One of the regular passenger and freight boats which ran between New
Orleans and Galveston before the war was named _Atlantic_. She became a
famous blockade runner under her original name, which was changed later
to _Elizabeth_.
I think she was commanded for several voyages by the celebrated
Capt. Thomas J. Lockwood of Southport and Charleston, whose capable
brother-in-law, George C. McDougal, was her chief engineer. Mr.
McDougal was a man of fine qualities, quiet and retiring in his
demeanor. He made in various steamers sixty successful runs through
the blockade. For more than twenty-five years after the war I enjoyed
the privilege of his intimate confidences, and I have no hesitation
in saying that he was to my mind the most remarkable man who had been
engaged in blockade running.
On the 19th of September, 1863, the _Elizabeth_ sailed from Nassau with
a general cargo, mostly steel and saltpeter, bound for Wilmington,
but through some unknown cause ran ashore at Lockwood's Folly, twelve
miles from Fort Caswell. The captain set her on fire and burned her on
the 24th, the crew escaping to the shore. A man who gave his name as
Norris or Morris was captured, second officer on the _Douro_, stranded
October 12, 1863, and he told the commander of the cruiser _Nansemond_
that he was a Federal spy and that he was on the _Elizabeth_ when she
was stranded, and he exhibited eight ounces of laudanum and two ounces
of chloroform which he said he bought in Nassau to put in the whisky
and water of the firemen of the _Elizabeth_ and of the _Douro_ so as
to cause the capture of these vessels, but he did not explain why the
_Elizabeth_ went ashore while he was in her.