March 15, 1863, The New York Herald
Our Port Royal Correspondence.
PORT ROYAL, S.C., March 7, 1863.
The gunboat Conemaugh, Lieutenant Commander Eastman, accomplished a very clever thing last week while on her post off Georgetown, S.C. A steamer was discovered one morning making her way towards the entrance of the North Santee, which lies to the north of the Georgetown shoals, with the intention of running into that river, which has not recently been covered by a blockade, in consequence of the almost utter impossibility of any vessel, save small flat bottomed ones, of crossing the bar, which has but a few feet of water on it and is always dangerous. It would seem that the Conemaugh was discovered by the stranger about the time she was made out by the latter, and the former, fearing chase and capture, from which she was not likely to escape, was headed for the shore and run on it at full speed. The captain, officers and crew immediately took to their boats and landed, after having set fire to the after part of the vessel. Lieutenant Commander Eastman immediately sent boats to her, which reached her after the fire was nearly extinguished. They found her totally deserted and, after having entirely extinguished the flames, began an examination of the ship and her cargo. She was found to be a new style of Clyde built iron steamer, named the Queen of the Wave, and loaded with a valuable cargo of merchandise and powder. The former, being in the after hold, was partially destroyed, but the powder, stowed forward, was in uninjured and in good condition. Fortunately for the ship the fire had not extended forward, or she would have been blown to atoms. The Queen of the Wave was evidently built for a blockade runner and to ply to ports where vessels of only the lightest draught could enter. She is of five or six hundred tons burden and draws only five feet when loaded. She is the lightest draught steamer that has yet attempted to run the blockade, and shows conclusively that the neutral English and the rebels have determined to introduce that style in preference to those of ordinary draught, which can only enter ports now closely blockaded.
It is doubtful whether her hull will be saved, but the Wissahickon has been sent up to endeavor to save her engine – a splendid one – the powder and the balance of her undamaged cargo. We shall probably be successful in this, and save enough to furnish handsome prize money to the Conemaugh. The boat which boarded the Queen of the Wave returned to the Conemaugh at night, and on the following morning Lieutenant Commander Eastman sent up the launch, with a howitzer and a cutter, to take and hold possession of the vessel and to prevent wreckers from Georgetown reaching her and removing the cargo. When the boats neared her it was discovered that some persons were on board. Covering her with the howitzer, men were quickly put on board, and found there a lieutenant and six men of a South Carolina regiment, who immediately surrendered. They had come down to hold the vessel for the Confederate government against unauthorized wreckers and to get ashore the most valuable part of the cargo. The prisoners were brought down here and placed under guard on the Wabash. We now hold possession of the ship, and when everything valuable is secured she will be destroyed.
The vessel and cargo were worth about $250,000 – a loss which falls upon some enterprising Englishman who thinks the blockade is imperfect. He will doubtless change his opinion when he learns of the success of his last venture in breaking it.
The gunboat Potomska, Lieutenant Budd commanding, captured the schooner Bell (British) off Sapelo, Georgia, while attempting to run the blockade. She is loaded with coffee, salt, copperas, &c. Her value is about $10,000. Sapelo is a bad place to run into now-a-days.
The steamer Blenville arrived on last Thursday, towing the Monitor Catskill, Commander George Rogers. The Catskill came in in first rate condition, experiencing no great difficulty in the trip down. We are now looking for the Keokuk, Commander Rhind, which will materially strengthen our iron-mailed fleet.