CHAPTER I PAGE HOW I BEGAN 1 CHAPTER II MY FIRST ATTEMPT ON THE _DESPATCH_ 16 CHAPTER III THE _BANSHEE NO. 1_ 33 CHAPTER IV THE _BANSHEE'S_ FIRST RUN IN 44 CHAPTER V FORT FISHER AND WILMINGTON 55 CHAPTER VI THE REST OF THE _BANSHEE NO. 1.'S_ CAREER 70 CHAPTER VII LIFE AT NASSAU 86 CHAPTER VIII OUR FLEET 101 CHAPTER IX BERMUDA 115 CHAPTER X EXPERIENCES ASHORE IN DIXIE'S LAND 131 CHAPTER XI HAVANA AND GALVESTON 145 CHAPTER XII BLOCKADES OF THE PAST AND THE FUTURE 166 INDEX 177 ILLUSTRATIONS, MAPS, ETC. BURNING OF THE _NIGHT HAWK_ _Frontispiece_ iv CHART OF WILMINGTON HARBOUR AND APPROACHES _Page_ 45 PORTRAIT OF COLONEL LAMB _To face page_ 56 _BANSHEE_ CHASED BY _JAMES ADGER_ _To face page_ 78 _WILL-O'-THE-WISP'S_ DASH FOR WILMINGTON _To face page_ 106 _BANSHEE NO. 2_ RUNNING THE GAUNTLET OF THE GALVESTON BLOCKADING SQUADRON IN DAYLIGHT _To face page_ 156 MAP OF THE EAST COAST OF NORTH AMERICA _At end_ CHAPTER I HOW I BEGAN Feeling in Liverpool—Declaration of blockade—Its immediate result—Effect on trade in Liverpool—The theory of blockades—Attitude of the Federal States—Seaboard of the Seceding States—The Federal Navy—Energy of the Northern States—Additions to the Federal Fleet—Position of the Southerners at sea—Want of building yards and material—Commerce destroyers—The _Merrimac_ and the _Monitor_—The _Alabama_ and her consorts—Attitude of Great Britain—A royal proclamation—Preparation for blockade-running—Amateurish efforts—Daring attempts—The _Trent_ affair—Launched as a blockade-runner. At the outbreak of the great American Civil War I was serving as assistant to a firm of Liverpool merchants trading chiefly with India and the United States. There was little in my life at the outset to foretell the full taste of danger, excitement, and adventure which it was my fortune so early to enjoy. I had nothing to hope for beyond the usual life of office routine and a dim chance of a partnership abroad in the future.