When it
looked as though there would soon be nothing left of her, she hauled
down the Confederate flag at her fore, where she had hoisted it when the
mainmast went over. The order to go ahead was given, and in a short time
the Vixen was alongside of her.
"Do you surrender?" asked Christy, mounting the rail of his ship.
"We do; there is not much left of the steamer, and I am not justified
in throwing away the lives of my men," replied a very spruce-looking
officer.
"You will board her, Mr. Fillbrook, with the first division, and take
possession of her," said Christy, when he had received the captain's
answer. "Ascertain her condition as soon as possible."
The steamer proved to be the Pedee, formerly the Carnfield, Captain
Linden. She had run the blockade with a valuable cargo, which more than
paid the cost of the vessel, and was then loaded with cotton, and armed
for her own protection, as well as to capture anything that fell in her
way. She had a crew of eighty men to do her fighting, and the commander
confidently expected to pick up a better steamer than the Pedee, to
which the greater portion of the ship's company were to be transferred.
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