USS De Soto-- Part 7: Capturing More Runners

The De Soto then patrolled north and west of Tortugas.  It captured the schooner Sea Bird 14 May.  On 17 May gave chase to smoke of unknown steamer. and after 18 hours forced the other ship to stop, but before it could be boarded, its crew set fire to it and abandoned ship.  It turned out to be the Confederate steamer Cuba

The Cuba was owned by the state of Alabama.  Between May 1862 and September 1863, the Cuba, Alabama (not the raider) and Fox (later renamed Fanny) carried more than 4,000 bales of cotton to Havana.  All three were lost by September 1863.

The Cuba was burned, the Alabama captured September 12 and the Fanny burned September 12 to prevent capture.

On 19 May, the De Soto captured the schooner Mississippi.

--Old B-Runner