Almost a panic.
To understand fully the almost-panic effect in these cities, it might be well to say that they had been comparatively free from such a visitation so close at home for about two years; not since the privateer
Jefferson Davis was off the coast.
But lately rumors had been threatening an attack on the
New England coast by the
Alabama and
Florida.
Moreover, this period was the climax of the
Confederacy.
It was straining every nerve in one grand effort.
Stonewall Jackson had made his last, but splendid, march around
Hooker's right flank at
Chancellorsville, doubling him up, and leaving him
hors de combat, and
General Lee, with his victorious legions, was marching triumphantly into
Pennsylvania.
The ironclad
Atlanta had been sent out from
Savannah, Ga., with a view to raising the blockade and making a raid on the
Northern cities, and demonstrations were being made in various directions to tighten the tension and prevent reinforcements from being drawn off to oppose
Lee's advance.
No wonder, then, that affairs looked dark and gloomy, and that the pulse of the
Northern cities beat uneasily.
Meantime, the
Tacony played havoc along the coast.
On the 15th of June, in latitude 37 degrees, 40 minutes, north, longitude 70 degrees, 51 minutes, west, she captured and burned the brig
Umpire, from
Cardenas to
Boston, loaded with sugar and molasses.
On the 20th, in latitude 40 degrees, 50 minutes, west, and longitude 69 degrees, 20 minutes, west, she captured the fine packet-ship
Isaac Webb, from
Liverpool to New York, with 750 passengers, and the fishing-schooner
Micawber.
The latter was burned, but Read being unable to dispose of the large number of passengers of the
Webb, she was bonded for $40,000, and sent in as a cartel to New York.
On the 21st, in latitude 41 degrees, north, longitude 69 degrees, 10 minutes, west, the
Tacony captured and burned the clipper ship
[
278]
Byzantium, loaded with coal, and the bark
Goodspeed, in ballast.
On the 22d, the fishing-schooners
Marengo,
Florence,
Elizabeth Ann,
Rufus Choate, and
Ripple were captured, and all burned except the
Florence, which, being an old vessel, was bonded and sent in as a cartel with seventy-five prisoners.
