Privateers, Poetry, and Golden Prizes

The U.S. Civil War was a time of expanded literacy. The host of letters, diaries, and documents from the war years attest to this. Beyond these are songs, poetry, and patriotic airs that enveloped both sides of the conflict, stirring up calls for action and celebrating heroic acts. While conducting research for my recently released book, Treasure and Empire in the Civil War: The Panamá Route, the West and the Campaigns to Control America’s Mineral Wealth, I came across an obscure poem that tied directly into the naval campaigns to control the Panamá route and its shipping lanes for transporting bullion from California to New York. It was not included in the final book, so I felt it was worth sharing here.

The Yard-Arm Tree
I
O! the trees on the land that grow, that grow,
And the fruits that they produce,
Demand to be sung with vigor, I know,
For each of them has its use.
To the oak and the beech much credit is due;
To the birch we have all dropped a tear;
And, as for the pine, what teachings divine
To its gun-clogged knots adhere!
But now that treason stalks the shore,
And sails upon the main,
The tree that most is worth a toast,
From all of loyal grain,
Is the taper Yard-Arm Tree,
That grows on a ship in the sea.

II
Up from the Isthmus we steam, we steam,
With treasure in our hold;
Bars and dust that take no rust,
And nuggets of yellow gold.
Down on our quarter sweeps a bark
Flaunting the Cotton Flag;
A rebel bark, with a letter of marque,
And they strive to get our swag;
But they reckoned without one skipper brave,
And grand it was to see,
The bloated Cotton blossoms wave,
Up our yard-arm tree
So here’s to the Yard-Arm Tree,
That grows on a ship in the sea!
– Vanity Fair[1]

At first the poem does not mention the Panamá isthmus, shipping lanes, or even gold. The first section of the poem instead focuses on the Yard-Arm Tree. This first part hints of secession and the coming conflict before bringing up the Yard-Arm Tree, which is mention of the massive wooden masts that ships at sea used to hold hoisted sails. The poem suggests, as its first part concludes, that such masts are the trees most worthy of praise, for they are contributing to the suppression of rebellion.

The poem’s second element dives directly into the Panamá route, the supposed dangers upon it, and how Confederates wished to seize the ships carrying gold. The poem follows the journey of one of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s steamers from the Atlantic and Pacific Mail Company as it departs the Panamá isthmus for New York, packed with California gold being transported. Suddenly, a Confederate privateer appears on the horizon and gives chase, seeking the wealth for itself. The only thing saving Vanderbilt’s ship is the Yard-Arm Tree flaunting its host of sails, pushing the treasure ship out of reach of the Confederate privateer.

Though the poem is not documenting a specific day when a specific Confederate ship targeted one of Vanderbilt’s ships, it does showcase the dangers such ships faced and hints at the economic catastrophe that would be if the Confederates did manage to capture these ships packed with gold.

So, did the Confederates ever capture any of these treasure ships? The short answer is yes. CSS Alabama captured the treasure steamer Ariel in December 1862 and CSS Florida captured the treasure clipper Benjamin F. Hoxie in June 1863, both events previously written about here at Emerging Civil War. There were also some potentially close calls, though in reality they were prevented because of the engines and steam-power of Vanderbilt’s ships, not any sails on masts. To learn more about this battle for control over the Panamá route and its shipping lanes of bullion, check out Treasure and Empire in the Civil War: The Panamá Route, the West, and the Campaigns to Control America’s Mineral Wealth.

Endnotes:

[1] “The Yard-Arm Tree,” Frank Moore, ed. The Rebellion Record: A Diary of American Events. (New York, G.P. Putnam 1863), Vol. 1, Poetry and Incidents Section, 86.