Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/80

70 half full of water. Lieut. T. Abbott, the executive officer of the Mercedita, who came in the boat,. . . reported the name of the ship and her captain, said she had 128 souls on board, and that she was in a sinking condition. After some delay, Commodore Ingraham required him to give his word of honor, for his commander, officers and crew, that they would not serve against the Confederate States until regularly exchanged. This he did; it was a verbal parole. He then returned to his ship. In the meantime the Chicora passed us and became warmly engaged."

The Chicora engaged the Keystone State, killing and wounding 40 of her crew. The Keystone State lowered her colors, as her commander acknowledged in his report, and afterward hoisted them again and treacherously made her escape. Her commander, in his official report, complacently spoke of his "destroying and throwing overboard arms and ammunition" after he had surrendered his vessel, ignoring the fact that by the laws of war he was guilty of a dishonorable action.

The Palmetto State, after losing some time with the Mercedita, stood to the eastward and exchanged shots with the Memphis and Quaker City. They soon sheered off, and stood to the southward and eastward. The other vessels of the blockading fleet followed their example. The Palmetto State and Chicora, at 8:45 a - m -> anchored off Sullivan's island. At this time all the enemy's vessels were driven off, and with a marine glass their masts only could be seen, their hulls being invisible. Captain Tucker said in his report: "We pursued them six or seven miles seaward." During the afternoon the Housatonic and some others took position more to the eastward, but remained a long distance off. With their slow speed it was useless for the Confederate ships to pursue them.

General Beauregard and Commodore Ingraham issued a proclamation announcing the blockade broken; but as foreign governments did not concede it, we will not