Probably one of the quickest and most uneventful voyages made during
the war in running the blockade was that made by Capt. C.G. Smith, of
Southport. The following story on the blockade was told by Captain
Smith, and is published to show the contrast between what some of the
blockade runners had to undergo and how easy it was at other times to
make the round trip without hindrance or adventure:
"On a delightful day, about the first of May, 1863, I left Nassau as
pilot on the fine side-wheel steamer _Margaret and Jessie_, Captain
Wilson in command.
"The _Margaret and Jessie_ was at that time regarded as one of the
fastest steamers. Of about 800 tons, this steamer when in ballast could
make fifteen miles an hour, but of course she was usually loaded down,
therefore seldom doing better than ten knots while running the blockade.
"Passing out from Nassau with a general cargo of goods, bound for
Wilmington, N.C., the first twenty-four hours were passed without
incident, the steamer making a good passage, until a gale from the
northeast met us, which lasted till noon of the third day out.
"When the wind had lessened somewhat, Captain Wilson came to me and
asked what point of land I wanted to make, to which I replied that I
intended to run in at the Western Bar of the Cape Fear. Finding it an
impossibility on account of the weather to make the Western Bar before
daylight, I made for Masonboro and came in at New Inlet, anchoring
abreast of the mound battery which guarded this approach at about
11 o'clock at night, and at daylight, with a fair tide, ran up to
Wilmington.
"Nothing in the shape of a blockader disturbed our voyage. At one
time a steamer was seen east-southeast of us, but paid no attention
to us. When at Masonboro, one of the blockading squadron went to the
southeastward of us, but being under the lee of the land she could not
make us out.
"After laying up in Wilmington about ten days, discharging our cargo
and taking on a load of cotton, we quietly dropped down the river one
morning, and, anchoring in five-fathom hole, waited until night, when
we passed out of New Inlet, bound for Nassau.
"The return trip was made without incident of any kind, the weather
was fine, not a vessel of any description could be seen on the voyage;
and in fifty-two hours from the time of leaving the Cape Fear, we
were safe at the dock at Nassau, discharging our cargo, making one
of the quickest and safest passages ever made by any of the blockade
runners."