Bell, Henry H., iv. 314. Belligerent ships, rules and orders regarding, issued by British Government, iv. 411. Belligerents, rights of, iv. 86. Belmont, on the Mississippi, battle at, iv. 251; the Confederates compel Grant to retreat, 252. _Belvidera_, British frigate, encounters the _President_, ii. 29; escapes, 32. _Ben. Dunning_, Federal merchant-ship, captured by Confederate cruiser _Sumter_, iv. 415. Benham, Admiral A. E. K., prompt action of, at Rio Janeiro, iv. 548. Bentham, Commander George, attacks the _General Armstrong_ in the harbor of Fayal, iii. 187–199; sets fire to the _Armstrong_, 200. _Benton_ snag-boat, converted by Eads into an armored vessel, iv. 246–249. _Benton_, Porter’s flagship before Vicksburg, iv. 363. _Benton_, Federal gun-boat, Lieutenant-commander J. A. Greer, iv. 369. _Berceau_, French frigate, fights with the _Boston_, i. 328; returned to France, 330. Beresford, Captain John Poer, recaptures the _Frolic_ from the _Wasp_, ii. 118. Berkeley, British minister at Washington, recalled and promoted, ii. 2. Bermudas a basis for contraband trade during the Civil War, iv. 48. _Betsey_, British bark, captured by Captain Alexander, i. 66. Biddle, Captain Nicholas, i. 64; commands the _Randolph_, 160; attacks the _Yarmouth_, 162. Biddle, James, Lieutenant on the _Wasp_ (No. 2), ii. 111; leads the boarders, _ib._; hauls down the flag of the _Frolic_, 112; appointed to command the _Hornet_, iii. 272; commands the _Macedonian_, 331; sent to the Pacific Coast, 401; sent to Japan to negotiate a treaty of peace, 440. _Bienville_, Federal ship, in Port Royal squadron, iv. 172. _Black Hawk_, Federal gun-boat, iv. 369. _Black Prince_, purchased by Naval Committee, i. 39. Black Rock, near Buffalo, Lieutenant Elliott establishes a navy yard at, ii. 273. _Black Snake_, British gun-boat, iii. 126. Blake, Captain H. C., iv. 432. Blakely, Master-commandant Johnston, ii. 375; fights with the _Reindeer_ and the _Avon_, iii. 85–96; captures the _Atalanta_, 100; lost with his ship, 103. Blockade-runner, legal status of, iv. 57, 58. Blockade-runners, chiefly in the hands of the British, iv. 48; reckless loading of, 61; profits of, 63, 64. Blockading the Southern ports, iv. 28–30; no force available to blockade at the beginning of the war, 32; lack of ships and men, 34; Congress slow to appreciate the need of a navy, 35. “Blood is thicker than water,” iii. 381, 382. Blythe, Captain Samuel, attacks the _Enterprise_, ii. 375; killed, 379; buried at Portland, 385. Board of Admiralty, i. 158. Boggs, Commander Charles S., iv. 314. _Bolton_, American bomb-brig, i. 56.