The Watauga had a crew of sixty men, who were to be re-enforced at Nassau, and a large prize-crew had to be sent with her; but French returned with his force in three weeks, and the St. Regis was again fully manned. Christy received a letter from the flag-officer, who commended him very highly for the service he had rendered; and the St. Regis was continued on her present station through the remainder of the summer, and during the winter on the outer limit of the blockaders.
She made several captures, though all of them without any fighting, for no more Confederate men-of-war, actually or intended as such, came out of Wilmington, or attempted to enter the Cape Fear; but he sent a large number of blockade-runners, loaded with cotton coming out, or with supplies for the Confederate armies going in, to New York.
One day in August a large steamer was reported to the commander of the St. Regis as coming from the South. Christy was all ready for a battle if she proved to be a Confederate cruiser; but to his great joy she turned out to be the Bellevite. The ocean was as smooth as glass, and she came alongside the St. Regis. The young commander hastened on board of her, followed by his chief engineer.
Captain Breaker actually hugged him amid the repeated cheers and applause of the ship's company, and Paul Vapoor was received with hardly less enthusiasm. Christy had to shake hands for the next half-hour.
"But how do you and the Bellevite happen to be in this latitude, Captain Breaker?" asked the young commander when he had an opportunity to speak.
"Haven't you heard the news, Captain Passford?" demanded the captain of the Bellevite.
"What news? We don't get the news so far off shore," replied Christy.
"There was no farther use for my ship in the Gulf, and I am sent here to report to the flag-officer. Admiral Farragut turned his attention to Mobile Bay with his fleet; and I gave him the information you procured for me. The Bellevite took part in the battle, and it was the hottest action in which I was ever engaged. My ship was badly cut up in her upper works, but she came out all right."
"This is glorious news, Captain Breaker!" exclaimed Christy, waving his hat, whereupon the tars in the waist broke out in a volley of cheers.
"The carpenters have been busy since the action, and the Bellevite is as good as new," added her commander, as he proceeded to tell the story of the great battle, to which Christy and Paul listened with breathless interest. "Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines surrendered, and the bay is open to our ships."