The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 35, July 1931 - April, 1932 Page: 121
348 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The "Harriet Lane" and the Blockade of Galveston 121
ading the Southwest Channel, discovered a large steamer passing
rapidly inshore of and very close to us, . . . Believing it to
be a light-draft steamer, because it is not supposed that others
can use the Southwest Channel, I slipped the cable and stood
after her, but before we could get sufficient headway to turn she
had disappeared in the darkness. I would have instantly made
a signal to you [Marchand] if it had been possible to see any-
thing a half mile to the northward and eastward, and the near-
est station is 2 miles from where I was anchored. At no time
after dusk could I distinguish any one of the blockading fleet.
S. . At the time the steamer passed us, a dense rain squall
was passing between this vessel and the rest of the fleet . . .
That steamer that dashed past us was just clear of it, or she could
not have been seen one hundred yards from us. If I had fired
a gun it would have drawn you away from the main Ship Chan-
nel, and it would have given the Harriet Lane a fine chance to
escape by that channel, the only one it was believed she could
use. As soon as I lost sight of the steamer I determined to cross
her track and to make every effort to capture her. I believed
her to be the Matagorda, and knew that she was slow. I then
shaped the course seaward, and at 10:30 sighted the steamer
again and fired four shell at her to bring her to, but did not
succeed in stopping her. We again lost light of her. I then
. . . discovered a steamer bearing east. Stood for her and
made chase. In a very short time I found that we were gaining
on her. At 5:30 a. m. discovered the smoke of three steamers,
all burning soft coal or wood. At 6 a. m. made out the chase
to be the Harriet Lane; gained on her rapidly until 8 a. m.,
when the wind drew rapidly ahead and I was forced to take in
sail. The Harriet Lane then commenced to gain on us (for she
had us at the worst point for a medium-powered propeller), and
her captain changed his course with every change of wind, so as
to keep it a head wind for us. . .. At 10 o'clock the Harriet
Lane, still gaining on us . . . rapidly, [I] determined to
make a dash for her under all sail. The Harriet Lane was at
this time distant about 12 miles . . . at a few minutes past
2 p. m. she finally disappeared. I would have kept on after the
Harriet Lane to intercept her before she could reach Havana, but
unfortunately we had but 15 tons of coal left, and that of poor
quality, and the distance was 600 miles. . . . With a fair
wind, or even in a calm, this vessel could certainly have captured
both steamers; but this vessel can not be driven over 7l knots
against an ordinary head of wind. In the endeavor to keep up
steam we used what little soft coal we had, all of our firewood
and lumber, and all of our pork and tar. We made an average
,of 82 revolutions of the propeller. Nothing but repeated changes
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 35, July 1931 - April, 1932, periodical, 1932; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101092/m1/125/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.