Blue Gray at Sea by Brian M. Thomsen

Author:Brian M. Thomsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-11-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter VI.

THE HATTERAS PRISONERS ON BOARD; AT KINGSTON, JAMAICA; TROUBLE WITH JACK; ADIEU TO FORT ROYAL; FORAGING FOR PROVISIONS; BAFFLING WINDS; A CARGO OF WINES AND LIQUORS; ENEMIES’ SHIPS GETTING SCARCE; DISPOSING OF PRISONERS AT SEA; IN THE BRAZILIAN HIGH ROAD; WASHING DAYS FOR JACK.

We are now bowling along, steam and sail, for Kingston, Jamaica, where it is proposed to land the officers and crew of the Hatteras. The weather soon after leaving the coast sets in squally with rain, the wind veering ahead. We let steam go down, and battle with it under sail. This is bad, as we have in prisoners a force fully equal to our own, and though on parole, we are anxious to land them as quickly as possible. The strict watch kept over them is very wearing to officers and men, who must sleep at all times on their arms. We were ten days on the passage to Kingston. Capt. Blake was the guest of Semmes, and the remainder of the officers of the Hatteras were distributed as to rank in the ward room and two steerages. We found our prisoner officers a rather jolly set; and the time passed very pleasantly, barring the vilianous weather. Porter, the Hatteras’s executive officer, seemed to take quite a fancy to me, having known my father intimately. He would keep nearly all my watches with me, pacing the deck and talking of old times. I did everything possible to cheer and reassure him, giving his officers and crew full credit for doing all they could under the circumstances, having to contend against a ship much more powerful than theirs, and from constant practice more efficient in handling her battery. I was amused to observe the blank surprise of Porter when informed that grog was only served to the seamen on our vessel, the officers being positively disallowed it. However, upon being informed that his officers were not included in the list, and that our captain had plenty of it for entertaining purposes, he laughingly said, “Well, I suppose we must play the rôle of apparent selfishness.” Porter greatly admired the speed and seaworthy qualities of our ship, and thought she would cause the ship-owners of the North immense direct as well as indirect loss; and he looked for bitter disappointment, if not censure, from the country, at the result of the late engagement,—the Hatteras not even being able to cripple us,—and thought it would be no enviable position to command any vessel sent in pursuit of us. He considered the Alabama the most complete ship afloat, all and all, for the purpose in hand. The paymaster of the Hatteras was most excellent company. He was my roommate. I remember his first remark as he was ushered into our ward room. “Well,” he said, “boys, I’ll be d—d if we hadn’t a cast-iron atmosphere in our engine-room! I was stationed there, and shell after shell exploded until the air smelt of iron fragments! I don’t want any more

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