This Confederate blockade runner I remember as a fine ship and very
successful. She was of the old American type of passenger and mail
boat, 516 tons, known previously as the _Herald_. So regular and
reliable in her runs was she that I recall a remark of one of her
officers that it was only necessary to start her engine, put her on her
course for either Wilmington or Nassau, lash her wheel, and she would
go in and out by herself.
She ran several times in and out of Charleston, where she was
registered carrying 1,000 to 1,200 bales of cotton and some tobacco.
She was commanded on her last voyage by Capt. W.F. Adair, who reported
that on the night of the 19th of December, 1863, the _Antonica_ made
the land at Little River Inlet, the dividing line between North
Carolina and South Carolina, and stood to the eastward of Lockwood's
Folly Inlet and waited until the moon set at 2.30 a.m., when he
attempted to run the blockade at Cape Fear Bar, but in trying to pass
the blockader _Governor Buckingham_ was forced ashore on Frying Pan
Shoals, and he and his crew, twenty-six all told, were captured while
making for the beach in their own boats.
The _Antonica_ was loaded and bound for Wilmington with a very valuable
cargo of war supplies when she was lost. The wreck still remains on
Frying Pan Shoals.
I recall an interesting episode with reference to the _Antonica_ which
nearly caused a rupture between the British and Federal Governments
while I was with my ship in the British port of Nassau. The incident
was referred to by the late Capt. Michael Usina of Savannah in his most
interesting address many years ago before the Confederate Veterans, and
I repeat it in his words:
"On one occasion I was awakened by the sound of cannon in the early
morning at Nassau, and imagine my surprise to see a Confederate ship
being fired at by a Federal man-of-war. The Confederate proved to be
the _Antonica_, Captain Coxetter, who arrived off the port during the
night, and, waiting for a pilot and daylight, found when daylight did
appear that an enemy's ship was between him and the bar. There was
nothing left for him to do but run the gauntlet and take his fire,
which he did in good shape, some of the shot actually falling into
the harbor. The Federal ship was commanded by Commodore Wilkes, who
became widely known from taking Mason and Slidell prisoners. After the
chase was over Wilkes anchored his ship, and when the Governor sent to
tell him that he must not remain at anchor there he said: 'Tell the
Governor, etc., etc., he would anchor where he pleased.' The military
authorities sent their artillery across to Hog Island, near where he
was anchored, and we Confederates thought the fun was about to begin.
But Wilkes remained just long enough to communicate with the consul and
get what information he wanted, and left."