The rebel privateer, or, The last cruise of the Black Angel

Front matter

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TH1 E f

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Contents

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I. — The Fiery Gross ... ...

II. - Kunhing the Gantle> ...

Chapter I. The Fiery Ce0s8

A paek, gloomy night, the wind moaning dismally among toe trees, the waves sullenly washing the shore.

The locality was as gloomy and dismal as the night, and as gloomy as either of the spirits of a little band assembled on the low swampy shore.

First we will speak of the place where is assembled this group, those composing which are important personages of our story.

New Orleans has some weeks back fallen to the Yankee invader, and is now being ruled with an iron rod by the tyrant, Benjamin Butler. The group of persons of whom we speak are assembled on the shore of one of the almost innumerable creeks called bayous, which pierce the shore at the entrance to Lake Pontchartrain, as it is wrongly called, for with a direct, though narrow, communication with the Gulf of Florida, Pontchartrain is rather an inland sea.

The party in question have taken up a position nearly at the end of a spit of swampy, sandy ground, on each side of which runs up a bayou inland. The spit of land is not more than a hundred and fifty or two hundred yards acros? at its broadest part, while a neck connecting it with the main land does not exceed forty yards.

This fact renders it easy of defence by a small force against a much larger one unprovided with artillery.

Those who have now possession of it have taken precautions which show that they are in danger of an attack, or rnrak themselves so.

Three small naval cannon have been mounted on a rowgh

2 The Rebel Jfrwateer.

fortification of pine logs, so as to command the narrowest part. Assuredly these guns well served, and aided by the sixty or seventy rifles and carbines of the lilt&s force, might give good account of a strong regiment.

A gap has been purposely left in the extempore breastwork "for a path, which by constant tramping has been beaten into the semblance of a regular road.

Backwards and forwards along this road from the main land, horses and mules, with loads, rough waggons creaking and jolting, and even men bearing burdens on their backs, are constantly passing.

A great pile of pine- wood logs, too, is being coil&^ted near the end of the little promontory.

A spectator, unacquainted with the facts, might look around and wonder as to the meaning of all this labour and bustle, and the purpose with which the great pile of wood is assiduously collected.

But though the night is cloudy and dismal, there may be discerned at times, through the gloom, the outlier of a ship, lying moored head and stern, not more than fifty yards from the shore on the lee side of the spit.

No light is to be seen on her decks, but a column of black smoke and occasional sparks shooting aloft proclaim the fact that she is furnished with steam power. Her rig, too, can be made out at times when the clouds break a little — that of a barque, with short, raking masts and long yard-arms. She carries only a main topgallantyard, the fore not being crossed.

As seen dimly through the gloom she appears like a low, black line on the water, evidently deeply laden.

And looking still closer, the spectator may see boats constantly plying to and fro between this vessel and the shore. As fast as the wood pile is increased by the labours of those on land, it is diminished by the crews of the boats who are busily engaged in transferring the logs to the vessel.

Already there is quite a huge pile on her deck rising above the bulwarks, and giving the vessel a c1ui?.sy iodheavy appearance.

Stores and provisions of all kinds are being transported on board, and also ammunition aud arms.

Obviously the holders of the strip of land have various parties out in the country round about, for not a quarter of an hour passes without a load of seme kind being brought through the entrenchment and deposited on the beach ready for being transferred on board the little steamer.

At the moment of which we speak there are some forty men and one or two women on the low, sandy promontory.

But there are many more out about the country, and also some twenty who go to form a chain of sentries in order to give early warning of the approach of an enemy.

That enemy is the Yankee force holding New Orleans ; for be it known that these people are all pestilent rebels, as the Northerners chose to call them. Men who had, the greater part of them, fought valiantly for the young Confederacy in the battle-field.

All who there assembled were prepared to do battle for their country — the Southern States of America.

New Orleans, where w r as the Yankee force under General Butler, and off which city lay the great fleet under Farragut, was distant only some six or seven miles, so these rebels had reason to keep watch and ward against surprise.

Fortunately the whole country around was on their side.

The Yankees at present were masters only of the ground they occupied, and found themselves in the midst of a hostile though, at present, helpless population.

These men of whom we speak worked hard and with a right good will. But it is noticeable that they worked in silence.

There was plenty of fierce determination apparent, but ^11 looked gloomy, sullen, and dispirited.

To every true Southerner the fall of New Orleans — the commercial capital of the South and by far the largest city in all the Confederate States — was a heavy, almost a disheartening blow. The full force of the disaster was in a measure mitigated by the news of great victories in the field elsewhere, but nothing short of decisive triumph could atone to the Mississippi and Louisiana men for the &r&? of their beautiful city.

Many and deep were the curses muttered against the insolent invaders, bitter the threats of future vengeance in the battle field against the Yankee hords — the defilers of their homes, insultei s of their women.

And now for a glance at a group of officers and others, who, standing and sitting apart,, did not share in the actual manual labour, but contented themselves with directing and supervising the operations.

So willingly did the men work, however, that but little direction was needful. An order given in a low tone occasionally was all that was needed, and all through the night the work went on vigorously.

Foremost among those to whom we wish to direct particular attention is a tall, handsome young man, very pale, and with one arm in a sling. His eyes glitter fiercely, and ever and anon, as he paces up and down, he mutters to himself.

This is Hubert Glynne — a young Mississippi planter and Confederate colonel, lately wounded in the desperate battle of Shiloh, one of the many rebel victories.

Presently his attention is attracted by a dull red glare on the horizon, far away to the west.

"Ay, there they go again — pillage, murder, and arson! Glorious work for brave soldiers, truly. Bah! — all that such a ruffian hord are fit for. They dare not meet us man to man, foot to foot, in the open field. "We have thrashed them again and again, and so we shall again if they dare make a fair stand. "

Then, turning, he called to some one among the group.

" Stanton, come here. "

It was his brother — a young man in a loose naval undress — to whom he spoke.

" See you yonder glare 1 "

"Yes, brother."

"It is in the direction of the Yancey estate — our plantation. It is most probable that the vindictive cowards furious at my escape, have sought this means of vengeance. I have eluded them — me they cannot reach , but they wreak their spite on my property, and on the property of those dear to me. They cannot harm me now but they can beggar and impoverish our dear sister Maude. Ten million curses on their cowardly heads ! "

Then spoke a young and beautiful girl — the said sister Maude — who had joined her brothers —

" Fear not for me, dear Hubert. Now that you have escaped from their cruel hands I care not, though I am utterly penniless. Besides, I have no reason to fear. I am only a weak girl, and cannot make war against the Federal troops. ' ;

" No," said Stanton Glynne ; " but you can give ua your sympathies and your prayers, and that is crime sufficient in their eyes for any atrocity."

Just at that time there came in two negro messengers.

Although the fire, the lurid glare of which they saw in the sky, was miles and miles away, the news as to where it was flew apace.

•' De Jarsey plantation house and all de buildin's is a blazin'. A lot of Yankee soldiers go out dis arternoon to look for Massa Glynne for to hang him, an~ when dey no cotch him, they smash up eberytin and den set fire. "

Hubert, Stanton, and Maude Glynne gazed iu silence for some time at the flames of their burning home, which momentarily blazed fiercer and fiercer.

" There goes the old house at home," said Hubert, bitterly ; " the old place where we were born and played as children, Maude."

Gentle Maude Glynne was weeping now, but hotblooded Stanton swore a fierce oath.

" I will be revenged for this. If once we get clear out to sea with this little craft of ours, the blazing hulls of scores of the enemy's merchantmen shall in part atone for this outrage. Ha, ha! Once ©n the open sea, with our gallant little privateer, if we don't go far to drive the Yankee commerce off the face of the ocean, my name's not Stanton Glynne."

Hubert said little, but the deadly pallor of his face, and the way in which he ground his teeth, told of the irage which burned in his heart.

And now these three were joined by two other persons, a young man of middle height, strong, but rather spare frame, and complexion bronzed by years of adventure in many climes. His face was bandsome, bis eyes a clear grey, bright, and keen. His carriage, bis look, everything about him, bespoke a daring intrepid spirit.

He was an Englishman, and from choice and sympathy had joined the Confederate cause.

He, too, had fought in more than one battle, and, like his friend Hubert Glynne, had been wounded, though not very severely, at the battle of Shiloh.

He was an Englishman, and was known by the curt end simple appellation, Captain George.

His companion was a female, young, and very handsome.

She was called Lola, but her name in full was Dolora Velasco.

Some of those present on this night were acquainted with a part of the history of this young lady, but the majority only knew her as the intimate friend of Miss Maude Glynne.

The reader, however, shall in subsequent chapters bi informed of sufficient for all purposes of this tale.

She was one of those dark, splendid beauties so seldom eeen out of Spain or Italy, or in cases where there is a tintje of Creole blood.

Her clear olive complexion, abundant dark hair, and large flashing eyes would always attract attention, but when in addition we state that her features were almost faultlessly beautiful, her form moulded in nature's fairest mould, the reader will understand that she was very, very lovely.

Her voice was musical but rather deep toned, her every action and motion replete with grace.

"Oh! Lola, dear Lola," cried Maude Glynne, "they are burning our old house. What cruel, cruel men ! "

" Alas ! it is sad, indeed," the girl said, slowly ; " but my heart misgives me that this is but the be°-innin°- that there are greater disasters yet in store for those who do battle under the bonnie blue flag — ruin de'ett death."

" Lola, you are a bird of ill omen. It is unkind of you, and exceedingly ill-timed to prophesy evil for us now. I thought you were a friend."

He spoke hotly, and without considering. Lola bowed her head in silence, and tears started to her eyes.

" Hubert," cried Maude Glynne, " what are you saying? Think for one moment of all you owe to Lcla. But for her faithful deration and brave heart you would ere this have been hanged. This very morning was to have witnessed your execution, and had she not contrived your escape at the peril of her own life, the sentence would certainly have been carried out."

Hubert Glynne looked abashed and ashamed of himself, and was about to speak, but his brother Stanton broke in —

" You have not told me all about this, Hubert. I have not heard the particulars of your escape from the Yankees, nor how this girl was involved in it."

Maude looked at him reproachfully, and laid hei hand in his arm.

" You forget, Stanton, that Lola is a friend of mine."

" Oh ! ah ! yes ; I did forget ; but what about this affair of the escape ? "

" There is no time," said Hubert, " to tell a long tale. We are every instant in expectation of an attack. It is quite certain that the enemy will by means of spies and traitors hear of our rendezvous at this place before long. A body of sixty or seventy men cannot encamp within seven miles of the city without the enemy soon hearing of it. I will tell you all about it once we get safely on board. As for you, dear Lola," he went on, turning to the girl, " I ask your pardon . I owe you my life ; twice you have come forward ; once you saved me, saved us all from an imminent danger ; and now again but last night you rescued me from certain death. Lola, forgive me."

And, as he spoke, he took her hand and kissed it.

" My good angel," he said, " I can never be sufficiently grateful."

Lola trembled a little, her bosom heaved, she felt as though she would burst into tears, and without a word withdrew.

" You seem to make a great fuss about that slave girl," Baid Stanton Glynne, carelessly.

" Stanton," cried Maude, indignantly, " she is not a slave girl, and bnt for her Hubert would now be dead, executed by hanging. Tou do not know, you cannot know all that dear Lola has done for us."

" Tou did not tell me that she was free ; you said you were going to present her with her papers. I knew she was one of our slaves."

" Let this subject drop, Stanton, if you please ; this is no time for entering into long explanations."

" Hark ! what was that? "

It was Captain George who spoke, and all listened intently.

"I am convinced I heard a shout; one of our sentries challenged."

" I heard nothing."

" X or I."

» Nor I."

" It might have been my fancy, but I could almost have sworn I heard the familiar challenge — ' Who goes there?'"

The words were scarcely out of his mouth than the sharp report of a rifle was heard in the forest, apparently about half a mile away.

After an interval of a few seconds there came another ; then another, and another, till it swelled into a smart spluttering fire.

Then there came shouts, and the well-known and well-remembered rebel yell.

And then a grand crashing volley, which told that a considerable body of troops — a regiment at least — were advancing on the little stronghold.

" I thought we could not be many hours here without beiug discovered," said Captain Glynne, quietly.

" Stop work. To your arms, my men. The enemy are upon us," shouted Hubert Glynne.

There was instantly a great rushing to and fro, which looked like confusion and panic, although it was nothing of the sort, for every man knew his post, and what he had to do.

"Captain George," said Hubert — his glowing look giving place to enthusiasm as the well-known battle music fell on his ear — ."you and Stanton see to getting

Lola and Maude on board and in safety. You can't do better than take my friend the Englishman as your first lieutenant."

" Agreed," said Stanton.

"I accept," said Captain George.

" Come, ladies, to the boat. We must get you out of danger ; the enemy are coming on at a trot."

"I'll d — soon stop them," said Hubert Glynne, grimly. " Light the wood piles at the edge of the wood," he shouted at the top of his voice. " Artillerymen, to your guns. Man the breast-work. Hurrah for the ' Stars and Bars ! ' "

A shout followed these words, and in half a minute his orders were obeyed, and all along the skirt of the pine forest through which the enemy must advance red flames twinkled, which quickly blazed up into great bonfires, lighting up the darkness among the trees for many yards.

This was an admirable precaution on the part of the little band; for these fires were at a sufficient distance from the pine-log fortification to leave the defenders in the dark, while a body of men advancing from the woods would be in full view, and exposed to the deadly rifle fire of some of the best shots in Mississippi.

This was a great advantage, and disastrous to the enemy.

For a few minutes some of the sentries and outposts came running in, and then two wounded men, borne each by four of his comrades.

The fire ceased now, as the outposts being driven in, the enemy had no visible antagonists.

So soon as every man was safely within the entrenchment, Hubert Glynne, who assumed the command, as bearing the highest rank, ordered every man to conceal himself and keep silent.

The three ship's cannon were double loaded with grape-shot, and the artillerymen crouched by their pieces, prepared to open fire when the word was given. Each man armed with rifle or carbine, sought out a convenient place, and protruded his weapon through some chink in the logs, or perhaps over all, in order to get a good rest— waited. Sixty barrels were turned with deadly intent on the wood through which the Yankee force was advancing.

It was a time of suspense and desperate excitement.

The steady tramp, tramp, of the advancing foemen could plainly be heard ; and Hubert Glynne, catching an occasional word of command, whispered —

"They are coming on in column, four deep. They will probably deploy into line when they come out into the open — then we will give them pepper."

Meanwhile, Captain George and Stanton G-lynne were busily engaged in getting the utmost amount of stores, ammunition, etc., on board. Then they caused all the rest to be placed on the top of the stack of pine logs which there was no time now to transfer on board the ship. A couple of barrels of powder, a broken carronade, and a heap of barrels and casks, mostly damaged and empty were all thrown in a heap on the top of the gunpowder barrels.

" I fancy when this little lot goes off," said Captain George, quietly, " it will play havoc among the Yankees if they come on to the spit."

" They won't venture."

" Yes, they will," replied the Englishman ; " they are all troops fresh landed from the transports ; they haven't smelt Confederate powder yet, nor had rebel bullets whistling among them. Wonder how they'll like it \ There they come. See, they are halting — don't know what to make of the bonfires. Wonder if they think we built them for them to warm themselves by ? "

" We'll warm them presently ; wait till I get on board. They are in beautiful ranue of the carronades. We've got a dozen on board, and two Parrot guns. Let's get to the ship. Come, ladies."

Then leaving a guard of a dozen sailors, Stanton Glynne and Captain George embarked in one of the boats with Lola and Maude Glynne.

The latter was terribly frightened. The fierce uproar of battle had not yet commenced ; but she could see the fee deploying from the road in the full glare of the bonfires.

" Jerusalem ! " said Captain George, with a grim pmile, " won't they catch it directly ! Look at Hubert. I @an just make him out behind the pine logs, going about among them. I know he's telling them to be patient, nnd not fire till the enemy have shown their whole force."

" Give way, men," cried Stanton to the sailors at the oars ; " let's get onboard, and be ready to open the ball,"

" Under the bows — steer close under the bows of the vessel," cried Captain George.

" Why under the bows ? " asked Stanton Glynne.

"We haven't named our craft yet," replied Captain George, producing a bottle of wine from under his cloak. " Miss Glynne, yours be the honour of naming this — the first rebel privateer."

" I will do so," said gentle Maude, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. "I was afraid just now; it ha? passed off. I feel, sir, that with the aid of gallant men like yourself, and the sympathy of the English nation, we may yet conquer an independence, although the odds are so terribly against us."

Captain George thanked her with an eloquent look.

Lola only sighed.

" The sympathy of the English nation ! M she thought. " Ah ! that they might indeed depend on, would they but consent to remove the one blot from their escutcheon — slavery. But they are too proud — these brave, haughty Southerners ; and their pride will be their ruin. Slavery is the rock on which they will split. Alas ! they cannot see it."

She said nothing however.

" What is to be the name of the * ^sel ? " Maude Glynne asked.

Captain George leaned forward and whispered it in her ear.

But at that moment the voice of Hubert Glynne was heard, loud and clear, like a clarion.

" Now, boys, let them have it ! Hurrah ! for the Confederacy, and down with the Yankees. Fire ! "

Almost with one accord sixty rifles and carbines sent the leaden messengers of death into the enemy's ranks.

A loud shout rent the »'"

Maude screamed faintly, and hid her face in he* hands.

" Courage, dear Miss Glynne — may I say dear Maude 1 " said Captain George in her ear. " Be brave ; remember your brothers — your blazing homestead. Here is the bottle ; name our vessel. I shall look on it as an omen of success."

" I will be brave," said Maude, collecting all her energies as she rose to her feet and grasped the bottle which Captain George profferred her.

The boat was now close under the bows of the steamer. The forecastle, forerigging, and even the bowsprit was crowded by the sailors, all in a state of wild excitement.

Captain George rose and shouted — ■

" Silence, men. This lady is about to give your ship its name."

Then Maude Glynne spoke in as loud a voice a3 she could —

" Success to this vessel ! May she carry terror and destruction to the enemy's commerce, and at least in part avenge at sea the outrage and pillage of the Yankees oa land."

Then she dashed the bottle against the ship's bowa

" I name her the 'Filey Ckoss,'"

Chapter II. Running The Gantlet

Such a shout went to heaven as Maude Glynne's words were heard and understood by the erew as could only emanate from the throats of half a hundred brawny seamen in a desperate state of excitement.

Almost at the same moment a fierce fire on either side commenced on shore, and the shouts of the sailors on board mingled with the rattle of musketry on shore, and the yells of the combatants on either side. For in the fury of battle men yell and scream rather than shout. The water around was soon splashed up in places by stray bullets, proving plainly enough that the enemy were advancing.

" Give way, men — round to the lee side ! " shouted Captain Georg*. " We must get the ladies in safety."

In a few moments the boat was alongside the larboard gangway, and Maude Glynne and Lola, amidst the cheers of the men, climbed up the ladder, and were conducted to the cabin of the rebel privateer, now named the Fiery Cross.

Meanwhile the battle waxed fiercer each moment on land. Stanton Glynne and Captain George lost not a moment in making preparations to aid their friends ou 8hore.

" Over with the carronades to the starboard side, lads ! Some of you train the pivot gun. Every man to his station I "

This was a timely order and needed, for the crew were in a state of wild excitement, running hither and thither, shouting, yelling, and cheering.

At such a time a judicious officer seeks to calm his men — not excite them. There are very few men who are not brave while the battle fur- is on them, fewer still who are calm and collected.

These latter make the real heroe3. Not the iinpul« sive, dashing spirits who would rush with wild frenzy on certain death.

And now from the deck of the vessel there was a splendid view of the fight on shore. The first sharp volley took the Yankees by surprise. They had not expected so sudden and deadly a reception. In the full glare of the bonfire light they presented an excellent mark as they came out from among the pine-trees and deployed into line.

The report of the rifles of the defenders was answered by many a shriek and cry of pain as the bullets plunged with that peculiar dull thud, never to be forgotten when once heard, into the human flesh.

There was immediately a disorganized rush back into the pine wood, the Avounded being left where they fell ; but other companies coming up were deployed into line under shelter of the wood, and then a return fire was opened, which had it not been for the breast-work of logs, behind which the defenders crouched, loading and firing as fast as they could, the fire of the little band of Confederates would soon have been overpowered.

As it was the Yankee bullets fell so thick and fast, whistling and hissing about so as to make the air appear alive with these " wasps of war."

It was very soon obvious to the officer in command that it would not be possible to maintain the defence of the pine-log breastwork for any length of time against the overwhelming force of the enemy ; for after the first and destructive volley, which caused their half-formed line to recoil in dismay, they spread out their men, and opened a close converging fire on the defenders. From the length of this line and the severity of the fire, Hubert Glynne calculated that there must be at least two strong regiments of the enemy, probably about sixteen hundred men in all. Then, attracted by the firing, they would soon receive reinforcements, aud the taking of the rude fortification would be only a matter of time.

Under these circumstances he gave ihe order, " cease firing," and detailed two-thirds of his force to get on board the boats, winch still plied between the vessel and the shore, all that remained of the ammunition and arms, leaving only enough for a dozen rounds or so.

The enemy were now invisible, and on their part, too, the firing ceased. This, however, was by no means to be taken as an indication that they were beaten off. The number of the little force defending was certainly known accurately, or nearly so, by the foe, and in all probability preparations were now being made for a grand attack.

So Hubert Glynne made all preparations to receive the first rush of the enemy, and repulse him, and then at ODce take to the boats and seek safety on board the vessel.

Accordingly all the boats of the ship were brought close in to shore, with only just sufficient sailors in each to row back, thus leaving the greatest possible room for the land combatants.

At a given signal the pile of pine-wood was to be fired, and then, after beating back the first assault, the majority of the defenders were to take to the boats, while ten picked men remained to pour in a last discharge from the cannon, spike them, and then follow the example of their comrades, and seek safety on board the ship.

It by no means followed, however, that the fight would be thus ended. The vessel would be well manned ; the Yankees, furious at being baffled, would line the beach, thinking the rebels had taken to flight, demoralized and panic-stricken. The fire from the carronades, the Parrot gun, the pivot, and the small arms might have the effect of undeceiving them.