Craven had stationed himself in the little pilot-house beside the pilot,
the better to direct the movements of his ship, and when he and the
pilot felt that sudden shock and saw the Tecumseh sinking, both of them
sprang for the narrow opening leading from the pilot-house to the turret
chamber below. They reached the opening at the same instant; it was so
small that only one could pass at a time, and Craven, with a greatness
of soul found only in heroes, drew back, saying quietly, "After you,
pilot."
"There was nothing after me," said the pilot afterwards, "for when I
reached the last round of the ladder, the vessel seemed to drop from
under me."
* * * * *
At the outbreak of the Civil War, the commerce of the United States was
the next to the largest in the world. The North destroyed southern
commerce by capturing or blockading southern ports, while the South
retaliated by fitting out a large number of commerce-destroyers, to
range the seas and take what prizes they could--a plan which had been
adopted by America in both wars with England, and which is the only
resource of a power whose navy is greatly inferior to that of its
antagonist.
The bright particular star of the Confederate service was Raphael
Semmes, who had been trained in the United States navy, and who, first
in the Sumter and afterwards in the Alabama, captured a total of
seventy-seven prizes, nearly all of which he destroyed.
Pages:
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377