THE ATTEMPT TO PASS INTO MOBILE BAY
The tug appeared to be one of the craft which had been hastily prepared
for service, and she did not look like a formidable vessel. Captain
Breaker was sure he could blow her out of the water with his heavy guns,
on an emergency; but this would be bad policy, and he did not propose to
do any thing of this kind.
He was not as confident as Captain Passford and his son were that the
plan adopted would be an entire success, with the assistance of Percy;
but there could be no harm in trying it. He intended to pass as near
Fort Gaines as possible, for it was not probable that the works were
yet in the best condition; and two miles from Fort Morgan, which was
doubtless much stronger, would afford a better chance of escaping any
shots fired from it.
As the Bellevite approached the channel, where there could not be more
than a foot of water under her keel, Christie came on deck, followed by
Percy. The latter wore a sort of naval uniform, which his instructor had
borrowed for him from his own stock. It fitted him well; for he was no
larger than the owner's son, though he was two years older.
Percy was to be on duty, on board of the steamer, as a Confederate agent
taking the vessel into the bay for service. He was not a little inflated
by the position which had been assigned to him, though he had no powers
whatever, except in appearance. He had been instructed to conduct
himself boldly, and to insist that the vessel was in his charge, when
she was boarded by officers from the tug or from the fort. His very
nature inclined him to play this part to the best advantage.
The blockade had been established at some of the northern ports of the
seceded States, but not yet at the cities on the Gulf of Mexico; and
the only real obstacle to the passage of the Bellevite into the bay
consisted of the two forts, for the tug-boats were not regarded as of
any consequence to an armed steamer of great speed like the Bellevite,
"We are approaching the shoal water now," said Captain Breaker to Mr.
Vapoor, as the steamer came near the south-eastern end of Pelican
Island. "We may take the ground, for the shoals have an ugly trick of
changing their position. Let her go at about half speed."
"Half speed, sir," replied the chief engineer, as he descended to the
engine-room.
"Is it fully high tide now, Breaker?" asked Captain Passford, who was
watching the movements of the vessel with the most intense interest, for
it seemed to him that the critical moment in his enterprise had come.
"Not quite; it will not be full sea for about half an hour," replied the
commander. "If we take the ground, we shall have some small chance of
getting off.--Mr. Dashington."
"On duty, sir," responded the first officer.
"Beeks has the wheel, I believe?"
"Yes; and Thayer is with him."
"They are both reliable men; but I wish you would stand by the helm,
and see that the steamer is headed directly towards the eastern end of
Dauphine Island. That will give us the deepest water till we get to the
spit. Have a man in the port and starboard chains with directions to
sound as fast as possible."
"Mr. Blowitt," called the first officer, "let a hand sound in the port
and starboard chains, and look out for it yourself, if you please."
The second officer went forward and the first officer aft, each to
perform the duties assigned to him by the captain. The speed of the
Bellevite had been reduced, and she was going along at a very easy rate.
The tug was some distance beyond Fort Gaines when she was first seen,
and she seemed to be incapable of making more than six knots an hour.
The steamer had taken on board all the coal it was possible for her to
stow away in her bunkers, and a large supply had been put into the hold;
but she had used a considerable portion of it in her rapid passage,
though she had still an abundant supply for her return voyage. The
reduction in the quantity had made her draught somewhat less, and the
owner and captain hoped she would get through the channel.
But the thought had hardly passed through their minds before the
Bellevite came to a sudden stop, and her keel was heard grinding on
the bottom. Mr. Vapoor heard the sound in the engine-room, and felt the
jar; and before any bell came to him, he had stopped the machine, and
reversed it so as to check the steamer's headway.
"Run her back with all the steam you can crowd on, Mr. Vapoor," said
Captain Breaker, as he hastened to the door of the engine-room.
"I don't think she hit the ground very hard, captain," added the chief
engineer.
"No; she will come off. The ground has shifted since I was here last,"
said the captain of the vessel.
But it was half an hour before she yielded to the pressure brought to
bear upon her, and then only because a few inches had been added by the
tide to the depth of water. She went back, and came into depth enough to
give her a foot under her keel.
"It don't look very hopeful," said Captain Passford, as he joined the
commander at the door of the engine-room.
"Oh, I think we shall be all right now!" replied Captain Breaker very
cheerfully. "I have found where the shoal is now, and I know where to
find deeper water.--Keep her going astern, Mr. Vapoor."
"A boat from the fort, sir," reported a messenger, who had been sent aft
by the second officer on the forecastle.
"That looks like an inquiry into our business here," added the owner.
"Now we are all right," said the commander, who was watching the
position of the vessel very carefully. "I must go to the wheel, and look
out for the course myself."
Again the Bellevite went ahead; and she soon reached a point half way
between the two forts, and her speed was reduced to not more than three
knots. But the tug was approaching, and the worst part of the channel
was still to be attempted. The two men in the chains reported the depth
as rapidly as they could heave the lead, and it was soon evident that
the steamer could not pass the extensive bar to the westward of the
ship-channel.
"Steamer ahoy!" shouted the captain of the tug, as he stopped his screw
within hailing-distance of the Bellevite.
"Reply to that hail, Mr. Percy," said the commander to the young
gentleman in uniform. "You must do all the talking."
"I shall be very happy to do it, and I think I can do it to your
satisfaction," replied Percy confidently.
"Jump up on the rail nearest to the tug, where you can see and hear."
"I am not much of a sailor, Captain Breaker, and I don't pretend to be
one," added Percy. "What shall I say to the captain of that boat?"
"On board of the tug!" shouted the agent of his father, after the
commander had instructed him in regard to his speech.
"What steamer is that?" demanded the master of the tug.
Captain Breaker instructed him in what manner to make his reply, though
he did not tell him what to say. The young man was to explain the
character of the vessel as he understood it; and neither the commander
nor the owner was disposed to indulge in any unnecessary strategetical
falsehood, though they felt that they could do so in the service of the
Union.
"The Bellevite from Nassau," replied Percy.
"Is she a Federal vessel?" inquired the captain of the tug with the
greatest simplicity.
"A Federal vessel!" exclaimed Percy, evidently expressing by his manner
some of the indignation he felt. "Do you mean to insult me, sir?"
"No, I do not mean to insult you; but it becomes necessary for me to
ascertain something more in regard to the steamer," returned the other.
"Where are you from?"
"I told you the vessel was from Nassau."
"But she don't hail from Nassau. Where did she come from before that?"
"From Bermuda," answered Percy, as instructed.
"But she don't belong to Bermuda."
The volunteer agent of the Confederate cause was not able to answer any
questions in this direction, and the commander did not tell him what
more to say.
"Can you tell me who is in command of Fort Gaines at the present time?"
demanded Percy, branching out on his own account.
"I can; but I want you to tell me something more about the steamer,
before I answer any questions. Is the steamer armed?"
"She is armed; and she could blow your tug into ten thousand pieces
in four minutes if she should open upon you," added Percy; and the
listeners were of the opinion that he was beginning to use strong
speech.
"That may be; but with a fort on each side of you, I don't think you
will get into the bay in broad daylight," said the captain of the tug.
"The commander of Fort Gaines is in that boat, and I suppose he is
coming off to examine the steamer. As you are not disposed to answer my
questions, you can wait for him; but if you try to get into the bay, you
will find that a shot from both forts can reach you."
"I am an agent of the Confederate government, and my father has been
sent to Nassau to obtain vessels for our navy," continued Percy, as he
saw that the boat from the fort was still some distance from the vessel.
"Why didn't you say so before?" demanded the captain of the tug rather
impatiently. "Of course you have some papers from the agent at Nassau,
to show what the vessel is."
"Not a single paper; he had no time to give me any."
"Who is the agent?"
The question was evidently put as a test; for if the young agent, as
the captain could see that he was, gave a known name, it would be some
evidence that he told the truth.
"Colonel Richard Pierson; and he is my father."
"Your father!" exclaimed the other, evidently impressed with the fact,
and his tone was more respectful.
"You can come on board and see her for yourself," suggested Percy,
prompted by the commander; for there was nothing on board to betray her
true character, the guns having been concealed.
"I will not do that, as the commander of the fort will soon be here, and
he may make the examination for himself. But perhaps you will be willing
to give me your name?" added the captain.
"My name is Percy Pierson; and, as I told you, I am the son of Colonel
Richard Pierson."
"Then you are the brother of Major Pierson, who is in command of Fort
Gaines. I think it must be all right."
"Of course it is all right. Do you think I would bring a vessel into
this bay if she were not all right?" inquired Percy with becoming
indignation.
"I suppose you have heard there is going to be a war, and it is
necessary to find out what vessels go into the bay," said the captain of
the tug, when he had brought his craft quite near the steamer. "That is
a very fine vessel."
"It is the fastest and strongest steamer that floats, and she will give
a good account of herself when the trouble begins in earnest."
"Here comes the boat from the fort, and I see that Major Pierson is in
the stern sheets. I have no doubt he will find you all right," said the
captain.
The boat came alongside of the Bellevite, and the major went on board.