Friday, September 5, 2014

Second Time No Charm for the Blockade-Runner Elsie at Wilmington

SEPTEMBER 5TH, 1864:  The USS Keystone State and USS Quaker City captured the British blockade-runner Elsie off Wilmington with a cargo of cotton.  The Elsie had been chased the previous night by blockaders after standing out from Wilmington, but had escaped in the darkness.

This date, however, the two Union ships spotted her and opened fire.  The Elsie came close to escaping, but a shell exploding in her forward hold forced her to surrender.

--Old B-Runner

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