150 Years Ago-- March 21st, 1864: Confederate Cruisers to California

MARXH 21ST, 1864: Confederate forces at Sabine Pass, Texas, destroyed steamer Clifton (ex-USS Clifton captured 9 Sept. 1863) to prevent capture while attempting to run out as a blockade-runner after she grounded and could not be reflaoted. //// Confederate Secretary of Navy Mallory wrote Commander Bulloch in Europe, disagreeing with Bulloch's decision that the Confederacy didn't need any more cruisers since "... there is no longer any American commerce for them to prey opon." Mallory countered: "We have, it is true, inflicted a heavy blow and great discouragement upon the Federal foreign commerece, but the coasting trade and fisheries, embracing the California trade, has suffered but little from our cruisers, and it can and must be struck." //// --Old B-Runner