Among that devoted band of United States Navy officers whose home and
kindred were in the South at the outbreak of the War, and who resigned
their commissions rather than aid in subjugating their native State,
there was none braver than our own Capt. John Newland Maffitt, who,
yielding to necessity, severed the strong ties of service under the old
flag in which he had long distinguished himself, and relinquished not
only a conspicuous position directly in line of speedy promotion to the
rank of admiral, but sacrificed at the same time his entire fortune,
which was invested in the North and which was confiscated shortly
afterwards by the United States Government.
After the capture of the forts and the closing of the ports of
Wilmington and Charleston in January, 1865, Maffitt, in command of the
steamer _Owl_ and unaware of the situation, ran into each port in quick
succession, escaping from the fleet in each exploit as by a miracle,
although under a heavy and destructive fire. While running out of
Charleston Harbor when escape seemed impossible, his entire history
of the cruise of the _Florida_, which he had so long successfully
commanded, was, by an unfortunate misunderstanding on the part of a
subordinate, sent to the bottom of the sea, along with the Confederate
mail and other valuable papers. Captain Maffitt, gifted with the pen of
a ready writer, left many valuable accounts of his adventures, among
them a story of naval life in the old service entitled "Nautilus,"
and a number of articles for the _Army and Navy Magazine_ under the
title "Reminiscences of the Confederate States Navy." His paper
on the building of the ram _Albemarle_ by Captain Cooke, and that
gallant officer's subsequent attack upon the Federal fleet in Plymouth
Sound, which is copied entire by Colonel Scharf in his history of the
Confederate Navy, has been pronounced one of the finest descriptions of
the Civil War. It was my privilege to be numbered among his personal
friends from the time he honored me, a lad of seventeen years, with
his recommendation for the appointment as purser of his own ship, the
Confederate steamer _Lilian_, which was confirmed just before he gave
up the command to take charge of the Confederate ram _Albemarle_ at
Plymouth; and this friendship was unbroken until the close of his
eventful life, the sacrifices and services of which should ever be held
in grateful remembrance by our Southern people.
In the year after my appointment to the _Lilian_, I had the misfortune
to be captured at sea after an exciting chase of five hours by the
Federal cruisers _Keystone State_, _Boston_, _Gettysburg_, and two
others unknown, in which our ship was disabled under a heavy fire by
shot below the water line, and was held a prisoner on board the U.S.S.
_Keystone State_, whose commander, Captain Crosby, a regular in the
old Navy, treated me most courteously. Upon the invitation of the
paymaster, I messed with the superior officers in the wardroom, where I
heard frequent bitter allusions to Captain Semmes and other prominent
Confederates, but never a word of censure for the genial Maffitt, the
mention of whose name would provoke a kindly and amused smile as some
of his pranks in the old times would be recalled by those who had not
learned to regard him as a foe.
The following passages, taken from Admiral Porter's _Naval History of
the Civil War_, confirm the personal observations of the writer with
reference to Maffitt's reputation in the old Navy:
"Maffitt was a different man from Semmes. A thorough master of his
profession, and possessed of all the qualities that make a favorite
naval commander, he became a successful raider of the sea; but he made
no enemies among those officers who had once known him and who now
missed his genial humor in their messes. He was a veritable rover, but
was never inhumane to those whom the fortunes of war threw into his
hands, and he made himself as pleasant while emptying a ship of her
cargo and then scuttling her, as Claude Duval when robbing a man of his
purse or borrowing his watch from his pocket."
Porter then describes in almost flattering terms Maffitt's superior
skill and daring in fitting out the _Florida_ under most adverse
conditions, and then by way of explanation says:
"It may appear to the reader that we have exhibited more sympathy for
Commander Maffitt and given him more credit than he deserved; it must
be remembered that we are endeavoring to write a naval history of the
war, and not a partisan work. This officer, it is true, had gone from
under the flag we venerate to fight against it; but we know it was a
sore trial for him to leave the service to which he was attached and
that he believed he was doing his duty in following the fortunes of
his State, and had the courage to follow his convictions. He did not
leave the U.S. Navy with any bitterness, and when the troubles were all
over, he accepted the situation gracefully. What we are going to state
of him shows that he was capable of the greatest heroism, and that,
though he was on the side of the enemy, his courage and skill were
worthy of praise."
He then recounts the wonderful story of Maffitt's perilous run through
Commander Preble's fleet in broad daylight, with a crew decimated
by yellow fever, and he himself scarcely able to stand from its
prostrating effects.
"The _Florida_ approached rapidly, her smoke pipes vomiting forth
volumes of black smoke and a high press of steam escaping from her
steam pipe. As she came within hailing distance, the Federal commander
ordered her to heave to, but Maffitt still sped on, having sent all his
men below, except the man at the wheel, and returned to reply to the
hail. Preble then fired a shot ahead of the _Florida_, still supposing
her to be some saucy Englishman disposed to try what liberties he could
take, though the absence of men on deck should have excited suspicion.
He hesitated, however, and hesitation lost him a prize and the honor
of capturing one of the Confederate scourges of the ocean. Preble had
his crew at quarters, however, and as soon as he saw that the stranger
was passing him he opened his broadside upon her and the other two
blockaders did the same. But the first shots were aimed too high, and
the _Florida_ sped on toward the bar, her feeble crew forgetting their
sickness and heaping coal upon the furnace fires with all possible
rapidity. Every man was working for his life, while the captain stood
amid the storm of shot and shell perfectly unmoved, keenly watching the
marks for entering the port and wondering to himself what his chances
were for getting in.
"During the whole war there was not a more exciting adventure than this
escape of the _Florida_ into Mobile Bay. The gallant manner in which
it was conducted excited great admiration, even among the men who were
responsible for permitting it. We do not suppose that there was ever a
case where a man, under all the attending circumstances, displayed more
energy or more bravery.
"And so the _Florida_ was allowed to go on her way without molestation,
and Maffitt was enabled to commence that career on the high seas which
has made his name one of the notable ones of the war. He lighted the
seas wherever he passed along, and committed such havoc among American
merchantmen, that, if possible, he was even more dreaded than Semmes.
We have only to say that his being permitted to escape into Mobile
Bay and then to get out again was the greatest example of blundering
committed throughout the war. Every officer who knew Maffitt was
certain that he would attempt to get out of Mobile, and we are forced
to say that those who permitted his escape are responsible for the
terrible consequences of their want of vigilance and energy."
Preble's failure to sink the _Florida_--for nothing else would have
stopped Maffitt--brought him into disgrace with the Navy Department,
although he proved in his report of the affair that every means at his
command had been used to intercept the bold Confederate, and shortly
afterwards the Secretary of the Navy, supported by a majority of naval
officers, recommended the dismissal of Commodore Preble from the Navy,
which was carried into effect September 20, 1863.
Preble repeatedly demanded an investigation, which was refused, but he
ultimately got his case before Congress and was restored to the list
February 21, 1864, with the grade of rear admiral.
At the close of the war Captain Maffitt was summoned by a court of
inquiry demanded by Preble to testify as to the facts of his exploit in
entering Mobile Bay, in which he said:
"I can vouch for his (Preble's) promptness and destructive energy on
the occasion of my entering Mobile Bay. The superior speed of the
_Florida_ alone saved her from destruction, though not from a frightful
mauling. We were torn to pieces--one man's head taken off and eleven
wounded; boats, standing and running rigging shot away, also fore
gaff. Four shells struck our hull and had the one (9-inch) that grazed
our boiler and entered the berth deck, killing one and wounding two,
exploded every man belonging to the steamer would have been killed, as
I had only the officers on deck until about to cross the bar, when I
made some sail, and one man was wounded in the rigging. We had about
1,400 shrapnel shots in our hull, and our masts were pitted like a case
of smallpox. The damage done her was so great that we did not get to
sea again for over three months."
The last voyage of Captain Maffitt was made on the _Owl_, which he
boarded at Wilmington the 21st of December, 1864, receiving her cargo
of 750 bales of cotton. With three other blockade runners in company
he started for the bar. He escaped the Federal sentinels "without
the loss of a rope yarn," though one of his companions came to grief
through an accident to machinery. Their destination was St. George,
Bermuda, which they reached in safety, finding several steamers loaded
and anxiously awaiting news from the Federal expedition under General
Butler against Fort Fisher. Through a Halifax steamer the Northern
papers apprised them of the failure of the expedition, and in company
with six other steamers and many gallant spirits, the _Owl_ started on
her return to Dixie, all cheered by the joyful news.
In the meantime another expedition against Fort Fisher had been fitted
out under General Terry and Admiral Porter, which had been successful,
and the river was in possession of the Federals.
Communicating with Lockwood's Folly, where they reported all quiet
and Fisher intact, Captain Maffitt steamed for the Cape Fear. At
eight o'clock it was high water on the bar, and the moon would not
rise before eleven. Approaching the channel, he was surprised to see
but one sentinel guarding the entrance. Eluding him, he passed in.
Some apprehension was excited by a conflagration at Bald Head and no
response to his signals, but as Fort Caswell looked natural and quiet,
he decided to anchor off the fort wharf. He was immediately interviewed
by the chief of ordnance and artillery, E.S. Martin, and another
officer, who informed him of the state of affairs, and that the train
was already laid for the blowing up of Fort Caswell. Gunboats were
approaching, and in great distress Captain Maffitt hastily departed. A
solitary blockader pursued him furiously for some time, and far at sea
he heard the explosion that announced the fate of Caswell. As his cargo
was important and much needed, Captain Maffitt determined to make an
effort to enter the port of Charleston, although he had been informed
that it was more closely guarded than ever before.
Many attempts were made to overhaul his vessel as he made his way into
the harbor, but it was only necessary to stir up the fire draft a bit
to start off with truly admirable speed that enabled him to outdistance
his pursuers. Anticipating a trying night and the bare possibility of
capture, the captain had two bags slung and suspended over the quarter
by a stout line. In these bags were placed the Government mail not yet
delivered, all private correspondence and the captain's war journal in
which was the cruise of the _Florida_. An intelligent quartermaster
was instructed to stand by the bags with a hatchet, and to cut them
adrift the moment capture became inevitable.
The following is a description of what happened in Captain Maffitt's
own words:
"When on the western tail end of Rattlesnake Shoal, we encountered
streaks of mist and fog that enveloped stars and everything for a few
moments, when it would become quite clear again. Running cautiously in
one of these obscurations, a sudden lift in the haze disclosed that we
were about to run into an anchored blockader. We had bare room with a
hard-a-port helm to avoid him some fifteen or twenty feet, when their
officer on deck called out: 'Heave to, or I'll sink you.' The order
was unnoticed, and we received his entire broadside, which cut away
turtleback, perforated forecastle, and tore up bulwarks in front of
our engine room, wounding twelve men, some severely, some slightly.
The quartermaster stationed by the mail bags was so convinced that we
were captured that he instantly used his hatchet, and sent them, well
moored, to the bottom. Hence my meager account of the cruise of the
_Florida_. Rockets were fired as we passed swiftly out of his range
of sight, and Drummond lights lit up the animated surroundings of a
swarm of blockaders, who commenced an indiscriminate discharge of
artillery. We could not understand the reason of this bombardment, and
as we picked our way out of the mêlée, concluded that several blockade
runners must have been discovered feeling their way into Charleston.
"After the war, in conversing with the officer commanding on that
occasion, he said that a number of the steamers of the blockade were
commanded by inexperienced volunteer officers, who were sometimes
overzealous and excitable, and hearing the gunboats firing into me, and
seeing her rockets and signal lights, they thought that innumerable
blockade runners were forcing a passage into the harbor, hence the
indiscriminate discharge of artillery, which was attended with
unfortunate results to them. This was my last belligerent association
with blockade running. Entering the harbor of Charleston, and finding
it in the possession of the Federals, I promptly checked progress and
retreated. The last order issued by the Navy Department, when all hope
for the cause had departed, was for me to deliver the _Owl_ to Frazier,
Trenholme & Co., in Liverpool, which I accordingly did."