Among Confederates.
Fortunately the smoke of the blockaders disappeared on the horizon, and we steamed up to the entrance of
Georgetown, but on going in we got aground on the bar. Sending out a boat to take soundings, I observed a boat pulling around a point of land inside filled with armed men. At the same moment a body of horsemen came down to the beach.
Not knowing but that this port also had fallen into the hands of the enemy, I called my boat alongside, and made such preparations for defense as I could devise.
When close enough, the boat hailed up to know what ship it was. I answered by asking whether they were Federals or Confederates.
Their reply was: ‘We are South Carolinians,’ and I answered:
‘This is the
Confederate States' steamer
Nashville,’ which at first they seemed to discredit.
Finally they approached, and I was told by the officer in command that
Colonel Manigault, who was commanding ashore, had directed that if it was a Confederate vessel I should hoist another flag under the one already up. I told him I had no other except the
United States flag, and that might mislead him. I then told him that I needed a pilot.
He readily and very quickly pulled ashore and returned with one, bringing me a message from
Colonel Manigault that I could place implicit confidence in him, to let him take the ship up to
Georgetown, and requested me to come ashore and confer with him. In the meantime, the
Nashville, having been gotten afloat by me, was placed in charge of this pilot and steamed up to
Georgetown.
I went ashore and was received by
Colonel Manigault, of the
South Carolina forces, with a hearty welcome and with cheers from his troops.
Colonel Manigault inquired whether I had seen the blockaders off
Georgetown.
I replied that I had seen their smoke going off up the coast; whereupon he informed me that this was the first day for many weeks that they had absented themselves from
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their post in front of the harbor.
I proceeded at once to
Richmond and reported to
S. R. Mallory,
Secretary of the Navy, who directed me to return to
Charleston and confer with
Messrs. Fraser,
Trenholm & Co., the purchasers of the vessel, and to take all necessary steps to effect her transfer to them as speedily as possible.
I went to
Charleston, and in concert with them or their agents, the business was closed, they giving the command of the ship, at my request, to
Captain Gooding.
Being unable to carry out any cargo on account of the bar, she sailed in ballast, having taken on coal and such crew as could be secured for her. She left
Georgetown in the broad light of day, flying the
Confederate flag, before the blockaders returned to port.
