not take our
departure for Wilmington till January the 19th; having on board as
passengers General Preston and staff, returning from Europe.

Our voyage across was very rough, and the night of our approach to New
Inlet Bar was dark and rainy. Between one and two o'clock in the
morning, as we were feeling our way with the lead, a light was
discovered nearly ahead and a short distance from us. As we drew closer
in and "sheered" the Chameleon, so as to bring the light abeam, I
directed our signal officer to make the regular signal. No reply was
made to it, although many lights now began to appear looming up through
the drizzling rain. These were undoubtedly camp fires of the United
States troops outside of Fort Fisher; but it never occurred to me as
possible, that a second attack could have been made, and successfully in
the brief period of time which had elapsed since our departure from
Wilmington. Believing that I had made some error in my day's
observations, the Chameleon was put to sea again, as the most prudent
course in the emergency. The night was too far spent to allow of any
delay. Orders were therefore given to go at full speed, and by daylight
we had made an offing of forty or fifty miles from the coast. Clear and
pleasant weather enabled me to establish our position accurately--it was
my invariable custom, at sea, during the war, to take my own
observations--and early in the night we made the Mound Light ahead, for
which I had shaped our course. The range lights were showing, and we
crossed the bar without interference, but without a suspicion of
anything wrong, as it would occasionally happen, under particularly
favorable circumstances, that we would cross the bar without even seeing
a blockader. We were under the guns of Fort Fisher in fact, and close
to the fleet of United States vessels, which had crossed the bar after
the fall of the fort, when I directed my signal officer to communicate
with the shore station. His signal was promptly answered, but turning to
me, he said, "No Confederate signal officer there, sir; he cannot reply
to me." The order to wear round was instantly obeyed; not a moment too
soon, for the bow of the Chameleon was scarcely pointed for the bar
before two of the light cruisers were plainly visible in pursuit,
steaming with all speed to intercept us. Nothing saved us from capture
but the twin screws, which enabled our steamer to turn as upon a pivot
in the narrow channel between the ba