Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/281

 Cruise of the Clarence, Tacony Archer. 275

north; longitude 71 degrees, 29 minutes, west, he captured and burned the bark Whistling Wind, of Philadelphia, bound to New Orleans, with coal for Rear- Admiral Farragut's squadron. This vessel had been insured by the United States Government for $14,800. On the 7th of June he captured the schooner Alfred H. Partridge, of New York, bound to Matamoras, Mexico. As this vessel was loaded with arms and clothing for citizens of Texas, the captain's bond for $5,000 was taken as a guarantee for the delivery of the cargo to loyal citizens of the Confederate States, and she was allowed to proceed on her journey. On the gth of June the brig Mary Al- vina, from Boston to New Orleans, loaded with commissary stores, was captured and burned.

From the prisoners and papers of the Whistling Wind and Mary Alvina, Read gained information which convinced him that it would be impossible for him to carry out his original intention, as no ves- sels were allowed to go into Hampton Roads unless they had sup- plies for the United States Government, and even then they were closely watched. The vessels lying at the wharf above Fortress Monroe were guarded by a gunboat and sentries on the wharf, whilst just outside of the fort there were two armed boarding steamers, which inspected everything entering the bay, from a dug-out to a frigate. He then determined to cruise along the coast and try to intercept a transport for Fortress Monroe, and with her to carry out his original design.

SUBSTITUTED THE BARK.

On the morning of the i2th of June, in latitude 37 degrees, north; longtitude 75 degrees, 30 minutes, west, almost in sight of the capes of the Chesapeake, the bark Tacony, in ballast from Port Royal, S. C, to Philadelphia, and the schooner M. A. Shindler, of Philadel- phia, were captured. The latter was burned; but Read, who was as full of expedients and resources as Paul Jones himself, with the quick eye of a seaman, saw at a glance that the Tacony was a bet- ter sailer than the Clarence; so he determined to burn the latter and take the bark for his purposes. He immediately set to work to transfer his gun and his small arms to the Tacony, as time was short, and he was almost in the presence of the enemy. Any one familiar with the sea can appreciate the difficulties of such an operation on the rolling deep in a seaway. While the howitzer was being trans- ferred, a schooner was discovered coming down before the wind. A- slu- was passing near the Clarence, a wooden gun was pointed at