TK's staging site

Thursday Mac

By tk
Thursday, November 07, 2002

Civil War P 74.

vessel go, after bonding her for $24,000.

Just north of the equator, a 140 ton Boston schooner, Lizzie M. Stacey making for the Sandwich Islands, was burned on the 13th. of November, and 3 more crewmen gained, but Waddell was still desperately short of seamen.

The ship coasted down the southern part of Brazil, no more prizes over the next three weeks, the news that yet another Raider, had been converted from Sea King, broke in both the United States and in Britain.

Secretary Welles having finally been rid of the accursed Alabama, was now faced with a new threat in CSS Shenandoah, but had no inkling of her whereabouts or her destination.

Deep in the Southern Atlantic, the ship came across a New Bedford whaler, the 274 ton Edward, with black smoke rising from her decks, a sure sign that she had just taken a whale. The boarding officer reported she carried a large supply of most useful stores, it took two days to remove all the plunder, including two fine boats, almost new, in contrast to Shenandoah's old ones, then, the bark was burnt.

The crew put ashore on a local island, and on the 7th. of December, Waddell set course towards Cape Town, the propellor shaft was giving off strange noises, and on inspection revealed problems that could not be cured underway, and at the Cape, the chance of capture by a waiting Union warship decided the Captain to run under sail, some 6,000 miles to far off Melbourne, Australia. This port, would no doubt be the very last place that any Union ship would be waiting at, to trap his ship.

USS Iroquois having learned that he missed Shenandoah, made a calculated guess that she would make for the Cape, and set off in pursuit, and arrived there on the 9th. of January 1865, only to learn there had been no sign of the Confederate at that port. Rodgers now set his ship enroute for Sumatra, this time, a poor guess.

But back to Shenandoah, at the end of December she came across a 750 ton bark Delphine, without cargo, in ballast for Akyab to collect a load of rice, her Captain pleaded that his wife on board was ill, her removal may occasion her death. Waddell sent off his doctor to examine the lady in question, returning to report she was 26 years of age, about half of that of her husband, and in perfect health.

Lilian Nichols was the owner's daughter, it took two whaleboats to transfer her, all her possessions, a maid, her son, library, and lastly a caged canary.

Delphine was soon torched, and six of her crew elected to join up as part of the Raider's crew, and the run to the east continued.

When within 100 miles of the south west coast of Australia, a clipper, Nimrod was

Civil War P 75.

overhauled, but although built in New England, had been sold to an English firm, and was released.

By the 25th, of January, Waddell stood off the entrance to Port Phillip, and asked for a Pilot, who responded that his orders prevented him from bringing a belligerent ship into harbour without a good reason, Waddell pleaded problems with his propellor shafting, which seemed good enough for Pilot Edward Johnson. Waiting off the heads, a health official  came on board and indicated that the Confederate would find many friends in Melbourne, but warned of some enemies awaiting.

The ship received government approval to stay in port, provision, and make repairs to the propellor shaft, meantime, the locals turned out en masse to view the Rebel Pirate, her officers regaled with dinners ashore, and balls turned on in their honour.

US Consul William Blanchard protested to Governor Darling, that as Sea King had not visited another British port since she left England, she did not qualify as a warship, and should be designated a Pirate, but the Governor indicated that his law officers of the Crown had: "Come to the decision that, whatever may be the previous history of Shenandoah, the Government of the Colony is bound to treat her as a ship of war belonging to a belligerent nation."

Now, Blanchard tried another ploy, he indicated that he would protect any crew member from the Confederate ship who had joined from a captured American vessel, 8 deserted, followed by another 6 later.

The repairs were taking their time to be executed, and the US consul believed that Waddell was merely stalling whilst trying to build up his crew numbers from the locals, and asked the police authorities to intervene. Superintendent Lyttleton, and Inspector Beam, of the Victoria went on board on the 13th. of February whilst Waddell was away from his ship, they carried a magistrate's warrant to search for Charley the Cook, Lieutenant Grimbell, in his Captain's absence, refused to allow such a search.

Now, Waddell also refused to allow a search on the following day, indicating he had not enlisted anyone since his arrival in Melbourne, the police reported to the Governor who summoned his Executive Council. The result, a message was drafted indicating that all repairs would be suspended, and the ship detained until the warrant was satisfied. At 1600 ( 4 PM ) police took over the ship, cleared the yard and stopped any further Australians from visiting the ship, and the official letter delivered, the messenger waiting for Waddell's response. It was 2200 ( 10PM ) before the Captain replied, indicating to the Commissioner of Trade and Customs James C. Francis, he would be ready to sail on the 19th, of February, in a second letter to Francis he indicated that: "the execution of the warrant was not refused, as no such person therein specified was on board, but

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