Of course you have observed that the
blockading squadrons in the Gulf have been greatly reduced."
"Only the Bellevite and Holyoke remained off the entrance to Mobile
Bay," added Christy. "We have had a very quiet time of it since I joined
the Bellevite, and the action with the Tallahatchie was really the only
event of any great importance in which I have been engaged."
"The enemy and their British allies have been so unfortunate in the
Gulf that they have chosen a safer approach to the shores of the South.
Nearly all the blockade-runners at the present time go in at the Cape
Fear River, where the shoal water favors them. A class of steamers of
light draft and great speed are constructed expressly to go into
Wilmington. Over $65,000,000 have been invested in blockade-running;
and in spite of the capture of at least one a week by our ships, the
business appears to pay immense profits. The port of Charleston is
closed to them now, as well as many others."
"I have studied this locality of the coast at the mouth of the Cape Fear
River, and the blockade-runners certainly have their best chance there,"
said Christy.
"The whole attention of the government, so far as blockade-running is
concerned, has been directed to the approaches of Wilmington. Forts
Fisher, Caswell, and Smith afford abundant protection to the light draft
steamers as soon as they get into the shoal water where our gunboats as
a rule cannot follow them.
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