From the October 6, 2016, Gallway Advertiser (Ireland).
The Gallway Line from 1858 to 1864 made 55 round trips to Boston and New York City.
William Boxwell West, U.S. Vice Consul, said, "Gallway's streets were full of Confederates." he inspected the clipper ship Hiawatha and noted that there was "no mode of ventilation" if it was to be a passenger ship as advertised.
The Hiawatha's owner, John B. Purdon intended it to be a blockade runner.
It sailed to new York City, disembarked 132 emigrants and a load of scrap iron. It then sailed to Nassau where it was chartered as a blockade runner under the command of John Ballantyne and made a number of successful runs through the blockade, even more remarkable considering it was a sailing ship.
Vice Consul West also kept tabs on the mysterious ship that ended up being the CSS Alabama during its construction.
--Old B-R'er
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