Holcombe, and his restoration, were incidents never to be
forgotten. Her fox-hunting with horse and hounds, the narrow
escapes of friendly vessels, the fights over blockade-runners
driven ashore, the execution of deserters, and the
loss of an infant son, whose little spirit went out with the
tide one sad summer night, all contributed to the reality of
this romantic life.
When Porter's fleet appeared off Fort Fisher, December
1864, it was storm-bound for several days, and the little
family with their household goods were sent across the