The Capture of the Blockade Runner Don-- Part 2

Throughout the night, the Fedeal ships kept up their pursuit.

The next morning, as dawn broke, Cory discovered that one of the newer Union ships, the USS Pequot,  was barely three miles away and steaming fast towards them.  Cory turned to flee, but the chase was soon over.

The Pequot was a much faster vessel than the Don and soon overhauled the hapless blockade runner.

The Pequot's comander, Lieutenant  Stephen P. Quackenbush, now aware of the earlier incident where the Don was able to escape,  went on board the Don to shake hands with Cory and complimented him on his skill and courage.

The Don was confiscated as a prize.  Cory and his crew were questioned and set free to return to Nassau.

Oh Well.  --Old B-Runner

The Capture of the Blockade Runner Don-- Part 1: Quite an Initial Escape

From "British Blockade Running in the American Civil War."

This is the story of the capture of the Don.

Late on the afternoon of her third day out of Nassau, she was waiting off the coast of Wilmington.  The day was hazy.  Painted gray, the Don was all but invisible beyond a couple hundred yards.  Then the sun burnt throught the haze, and almost at once the lookout spotted a Federal cruiser, under steam and sail,  bearing down n them.

Cory quickly summed up the situation.  There was insufficient time for the Don to get up enough steam to escape.  He ordered up steam, then turned his vessel into the wind.  She sat there waiting, making no attempt to flee.

The Union vessel  was a large, full-rigged corvette, and was running along before a strong breeze.  In order for her to be brought under control,  the sail would have to be furled.  Cory watched as, up the rigging, the sail was gathered in.  She was barely fifty yards away when Cory ordered full speed ahead.

Off the Don shot, past the Union vessel which was unable to bring her guns to bear.  The Federal ship continued on for a quarter mile before she could make her turn.

In the meantime, the Don  was speedily putting distance between herself and the enemy ship.  Eventually turning, the other ship opened fire with her bow guns but to little effect.  The Don was up and away.  As darkness descended, she lost her pursuer.

A Close One...But.   That Sly Captain Cory.  --Old B-Runner

Who Was 'Captain Cory?'

From "British Blockade Runners in the American Civil War" by Joseph McKenna.

Evidently, the Don was originally commanded by Augustus Charles Hobart-Hampden, and had run into Wilmington.  When he returned to  England, command of the Don passed to his chief officer:   Captain Cory."

Who he was is up for speculation.  There is no one on the Navy List who quite fits the time period.  Most likely he was another Royal Navy officer like Hobart-Hampden, who was enjoying the adventure and money to be made running the blockade.

Cory twice successfully ran the blockade into Wilmington.  But on his third attempt, on 4 March 1864, the Don was captured by the USS Pequot.  At the time, the Don had a cargo of Army uniforms from Peter Tait & Company of Limerick, blankets and shoes valued at $200,000.

--Old B-Runner

USS Don-- Part 2: A Short History

From the Naval History and Heritage Command.

DON

(Screw steamer:  390 tons, 162 feet long, 23 foot beam,  12 foot 3 inches depth,  d. 6', complement 43, 10-14 knots)

She was an iron, twin-screw,  two-stacked running mate of  Hansa as a blockade runner.  Operated and partly owned by the State of North Carolina and are generally  considered to have been public vessels for all practical purposes.

A man named Captain  Cory commanded the Don when, as a still new , $115,000 ship carrying  a $200,000 cargo of Army uniforms, blankets and shoes in from Nassau, she fell prey  to the USS Pequot, 4 March 1864, on her third attempt that voyage  to run into Wilmington, North Carolina.

She was  purchased from the Boston prize court the next month and commissioned as the USS Don and assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.  She was sold to commercial interests 28 August 1868 after being stricken from the Navy Register.

--Old B-Runner

USS Don

Patrick Mullen was on the USS Don when he received his second Medal of Honor.

From Civil War Navies 1855-1883" by Paul H. Silverstone.

Blockade runner Don was built by J&W Dudgeon in London, England in 1863.  Other ships listed built by J&W Dudgeon were the  blockade runners Flora (1862), Hebe (1863) and Vesta (1862).

Tonnage of these ships put at between 353 to 449 GRT.  

Dimensions:175' by 22'6"

Depth: 12'3"

Don owned by State of North Carolina.

Don was captured by USS Pequot off Wilmington, N.C., 4 March 1864.  Commissioned into U.S. Navy as the USS Don.

--Old B-Runner