[artichokegrower]

Interesting history

So-called blockade runners of the Civil War were the epitome of maritime stealth technology of the day. “They were the equivalent of a cigarette boat. They were wickedly fast,” said underwater archaeologist Billy Ray Morris. “They had the most sophisticated engines that England could put out.”

http://www.ktvz.com/news/north-carolina-shipwreck-may-be-civil-war-blockade-runner/38386030

[Blue Jays]

Cool link, artichokegrower.
My guess is they probably kept them unarmed to further lighten them to maximize speed and capacity.
Also interesting they painted them pale gray to keep them as unnoticeable as possible on the seas...just like contemporary ships.

[SaxxonWoods]

Nice, I was writing as you posted that, and it fits in a bit with my story. Thanks for posting the link.

[RegulatorCountry]

The NC coast can be a haven for those who know the currents and where the shifting shoals and sandbars are at any given time. It was for pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries, and it was for some in the Civil War. Sunk one heck of a lot of ships over that time, though.

[LeoWindhorse]

I own a genuine Confederate cavalry saber that made it through the blockade. it was originally made in Germany