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records of the blockade. Both among the officers of the
blockading-fleets, and the commanders of the runners, were found great
courage and fine seamanship. One fact is particularly noticeable to
the student of the blockade: an English captain running the blockade
would never dare the dangers that a Confederate would brave without a
tremor. A Confederate captain would rush his ship through the hostile
fleet, and stick to her until she sunk; while an Englishman would run
his ship ashore, and take to the woods. The cases of the "Hattie,"
commanded by H. S. Lebby, a Confederate, and the "Princess Royal," a
fine, staunch, iron steamer, with an English commander and crew, are
typical. The "Hattie" was the last runner to enter or leave Charleston
Harbor. She was a small, swift steamer; but she made more successful
trips than any other runner. Men living in Charleston to-day, who were
interested in the work of this little vessel during the war, say that
her cargoes were worth at least fifty millions of dollars. She had
numerous narrow escapes, but was never captured. Her reputation was
such that the Confederate authorities selected her as the vessel to
bring in army supplies and ammunition, and at least three battles were
fought with ammunition brought in her hold. Her last entrance to
Charleston was one night in February, 1865. Eighteen Federal vessels
lay anchored off the harbor, and for a runner to venture in seemed
madness. But the captain of the "Hattie" was used to taking desperate
chances, and he proposed to enter that harbor. The ship had been
freshly painted a blue-white, and as she drifted along the water, with
all lights out, looked like a bank of mist. She was within two hundred
yards of the outer row of blockaders before her presence was detected.
Suddenly fire was opened on her from the nearest gunboat, and in an
instant the air was full of rockets announcing her presence. The
little vessel had no means of retaliation: all there was for her to do
was to dash through the fire and make for the city. Steam was crowded
on; and she flew up the channel, running the gauntlet of the fleet,
and escaping almost untouched. Then came the real peril. Just below
Fort Sumter were two barges anchored in the channel, and filled with
armed men. Past these she dashed, her great speed saving her from
boarding; but she received the fire of both boats, which wounded
several of her crew, and cut off the fingers of the pilot's hand
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