I wrote about the capture of this ship on Sept. 5th and 6th.
From the September 13, 1864, New York Times.
"Rear-Admiral LEE, in a dispatch dated Beaufort, Sept. 7, says: 'The Elsie ran out of Wilmington on the 4th inst., and was captured the next day by the Keystone State [???] Quaker City. The Elsie was seen and fired upon when she ran out by the Niphon and Britannia, and was chased off by the Santiago de Cuba until lost in the darkness.
'At 10:30 the next day she was seen and captured, without papers or flag. A shell from the Quaker City exploded in the foothold of the Elsie, and destroyed about 150 bales of cotton. Part of the cargo was thrown overboard in the chase and there are now about 250 bales on board.
'The prize will be sent to Boston. The Elsie is a new steamer of light draft and fair speed, of the Rothesay Castle class, and this is her first trip.
'She will be made a useful vessel on blockade duty. The blockade is close and vigilant, but it is impossible to prevent its violation on dark nights by steamers built for the purpose.'"
What better ship to catch a blockade-runner than another blockade-runner.
I was unable to find out if the Elsie did become a Union ship.
--Old B-Runner
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