Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 25.djvu/123

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NIK ' SHENANDOAH'S" OFFICERS.

Lieut. Jamrs |. Wadddl, of North Carolina, commanded her, with Linits. W. C. Whittle, Virginia; John Grimball, South Carolina; Sidney S. Lee, Virginia; F. T. Chew, Missouri; I). M. Scales, Mis- ippi; Surgeon, Charles E. Lining, South Carolina; Master, Irvine S. Bulloch, Georgia; Paymaster, W. B. Smith, Louisiana; Assistant Surgeon, T. J. McNulty, Maryland; Passed Midshipmen, O. A. Browne and J. T. Mason, both of Virginia, and Chief Engineer, M. O'Brien, Louisiana: and three Master's Mates, three Assistant En- gineers, and four Forward Officers. With a few exceptions, the officers had been in the United States navy, from which they had re- signed as their respective States seceded.

As soon as we cut adrift from the Laurel the officers and men turned in together and worked side by side to get things straight, for the guns, supplies, etc., had been to some extent dumped upon our decks. But with such working material it was not many days before the guns were mounted, port holes cut, magazine built and ammu- nition stored and order took the place of confusion.

A METAMORPHOSED MERCHANTMAN.

The Shenandoah had been a merchantman at one time engaged in the East India trade. She was a full-rigged ship, 220 feet long, thirty-five feet beam, with iron masts and lower yards. She carried royal studding sails, and was rigged with patent reefing topsails (that is, you reefed the sail by lowering the yard), and her standing rig- ging was of wire. Her engines were small, and only intended to assist in case of calm. When not in use, her propeller could be hoisted out of the water and her smokestack lowered like a telescope flush with the deck. Under favorable circumstances, she could steam ten knots and sail sixteen. Her armament consisted of eight broad- side guns, namely: four eight-inch shell guns, two thirty-two pound Whitworth and two twelve-pounders.

FIRST PRIZE CAPTURED.

We captured our first prize on the 3oth of October. She was the bark Alina, loaded with railroad iron, bound for Buenos Ayres. It was her first voyage. The estimated value of the ship and cargo was $95,000. As all ports were closed against our prizes, we scuttled this one, and any grief or regret at seeing a new ship, complete in all of its appointments, suddenly sent to the bottom while on a peace-