Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/231

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M-l to the Conli-di -rate States agent. However, the vessel was bonjj lit by Denmark, which country was then at war with Austria and Prus- si.i. Tin- D.IIK-S rim.Tgrd from hostilities in a bankrupt condition, ami the Stonewall, whii-h had never been paid for, was thrown back on the hands of the French firm.

A plan was conceived by the Confederate authorities to obtain possession of the vessel, which lay at Copenhagen. Captain Page and Lieutenant Robert R. Carter, a son of the late Hill Carter, of Shirley, who were in Europe, were directed to proceed to Copen- hagen with the agent of the ship-builders, who was sent to take possession of the vessel. Technically the two Confederate officers were passengers when the Stonewall sailed from Copenhagen for France.

The plans of the Confederates contemplated thejuncture of another vessel, carrying a crew of fighters, with the Stonewall, off the west coast of France. The City of Richmond, a trading vessel, owned by the Crenshaws, of this city, was then at London. Dr. Green and other officers, together with a crew of 100, boarded the City of Rich- mond, which proceeded to the west coast of France, reaching Quiberon bay. The Stonewall arrived a day later, and her crew of Danes were put off on the French coast, their places being taken by the. crew shipped on the City of Richmond.

Proceeding south, the Confederate vessel, officered, manned and armed, ran into the bay on the coast of Spain, at the head of which was a navy yard at Ferrol, and at the mouth of which the town of Corunna stood guard. While the Stonewall was at Ferrol, the Fed- eral war vessels, the Niagara and Sacramento, under command of Commodore Thomas T. Craven, put into the bay. Leaving ahead of the Stonewall, the two Federal boats cruised about the mouth of the bay, off Corunna, until the Confederate vessel came out. Un- doubtedly the Federal commander had intended to give battle, but his heart failed him.' Captain Page, on the contrary, beat back and forth in front of the silent enemy, challenging combat. There was no response.

Several days later the Stonewall went into the harbor of Lisbon, and on emerging found Craven's vessels again. In view of his re- fusal to fight off Corunna, the presence of Commodore Craven at Lisbon was regarded as purely accidental and unintentional. The enemy's boats were prepared for fight port holes open and men at quarters. Captain Page ordered his vessel cleared for action, too. He then proceeded leisurely past the two Federal vessels, his three guns keeping silent those of the enemy.