Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/169

 f the. Blo<-liil<. 161

inlet was frit for with a deep-sea lead as a blind man feels his way along a familiar path, and even when the enemy's fire was raking the wheel-house, the faithful pilot, with steady hand, and iron nerve, ly steered the little fugitive of the sea to her desired haven. It might be said of him, as of the Nantucket skipper, that he could get his IK-HI 'in^> on the darkest night by a taste of the lead.

Let us recall the names of some of the noted blockade-runners and their pilots, so well known in Smithville about thirty years ago.

A HERO INDEED.

Steamer Cornubia, afterwards called the Lady Davis, C. C. Morse; steamer Giraffe, afterwards known as the R. E. Lee, Archibald Guthrie; steamer Fannie, Henry Howard; steamer Hansa, J. N. Burruss; steamer City of Petersburg, Joseph Bensel; steamer Old Dominion, Richard Dosher; steamer Alice, Joseph Springs; steamer Margaret and Jessie, Charles W. Craig; steamer Hebe, George W. Burruss; steamer Advance, C. C. Morse; steamer Pet, T. W. Craig; steamer Atalanta, Thomas M. Thompson, steamer Eugenia, T. W. Newton; steamer Ella and Annie, J. M. Adkins; steamer Banshee, Thomas Burruss; steamer Venus, R. Sellers; steamer Don, William St. George; steamer, Lynx, J. W. Craig; steamer Let Her Be, T. J. Burruss; steamer Little Hattie, R. S. Grissom; steamer Lilian, Thomas Grissom; steamer North Heath, Julius Dosher; steamer Let Her Rip, E. T. Burruss; steamer Beauregard, J. W. Potter; steamer Owl, T. B. Garrason, steamer Agnes Fry, Thomas Dyer; steamer Kate, C. C. Morse; steamer Sirene; John Hill; steamer Calypso, C. G. Smith; steamer Ella, John Savage; steamer Condor, Thomas Brinkman; steamer Cognetta, E. T. Daniels; steamer Mary Celeste, J. W. Anderson. Many other steamers might be named, among them the Brittanica, Emma, Dee, Antonica, Victory, Granite City, Stonewall Jackson, Flora, Havelock, Hero, Eagle, Duoro, Thistle, Scotia, Gertrude, Charleston, Colonel Lamb, Dolphin, and Dream, whose pilots' names may or may not be among those already recalled. These are noted here from memory, for there is no record extant. All of these men were exposed to constant danger, and one of them, J. W. Anderson, of the Mary Celeste, died a hero's death. Shortly after leaving the port of Nassau on his last voyage, he was stricken down by yellow-fever. The captain at once proposed to put the ship about and return to the Bahamas, but his brave pilot said: " No; you may proceed; I will do my best to get you into port, even if it