 
 
 195 
 
196 ' JACK Benson's log. 
 
 Our pilots were doubtful about getting over the 
 South Santee bar at night, but declared their abil- 
 ity to do so by daylight at any time except dead 
 low tide. One evening, accordingly, after dark, 
 we slipped our cable, and dropped down the 
 channel with all lights housed, and ran round the 
 few miles intervening to the mouth of the Santee. 
 The sea was comparatively calm, and boats were 
 lowered, and the soldiers and sailors boarded 
 them without confusion, their persistent drills hav- 
 ing rendered it possible to effect this without con- 
 fusion, even when the ship was rolling in the 
 seaway. 
 
 Our two pilots had both been so anxious to go 
 on this expedition, that they had to be allowed to 
 draw lots in order to prevent them from coming 
 to blows. But at last a decision was reached in 
 favor of black Joe, perhaps the best of the two, 
 although there was, in fact, little to choose between 
 them. 
 
 For the benefit of Northern readers, it should, 
 perhaps, be explained that many of the pilots 
 along our Southern coast at that time were negro 
 slaves. Often they were hired out by their owners 
 and employed by white men who lived near the 
 coast and turned an honest penny by pocketing 
 pilot fees for their own benefit. 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. I97 
 
 This had been the case with poor Uncle Bob and 
 the two boys whom he had brought to us. Often 
 the coast pilots w^ere men of high courage and 
 great native intelligence, as was the case notably 
 with Robert Small, who made his escape from 
 Charleston, carrying out a steamer of wdiich he 
 was the pilot, and surrendering her to the blockad- 
 ing fleet in the offing. 
 
 Under conduct of our less famous Joe, the boats 
 fell into column, and pulled away from the ship 
 toward the place where the rollers were growling 
 on the shoal water of the bar. Joe stood up in the 
 bow of the leading boat, " nosing out" the deepest 
 water with that extraordinary instinct that belongs to 
 the born pilot, and very soon the five heavily laden 
 boats, after tossing for a few moments somewhat 
 perilously, passed over into the quiet water within 
 the bar. The tide was beginning to run flood, and 
 after half an hour of leisurely rowing, the whole 
 flotilla was well behind the southern point of Cedar 
 Island which separates the two Santees. 
 
 It was believed to be about five miles to the place 
 where Hawkson was supposed to have his head- 
 quarters, — A plantation house well known to our 
 guide, who had clearly described its surroundings. 
 It was pretty certain that he would have his gang 
 with him, but how many was purely a matter of 
 
198 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 conjecture. That they were all desperate charac- 
 ters and well armed was certain, and it was more 
 than probable that they would make a resistance 
 worthy their reputation, no matter how large the 
 odds might be that were brought against them. 
 
 The three schooners that I have mentioned be- 
 fore as being ready for sea were between the 
 mouth of the river and this uldmate point of our 
 destination, but precisely where we did not know. 
 We had to pass them before reaching our goal, but 
 hoped to effect this undiscovered, by keeping along 
 the south shore of the river, where we could take 
 advantage of the shelter afforded by certain islands 
 and be at the same time at the greatest possible 
 distance from the anchored vessels. 
 
 I had managed to smuggle myself into the lead- 
 ing boat, on the plea of carr3'ing Lieutenant 
 Casey's haversack for him, and crouched close 
 behind Pilot Joe as he stood up in the bow. I con- 
 sidered mj^self about as keen sighted a 3'oungster 
 as any afloat, but black Joe taught me a lesson as 
 to my own inferiority. I soon found that he could 
 see objects on shore and in the water with great dis- 
 tinctness long before I could make them out at all. 
 In short, he had veritable owls' eyes, a gift not 
 uncommon among his race, and peculiarly culti- 
 vated, of course, by those in his calling. 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. I99 
 
 This was really my first serious experience of an 
 expedition probably involving an encounter with 
 the enemy and more or less loss of life. The affair 
 of Hatteras, while far more formidable in the eyes 
 of the world and more important in history, was a 
 very different affair from this. 
 
 The familiar surroundings of every-day naval 
 life, the consciousness of being supported by ship- 
 mates, by big guns with trained men behind them, 
 all conspired to impart a feeling of confidence, and 
 I had been full of fight from the time when the 
 first shot was fired. It was a very different mat- 
 ter, — this dark and silent river, the low, sullen 
 grumbling of the bar as we left it astern, the cloudy 
 sky overhead, barely touched in spots by the dim 
 light of the young moon, the measured swish of 
 oars, the dark, swaying forms of men. 
 
 I could not for the life of me help remembering 
 that River of Death that I had so often heard about 
 in the old church at Stonyhaven, and which I had 
 pretty well forgotten since my enlistment. Before 
 I knew it I was saying over to myself the refrain 
 of a hymn that I had once heard at a camp- 
 meeting : — 
 
 " One dark river to cross, 
 One dark river to cross." 
 
 Over and over this fateful line insisted on re- 
 
2O0 JACK BENSON'S LOG. 
 
 peating itself, and I was fast getting into what our 
 English cousins call " a blue funk " when Joe 
 whispered, " Dah's one of dem schooners." 
 
 My nervousness vanished in an instant, and I 
 strained my eyes into the darkness, but not a sug- 
 gestion could I see of anything like a schooner. 
 However, I passed the word aft, as in duty bound. 
 
 "Avast pulling, men," said Casey, in low tone, 
 and the other boats, following suit, drifted on in 
 absolute silence with the flowing tide. 
 
 Casey came forward, stepping lightly from 
 thwart to thwart, and stood with his hand on Joe's 
 shoulder. 
 
 " Whereaway is she, Joe? " 
 
 " Right ahead, Marsa Casey," and he pointed 
 into the blackness of the pine forest that bordered 
 the shore. 
 
 Casey adjusted his night glasses, and after a long, 
 silent look, " Blest if I can see a thing," he said. 
 
 " She dab, sure enough, Marsa Casey. Fse 
 got cat's eyes, I has. I kin see her plain. She's 
 got a deckload of cotton bales." 
 
 " Well," Casey said, " show us the best way to 
 get past, whether she's there or not." 
 
 So the flotilla altered its course and managed to 
 drift by without attracting attention. Indeed, it 
 was not until we were opposite the point that Joe 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 20I 
 
 had indicated that we made out a dim light appar- 
 ently coming from the cabin windows. 
 
 Rowing was resumed as soon as a safe distance 
 had been passed, and Joe directed our course be- 
 hind the islands before referred to, which extended 
 the better part of a mile along the southern shore 
 of the river. As we passed the cut between two 
 of these islands, Joe remarked, " Dah's anuder on 
 'em, sah," and in due course most of us were able 
 to see a dim tracery of topmasts against the sky. 
 
 When we came out into the open water above 
 the island, where the river takes a wide sweep to 
 the southward, the third and last of the three could 
 be seen, or, rather, Joe said that she could be 
 seen, at anchor under the farther shore. They 
 were at such a distance, however, that, with the 
 wind toward us, there was no danger of their 
 hearing the sound of our oars. 
 
 About half a mile above the upper island, Joe 
 broke the silence with, " Most dah now. Mars 
 Cap'n," and he said further that the river was 
 clear above. Going aft, he took the helm, and 
 steered our boat into the bank. This place was 
 about a third of a mile below our destination, and, 
 as there was a fairish shore for landing, the boats 
 were pulled up against the bank, and all hands 
 disembarked to recover from the cramped position 
 
202 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 of the last three hours. Joe, at his own sugges- 
 tion, went alone to look over the ground before the 
 men advanced farther. 
 
 ' ' I don't reckon I won't be gone not more'n a 
 half an hour, Marsa Cap'n," he said, executing 
 one of the extraordinary triple negatives common 
 among the Southern negroes and low-down whites ; 
 " not more'n a half an hour, Marsa Cap'n ; dar's 
 a dog I wants to get shut up if I anyways kin." 
 
 The path by which Joe disappeared was at once 
 picketed, three men being stationed in the woods 
 to guard against surprise. In a few minutes we 
 heard a fierce barking in the direction of the 
 plantation, which quickly subsided to a whine of 
 recognition, and then all became quiet again. 
 Another long interval, and then the picket chal- 
 lenge cautiously. 
 
 "All right, it's me," was the answ^er in Joe's 
 voice. 
 
 " Coast all clar, Marsa Casey, but I s'pect de 
 dogs round de big house is goin' for to make 
 trouble. I didn't darst to go very nigh. Now 
 here's de way it am, Marsa Casey. De parf 
 goes straight along shore through de woods from 
 here to de aidge of de clearin'. De nigger quar- 
 ters is on de lef, and de big house on de right, just 
 afore yer. De nigger dogs is all shet up." 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 203 
 
 Casey told the men to fall in, the " horse 
 marine " captain forming up his men in good 
 shape. This captain, by the way, was ranking 
 officer, but, like the sensible fellow he was, he 
 had waived rank in view of the semi-naval charac- 
 ter of the expedition. In single file, the detach- 
 ment moved off into the dark path, with some 
 unavoidable clankings of accouterments and oc- 
 casional stumblings over cypress knees or other 
 obstructions. 
 
 It is only savage war parties that can move 
 with absolute silence through an unknown coun- 
 try, especially if it is heavily wooded. There is 
 always something about the equipment of a civ- 
 ilized soldier that rattles or clanks at an unex- 
 pected moment. Hence, it is almost out of the 
 question to steal undiscovered upon a vigilant 
 enemy. In the present case we did not count 
 upon the enemj^'s being vigilant. His most trust- 
 worthy videttes, the dogs of the negro quarter, 
 were in confinement, and, barring accidents, we 
 could come well out of the woods before detection 
 from the plantation house, which was our ob- 
 jective point. 
 
 On reaching the opening, our guide halted, and 
 the officers had a consultation. The stars gave 
 light enough to see the big house, a low, wide- 
 
204 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 roofed structure, with overhanging eaves and ve- 
 randas surrounding it, in the usual Southern style. 
 On looking over the ground, the plan of operations 
 was quickly perfected and explained to the men. 
 The detachment divided, part going round in the 
 rear of the house, and the other skirting the river 
 bank so as to pass in front of it and join the others 
 when the circuit was completed, while a third de- 
 tachment, acting as a reserve under Casey himself, 
 was to wait till the house was nearly surrounded 
 and then advance directly by the path. 
 
 The men stepped off when the word was given 
 to advance, following one another and taking in- 
 tervals as they went, each one, that is, allowing his 
 leader to go five or six paces before following 
 him. 
 
 " Now, Marsa Cap'n," said Joe at this point, " if 
 you'll scuse dis chile he'll just stay right yere wid 
 the doctor by dis big gum tree." 
 
 Casey could not help laughing at this, but he 
 made no objection, and I will not deny that at the 
 moment I would have been quite willing to have 
 remained with Joe. I had volunteered, however, 
 to carry a carbine for Casey to use, so I was 
 bound to accompany him, and was very proud at 
 being for the first time trusted with arms. 
 
 By this time the men had been gone five or ten 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 205 
 
 minutes, and it was thought that they must have 
 nearly completed the circuit, when suddenly a 
 hound barked hoarsely, and then there was a 
 frightened, inarticulate voice heard, which gradually 
 gathered itself into a negro woman's shriek, coming 
 from between the negro quarters and the house. 
 
 " O Marsa Jay, Marsa Jay," it cried, " the 
 Yankees is yere ! the Yankees is yere I" and there 
 was a noise of frantic running toward the house. 
 Evidently one of the women slaves in the quarters 
 who was faithful to the interests of the big house 
 had discovered the danger and betrayed us. 
 
 " Forward, boys, double quick," cried Casey, 
 leading the way. " Skirmishers close in straight 
 on the house I" and I could hear the order repeated 
 by other officers along the line. 
 
 Dark forms became dimly visible amid the stand- 
 ing cotton plants, all pushing their way in the 
 direction of the big house. Meanwhile, we of the 
 reserve were running more directly by the path. 
 The house remained dark, but as we drew near 
 there were hangings of door and voices calling 
 within, and before we had covered more than half 
 the interval angr}' little spurts of fire began to dart 
 from the closed windows. Two big dogs came 
 bounding down the path toward Casey, who shot 
 one of them with his revolver, while one of the 
 
2o6 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 blue jackets spitted the other cleverly upon his 
 sabre bayonet. The barks of deliance changed to 
 howls, and we rushed on. 
 
 " Close up to the gallery and fire at the win- 
 dows ! " was the word, and in another moment a 
 cordon of men was kneeling on the ground, partly 
 concealed from those within by the edge of the low 
 veranda. 
 
 The house was a spacious mansion, covering a 
 large area of ground, and the windows, as is the 
 fashion at the South, were all provided with solid 
 wooden shutters. Through these, at a convenient 
 height, augur holes had been bored in view of 
 emergencies, and the lively fire that was kept up 
 at first showed that Hawkson's gang was by no 
 means intimidated by our attack. 
 
 The fire of the attacking party was so brisk, 
 however, that it was impossible to remain alive 
 near the window sand the house soon became silent. 
 Word was passed along the line to cease firing, 
 and Casey, prudently taking shelter behind a tree, 
 where I blush to confess I was already in hiding, 
 sung out, " Have you got the back door well 
 guarded, Lawson?" 
 
 "Yes, sir," came from beyond the building. 
 
 " Shoot down anybody that attempts to escape." 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir." 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 207 
 
 Just here there was a sharp flash from one of 
 the front windows near at hand, and the bark flew 
 from the tree-trunk close to Case3^'s head. Half a 
 dozen carbines instantly spoke in reply, and there 
 was a groan and a heavy fall on the floor within 
 the house. 
 
 "Hallo, the house," called Casey. "The 
 longer you keep up that kind of thing, the worse 
 it will be for you. I'll give 3'ou Ave minutes to 
 surrender, and then I shall set the house on fire." 
 
 Casey rubbed a bunch of matches on the wet 
 sole of his boot, and held the glowing phosphorous 
 against the crystal of his watch, so that he could 
 see the time. All was still within ; some of our men 
 took the opportunity to fall back to the shelter of 
 trees near at hand, the better to command the dif- 
 ferent exits, and the reserve was arranged on both 
 sides of the front steps. 
 
 " Four minutes gone," called Casey, and, after a 
 pause that seemed interminable, " Time's up ! Are 
 you ready with the fatwood under the house, 
 there?" 
 
 " Ay, ay, sir ; all ready." 
 
 Casey paused, I suppose to give them a 
 moment's grace, but unconditional surrender was 
 a term not included in Jay Hawkson's somewhat 
 limited vocabulary. Without a preliminary sound 
 
2o8 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 of warning, the inner bolts shot back, the double 
 doors swung open, and a crowd of dusky figures 
 swarmed out, clearing the veranda at a bound 
 handling their revolvers with deadly facility and 
 dashing away toward the standing timber, each 
 man for himself. 
 
 Our blue-jackets and soldiers were prompt 
 enough to respond ; the leader of the party, a 
 gigantic fellow with a "live" revolver in each 
 hand, was shot and bayoneted at the same moment 
 as he leaped from the veranda to the ground. 
 Casey, who had sprung forward at the first indica- 
 tion of a rush, had discharged his own revolver as 
 he ran, and the next instant I saw him throw up 
 both hands and reel backward. 
 
 Forgetting my own nervousness of a moment 
 before, I jumped to his side, half raising him, so 
 that his head rested on my knee, while the scurry- 
 ing fight spread itself over the broad lawn and 
 died away with dropping shots in the edge of the 
 timber as the survivors escaped into a tangled un- 
 dergrowth of palmetto scrub. 
 
 Meanwhile, a similar break for liberty had been 
 made from the rear door. Probably there had not 
 been more than fifteen or twenty men in the house 
 altogether, but in the darkness and confusion they 
 looked to be fifty, and, aided by familiarity with 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 2O9 
 
 the locality, most of them escaped to the woods, 
 leavincf one of their number dead on the floor 
 within, another on the lawn, and four wounded in 
 our hands on the ground outside. 
 
 Finding that Mr. Casey could not speak, though 
 he was still breathing, and unable in the darkness 
 to locate his wound, I laid him down and shouted 
 for Captain Lawson, who I knew must be within 
 hearing. He came presently, and, sending word 
 to the surgeon, we carried the wounded man into 
 the house, where presently a light was procured 
 and an examination made. 
 
 The poor fellow was shot through the head, and 
 was quite unconscious, and, though he breathed 
 for awhile, he could not be resuscitated, and died 
 before we could get him to the boat. The news 
 of this loss quickly spread among the men, and, as 
 it was nearly certain that he had fallen to the 
 pistol of the rebel leader, I thought for a moment 
 that they would break the restraints of discipline 
 and bayonet the wounded man under the surgeon's 
 hands. This big fellow turned out to be Hawkson 
 himself, mortally hurt, but defiant to the last. 
 
 We soon found that there were some frightened 
 negresses and three white women in the upper 
 stor3^of the house, and, placing a guard at the foot 
 of the stairs to protect them from possible annoy- 
 
2IO JACK Benson's log. 
 
 ance, we carried their wounded up to them. I 
 shall never forget the ferocity with which those 
 white women regarded us Yankee invaders. Of 
 course it was perfectly natural that they should 
 not be particularly cordial under the circumstances, 
 but such vindictiveness few of us had ever seen on 
 feminine faces before. They asked that Hawkson 
 himself be left to their care, and I really think 
 that if they could have killed him, rather than 
 have him taken away, he would never have left the 
 house alive. 
 
 Day was breaking when the last of our men 
 came straggling back in answer to the " recall," 
 and a hasty muster showed seven wounded, two of 
 them quite seriously. Not knowing how soon the 
 enemy might be down upon us in superior force, 
 the boats were brought up to the plantation landing, 
 our dead leader and the wounded carried tenderly 
 aboard, and we started down stream on the first 
 of the ebb. 
 
 It had been arranged that the "Otter" should 
 run up the river as soon as there was light enough 
 to clear the bar, and, if possible, capture or destroy 
 the cotton schooners. But we had accomplished 
 our work sooner than was expected, and were on 
 our way down stream before it was broad day. 
 The schooner that lay up stream nearest the scene 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 211 
 
 of our recent encounter was promptly abandoned 
 as soon as we were discovered ; the guards that 
 were looked for onboard, having no material exis- 
 tence, and the crews no intention of showing fight. 
 It was not unlikely that some of her people might 
 have heard the firing at the plantation as the dis- 
 tance was not too great. At all events, they made 
 good time going ashore in a small boat, having first 
 set the cotton on fire, to prevent its falling into our 
 hands. 
 
 The second cutter, which was ahead, was pretty 
 close upon their heels, and pulled alongside before 
 the flames were fairly started. Scrambling on 
 board, the men tumbled the blazing bales into the 
 river. Fortunately they were livel}- about it, for a 
 train had been laid to explode some powder kegs 
 stowed in the hold. This disaster was luckily 
 averted by a Jacky, who saw the loose powder on 
 deck, and promptly sat down upon it, getting his 
 skin as well as his trousers scorched by the flash 
 that came just too late to make mischief. The 
 " Otter " thus reckoned another prize to her credit, 
 in which, however, the "horse marines" were 
 properly entitled to a share. 
 
 When all danger from fire was over, we put a 
 crew of them on board at their own request, trans- 
 ferring our killed and wounded to her deck, where 
 
212 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 there was more room for their proper bestowal. 
 The "marines" made sail on her at once, got 
 under way handsomely, and came bowling down 
 the river just as the boat flotilla was nearing the 
 second schooner. 
 
 On this craft the work had been more thoroughly 
 done. She was burning too fiercely to be ap- 
 proached, so we gave her a wide berth, and she 
 blew up shortly after we had paused, scattering 
 a cargo of burning bales over the river, and 
 presently sinking at her anchorage. Just below 
 this we sighted the masts and smokestack of the 
 " Otter" down toward the bar, and No. 3 schooner 
 lay still nearer. No signs of smoke or life were 
 visible about her, and we could now see that Joe's 
 description of her deckload of cotton bales had 
 been correct. 
 
 As the " Otter" was coming up the river, and 
 we could soon join forces with the full crew, it was 
 decided to let schooner No. 3 severely alone. 
 
 " Don't like her looks, nohow, she too- still," 
 said Joe. " Look like she play possum." 
 
 Accordingly, the boat flotilla sheered off and 
 went down stream to meet the " Otter." 
 
 Not so, however, the temporary captain of 
 schooner No. i, whose volunteer crew of soldier- 
 sailor men was in high spirits at having a sure- 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 213 
 
 enough sailing craft once more under their feet. A 
 young lieutenant of the Eighth Massachusetts was 
 in command, he having been on two or three voyages 
 to " the banks " in a Marblehead fisherman. With 
 dare-devil recklessness, having a good off-shore 
 wind on his quarter and all plain sail drawing, he 
 steered so as to pass within half a cable's length 
 of the suspicious schooner, going at a great rate. 
 But for some mysterious reason, or perhaps at 
 a hint from one of his more experienced crew, his 
 mind misgave him a bit at the last moment. He 
 had the wheel himself, and sharply ordered his 
 men to take such cover as was afforded by the 
 cotton bales still remaining on deck. 
 
 " Take your rifles with you," he cried, and none 
 too soon, for the hitherto mythical cotton guard 
 that we had looked for on the other schooners now 
 materialized suddenly in the shape of some fifty 
 gray slouch hats that arose from behind a rampart 
 of cotton bales placed end to end along the 
 gunwale of the schooner. Over these at the same 
 time were thrust the brown barrels of as many 
 recently imported English rifles, and a rattling 
 volley followed the heavy conical bullets, scoring 
 long white rents across the cotton bales, or striking 
 with a heavy thud against their perpendicular sides. 
 Down went the young lieutenant-skipper with a 
 
214 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 wound in his thigh, and some of the men who had 
 not taken warning in time carried away with them 
 mementos of these deadly Southern riflemen. The 
 heutenant was so hard hit tliat he lost his grip of 
 the wheel, which went spinning over to port as the 
 vessel took the bit between her teeth and rounded 
 to with all her canvas slatting before any one could 
 jump to take his place. 
 
 Fortunately, with a sailor's instinct, the helmsman 
 had passed to windward of the anchored craft, and, 
 as the head sails were pretty well sheeted home, 
 her headway carried her over toward the north 
 shore of the river, where she took the ground 
 comfortably, and was evidently berthed there for 
 the next high tide, unless helped off. 
 
 The place where she grounded was a tolerably 
 long rifle range from the Confederate schooner, 
 and the crews of the two vessels were very soon 
 exchanging shots in lively fashion from behind 
 their respective barricades of cotton bales. Appar- 
 ently the Confederates had not discovered the 
 " Otter" coming up when they opened fire on our 
 prize ; otherwise they might have adopted different 
 tactics. 
 
 The boat flotilla was a half a mile down stream 
 when all this took place, and the "Otter" a good 
 mile farther, just making her way into the deep 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 215 
 
 water of the river inside the bar. There was a dis- 
 position on the part of all hands in the boats to go 
 back and help defend the prize, but, considering 
 the situation, there was no need. Moreover it was 
 evident that the "horse marines" were able to 
 defend themselves against any possible boat attack. 
 So we pulled away as fast as possible to meet the 
 " Otter," which was feeling her way up the channel. 
 
 In ten or fifteen minutes we were alongside, and 
 in a trice the situation of affairs as between the two 
 schooners was explained. This, as may be readily 
 imagined, had been something of a puzzle to 
 Captain Ross. At first he supposed that the 
 schooner coming down so rapidly under sail was 
 chasing the boat flotilla, and he was making ready 
 to fire upon her at long range. But when the 
 other schooner opened fire with small arms he saw 
 that his understanding of the situation was at fault. 
 All was clear enough now and in three seconds a 
 big rifled shell went hurtling over the belligerent 
 schooner and burst in the edge of the woods on 
 the shore beyond her. 
 
 This was accepted as a hint to keep quiet, and 
 there was a notable falling off in the rapidity of 
 the rifle practise that had until now been directed 
 against our prize. Another shot, better directed, 
 now that the range had been obtained, struck one 
 
2i6 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 of the cotton bales along the rail, penetrated to its 
 heart before exploding, and filled the air with 
 fluffy white fragments, which flew about the masts 
 and rigging in a cloud, and settled like snow upon 
 the surface of the water. 
 
 This settled the question, and we saw that the 
 crew was preparing hastily to abandon the vessel. 
 Why they should do this after so short a defense 
 was a mystery at the time, and it was not until 
 after several hours that it was cleared up. Three 
 big, flat fishing boats had been towing astern, and 
 these were quickly hauled alongside. Into them 
 the gray-clad riflemen tumbled, without standing 
 upon the order of their going, and pulled off for 
 shore with all possible haste. A few rifle shots 
 were sent after them, but to hit a small boat at 
 long range is the rarest luck, and they quickly 
 drew into the mouth of a sheltered creek and dis- 
 appeared, glad enough, probably, to get away from 
 the well-directed shots that had been howling about 
 their heads. 
 
 The "Otter" now ran over as near the prize 
 schooner as she could safely go, and, taking a haw- 
 ser, succeeded in pulling her off into deep water. 
 Thanks to the eflicient protection afforded by the 
 cotton bales, the lieutenant was the onl}^ man se- 
 riously hurt. He was transferred with the rest of 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 2l7 
 
 the wounded to the " Otter," where he could have 
 better care, and the prize proceeded under sail to 
 cross the bar and anchor outside awaiting our 
 arrival and further orders. 
 
 This done, we turned our attention to schooner 
 No. 3, which lay silent and apparently deserted. 
 Judging from our previous experience with the 
 others, this vessel also was probably well fitted out 
 with explosive apparatus and ready to be blown 
 up. At all events, it would have been the height 
 of folly to venture aboard of her or even within a 
 pretty liberal danger line. The "Otter" was 
 therefore anchored bv the stern at a respectful dis- 
 tance, so that she could run for the bar in case of 
 need without waiting to turn round. 
 
 A sharp watch was kept on the schooner, but 
 no sign of life could be detected, except a large, 
 brindled, 3'ellow cat, who, after things had quieted 
 down, made her appearance and walked sedately 
 all round the rail fore and aft. We had recently 
 lost our own cat overboard, and in the opinion of 
 the forecastle such a misfortune is very bad luck. 
 There was a strong desire on the part of Jacky to 
 secure this secesh cat as a substitute for our loved 
 and lost tabby, 
 
 "No, boys," Captain Ross said to the deputa- 
 tion that waited upon him, volunteering to go and 
 
2i8 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 gather; "she isn't worth risking your lives for. 
 There's something wrong about that schooner. 
 We will wait awhile, anyhow." 
 
 So the forenoon wore away, the tide ebbed, 
 slackened, turned flood again, and we had to shift 
 the anchor forward so as to keep headed down 
 stream. The wounded were cared for and made 
 as comfortable as possible, and poor Lieutenant 
 Casey's body was sewed up in canvas preparatory 
 to burial at sea as soon as we had made an offing. 
 This was in accordance with the written request 
 found among his papers, which bore date of the 
 day before, and, after giving certain directions 
 concerning his effects, concluded with these words, 
 which I copied out for the captain and privately 
 for my own log book at the same time : — 
 
 "Bury me at sea, if anything happens to me 
 to-night ; I don't think I could rest easy in Caro- 
 lina soil, sacred though it is said to be." 
 
 His wishes were respected, for, in fact, we went 
 to sea that same afternoon, and all hands were 
 mustered on deck to attend the solemn burial ser- 
 vice just before the sun went down. The cus- 
 tomary three volleys were fired as the heavily 
 shotted canvas plunged overboard, and that was 
 the last of the most popular officer on the ship. 
 
 Soldiers and sailors are very much alike at such 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 219 
 
 times ; they will do anything for a comrade or a 
 shipmate while he is alive, but when he is gone, 
 and the last words have been said, and the last 
 volleys fired, it is to a quick and merry tune that 
 they march back to quarters if on shore, and they 
 are very apt to make extra efforts to pass a jolly 
 evening if they are at sea. Casey was a gallant 
 and able young officer, and the idea that such a 
 life as his had been snuffed out by the hand of a 
 desperado like Hawkson was hard for most of us 
 to endure — especially hard when we knew that 
 our own surgeon was doing all that lay in his 
 power to save this same desperado's life. 
 
 But this is a digression. I must return to 
 schooner No. 3, which I left with a big yellow 
 cat standing her watch on deck in dignified soli- 
 tude. Now, I do not in the least expect anybody 
 to believe what I am going to relate, but I will 
 leave it to any of the " Otter's" crew to expose me 
 if I deviate in the slightest degree from the literal 
 truth. 
 
 Nearly the whole of our watch on deck was in- 
 tently interested in pussy's operations on board the 
 schooner. About the middle of the afternoon she 
 was sitting on the rail basking in the sun, blinking 
 her big yellow eyes as could be seen through a 
 glass, and returning the combined gaze of our 
 
220 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 crew with interest. A landsman can hardly un- 
 derstand the superstitious awe with which a com- 
 pany of sailor men will become interested in such 
 a seemingly insignificant incident as this. But a 
 great many of the men were really upset by it. 
 They could not bear to go below while pussy was 
 in sight. If they tried to do something that took 
 them away from the post of observation they would 
 come nervously back from time to time to steal a 
 look across the water at their fetish. 
 
 It was near the full of the tide when some one 
 cried out, "Look, there's something to pay over 
 there." Pussy had suddenly arched her back and 
 increased the size of her tail to enormous propor- 
 tions. While we looked she emitted a long-drawn 
 wail, such as a cat only executes when in great 
 agony of mind. Then she fled forward like a 
 yellow streak ; leaping over cotton bales and other 
 obstacles, she flashed out on the bowsprit, over the 
 furled headsails, and when she reached the jibboom 
 shot out into the air with another blood-curdling 
 screech, and described a long curve down to the 
 water, beneath which she disappeared. Every 
 sailor man in sight winced at the spectacle, and 
 stood ready to jump overboard and go to the 
 rescue if an opportunity occurred. 
 
 "Go and pick her up, if you like," said the 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 221 
 
 officer of the deck, "but keep well clear of the 
 schooner," and never was one of the "Otter's" 
 boats more quickly manned and away than was 
 the third cutter on this occasion. 
 
 Cats hate the water, as everybody knows, and 
 they will not take to it except under great stress of 
 fear or necessity, but they are not bad swimmers 
 when driven to extremity. Pussy had probably 
 recognized through that mystical sense that is 
 known to science as " telepathy " the fact that we 
 were friendly to her on board the ' ' Otter " ; at all 
 events, she was making the best time that she 
 could to meet the cutter that was going to meet 
 her, when, without the slightest warning, schooner 
 No. 3 burst asunder amidships, her spars shooting 
 aloft, and her deckload of cotton bales turning 
 somersaults in the air in every direction. 
 
 The cutter was pretty well within the danger 
 limit, and the "Otter" herself not far beyond it, 
 but, luckily, no harm was done by the falling frag- 
 ments, and when the hurly-burly was over, and 
 the great cloud of white smoke was rolling off to 
 seaward before the wind, the cutter took to its oars, 
 and quickly discovered puss seated on a floating 
 bale, ver}^ wet and bedraggled, but doing her best 
 to get herself dry and presentable, and ready to 
 start her purring apparatus the instant she found 
 
222 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 herself in friendly arms and being rubbed dry 
 with half the red bandanas in the cutter's crew. 
 
 Schooner No. 3, then, was not the comparatively 
 innocent blockade runner that we had supposed 
 her to be ; but was in reality a powder-boat just 
 over from Bermuda, and consigned, no doubt, to the 
 ordnance department of the Southern Confederacy. 
 We could readily understand now why it was that 
 her crew had deserted her with such unanimous 
 alacrity as soon as our shells began to burst on 
 board. How the explosion was timed we never 
 found out, but undoubtedly a slow match had been 
 set intended to burn several hours, and perhaps 
 some kind of a trap was set besides to hasten 
 matters in case the vessel was boarded, and thus 
 prove fatal to a goodly number of the Yankee in- 
 vaders. 
 
 Into the question of pussy's discovery of the 
 approaching explosion I shall not enter, but will 
 leave that for those who study into the mysteries 
 of beasts and birds. As nothing remained to 
 detain us in theSantee, we got our anchor an hour 
 after the explosion, and, having performed the last 
 rites at sea for Lieutenant Casey, went back to our 
 old anchorage in Georgetown Bay, first putting a 
 regular crew on board the prize and starting her off 
 to Boston for adjudication. 
 
THE SLAVE DRIVER OF SANTEE. 223 
 
 One more incident about pussy, who was by 
 common consent named " Santee " as soon as she 
 came aboard. After she had been well dried by 
 the galley fire, she made an exhaustive inspection 
 of the spar deck from stem to stern, anxiously 
 watched the while by every Jacky who had been 
 at sea long enough to know how much depended 
 upon her conduct. We had gotten underway by 
 this time and, after making the circuit of the deck, 
 everybody standing respectfully aside so that her 
 meditations should not be disturbed, Santee erected 
 her tail to its full height, walked purring to the 
 man at the wheel, and rubbed herself affectionately 
 against his legs. 
 
 Could she possibly have chosen any more digni- 
 fied or comprehensive way of showing her approval 
 of the ship and its company ? She could not pos- 
 sibly attempt to rub herself against the legs of 
 some two hundred men ; therefore she selected the 
 one whom her experience as a sea-going cat told 
 her was the most important person on board. 
 Jacky was nearly beside himself with delight, and 
 predicted all sorts of good luck for the " Otter." 
 
 Santee did not find her way below decks until 
 after dark, and then, by some mysterious instinct, 
 went almost directl_y to the sick bav where Hawk- 
 son lay dying from his several wounds. The sur- 
 
224 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 geon's steward on duty outside the open door was 
 awakened from a doze by- hearing a terrified yell 
 from his patient, and sprang up to find Santee at 
 the foot of the bunk, her eyes flaming and every 
 individual hair erect. Hawkson had shrunk to- 
 gether, drawing himself up at the head of the bunk 
 with a supreme effort of strength, his eyes dilating 
 with horror, and terror expressed by every linea- 
 ment of his countenance. 
 
 "Take it away, take it away," he cried; "it's 
 that same infernal cat." 
 
 The steward seized Santee and put her on deck, 
 but when he returned to his post the slave-driver 
 had passed to his last account. We sent his body 
 ashore at Pilot Town, and buried it decently near 
 the old negro whom he had so cruelly hanged 
 only a few days before. If it was disinterred and 
 given a military funeral after our departure it was 
 none of our concern. We had treated him with 
 more consideration than he deserved, for he had 
 repeatedly violated all laws of civilized warfare. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 " COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 
 
 AN uneventful period of longshore duty fol- 
 lowed the Santee expedition, interrupted 
 about the middle of October, when the supply 
 steamer brought us with our infrequent mail an 
 order to join the blockading squadron off Charles- 
 ton. 
 
 On arriving there, we learned that the secret 
 agents of the government had reported two English 
 steamers with full cargoes of cotton at the wharves 
 ready for sea, and intending to make the attempt 
 to run out together, if possible, on the same night, 
 so as to confuse the blockading squadron and thus 
 to favor each other's chances for escape. 
 
 Blockade running b}' steam, and its natural pre- 
 ventive blockading by steam, were unknown quan- 
 tities in 1861. Both sides had to learn how. 
 When Federal gunboats were few in number it 
 was easy to evade them. But even afterwards, 
 when a double cordon of gunboats surrounded the 
 entrances to the principal Confederate ports, block- 
 
226 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 ade runners managed to slip through on dark 
 nights, and would doubtless have continued to do 
 so, no matter how much the fleet might have been 
 increased. 
 
 There were only three vessels off Charleston at 
 this time, the "Otter" making the fourth, and, 
 while we could easily close the direct approaches 
 during the hours of daylight, dark nights afforded 
 abundant opportunity for entrance or escape. 
 Especially was this the case in winter, when 
 easterly storms made it necessary for the squad- 
 ron to seek an offing for safety, and here was the 
 blockade runner's opportunity. If he could once 
 get outside of the harbor after the sea had mod- 
 erated, and before the blockading vessels had re- 
 turned to their stations, he could probably show 
 his heels to anything that he was likely to meet. 
 
 By daylight, even, it was not impossible for 
 blockade runners of moderate draught to make 
 their escape, for, besides the regular ship channels 
 affording direct entrance to Charleston Harbor, 
 there are numerous creeks and passages among 
 tlie marshy islands to the north and south, through 
 which small vessels can easily work their way at 
 high tide. The typical blockade runner was not 
 constructed with a view to any extraordinary de- 
 gree of sea-worthiness ; if she could be made fast 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 227 
 
 enough to run away from the average gunboat 
 with a load of cotton, she would pay for herself 
 several times over on one trip. 
 
 There is no complete record of all the success- 
 ful trips made by blockade runners, but between 
 the outbreak of hostilities and November, 1865, 
 nearly one thousand vessels of all kinds, large and 
 small, were captured by the navy, and of these 
 something like seventy were steamers, mostly with 
 valuable cargoes, either of war material, if inward 
 bound, or of cotton, if outward bound. On one 
 side the possibility of enormous commercial profits 
 prompted to daring enterprise, and on the other, 
 the prospect of liberal prize money was a powerful 
 incentive to vigilance and effort. 
 
 With only four vessels to guard such a harbor 
 as Charleston, the chances were largely in favor 
 of the blockade runners, but we did the best we 
 could with the means at our disposal. ^ When the 
 weather promised to be moderate the custom was 
 for each vessel to lie off the entrance of one of the 
 channels and send a boat to patrol in the narrower 
 waters inside the bar, showing a signal in case a 
 blockader was discovered making her way out. 
 
 According to my plan of trying to see all sorts 
 of service afloat, I succeeded, after several rebuffs, 
 in getting permission to go on one of these patrol 
 
228 JACK UENSON's LOG. 
 
 boats, where boys were not generally wanted. But 
 by promising to make myself useful I got permis- 
 sion to go at last. 
 
 it was a very dark night, with a light breeze 
 blowing in from sea, so that noises were carried in- 
 land rather than seaward. It was, indeed, an almost 
 ideal night for blockade runners to try their chances 
 at slipping out. Four ships' boats do not make 
 much of a show on a dark night in the wide harbor 
 mouth, so we did not attempt to keep up regular 
 communication, but there was a general under- 
 standincr that each boat should watch its own 
 channel, and let the others take care of themselves. 
 Now, there are, or were then, four channel entrances 
 to the harbor practicable for blockade runners ; 
 two of these, — the North Channel and the Swash, 
 — were practically one, being separated merely by 
 small, island-like shoals. 
 
 At this double channel we were stationed, in 
 company with a boat from one of our consorts. 
 The night wore silently on, the men now and then 
 pulling a few strokes to keep the boat from drifting 
 into the breakers, but for the most part resting on 
 their oars and keeping absolute silence. 
 
 The regulation lights of the coast had long since 
 been extinguished, but the Confederates kept cer- 
 tain range lights burning for the benefit of chance 
 
''COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 229 
 
 visitors, it being well understood among them what 
 the bearings were so that a pilot familiar with 
 the coast could find his way in on the darkest 
 night. 
 
 These were the only signs of life to be seen, for 
 on the blockading squadron outside none of the 
 usual lights were shown, and all those that were 
 absolutely necessary below decks were carefully 
 screened. 
 
 It was pretty well past midnight when I awoke 
 from a chilly doze into which I had dropped in my 
 place next to the bow oar. Everybody was on the 
 alert, the men grasping their oars and ready for 
 instant action. 
 
 " What's up? " I whispered to the man next me. 
 
 " Listen," was his only reply. 
 
 Certainly something was astir somewhere up the 
 harbor, and, listening intently, I presently recog- 
 nized it as the beat of slowly revolving paddle 
 wheels. Nearly all the blockade runners were side 
 wheelers ; the screw propeller had not then come 
 into such universal use as at present. It was the 
 policy of out-going steamers in still weather to run 
 slowly, so as to make as little noise as possible until 
 they were actually discovered ; then they would go 
 ahead full speed and trust to luck and skill to make 
 good their escape. These paddles that we heard 
 
230 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 could not be very far distant, for the wind was 
 against our hearing anything from that direction ; 
 therefore ever}" eye was strained to discover the first 
 signs of the approaching vessel. 
 
 Orders in regard to boat's signals varied from 
 time to time as experience suggested change, but 
 on this occasion we were provided with the ordinary 
 blue lights used in sea service, which were to be 
 displayed as soon as it was certain that a steamer 
 was coming out. It would not do to show the 
 light too soon, for the approaching vessel might be 
 an armed steam patrol boat of the enemy, too 
 strong for us to fight and too fleet for us to escape, 
 so there was nothing for it but to keep still and 
 await developments. 
 
 Some one like Pilot Joe would have been very 
 welcome to our boat just at this time ; he could prob- 
 ably have seen what was coming,' but, strain our 
 eyes as we would, nothing could as yet be discov- 
 ered ; and still the steady beat of paddles became 
 more and more distinct, till with the intensity of lis- 
 tening the senses became confused and one could not 
 be at all sure from which direction the sound came. 
 
 But we had not long to wait, for presently there 
 was a flash of light from the other side of the 
 channel, where our companion boat was supposed 
 to be stationed. She had evidentlv discovered a 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 23 1 
 
 blockade runner, and let off her signal. Our own 
 coxswain was in the act of following suit, without 
 waiting for further evidence, when one of the 
 waist oarsmen sung out, " Give way all, quick! 
 Here she is right on top of us." 
 
 At the same instant we heard a jingle of bells 
 rung somewhere in the darkness, and an instantane- 
 ous churning of paddle wheels beating the water 
 furiously showed that the signal had been given 
 to go ahead at full speed. Another moment, and 
 from my place forward I saw the lift of a black 
 bow almost over my head, and then, before a 
 stroke could be pulled, there came a mighty crash, 
 as a sharp cutwater struck us amidships, cutting 
 the boat clean in two, and tossing the crew off, 
 part to one side and part to the other. The frag- 
 ments of the boat, borne down by the rushing mass 
 of the big ship went under, and every man with 
 them. Whether any of them escaped or not, 
 beside myself, I knew not for a long time. 
 
 I was a good swimmer and thoroughly at home 
 in the water, and the first instinctive thought that 
 flashed through my brain was, " I must dodge the 
 paddle wheel ! " and, turning head downward, I 
 swam toward the bottom for all I was worth. A 
 chance kick against the ship's side as she swept by 
 helped me a little, and I was presently aware of a 
 
232 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 seething and roaring in my ears that led me to think 
 the danger was past. At all events, my supply of 
 breath was nearly gone, and I rose to the surface, 
 half strangled, throwing out my arms wildly, 
 probably with the insane instinct of a drowning 
 man to catch at a straw. 
 
 I saw nothing, knew nothing, until I found 
 myself hanging on grimly by a rope that had 
 fallen within reach, and upon which my grasp had 
 desperately tightened. With the instinct of a 
 sailor, I had climbed a little way till nearly clear of 
 the water, which was rushing past at great rate 
 just below me and swashing against my legs 
 occasionally as the ship rolled. 
 
 This was the first thing that I noticed as my 
 senses gathered themselves together after a few 
 seconds of confusion under water. The rope 
 hung slack, being, in fact, one of the lighter moor- 
 ing lines that had not yet been hauled inboard, 
 and by taking a turn around it with my leg, and 
 another with one of my arms, I was enabled to 
 hang suspended without making much effort, while 
 I caught my breath and blew the salt water out of 
 my nose and mouth. In a few seconds life and 
 consciousness began to assert themselves, and I 
 knew that I must make a mighty effort to climb on 
 deck before my strength left me altogether. 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 233 
 
 Blockade runners had very little free-board, as a 
 rule, and this one was no exception ; that is to say, 
 it was only a few feet from the water line to the 
 deck, and by summoning all my strength and 
 resolution I went up hand over fist with the as- 
 sistance of my feet against the ship's side. This 
 is a very easy thing for a sailor to do when he is 
 in his right mind and with dry clothing, but it is 
 by no means so easy when one has just escaped 
 death by drowning and is wet and exhausted. 
 
 I finally reached the rail and tumbled over, not 
 caring where I fell, so long as it was not over- 
 board. 
 
 By good luck I came down on a cotton bale, for 
 she carried a deckload, and lay still, panting and 
 nearly in a swoon. 
 
 But during these few terrible moments the 
 "Palma" — for that was her name — had been 
 speeding seaward, and was now in the swing of 
 the breakers on the bar. I took no heed of my 
 surroundings, and may have been actually uncon- 
 scious for a little, but it could not have been long, 
 for I was brought to myself by the stunning report 
 of a heavy gun close at hand and the whoop of a 
 shell that seemed to pass close overhead. This 
 reacted upon me like an electric shock ; my heart 
 began to beat, the blood started through my veins 
 
234 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 again, and I felt the warmth of returning life ting- 
 ling in my limbs^ 
 
 Bang ! Whizz ! Another shell ! And this brought 
 me up. By kneeling on my cotton bale I could 
 look over the rail and partly see what was gomg 
 on ; judging from the flash of the guns, I knew 
 that all four of the blockading squadron were in 
 it ; but evidently there were two points of attack, 
 — that is to say, two escaping steamers. 
 
 Two of the gunboats, which I judged to be the 
 " Otter" and the " Monticello," were tiring at us, 
 serving their pivot rifles with great rapidity and, it 
 seemed to me, with a most uncomfortable accuracy 
 of practise. 
 
 It makes a wonderful difference whether one is 
 behind a gun or in front of it, in estimating the 
 skill of the gunner. Hitherto, in my limited ex- 
 perience of naval actions, I had been safe behind 
 the breach of the best guns. Now the case was 
 different. I was on an unarmed blockade runner, 
 fleeing for her life, as it were, out into the black- 
 ness of the open sea, and my old shipmates were 
 pounding away at me with six-inch projectiles, as 
 though my life was not of the slightest conse- 
 quence. 
 
 Now and then a shell would crash through the 
 woodwork somewhere, but tlie solid mass of cotton 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 235 
 
 that well-nigh filled the entire ship protected its vul- 
 nerable points, and the machinery was uninjured. 
 It was very soon evident that we were distancing 
 our pursuers, and from the manner in which the 
 other gunboats were firing I judged that our sister 
 fugitive was likewise making good her escape. 
 
 I had tumbled on board at a point pretty well aft, 
 and at a time when the eyes of all on deck were 
 naturally directed forward toward the blockading 
 fleet. All was dark except the binnacle light, and 
 that was carefully screened. No one had seen 
 me. But now, as we came abreast of the fleet, 
 men came tramping aft, and I thought it best to 
 lay low. 
 
 Knowing from experience that I should be 
 pretty sure to find a warm place near the ma- 
 chinery, I jumped down from my cotton bale, 
 without any attempt at concealment, and walked 
 forward to where I could see the black column of 
 smoke made partially visible by an intermingled 
 cloud of escaping sparks as it poured out from the 
 big smoke-stack. One figure was not to be dis- 
 tinguished from another in the darkness, and, 
 though I brushed against some of my new ship- 
 mates in passing, I was not molested, and soon 
 reached the clear space about the engines amid- 
 ship. 
 
236 - JACK Benson's log. 
 
 Feeling about in the darkness, I presently dis- 
 covered a sheltered nook behind a boxlike chest, 
 and in the lee of some sort of a steam box that 
 afforded a comfortable degree of heat, where I 
 should be in no danger of discovery before day- 
 light, except by accident. The temperature was 
 a good deal like that of a Turkish bath, but I 
 knew it was best for me to get dry and keep 
 warm during the process, so I disposed myself as 
 comfortably as I could, and listened to the shots 
 and to the exploding shells as they grew fainter 
 and fainter in the distance, till at last they ceased 
 altogether, and at about the same time, I suppose, 
 I dropped off into an exceedingly sound sleep. 
 
 It was broad daylight when I awoke ; the sun 
 was streaming across the deck, with its rows of 
 cotton bales, and the dark shadows of spars and 
 rigging were swaying to and fro on the deck as 
 the ship rolled in the trough of the sea. I could 
 tell from the motion that we were going at a high 
 rate of speed ; the engines were throbbing away as 
 hard as ever. 
 
 For awhile I could not remember what had 
 happened, but when I put up my hand to feel for 
 my blue cloth sailor cap the whole thing suddenly 
 came back, and I remembered that my cap must 
 have gone when I was under water, and here I 
 
" COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 237 
 
 was on a swift blockade runner, headed, no doubt, 
 either for Bermuda or Nassau. Was I a deserter, 
 or a prisoner of war, or what? My knowledge of 
 maritime law was too limited to enable me to decide 
 the question offhand. 
 
 The night before I had been too much shaken to 
 give any thought to the situation, but now I was 
 dry and warm, and I should presently be hungry, 
 and, although not yet discovered, it was necessary 
 to decide at once upon some course of action. So, 
 sitting up in the little cubby-hole, I made shift to 
 wash my hands and face, wetting the corner of 
 my bandanna handkerchief in some hot water that 
 dripped from a steam joint near by. Then I 
 brushed the white salt from my dark blue jacket 
 and trousers, adjusted my knife-lanyard as well as I 
 could, crawled out of my hiding-place, and stood up. 
 
 Not a soul was in sight, but the sun was warm, 
 and I caught a glimpse of blue white-crested waves 
 over the rail as the vessel rolled. I stamped and 
 kicked the cramps out of my legs, still remaining 
 by the smoke-stack, for I cared not in the least 
 now how soon I was discovered. Two men came 
 along presently on their way aft and stared rather 
 sharply as they went by, but they said nothing. I 
 suppose they were stokers or deck-hands and took 
 me, perhaps, for one of the passengers whom they 
 
238 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 had not seen before. Blockade runners often 
 carried passengers back and forth between ports, 
 so that my presence on board was easily to be ex- 
 plained on this supposition. 
 
 On completing my toilet to reasonable satisfac- 
 tion, I sauntered forward, bareheaded, with my 
 hands in the pockets of my reefer, to the forward 
 windlass, where the officer on the bridge could see 
 me, and I him. Facing about, I looked up, but he 
 was gazing intently through his marine glass at 
 something on the horizon. I did not know at the 
 time, but found out afterward, that he was the 
 captain, and an officer in the British navy, who 
 had been granted leave of absence to pursue tem- 
 porarily the lucrative profession of blockade run- 
 ning. Presently he laid the glass down in its 
 canvas pocket and turned in my direction. As 
 soon as I caught his eye I saluted, navy fashion, 
 and reported, " Come aboard, sir." 
 
 He was a stout, florid Englishman, wearing a navy 
 tunic with gold lace on the sleeves, very likely 
 one of his old service uniforms. He looked hard at 
 me, rubbed his eyes, looked again, and leaned his 
 elbows on the bridge rail for a still better look. 
 
 " Yes, I see you have," he said at length ; " but 
 who are you ? " 
 
 "If you please, sir, may I come up on the 
 
|\,^rJi^C Vv^VS- 3'--' 
 
 COME ABOAR_, Sir 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 239 
 
 bridge? I'd like to speak to you in private." For 
 by this time several of the forecastle hands were 
 standing around. 
 
 " No, I'll come down to you. Mr. Sawyer, it's 
 your watch, I believe ; you may take charge." 
 
 "Now, then, youngster, what is it?" he said, 
 when we had reached a place out of earshot from 
 the others. 
 
 " My name is John Benson, sir," I said. " I am 
 a naval apprentice of the United States gunboat 
 ' Otter,' and I wish to surrender as a prisoner of 
 war." 
 
 I knew very well that there were no naval 
 apprentices in the service at that time, but it 
 sounded better than " first-class boy," 
 
 " Bless my soul ! How did you get aboard? " 
 
 I told him briefly of the disaster to the patrol boat 
 on the preceding night and of my miraculous 
 escape. He looked utterly incredulous. 
 
 " Show me that line," he said, after reflecting a 
 moment. So I led him aft to the rail where I had 
 climbed over, and there, sure enough, was the rope 
 that had saved me. 
 
 "Well, me lad," the captain said, the incredu- 
 lous expression passing off from his good-i\atured 
 countenance, "do you know I begin to believe 
 you're not lying ? " 
 
240 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 " Indeed, I'm not, sir," I replied, flushing a little, 
 I suppose; " I don't know what other proof I can 
 offer you. Oh, yes," I said, a sudden thought 
 striking me. " We got a mail from the North 
 only a few days ago, and I believe I have some 
 letters in my pocket." 
 
 So I fished them out. They w^ere all soaked 
 with salt water, the stamps gone, and the ink 
 blurred, but they satisfied the captain's doubt, and 
 he turned me over to a steward with orders to make 
 me comfortable in the second cabin. This I found 
 to mean that I was to mess with the petty officers 
 of the ship, which was all that could be reasonably 
 expected. 
 
 The tale of my arrival on board soon spread in 
 various forms of exaggeration, and when the call 
 came for breakfast I found myself the butt of 
 plenty of good-natured and some ill-natured chaff. 
 There were a few Southerners and secessionists 
 aboard, who, after the manner of their kind, were 
 incapable of the courtesies of civilized warfare, 
 and these, taking advantage of my lonely and 
 unprotected condition, to say nothing of my compar- 
 atively small size and few years, did not hesitate 
 to say all the ugly things they could about the 
 Federal Government. I hit back to some extent, 
 but upon the whole they were too many for me, 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 24I 
 
 SO eventually it was the best policy to hold my 
 peace. 
 
 Most of my fellow voyagers, however, were 
 Englishmen, who cared very little about our national 
 quarrel so long as it afforded them the high pay 
 and good fare current on blockade runners. The 
 captain sent for me toward evening, after he had 
 his nap and recovered from his exciting, all-night 
 vigil, and cross-examined me about my adventure, 
 — how the patrol boats had been disposed in the 
 channel, how far outside the gunboats were, and 
 so on, gradually approaching the subject of the 
 general disposition of the blockading squadron. 
 Boy like, I did not immediately understand what he 
 was driving at, but it occurred to me before he got 
 very far, and I could not help laughing a little 
 when his purpose became evident. 
 
 "Beg pardon, sir," I said; "I've been telling 
 you the truth so far ; but if you follow up that line 
 of questions I shall have to begin to lie more or 
 less." 
 
 The captain looked rather taken aback at this, 
 and flushed up to the roots of his sandy hair ; but, 
 after clearing his throat once or twice, and hesi- 
 tating a little, he blurted out with, " Quite right, 
 too, me lad, quite right ; but think it over a 
 bit, and perhaps this will decide you to help me out." 
 
242 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 He took a gold sovereign from his vest pocket 
 and laid it on the table. I had never seen one 
 before, and, my curiosity being aroused, naturally 
 asked what it was and how much it was worth. 
 Overcoming the natural astonishment of a British 
 subject at the idea that any living being can be 
 ignorant of the value of one of Her Majesty's coins, 
 he condescendingly told me that it was worth 
 about five dollars in American money. Then it 
 dawned upon me what he was giving me the money 
 for. 
 
 " Captain," said I, "I've a good notion to put 
 this into my pocket, and then lie to you about the 
 fleet all the same. I could do it easy enough. 
 Oh, 3^es, I could give you a beautiful plan of my 
 own for managing the blockading squadron, but it 
 wouldn't be at all like the one that the officer in 
 command off Charleston is at present carrying out. 
 They say that all is fair in war, but I expect to 
 be an officer in the navy some day, and we don't 
 do that kind of thing in our service." 
 
 I laid the coin down, and he put it in his 
 pocket, his face once more growing very red as 
 he said : — 
 
 "I ask your pardon, me lad; indeed, I do. 
 You see I've been associating with these secesh 
 fellows so much lately that I've got to think no 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 243 
 
 Yankee has so much as a streak of honesty in him. 
 But I honor you for it, me lad ; I do, indeed. And 
 let me ask you, have you thought what you will 
 do after we get to Bermuda? We shall be there 
 inside of a day and a half, I hope. Have you 
 thought what you will do ? " 
 
 "Well, sir, I'd like to ask your advice about 
 that. I suppose that if there is a Yankee gunboat 
 in port I might report on board. But if not, I 
 should think the American consul might take charge 
 of me." 
 
 " I'd be glad to take you back with me," he 
 said, " but there might be a little awkwardness. 
 I'm afraid they would hang you for a spy if they 
 caught you in Charleston." 
 
 "That would be unpleasant, certainly." 
 
 "Well, there's no special hurry; we'll see how 
 the land lays after we get to Bermuda." 
 
 All the way across the Gulf Stream we had fine, 
 sunshiny weather, with an ugly lop of a sea, to be 
 sure, the discomfort of which was somewhat in- 
 creased by the high rate of speed at which we ran. 
 Our course was somewhat crooked, too, for every 
 vessel that we saw was a possible Yankee gunboat 
 and had to be given a wide berth. 
 
 As we sighted the hilltops of the little tropical 
 island on the morning of the third day and began 
 
244 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 to draw in toward the land, we made out a steamer 
 to the northward, hull down be3'ond the horizon, 
 but burning soft coal and steering a nearl}^ parallel 
 course. On inspection she proved to be our sister 
 fugitive of Charleston bar, and we steamed into the 
 lovely land-locked harbor almost side by side. 
 
 There was a great commotion in the sleepy little 
 seaport that was just awakening from its century 
 of lethargy to a short era of unwonted prosperity. 
 The dazzlingly white houses sat among their orange 
 trees on the sloping hillsides and made a wonder- 
 fully beautiful setting for the sparkling waters of 
 the harbor. The whole population, apparently, 
 turned out upon the unprecedented occasion of see- 
 ing two cotton-laden steamers come into port. Every 
 one who could beg, borrow, or steal a boat got 
 into it, and a great fleet of miscellaneous craft sur- 
 rounded us as we let go our anchors. Not a few 
 negroes even swam out to us from the shore, and 
 all of them were yelling and in a high state of ex- 
 citement. 
 
 After the necessary official preliminaries, great 
 gangs of negroes were put to work breaking out the 
 cargo and, as soon as there was any room, reloading 
 the empty space with all kinds of arms and muni- 
 tions of war. All was confusion and hurry, half- 
 naked negroes tumbling over one another and over 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 245 
 
 cotton bales in their haste to earn the high wages 
 that they were enabled to ask. 
 
 The poor, lonely little Yankee sailor boy was 
 for the time forgotten. Along toward evening, 
 however, he began to think it was high time for 
 such an important character as a prisoner of war to 
 be remembered. So he stood around in the neigh- 
 borhood of the captain till he caught his eye, and 
 asked permission to go ashore and see the consul. 
 
 " Wh}^ bless me soul," cried the captain 
 heartily; " I had forgotten all about the boy. 
 Yes, to be sure. And I'll go with you. I suppose 
 the consul will take me word as a gentleman, 
 even if I am a blockade runner." 
 . We were set ashore in a boat, and a short walk 
 took us to the consulate, where m.y heart gave a 
 foolish little jump when I saw the stars and stripes 
 floating over the door. The consul listened to my 
 story and the captain's confirmation thereof, and 
 was kind enough to say that I came fairly within 
 his jurisdiction. He agreed, moreover, to provide 
 me with board and lodging and send me home by 
 the next opportunity, for such is the duty of United 
 States consuls toward seamen in distress all over 
 the world. 
 
 So I took leave of my friend, the English 
 captain, thanking him for his kindness. Some- 
 
246 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 what to my astonishment, he offered his hand 
 at parting, and said, after a moment's hesita- 
 tion : — 
 
 " Here, me lad, take this as a loan if you like ; I 
 know you must be a bit short of pocket money," 
 and he dropped a sovereign into the pocket of my 
 reefer, turned on his heel, and strode abruptly 
 away, leaving me, as you may well think, some- 
 what taken aback at this act of generosity. 
 
 An examination of the shipping list showed 
 that there was nothing bound for a Northern 
 port for nearly three weeks, so I made the best of 
 it, and, after loafing about and seeing the town 
 and its surroundings until I was tired, told the 
 consul that I should die of idleness if he could not 
 give me something to do. He laughingly said 
 that I had better learn to be a gentleman of leisure 
 while I had the opportunity, but made no objection, 
 so I, with my British gold, bought a hickory 
 shirt and a pair of overalls, found a job as a 
 stevedore, and put by quite a snug little sum 
 before the bark on which my passage was engaged 
 was ready to sail for New York. 
 
 On reaching port, I hurried to a telegraph 
 office — they were not so plenty in those days 
 as they are now — and wired Uncle Abner as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 247 
 
 Picked up by blockade runner that ran us down. 
 Bermuda. Rejoin " Otter''' at once. Have 
 written. "Jack. 
 
 Then I posted the letter already written, for I 
 knew that I must have been mourned as lost by 
 my friends at Rockledge. 
 
 Reporting at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, I pre- 
 sented my certificate from the United States con- 
 sul at Bermuda, and told m}- story to an official at 
 the commandant's office, who evidently thought 
 that both I and the consul were endeavoring to 
 impose upon him. However, he allowed himself 
 to be convinced at last, and gave me transporta- 
 tion on a supply ship that was on the point of 
 sailing for Hampton Roads, where, after waiting a 
 few days, I was forwarded to the "Otter," still 
 on blockading duty off Charleston. 
 
 Of course, I had been given up for lost, with 
 more than half the crew of the patrol boat. Four 
 of my boat-mates, as I now learned, had been 
 picked up by the other patrol, who had heard their 
 cries for help after the blockade runners had passed 
 out to sea. 
 
 It was after dark when I was run alongside the 
 " Otter" in a ship's boat, and one of my old mess- 
 mates was holding the lantern at the port gangway 
 
248 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 as I climbed the ladder. When I addressed him 
 by name, and he saw me emerging from the dark- 
 ness, he staggered backward in sheer terror, think- 
 ing a ghost was come aboard, and nearly knocked 
 over the officer on watch, who stood a little behind 
 him. It was some minutes before I could convince 
 anybody that I was myself, and then nothing 
 would do but I must be taken straight to the 
 captain. 
 
 It will be remembered, perhaps, that I had done 
 some clerk's work for Captain Ross. Indeed, he 
 had treated me as kindly as a commanding officer 
 can properly treat a ship's boy in the navy. At 
 any rate, the watch officer walked me aft and into 
 the captain's quarters with as little ceremony as 
 possible. Collaring me as we entered, he pushed 
 me forward with : — 
 
 "Beg pardon, captain. Here's a deserter just 
 come aboard. Thought you might like to order 
 him shot at once." 
 
 The captain looked up from the book that he 
 was reading, and did not recognize me at first, but, 
 as I came forward toward the light, and he saw 
 who it was, he threw down his book and jumped 
 up. 
 
 " What, Benson? " he cried. " Wh}^, you young 
 rascal, where have you been? You're drowned 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 249 
 
 according to the articles of war. I made out your 
 final statement myself and sent your traps home. 
 The boy's an impostor ; take him for'ard, Trevor I " 
 — this to the watch officer. "What do you mean 
 by bringing him here? " 
 
 All this was delivered with an air of severity that 
 actually frightened me, and I was for retreating as 
 speedily as possible, but Trevor, who knew his 
 commander's ways better than I did, replied : — 
 
 " Very good, sir. I thought you might want to 
 put him in irons, sir. Come along, Benson." 
 
 I heard Captain Ross blowing his nose violently 
 as we turned, and just as we reached the door he 
 called out, " Here, confound it all, where are you 
 going? Come back ; I want to talk to you," 
 
 So back I went, and when Trevor had closed 
 the door behind him Captain Ross shook hands 
 with me in a way that I am sure was quite contrary 
 to good order and' naval discipline, and made me 
 recount my adventures from beginning to end. 
 
 " And you didn't take time to run up to Stony- 
 haven?" he asked when I had finished. 
 
 "No, sir, but I telegraphed, and reported back 
 as soon as I could." 
 
 " That was right ; but, really, you deserve a few 
 days' leave, and I will see that you get it." 
 
 "Thank you, sir! You're very good, but if 
 
250 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 you don't mind I'd like to stay by the ships. I 
 hear there is an expedition fitting out." 
 
 " And you think your luck will stand by, do 
 you? Well, we'll see about that. Anyhow, I 
 shall detail you for special service again." 
 
 After I was dismissed, another and more 
 boisterous welcome awaited me for'ard of the main- 
 mast, and at last I was glad enough to turn in 
 and make believe go to sleep in my old ham- 
 mock. 
 
 During my absence a great naval victory had 
 been won at Port Royal (Nov. 7,,i86i), in which 
 nearly the whole fleet had taken part, the heavier 
 armed vessels steaming past the forts again and 
 again, and reducing them to silence after a bom- 
 bardment of a few hours. This victory secured 
 what was, in fact, the object of the expedition, — a 
 harbor available as a naval rendezvous south of 
 Cape Hatteras. A strong armed garrison was 
 immediately placed in the captured forts, and the 
 position proved to be of the greatest value in main- 
 taining the efficiency of the blockade. The head- 
 quarters of the South Atlantic Squadron was soon 
 afterward removed from Hampton Roads to this 
 place. 
 
 I could not but regret having missed the impos- 
 ing spectacle of this action, especially as the 
 
"COME ABOARD, SIR ! " 25 1 
 
 " Otter" had borne an honorable, if not particu- 
 larly prominent part in the engagement. 
 
 But I was destined to still another disappoint- 
 ment, for the " Otter" had seen so much hard ser- 
 vice that an overhauling was deemed absolutely 
 necessary, so just before the Roanoke expedition in 
 February, 1862, we were ordered to Brooklyn to 
 go into dry dock, and, although a considerable 
 number of our officers and men were transferred to 
 other vessels, I found Captain Ross inexorable, so 
 made the best of it, took my promised leave of 
 absence, and passed a luxurious fortnight at Rock- 
 ledge. 
 
 Returning to Brooklyn on the expiration of my 
 leave, I found that the " Otter " had been ordered 
 out of commission, and was undergoing a thorough 
 overhauling, her crew being dispersed to the four 
 corners of the earth, or, at least, of the navy. I 
 tried to find Captain Ross, but he had applied for 
 a new command, so I had to sling my hammock 
 in the receiving ship and await orders, which 
 presently came, assigning me to a draft for the 
 *' Minnesota," still lying in Hampton Roads, wait- 
 ing for the appearance of her twin sister, the 
 " Merrimac," disguised as an ironclad. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 IRON AGAINST WOOD. 
 
 IT was with a sinking of the heart which I would 
 not have admitted on any account that I found 
 myself, after a short voyage from New York, once 
 more nearincf the same "Minnesota" at which I 
 had gazed with such feelings of awe a few months 
 before. In a way, it would be a fine thing to be 
 counted as one of the crew of the big warship, 
 but, on the other hand, I should have to take my 
 chances in new surroundings, in a crowd probably 
 of very rough boys and rougher men, and hght my 
 battles all over again. However, I put on as bold 
 a face as I could, shouldered my dunnage, climbed 
 the gangway, and stood with my shipmates, ranged 
 along in the waist by the mainmast, while we were 
 assi^fned our mess numbers and turned over to our 
 respective division officers. 
 
 On one point, at least, I could congratulate my- 
 self. I should become familiar with all the forms 
 of naval routine on a large scale. The "Minne- 
 sota" carried a crew of about seven hundred men. 
 
IRON AGAINST WOOD. 253 
 
 all told, with a full marine guard, a fine band of 
 music, and all the pomp and circumstance of a 
 fla"" officer's official residence. On the little 
 " Otter," while perfect discipline and punctilious 
 naval etiquette were maintained, there was always 
 a feeling that she was merely a makeshift man-of- 
 war, well enough in her own way, but not the real 
 thing, after all. But here on the " Minnesota," 
 with her wide, white decks, her high bulwarks, 
 lofty spars, and tremendous battery of heavy guns, 
 there was a general air of solidity that gave one 
 the satisfaction of knowing that she, indeed, was 
 the finest ship of her class afloat. 
 
 This was all very fine, but there were rumors 
 abroad among the blue- jackets between decks, as 
 well as among the wardroom officers and in the 
 flag officer's cabin, to the effect that just beyond 
 the low point that we could see so plainlj^ from our 
 topgallant forecastle, a strange craft was fitting out 
 that would, before long, make her appearance and 
 try conclusions with the fleet. 
 
 This vessel has already been referred to, — the 
 " Merrimac," — a sister ship to the "Minnesota," 
 which had been sunk and partly destroyed in April 
 (1861), by order of Commodore Macauley, when 
 the Norfolk Navy Yard was abandoned. It was 
 known earlv in the summer that she had been raised 
 
254 JACK BENSON S LOG. 
 
 and floated into the dry dock in a comparatively 
 uninjured condition as to her machinery and lower 
 hull; that she had been rechristened "The Vir- 
 ginia," and that an accomplished officer of the old 
 navy, Lieutenant John M. Brooke, was superin- 
 tending the work of converting her into the most 
 formidable ironclad afloat. 
 
 " Contrabands " now and then strayed into the 
 lines, and were interviewed by " Jackies" when on 
 shore leave, who had seen this monster and de- 
 scribed her with all the exuberance of the African 
 imagination, aided and abetted by a sublime dis- 
 regard of fact. Naturally, being on the spot, we 
 heard more about this unknown foe than we did 
 about a certain little craft that was being hastily 
 knocked together at the North. 
 
 The Confederates deserve all the credit of hav- 
 ing led off in the matter of ironclads. No sooner 
 were they satisfied of their naval inferiority in 
 quantity than they went to work making good the 
 deficiency in quality. Hardly had the Norfolk 
 Navy Yard fallen into their hands before they 
 began straining every nerve to produce a single 
 ship that should be able not only to sink the entire 
 Yankee fleet, but could go to sea and lay the 
 great Northern cities under tribute. 
 
 Now, in February, it was tolerably certain, from 
 
IRON AGAINST WOOD. 255 
 
 all information gathered, that she was nearly ready 
 to come out, and yet so contradictory were the 
 rumors, so peaceful the broad estuary in which 
 we lay at anchor in our strength, that we were 
 half inclined to think that she was altogether a 
 myth of the imagination. There was plenty of 
 speculation, however, about the chances, and gen- 
 eral sentiment among the blue- jackets was, " Let 
 her come ; we can run her down and send her to 
 the bottom, even if we can't lick her in a stand-up 
 fight." 
 
 The soft Virginia spring came on apace, and I 
 had been shaken down into an insignificant niche 
 as a " first-class boy," a small atom of the great 
 fighting machine that in those da3-s passed for a 
 battle ship. Very different she was, of course, 
 from the steel-clad battle ships of to-day, but highly 
 efficient, for all that, to meet the conditions for which 
 she was designed, with her fifty heavy broadside 
 guns, her hundred-pounder rifles at bow and stern, 
 and her superb crew of seven hundred men. 
 
 To the stern chaser I had been assigned as pow- 
 der boy at general quarters, and there would be 
 my station in case of an engagement. I had 
 become quite attached to the big, polished, brown 
 creature that could send a pointed iron bolt four or 
 five miles, and was yet so docile in the hands of 
 
256 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 her well-trained crew. My duty for the most part 
 was to pass cartridges, fill buckets of water, lend a 
 hand with the gun tackles, and, in short, do any- 
 thing and everything that my strength was equal 
 to. 
 
 March came in very lamblike, not in the least 
 resembling the March of a year before on the wild 
 New England coast, and a week passed by with- 
 out any farther news of the threatened attack. 
 The Federal fleet lay as it had lain for months, 
 with the exception of occasional expeditions for 
 maneuvering or target practise. It consisted of the 
 big steam frigates "Minnesota" and "Roanoke," 
 sister ships originally to the now transformed " Mer- 
 rimac." These two lay near Fortress Monroe, and 
 the old-fashioned sailing frigates, " Congress'' and 
 " Cumberland," were anchored some five miles 
 above, off the camps at Newport News, where they 
 could command, or at least threaten, the mouth of 
 James River with their batteries. 
 
 Saturday, the eighth of March, 1862, was a 
 lovely spring day in Hampton Roads. There had 
 been lately a severe storm, and our canvas was 
 shaken out to dry in the warm sunshine, besides 
 which a goodly part of the week's wash hung on 
 long lines among the rigging. Most of the boats 
 were in the water alongside, and the fleet looked as 
 
IRON AGAINST WOOD. 257 
 
 peaceful as it was possible for warships to look 
 when practically they are in the presence of the 
 enemy and are supposed to be ready on the instant 
 for any emergency. 
 
 As with us so with our sister ship, the 
 " Roanoke," lying further down the Roads, and the 
 old-fashioned sailing frigate " St. Lawrence," just 
 in from sea. So, too, with the "Congress" and 
 "Cumberland," off the mouth of the James, with 
 Federal shore batteries at Newport News. 
 
 In the James River, beyond the reach of our 
 guns, lay three Confederate gunboats that had come 
 down on a reconnoitering expedition, but their 
 presence caused no uneasiness ; they often came 
 down on such expeditions and sometimes indulged 
 in a little target practise at long range. That they 
 now made a longer stay than usual near the mouth 
 of the river did not cause any especial anxiety, 
 though it might well have suggested the intention 
 which was presently carried out. 
 
 But our Confederate neighbors in the direction 
 of Norfolk were stirring, too, on this bright spring 
 morning. A little before noon two more gunboats 
 made their appearance in Elizabeth River. That 
 made five in all, and, on our part, the " Zouave," a 
 small gunboat, was sent off post-haste to investi- 
 gate. Hardly was she under way when a sixth 
 
258 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 and more formidable-looking trail of smoke became 
 visible above the woods. And the lookout in our 
 crosstrees presently announced that a large steamer 
 was coming down. 
 
 She moved steadily down stream, attended by the 
 two smaller steamers, and our little "Zouave" 
 gunboat pluckily ran up within range and banged 
 away at her for a few minutes without eliciting any 
 reply. The big black monster came steadily on, 
 evidently caring no more for thirty-two-pounder shot 
 bolts than she did for so many marbles. 
 
 The little "Zouave" was not worth wasting 
 powder upon when larger game was in sight. 
 Like a little terrier that suddenly discovers that he 
 has been barking at a sleepy but dangerous mastiff, 
 the " Zouave" turned and fled back to her consorts. 
 In justice to her, however, it should be added that 
 she was recalled by signal from the flagship. 
 
 And now the lazy, peaceful-looking Federal 
 fleet started out of its seeming lethargy in a 
 twinkling. Down came the long clothes-lines on 
 deck, and "Jacky's" week's washing was hastily 
 bundled out of the way and tossed below as the 
 decks were cleared for action. Top-men lay 
 aloft to furl the sails, boat-booms were swung in, 
 and the boats hoisted to their davits or dropped 
 astern. The magazines were opened, and ammuni- 
 
IRON AGAINST WOOD. 259 
 
 tion hurried on deck and laid in rows between the 
 guns, ready for instant use. 
 
 To a landsman everything seems in hopeless 
 confusion at such a time and every man on the 
 point of tumbling over his mate. But on board a 
 well-ordered ship it is a disciplined and orderly 
 confusion. In a few minutes every man is at his 
 station, quiet reigns fore and aft, and until action 
 begins an order can be heard from one end of the 
 ship to the other. 
 
 By the time we were fairly ready the cause of 
 all this commotion became visible from the deck, 
 slowly emerging from behind the wooded lowlands 
 of the Virginia shore, an uncanny shape pushing 
 out into the open waters of the sound. The long- 
 talked-of Merrimac was no longer a myth ! Very 
 material, very black and formidable she looked, 
 moving slowly down the Elizabeth Channel. To 
 the naked eye at that distance she was like the 
 roof of a long barn, with its eaves in the water. 
 A nearer view showed rounded, sloping ends in 
 place of gables, and long, low decks just awash 
 with the sea, extending fore and aft bevond the 
 sloping armor plates. A lofty smoke-stack, several 
 port-holes closed with heavy shutters, and some 
 light davits, stays, and the like were alone visible 
 outside of the solid structure. 
 
26o JACK Benson's log. 
 
 Slowly she came on down the river channel, 
 and, reaching the deep water of the Roads, turned 
 to the left toward the sailing frigates off Newport 
 News. The ' ' Congress " was nearest to her course, 
 and would apparently be the first to feel the weight 
 of the enemy's metal, but here came in one of the 
 strange incidents of this fight. The commanding 
 officer of the "Virginia" (" Merrimac"), Captain 
 Franklin Buchanan, late of the United States Navy, 
 had a brother who had remained loyal to the Union, 
 and was at this time an officer on board the " Con- 
 gress.'' The two brothers may have looked into 
 each other's eyes through marine glasses from the 
 decks of the hostile ships. Certainly each knew 
 that the other was present. 
 
 Whether for this or for some other reason, 
 Buchanan merely delivered a broadside in passing, 
 and went on to test his ram on the " Cumberland." 
 His four broadside guns were well aimed and 
 caused destruction on board the " Congress," which, 
 of course, replied with her full battery as long as they 
 could be brought to bear. But her nine-inch solid 
 shot glanced from the iron plates like hailstones 
 from a tin roof, and the " Virginia" passed on, head- 
 ing straight for the " Cumberland " which lay a few 
 hundred yards beyond. 
 
 The old wooden sloop of war began pounding 
 
IRON AGAINST WOOD. 26 1 
 
 away with her heavy guns, in anticipation of closer 
 quarters and in the hope that by a lucky shot her 
 formidable antagonist might in some way be dis- 
 abled. But under a full head of steam the 
 "Virginia" came on, and struck her helpless 
 victim just by the fore rigging, crashing through 
 her oaken ribs into her hold, and making a fatal 
 gash in her side. 
 
 But the walls of the gallant old ship nipped 
 hard, so hard, indeed, that they bit off the 
 destroyer's nose, and the "Virginia's" iron ram 
 remained in the opening it had made when she 
 backed off. It was evident that the " Congress" 
 could only remain afloat for a short time, but, refus- 
 ing Buchanan's demand for surrender. Lieutenant 
 Norris continued to hght his sinking ship, which 
 soon began to settle by the head. 
 
 The lower decks were flooded, gun after gun 
 had to be abandoned, the wounded were removed 
 to save them from drowning, and still the fight 
 went on. Now that their powerful consort was 
 engaged, the Confederate gunboats came out from 
 the James River and joined the fight. 
 
 More than a hundred of the "Cumberland's" 
 crew were already killed or wounded, but the men 
 continued to work their oruns till the decks were 
 awash, and when the word was given, " Every man 
 
262 JACK Benson's loo. 
 
 for himself," the vipper battery was still in action, 
 with the water washing around the wheels of the gun 
 carriages. It was half past three in the afternoon 
 when she gave a lurch to port and went down with 
 her flags all a-flying. More than a third of her 
 crew were killed, or wounded, or drowned in try- 
 ing to escape to shore. 
 
 Seeing that the fate of the "Cumberland" 
 would inevitably be his, Lieutenant Smith, com- 
 manding the frigate " Congress," set his head sails, 
 taking advantage of a light breeze, and, aided by 
 the gunboat " Zouave," ran his ship ashore under 
 the guns of the land batteries, where he was at 
 least safe from ramminfj. 
 
 But the " Virginia " was in no especial hurry. 
 She steamed off up the Roads, turned leisurely 
 round, and in half an hour came back to a position 
 where, with the assistance of her consort, she could 
 knock her second victim to pieces at her leisure. 
 
 The ' ' Congress " replied with such of her guns 
 as could be brought to bear, but Lieutenant Smith, 
 the commander, was soon killed, and Lieutenant 
 Pendergast, upon whom the command devolved, 
 continued the tight until his ship was on fire in 
 several places and his two principal guns disabled 
 by the enemy's shot. Then he reluctantly hauled 
 down his flag, and the light draft Confederate gun- 
 
IRON AGAINST WOOD. 263 
 
 boats came alongside, and began carrying off the 
 crew as prisoners. 
 
 The shore batteries, however, did not understand 
 the situation, and firing went on until, in the smoke 
 and confusion, all escaped who were left alive, 
 and the frigate was wrapped in flames from end to 
 end. At about this time Captain Buchanan, of the 
 "Virginia," and one of his officers were wounded 
 by a rifle shot from the shore, and the command 
 fell to Lieutenant Jones. 
 
 While this spirited fight was in progress, where 
 was the " Minnesota"? Hard and fast aground, a 
 mile and a half from the scene of action I It has 
 since turned out that her pilot was a traitor and in 
 the pay of the Confederacy,* and that he purposely 
 ran the " Minnesota " aground in compliance with 
 instructions previously received from Richmond. 
 
 But the "Virginia" herself was aground more 
 than once during the fight, and the "Roanoke" 
 and "St. Lawrence" had gone ashore, too, on 
 their way to take part in the engagement, so that 
 the blame cannot fairly be laid upon one pair of 
 shoulders. 
 
 We of the "Minnesota " saw the "Congress" 
 in flames and the " Cumberland" sunk, and even 
 I, boy as I was, knew that it would be our turn 
 
 (* See Maclay's History of the United States Navy, Vol. II., page 295.) 
 
264 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 next, if there was daylight enough left for them to 
 finish us, a task which they seemed quite ready to 
 undertake. But on attempting to come to close 
 quarters they found that the water was so shoal that 
 it must needs be a duel at long range. 
 
 It was a one-sided affair while it lasted, for we 
 were fixed firmly in the mud, and our enemy could 
 choose his own position where our most powerful 
 guns could not be brought to bear upon him. The 
 lighter draught gunboats, too, could take position 
 where they chose in the comparatively shallow 
 water, and annoy us at their ease. 
 
 Captain Van Brunt, who was in command in the 
 temporary absence of the flag officer, made every 
 preparation for setting his ship on fire and aban- 
 doning her rather than surrender, but in the mean- 
 time he kept up the fight as well as he could, using 
 the big pivot rifle forward against the "Virginia," 
 while the stern chaser kept the light-draught gun- 
 boats at a respectful distance. 
 
 We could not have held out very long against 
 such odds, for the enemy's shells were raking us 
 fore and aft and killing and wounding our men at 
 the guns, but the " St. Lawrence " at last got afloat 
 and came up under tow of a tugboat, making short 
 work with the little gunboats, which speedily fled 
 out of her range. 
 
IRON AGAINST WOOD. 265 
 
 Fortunately for us, night was approaching, and 
 by seven o'clock the pilots of the "Virginia" 
 decided that it was no longer safe to maneuver 
 her in the channel, so she ironically fired a good- 
 night shot and steamed off to anchor at Craney 
 Island, leaving behind her perhaps the most dis- 
 heartened naval squadron that ever floated the 
 stars and stripes. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 IRON AGAINST IRON. 
 
 IT has often been said that the RebelHon reached 
 its high water mark when Pickett's division 
 deHvered its gallant charge at Gettysburg, but it 
 is a question, perhaps, if the Confederacy was not 
 nearer a crowning success on the first night of the 
 Hampton Roads fight than at any other period of 
 its career. 
 
 So far as human foresight could reach, nothing 
 stood in the way of the destruction of the rest of 
 the Federal fleet on the morrow. Wherever the 
 telegraph reached in the Confederacy the greatest 
 exultation prevailed, and in many places public 
 thanksgiving services were held then and on the 
 following Sunday morning. 
 
 Victory meant the opening of the Chesapeake 
 and James Rivers, the raising of the blockade, 
 the placing of Washington and, perhaps, the great 
 commercial cities of the north under tribute, and, 
 best of all, the recognition of belligerent rights by the 
 nations of Europe. Truly, the Confederacy had 
 
IRON AGAINST IRON. 267 
 
 cause for thanksgiving, if ever, on that Saturday 
 night. 
 
 All over the North, on the contrary, was gloom 
 and despondency, and in Northern churches prayers 
 were offered for succor where none seemed pos- 
 sible. But all these conditions were destined to a 
 most unexpected reversal. 
 
 Worn out with excitement, and waiting for the 
 expected explosion of the still burning " Congress," 
 I had thrown myself down beside an ammunition 
 chest on deck and gone fast asleep, when some- 
 body fell over me about midnight, and I awoke to 
 the consciousness of an unusual bustle and excite- 
 ment. Somewhat dazed, I could not at first make 
 out what was going on, but presently pulled my- 
 self together, and, climbing upon the hammock 
 netting, looked down upon a nondescript craft just 
 making fast alongside of us. 
 
 She shone ruby red in the light of the burning 
 frigate, little more than a mile distant, and active, 
 gnomelike figures sprang about her low-lying 
 deck or climbed over a queer hatbox-looking 
 structure amidships. At that time neither pictures 
 nor descriptions had made her appearance familiar 
 to the public, and " Jacky " himself knew nothing 
 whatever about her. 
 
 However, serious as the situation was, he hung 
 
268 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 over the rail and made his jokes at her till one 
 o'clock, when the " Congress " blew up, and left the 
 broad bay in darkness. All night long the " Moni- 
 tor " men, already weary with a two days' fight 
 for life on the ocean, were busy preparing for the 
 morrow's battle. 
 
 Here, at least, was a new element in the fight, 
 and"Jacky's" spirits rallied wonderfully, believ- 
 ing religiously in the traditional luck of the 
 American navy. 
 
 We did not know tiien how four months after 
 the reconstruction of the "Virginia" was fairl}'- 
 begun, plans for the " Monitor," the invention of John 
 Ericsson, had been somewhat doubtfully adopted 
 by the Government as an experiment, — how work 
 had been pushed to the uttermost, and how, at last, 
 she had been been hurried off to sea without even 
 a trial trip, and with a crew to whom her machin- 
 ery was wholly new and the mechanical devices 
 for loading her heavy guns quite unfamiliar. 
 
 It is a singular fact that this was also true of her 
 destined antagonist. The "Virginia" was hardly 
 well rid of her mechanics when she was sent into 
 action. Her crew was untrained and undisciplined, 
 some of them being artillery-men detailed from the 
 army for this service. Another curious coinci- 
 dence is that both Captain Buchanan and Lieuten- 
 
IRON AGAINST IRON. 269 
 
 ant Worden were on the sick list when the fight 
 began, and both were wounded and disabled before 
 it was over. 
 
 The little " Monitor," never having been tried at 
 sea, being the first of her type that was ever set 
 afloat, was more of an experiment even than the 
 " Virginia," which had some prototypes, at least, 
 in the French navy. Of the perilous voyage of 
 the " Monitor " from New York to Hampton Roads 
 no details need here be given, but as she passed 
 in between the Virginia Capes her anxious and 
 exhausted crew heard the booming of heavy guns, 
 and rightly guessed that the fight was already on. 
 In the smooth water of the lower Chesapeake she 
 was soon making good time toward the scene of 
 action, where she aiTived shortly after dark. 
 
 Her orders were to proceed immediately to 
 Washington to complete her equipment and be on 
 hand to defend the capitol, but, as fortunately 
 happens sometimes, Lieutenant Worden was one 
 who was ready to disobey orders when he saw 
 good reason for it. Accordingly, he stayed in 
 Hampton Roads and tied up alongside the " Minne- 
 sota," as I have related. 
 
 Sunday morning dawned as bright and beautiful 
 as the Saturday that preceded it, and both sides 
 were early awake in anticipation of the events 
 
270 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 that were to follow. Everybody in the eastern 
 counties who could reach a point commanding a 
 view of Hampton Roads came to witness the final 
 destruction of the Yankee fleet. The Federals 
 had not been idle during the night, and ever^^thing 
 that ingenuity could devise had been done to 
 strengthen the defenses on sea and land in the 
 desperate hope that some lucky shot might find a 
 weak point in the hitherto invulnerable foe. 
 
 After giving her men time to get their breakfast 
 comfortably, the " Virginia" and her consorts got 
 under way, and came down the river in leisurely 
 fashion to resume the work of devastation so satis- 
 factorily begun the day before. Her first intended 
 victim was the " Minnesota," which still huntr fast 
 on Hampton Bar, where her treacherous pilot had 
 laid her up for the convenience of his rebel friends. 
 
 While still a mile away, she fired a shot from her 
 bow rifle which fairl}' hulled us, and served 
 effectually as a foretaste of what was to follow at 
 closer quarters. But it was the signal, too, for the 
 little "Monitor" to steam out from behind her 
 consort and head direct for her formidable adver- 
 sary. For the first time in the world's history, two 
 heavily armed and heavily armored steamships 
 were about to meet in action ! 
 
 We boys who hung in the " Minnesota's " rigging 
 
IRON AGAINST IRON. 271 
 
 and watched the fight from a distance little 
 guessed what it all meant. But it was, at least, 
 better fun than being knocked to pieces after 
 yesterday's fashion without half a chance of being 
 able to hit back. 
 
 The "Virginia" fired away as rapidly as possi- 
 ble with her big Brooke rifle, but the low, black, 
 revolving turret was not so easy to hit as the broad- 
 side of a wooden frigate, and her gunners were 
 perhaps somewhat disconcerted by this apparition 
 that looked, as they afterwards said, " like a Yan- 
 kee cheese box on a raft." At any rate, they did 
 not hit her, and the "Monitor" reserved her fire 
 until she could get to very close quarters. 
 
 When nearly alongside she delivered her two 
 eleven-inch solid shot from the turret guns with a 
 weight of concussion that made the " Virginia " 
 shiver, though it did not pierce her armor. Almost 
 at the same moment, having now come within close 
 range of the broadside guns, a heavy shell struck 
 the " Monitor's " turret ; it glanced harmlessly off, 
 though the entire gun crew felt the shock and 
 looked around in anxiety to see what the effect 
 would be. Nothing happened. The turret was 
 as stanch as ever, and when the engineer turned 
 his crank the heavy structure revolved as easily as 
 before. Anxiety on this point was relieved. 
 
272 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 The ironclads now turned and repassed one 
 another at even closer quarters. The " Virginia " 
 making the most of her ten guns and numerous 
 crew, and firing as rapidly as she could ; the 
 " Monitor," with her small crew and only two 
 guns, responded deliberately, firing at intervals of 
 about seven minutes. Owing to her lighter draught 
 and greater ease in handling, she could, to a con- 
 siderable extent, choose her own position and so at 
 times gain a temporary advantage. Once she 
 caught the "Virginia" in a position where none 
 of her guns could be brought to bear, and again 
 she tried to ram the "Virginia's" steering gear, 
 but missed it by a few feet. So the mighty duel 
 went on. And we of the wooden ships could only 
 watch its progress with increasing anxiety, but, 
 upon the whole, with growing confidence in our 
 little champion. 
 
 Lieutenant Jones at length made up his mind 
 that there was no use in wasting powder against 
 a solid iron turret, so he decided to turn his atten- 
 tion again to ships that he could sink. The 
 "Minnesota" was nearest at hand, and, slowly 
 turnin<r her huu'e bulk, the "Virginia" bore down 
 upon us. It was her turn now to get aground, 
 but after a little manuevering she came within 
 range, and we opened upon her, giving her broad- 
 
- IRON AGAINST IRON. 273 
 
 side after broadside, with no more effect than if 
 our soHd shot had been so many Dutch cheeses. 
 
 The enem3''s shells speedily set us on tire and 
 threatened to reduce us to a wreck in short order. 
 It looked as though the tables were to be turned 
 again. But while we were working our guns to 
 the best of our ability the little "Monitor" came 
 up between us, and was at him again, and would 
 not let him alone. He found the shot of the size 
 that she carried could not be ignored, so the duel 
 was resumed. 
 
 Once the " Monitor" had to run awa3Mnto shoal 
 water while she hoisted a fresh supply of ammuni- 
 tion into her turret, and all the spectators thought 
 that the game was up. But in fifteen minutes she 
 was back again, saucy and full of fight as ever, 
 and the "Virginia" began to think that she had 
 the worst of the bargain. Having failed to make 
 any impression upon the turret, it occurred to Lieu- 
 tenant Jones to turn his guns upon the pilot house, 
 or " conning tower," as it would now be called. 
 
 The first shell exploded against it just as 
 Lieutenant Worden was looking through a narrow 
 sight-hole. His eyes were blinded by the burning 
 powder, and he was for the moment totally dis- 
 abled. He managed, however, to give the order 
 to sheer off, thinking that the conning tower had 
 
274 J-^CK Benson's log. 
 
 been destroyed, and tottered down the ladder, 
 where he was found almost insensible by Lieutenant 
 Green, who was at once called to take command. 
 
 The wounded officer was left in charge of Sur- 
 geon Logue, and the tight continued. During the 
 few minutes of confusion following Worden's 
 wound the "Monitor" had been without a helm, 
 and as her engines were still working she had 
 taken her way into shoal water. When Lieutenant 
 Green got her in hand again the " Virginia " was 
 heading for Norfolk, and, although he followed 
 and gave her three or four parting shots, she had 
 apparently had enough of it, and never again 
 ventured to face the " Monitor's" guns. She was 
 destroyed some two months afterward by her own 
 crew to prevent her falling into the hands of the 
 Federals. 
 
 Practically, neither ship was seriously harmed by 
 this protracted encounter ; each was struck many 
 times, and the "Virginia " had pretty much every- 
 thing swept away that did not belong to her solid 
 armor. Her smoke-stack was sodamacjed that her 
 engines could not be made to work as well as 
 usual. While her injuries were not of a perma- 
 nent character, it is a fact that she went into dry 
 dock at Norfolk, and was for a month undergo- 
 ing extensive repairs and improvements, The 
 
IRON AGAINST IRON. 275 
 
 "Monitor's" injuries, on the contrary, were so 
 slight that her own crew did all that was necessary, 
 and had her in fighting trim within a few hours after 
 recovering from their extraordinary exertions. 
 
 The fact is that after this engagement both the 
 Confederates and the Federal Governments were 
 afraid to risk another like it. The Federals assem- 
 bled a large fleet in Hampton Roads, the " Moni- 
 tor " being still their only ironclad, and instructions 
 were given to the flag officer, Commodore Golds- 
 boro, to sacrifice his entire wooden fleet before 
 allowing the " Monitor" to go into action. 
 
 This policy was probably the wisest that could 
 have been adopted, but it was ver}- unpopular in 
 the fleet, and especially on board the "Monitor" 
 herself, whose crew longed to settle the question of 
 superiority once for all. Once or twice more the 
 "Virginia" ran out from Norfolk, and practically 
 dared the Federals to come on, but, while we were 
 all ready to act on the defensive, our instructions 
 were not to open the attack. At the time we all 
 thought the policy was cowardly, and were corre- 
 spondingly indignant. But the fact that in two 
 months the "Virginia" was I'endered forever 
 harmless without the loss of a single life justifies 
 the policy of inaction in the light of history. 
 
 It only remains to say that after the "Virginia" 
 
276 JACK Benson's log. 
 
 had thus been disposed of , the "Monitor" rested 
 on her laurels at Hampton Roads until December, 
 1862, when she was ordered South, was caught in 
 a gale off Cape Hatteras, and foundered at sea, 
 carrying down with her sixteen of her sixty-five 
 men. 
 
 Within the year, therefore, these two ships, 
 which in an encounter of a few hours' duration 
 turned topsy-turvy the naval architecture of the 
 world, lay at the bottom of the sea together. 
 Meanwhile, other monitors and other casemated 
 ironclads were building, and the superiority of 
 types was to be settled in other waters. 
 
 But Jack Benson is " overrunning his reckon- 
 ing," as the best of navigators sometimes do. In 
 other words, his log in its revised form is outgrow- 
 ing the notes hastily penciled on all sorts and con- 
 ditions of paper when he was " afore the mast." 
 At the end of a sizable volume he is not yet half 
 way through with his record, and has been barely 
 a year in the service. He sees nothing for it, 
 therefore, but to go on and spin his yarn through 
 another book, to be called, " A Medal of Honor 
 Man." 
 
 END. 
 
W. A. WILDE & CO., PUBLISHERS. 
 
 TN WILD AFRICA. Advetitures of Two Boys in the 
 -* Sahara Desert, etc. By Col. Thos. W. Knox, author of " The Boy 
 Travelers," "The Young Nimrods," " A Lost Army," etc. 325 
 pp. Illustrated. Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 The least known part of the Dark Continent is the one described in the new book 
 " In Wild Africa." Central Africa has been traversed by many explorers, until every 
 part of it is known, and the larger part of South Africa has entered the domain of civili- 
 zation and is equipped with railway and wagon roads. Northern Africa, with the ex- 
 ception of a strip two or three hundred miles wide along the coast of the Mediterranean, 
 is almost a terra incognita ; its only roads are caravan trails, and comparatively few 
 explorers have ventured to brave its inhospitalities. Lake Chad has been known to 
 exist for more than ten centuries, but it has been seen by fewer white men than Lake 
 Tanganyika and the Victoria Nyanza, both discovered within the past forty years. 
 
 The narrative is replete with adventure and incident, combined with the description 
 of the countries traversed and the people who inhabit them. A part of the route has 
 been personally traveled by the author, who has thus been enabled to inform himself 
 thoroughly concerning the countries he has described. 
 
 No author understands better how to write for young people than Colonel Knox, 
 and parents and guardians owe much to him for conveying a vast deal of very useful in- 
 formation, geographical and historical, respecting the manners and customs of foreign 
 nations. — Boston Commercial Biillethi. 
 
 We can hardly imagine a better way of imparting information to young people. The 
 present volume is similar in plan to those which preceded it, and is worthy of the same 
 hearty commendation which was accorded them. — Christian Intelligencer, N. Y. 
 
 F 
 
 OREMAN JENNIE. A Young Woman of Business. 
 By Amos R. Wells, editor of The Golden Rule. 268 pp. Illus- 
 trated. Cloth, $1.25. 
 
 Foreman Jennie was a young woman of business; she was also a young woman who 
 was an out and out Christian, and nobly strove to live up to her ideals. She wa-,> the 
 moving spirit in the formation of the Printers' Christian Endeavor Society, whose 
 struggles form one of the interesting features of the story. It was received most heartily 
 when it ran as a serial in T/u; Golden Rule. In its present form it is greatly en- 
 larged, containing twice as much matter as originally. It is a splendid story for young 
 people, whether they belong to the Christian Endeavor movement or not. 
 
 Q UARTERDECK 6- FOK'SLE. By Molly Elliot 
 
 cs^^ Seawell, author of " Paul Jones," " Midshipman Paulding," 
 " Little Jarvis," etc. 272 pp. Illustrated. $1.25. 
 
 Two exceptionally interesting stories of our navy, written for boys, but which will 
 be of equal interest to girls, as well as older readers. The first story tells of how a 
 young fellow, who hated study and had never been made to go to school, learned the 
 lesson of self-control, and by a series of disgraceful failures to pass nis examinations for 
 Annapoli=, found by experience that the important things of this world are accomplished 
 only by the hardest kind of work. The success which came to him afterwards shows 
 how thoroughly and well this lesson was learned. The second story deals with a 
 famous incident of the English occupation of Newport, R. I., during ihe Revolutionary 
 War, where General Prescott was captured in his own house by a handful of Americans. 
 An important part in this incident was taken by a boy. What he did and how he did it 
 Is fully told in the story. His service in the young American navy is the natural result 
 of his love for the sea and his ardent patriotism. 
 
 The author knows how to tell her stories to captivate the boys, and the character of 
 her heroes is such as to elevate and ennoble the reader. — H artford Evening Post. 
 
 BOSTON, W. A. WILDE & CO., 25 BROMFIELD ST. 
 
W. A. WILDE & CO., PUBLISHERS. 
 
 Cr'HE YOUNG REPORTER. A Story of Frhiting 
 -^ Hotise Square. By WiLLlAM Drysdale, author of "Abel 
 P'orefinger," " In Sunny Lands," " Proverbs from Plymouth Pul- 
 pit," etc. 300 pp. Illustrated. Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 Every American boy who reads the newspapers is interested in the methods and 
 adventures of the reporters who gather news for the great dailies. They go everywhere, 
 meet all the prominent people of the time, and are constantly in the front of every- 
 thing that is interesting and exciting. 
 
 In " The Young Reporter " Mr. William Drysdale has described the adventures of 
 a young prniter boy with a taste for newspaper work, who became a reporter for one of 
 the great New York dailies when he was only eighteen. His introduction to the office 
 by taking in an important piece of news, his early experience there, his trials and temp- 
 tations, his adventures among the convicts in Sing Sing, his exciting search for the 
 stolen body of a millionaire, his voyage to Mexico and the West Indies, his experience 
 with bookmakers, who consider a reporter a person to be bribed, are all described to the 
 life. 
 
 Every adventure through which Dick Sumner is taken is an actual adventure, — 
 something that has really happened. From his first visit to the Transport office till his 
 successful production of "The Through Sleeper," his experiences are as true to life as 
 actual truth can make them. It is a book which no boy can read without having his 
 ambition stirred and his character strengthened. 
 
 rHREE COLONIAL BOYS. A Story of the Times 
 of '76. By Everett T. Tomlinson, author of " The Search 
 for Andrew Field," "The Boy Soldiers of 1812," etc. 368 
 pp. Illustrated. Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 We have issued this book as an aid in the solution of that difficult problem, " What 
 shall our young people read?" 
 
 It deals with one of the most interesting periods of American history, and em- 
 braces many incidents and regions which heretofore have been kept in the background. 
 
 Young people like excitement, as children crave sugar, and, while the book deals 
 largely with actual experiences, it furnishes an excitement which is not born of the un- 
 natural or impossible. 
 
 It is a story of three boys who were drawn into the events of the times; is patriotic, 
 exciting, clean, and healtliful, and instructs without appearing to. The heroes are 
 manly boys and no objectionable language or character is introduced. The lessons of 
 courage and patriotism especially will be appreciated in this day. 
 
 It is handsomely illustrated, printed, and bound, and we are confident will be 
 eagerly welcomed by all who are seeking for a book for young people which shall be 
 wholesome, interesting, healthfully exciting, and at the same time instructive. 
 
 It is the first of a series, but is complete in itself. 
 
 r^AP'N THISTLETOP. By Sophie Swett, author of 
 ^ " Captain Polly," " Flying Hill Farm," " Mate of the Mary Ann," 
 etc. 266 pp. Illustrated. $1.25. 
 Sopliie Swett has won a remarkable and deserved popularity for the strong and 
 wholesome stories for girls which she has written. In her stories she believes in intro- 
 ducing bovs, and it is this feature of her work that gives her stories tlTeir naturalness and 
 much of their interest. In her latest book, " Cap'n Thistleto'p," the principal char- 
 acters are a boy and a girl, brother and sister; the girl's firmness of character 
 holds her brother up to his work for making a place for himself in the world. She urges, 
 beguiles, and compels, as occasion serves, but still remains the natural, lovable girl, her- 
 self, so many thousands of whom are daily making the world brighter, and better. 
 
 Margaret E. Sangster says, " Miss Swett has the knack of telling a story so naturally 
 and in so interesting a manner that you cannot put her books down until you are at the 
 very end of the last chapter, and then you sigh and wish there was a sequel." 
 
 BOSTON, W. A. WILDE & CO., 25 BROMFIELD ST. 
 
W. A. WILDE & CO., PUBLISHERS. 
 
 ^ACK BENSON'S LOG; or, Afloat with the Flag 
 ill '6i. By Chas. Ledyard Norton. Illustrated. Cloth, $1.25. 
 
 J 
 
 Of all the boys who enlisted in the navy at the outbreak of the Civil War, perhaps 
 Jack Benson was the luckiest. His guardian, an old sailor, vi'anted him to enlist; his 
 first ship was " Old Ironsides," and he helped to save her from an attempted capture by 
 the secessionists at Annapolis in iS6i. Then he had the good fortune to ship on board 
 a fast little steamer that was hurried in'o commission for blockading purposes and had a 
 very pretty little tight off Cape Hatteras, and captured a prize at the very beginning of 
 her career. In short, Jack was on hand as a spectator, if not as a participant, at most of 
 the notable naval events that took place on the Atlantic coast during the four years 
 (if the war. 
 
 r 
 
 'HE M YSTERIO US VO YA GE OF THE DAPHNE, 
 
 By Lieut. H. P. Whitmarsh, R. N., and others. 305 pp. 
 
 Illustrated. Cloth, $1.25. 
 
 A book of stories for boys and girls by some of the best American authors. Such 
 names as \Vm. O. Stoddard, Hezekiah Butterworth, James G. Austin, Lieut. H. P. 
 Whitmarsh, Marjorie Richardson, and Emma H. Nason will give a fair idea of the 
 ■reputation and the standing of the writers whose stories are included in this book. The 
 book is made exceptionally interesting by a large number of illustrations, while the 
 quality of the stories cannot be questioned. The book is one that we can recommend 
 as entirely safe to put in any girl's or boy's hands. 
 
 T^IG CYPRESS. By Kirk Mux\roe, author of "Fur 
 
 -*-' Seal's Tooth," "Camp-mates," "Raft-mates," "Dory-mates," 
 
 " Canoe-mates," etc. 164 pp. Illustrated. Cloth, $1.00. 
 
 Kirk Munroe's books always teach something worth knowing. In his last story, 
 " Big Cypress," the author includes a large amount of information about Florida, its 
 coast, the Everglades region, the climate, and the Seminole Indians as they are to-day 
 mn^ The story is so fascinating that it will hold the absorbed attention of every boy and 
 girl reader to the end. — Bosiott Transcrifit. 
 
 A bright, wide-awake book as interesting and helpful for girls as for boys. — Golden 
 Rule. 
 
 A vivid picture of life among the Seminole Indians of Florida, about whom so little 
 is known. — Advance, Chicago. 
 
 A story * * * inculcating manliness and full of incident. — Congregationalist. 
 
 pHILIP LEICESTER. By Jessie E. Wright, author 
 -* of " Freshman and Senior," " Marj'oribank," " Curly Head," etc. 
 264 pp. Illustrated. Cloth, $1.25. 
 
 The real motive of the story is a lesson for mothers, — that God will be with the 
 children of love and prayer, even though they may be passing through the fires of temp- 
 tation and bad influence. — T/ie Evangelist, New i^ork. 
 
 The book ought to make any reader thankful for a good home and thoughtful for 
 the homeless and neglected. — Golden Rule. 
 
 The idea of the story is happily conceived and skilfully handled.— 5'. S. Library 
 Bulletin. 
 
 There is real merit in the story. — Efivorth Herald. 
 
 A charming story for young people. — Vonng Men^s Era. 
 
 The interest of the reader is engaged and never flags until the last page is read.— 
 Christian Observer . 
 
 BOSTON, W. A. WILDE & CO.. 25 BROMFIELD ST. 
 
W. A. WILDE & CO., PUBLISHERS. 
 
 P 
 
 ELOUBET'S SELECT AZOTES. By F. N. Pelou- 
 BET, D. D., and M. A. Peloubet. A Commentary on the Inter- 
 national Sunday-School Lessons. Illustrated. 340 pp. Cloth, 
 
 11.25. 
 
 This commentary is the one book every teacher must have in order to do the best 
 work. It interprets the scripture, illustrates the truths, and by striking comments con- 
 vinces the mind. 
 
 It is comprehensive, and yet not verbose, and furnishes winnovt'ed material in the 
 most attractive and yet convincing form from both spiritual and practical standpoints. 
 Accurate colored maps and profuse original illustrations illuminate the text, and create 
 an intelligent and instructive view of the subject matter. 
 
 Teachers are invited to send for sample pages of Select Notes. 
 
 It is safe to say that no better help on the International Lessons has ever been 
 printed than Select Notes. — Christian at Work. 
 
 We know of no other book that fills the place of Select Notes. — Golden Rule. 
 
 Teachers and scholars have coine to regard Select Notes as an essential part of their 
 annual Sunday-school outfit. — Cnmberlaiid I'reshyterian. 
 
 Select Notes has become as much of an institution as the International Lessons. — 
 Advance. 
 
 Select Notes is current everywhere. Among the many books issued as helps to the 
 study of the Sunday-school lessons this is the best. — Messiah's Herald. 
 
 TJ7A YS OF WORKING ; or. Helpful Hints to Siaiday- 
 
 School Workers of all Kinds. By Rev. A. F. Schauffler, 
 
 D. D. 212 pp. Cloth, $1.00. 
 
 All the methods of <vork suggested in the following pages have been tried and ap- 
 proved by the author. There is nothing that is merely theoretical. Many things other 
 than those alluded to have also been tried, and, having proved failures, have been laid 
 aside. Nothing but what came through the fire of experience unscathed has been 
 dwelt upon. Not all the methods recommended have been originated by the author. 
 In fact, the land was ransacked during the time of his actual superintendency for help- 
 ful methods, and wherever these were found they were adopted. Sometimes they had 
 to be adapted, as well as adopted, and this will probably be the case in many schools 
 who try to take up with some of the forms suggested. But if the suggestions given here 
 serve to stimulate others in the line of advance, the aim of the book will have been 
 ?ccomplished. — A idhor''s Pre/ace. 
 
 Cr'HE GOSPELS COMBINED. Compiled by Rev. 
 Charles H. Pope. 208 pp. Cloth, 75c. 
 
 Parallel passages blended, and separate accounts connected; presenting in one con- 
 tinuous narrative the life of Jesus Christ as told by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 
 
 This book will be the best help to a clear connected view of the life and words of 
 our Lord. Just the thing for every Sunday-school Teacher and Bible Class Student. 
 
 cr'HE BEACON LLGHT SERLES. By Natalie L. 
 
 Rice. Illustrated. Each vol. 96 pp. 
 
 A collection of bright, attractive stories from the best known writers for young 
 people in the Junior and Intermediate classes. The set, 5 vols., in a box, ;j2.5o. 
 
 D 
 
 OrS LIBRARY. Edited by Lucy Wheelock. 
 
 Without question the most delightful set of books for little ones. Over 400 
 illustrations. The set, 10 vols., in a box, $2.50. 
 
 BOSTON, W. A. WILDE & CO., 25 BROMFIELD ST. 
 
RARE BOOK 
 COLLECTION 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 AT 
 
 CHAPEL HILL 
 
 Wilmer 
 836 
 
f, ,.,. hn . 
 
 "ii.ti' 
 
 
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