Between the 15th of August and the 21st of October, 1863, the Federal
fleet known as the "North American Blockading Squadron" drove ashore
five blockade runners between New Inlet and Masonboro--the _Arabian_
inside the bar of New Inlet, which became an obstruction to our ships
trying to pass her; the beautiful steamer _Hebe_ near Masonboro Inlet,
the _Phantom_, the _Douro_, and the _Venus_ near each other off
Masonboro Sound.
As her classical name implies, the _Hebe_ was a fine example of marine
architecture. She was loaded with a full cargo of drugs, coffee,
clothing, and provisions, and although she was a fast ship of 14 knots,
she seems to have made a bad landfall on the morning of the 18th of
August, 1863, and while she was heading for New Inlet, distant about
eight miles, she was intercepted by the Federal gunboat _Niphon_, when
she up helm and ran ashore, the crew escaping in boats.
When the Federals attempted to haul the _Hebe_ off the beach after
she had run ashore, they met with formidable resistance by the
Confederates. Owing to a heavy sea the _Niphon's_ boat was driven
ashore and the Federals were attacked by a troop of Confederate cavalry
and all of them were captured. A Confederate force of riflemen,
supported by a battery of Whitworth guns, also attacked the cruiser
_Niphon_ from the shore and drove the blockader away from the _Hebe_,
but not before the Confederate had destroyed another Federal boat load
of the enemy which attempted to land. The _Niphon_ and the _Shokokon_,
the latter under the command of the celebrated Lieut. W.B. Cushing,
then bombarded the _Hebe_ and set her on fire.
On August 24, 1863, General Whiting, in command of the Confederate
forces at Wilmington headquarters, sent to the Secretary of War, Mr.
Seddon, the following account of the _Hebe_ disaster:
"Headquarters,
"_Wilmington, August 24, 1863_.
"Sir: * * * Yesterday the enemy took a fancy to destroy what remained
of the wreck of the _Hebe_, a Crenshaw steamer run ashore some days
ago, and from which a company of the garrison of Fort Fisher was
engaged in saving property. The steam frigate _Minnesota_ and five
other gunboats approached the beach, and, under a terrific fire,
attempted to land, but were gallantly repulsed by Captain Munn, with a
Whitworth and two small rifle guns of short range. The site was about
nine miles from Fisher, on the narrow and low beach between the sounds
and the ocean, and completely under the fire of the enormous batteries
of the enemy. A portion of the squadron, steaming farther up the beach,
effected a landing some two miles off in largely superior force, and
came down upon Captain Munn, still gallantly fighting his little
guns against the _Minnesota_, they being moved by hand, and, having
fired his last round, the Whitworths disabled, one gunner killed, a
lieutenant and four men wounded, Captain Munn and his small party were
compelled to fall back under a heavy enfilade fire toward Fort Fisher,
with the loss of his guns.
"This took place about nine miles from Fort Fisher and about the same
distance from the city. The narrow beach, separated from the mainland
by the sounds, gives every facility to the enemy, and secures them from
us who are without boats or means of getting at them. The Fiftieth
(North Carolina) Regiment--the only one I have--was off at a distance,
called by a landing made by the enemy at Topsail, in which they burned,
the night before, a schooner, a salt work, and took two artillerymen
prisoners.
"These little affairs, however, are only mentioned in illustration.
This is the first time they have landed; but what they have done once
they can do again and doubtless will. There is no day scarcely until
the winter gales set in but what they could put 5,000 men on the beach;
they can get them from New Berne and Beaufort before I could know it.
I only say if they do they can get either Fort Fisher or the towns, as
they elect, if they set about it at once.
"The efforts of the enemy to stop our steamers are increasing. Their
force is largely increased. I have met with a serious and heavy loss
in that Whitworth, a gun that in the hands of the indefatigable Lamb
has saved dozens of vessels and millions of money to the Confederate
States. I beg that a couple of the Whitworth guns originally saved
by him from the _Modern Greece_ may be sent here at once. Their long
range, five or six miles, makes them most suitable for a seaboard
position. Could I get them with horses we could save many a vessel that
will now be lost to us. But chiefly in this letter I beg of you, if you
concur in my views, to lay the matter of the necessity of increasing
the force here before the President.
"Very respectfully,
"W.H.C. Whiting,
"_Major General_.
"Hon. James A. Seddon,
"_Secretary War, Richmond_."
A Port of Refuge.
The natural advantages of Wilmington at the time of the War between
the States made it an ideal port for blockade runners, there being two
entrances to the river--New Inlet on the north and Western or Main Bar
on the south of Cape Fear.
The slope of our beach is very gradual to deep water. The soundings
along the coast are regular, and the floor of the ocean is remarkably
even. A steamer hard pressed by the enemy could run along the outer
edge of the breakers without great risk of grounding; the pursuer,
being usually of deeper draft, was obliged to keep farther off shore.