▁know ▁that , ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁October ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁she ▁succeeded ▁in ▁sli pping ▁through ▁the ▁Federal ▁block ade ▁off ▁Mobile ▁Bay ▁and ▁sa iled ▁to ▁Cuba ▁l aden ▁with ▁cot ton . ▁After ▁arriv ing ▁at ▁Hav ana , ▁Cuba , ▁six ▁days ▁later , ▁she ▁delivered ▁her ▁cargo ▁and ▁filled ▁up ▁with ▁lead , ▁tin , ▁medicine , ▁wine , ▁coffee , ▁and ▁other ▁items ▁needed ▁by ▁the ▁South . ▁On ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁ 1 4 ▁November , ▁as ▁she ▁was ▁attempting ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Mobile , ▁A riel ▁was ▁detected ▁and ▁captured ▁by ▁the ▁Union ▁sc rew ▁ste amer ▁Hun ts ville . ▁Sent ▁to ▁Key ▁West , ▁Florida , ▁for ▁adj ud ic ation , ▁the ▁sch oon er ▁was ▁eventually ▁condem ned ▁as ▁a ▁law ful ▁prize ▁and ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁the ▁Union ▁Navy ▁from ▁the ▁Key ▁West ▁prize ▁court ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁July ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁ ▁Ass igned ▁as ▁a ▁tender ▁to ▁the ▁East ▁G ulf ▁Block ade ▁▁▁ ▁However , ▁long ▁before ▁her ▁formal ▁ac quisition , ▁A riel ▁was ▁fitted ▁out ▁for ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁G ulf ▁Block ading ▁Squadron . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁December ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁The od orus ▁Ba iley ▁det ached ▁Act ing ▁Master ' s ▁Mate ▁William ▁C . ▁Mol loy ▁from ▁the ▁recently ▁arrived ▁b ark ▁Gem ▁of ▁the ▁Sea ▁and ▁ordered ▁him ▁to ▁assume ▁command