Brigadier-General Ellison Capers, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 5, South Carolina
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

Bernard H. Bequest, a business man of Charleston, whose Confederate career is part of the romantic story of blockade running, is a native of Germany, born in 1844. He began a seafaring life at the age of fourteen years, and in 1861 came to Charleston on the bark Goss, Captain Vieting, entering the harbor two weeks after the capture of Fort Sumter. The Confederate flag was flying, and he promptly declared his allegiance to it. Several months later he hid himself on the little blockaderun-ning steamer, Ruby, and on revealing his presence after the boat was at sea, was put to work as coal-passer during the trip to Nassau. At that port he shipped on the blockade-runner Stonewall Jackson, Captain Black commanding, which on the first trip out was sighted and chased by the United States cruiser Tioga, and compelled to throw overboard part of her cargo and put back to Nassau. This unfortunate vessel at her next attempt to reach Charleston was fired upon and struck as she was crossing the bar, and run ashore, where she was burned with the cargo, young Bequest making his way thence to the city with the mail pouch. His next voyage was from Wilmington, and reaching Nassau he shipped on the Fanny, Captain Moore, with which he made four successful trips. Later he was on the Cyrene, but being taken sick at Nassau, he returned to his home in Germany in June, 1864, and remained until September, when he sailed to Nassau, by way of New York, and made a trip into Wilmington on the Rosso Castle. Sailing again on the Watson, they reached the Wilmington bar in time to witness the terrific bombardment of Fort Fisher, upon the fall of which fort blockade-running came practically to an end. Returning to Nassau, he opened a small store and remained there until October, 1865, when he came to Charleston and engaged in business and planting at the town of Mount Pleasant, on the bay. Here he became an influential citizen, serving eleven years as councilman and four as mayor. Since 1885 he has conducted a successful business at Charleston, is a member of the German artillery, and has twice served as king of the