THE SUMTER AT CURACOA--HER SURROUNDINGS--PREPARATIONS FOR SEA, AND
DEPARTURE--THE CAPTURE OF OTHER PRIZES--PUERTO CABELLO, AND WHAT OCCURRED
THERE.
The _Sumter_ had scarcely swung to her anchors, in the small land-locked
harbor described, before she was surrounded by a fleet of bum-boats, laden
with a profusion of tropical fruits, and filled with men, and women,
indifferently--the women rather preponderating. These bum-boat women are
an institution in Curacoa; the profession descends from mother to daughter
and time seems to operate no change among them. It had been nearly a
generation since I was last at Curacoa. I was then a gay, rollicking young
midshipman, in the "old" Navy, and it seemed as though I were looking upon
the same faces, and listening to the same confusion of voices as before.
The individual women had passed away, of course, but the bum-boat women
remained. They wore the same parti-colored handkerchiefs wound gracefully
around their heads, the same gingham or muslin dresses, and exposed
similar, if not the same, bare arms, and unstockinged legs. They were
admitted freely on board, with their stocks in trade, and pretty soon Jack
was on capital terms with them, converting his small change into fragrant
bananas, and blood-red oranges, and replenishing his tobacco-pouch for the
next cruise. As Jack is a gallant fellow, a little flirtation was going on
too with the purchasing, and I was occasionally highly amused at these
joint efforts at trade and love-making. No one but a bum-boat woman is
ever a sailor's _blanchiseuse, et par consequence_ a number of well-filled
clothes'-bags soon made their appearance, on deck, from the different
apartments of the ship, and were passed into the boats alongside.
These people all speak excellent English, though with a drawl, which is
not unmusical, when the speaker is a sprightly young woman. Jack has a
great fondness for pets, and no wonder, poor fellow, debarred, as he is,
from all family ties, and with no place he can call his home, but his
ship; and pretty soon my good-natured first lieutenant had been seduced
into giving him leave to bring sundry monkeys, and parrots on board, the
former of which were now gambolling about the rigging, and the latter
waking the echoes of the harbor with their squalling. Such was the crowd
upon our decks, and so serious was the interruption to business, that we
were soon obliged to lay restrictions upon the bum-boat fleet, by
prohibiting it from coming alongside, except at meal-hours, which we
always designated by hoisting a red pennant, at the mizzen. It was curious
to watch the movements of the fleet, as these hours approached. Some
twenty or thirty boats would be lying upon their oars, a few yards from
the ship, each with from two to half a dozen inmates, eagerly watching the
old quartermaster, whose duty it was to hoist the pennant; the women
chattering, and the parrots squalling, whilst the oarsmen were poising
their oars, that they might get the first stroke over their competitors in
the race. At length, away goes the flag! and then what a rushing and
clattering, and bespattering until the boats are alongside.
In an hour after our anchor had been let go, the business of the ship, for
the next few days, had all been arranged. The first lieutenant had visited
a neighboring ship-yard, and contracted for a new foretop-mast, to supply
the place of the old one which had been sprung; the paymaster had
contracted for a supply of coal, and fresh provisions, daily, for the
crew, and for having the ship watered; the latter no unimportant matter,
in this rainless region, and I had sent an officer to call on the
Governor, _with my card_, being too unwell to make the visit, in person.
Upon visiting the shore the next day, I found that we were in a _quasi_
enemy's territory, for besides the Federal Consul before spoken of, a
Boston man had intrenched himself in the best hotel in the place, as
proprietor, and was doing a thriving business, far away from "war's
alarms," and a New Yorker had the monopoly of taking all the phizes of the
staid old Dutchmen--"John Smith, of New York, Photographer," hanging high
above the artist's windows, on a sign-board that evidently had not been
painted by a Curacoan. Mr. Smith had already taken an excellent photograph
of the _Sumter_, which he naively enough told me, was intended for the New
York illustrated papers. If I had had ever so much objection, to having
the likeness of my ship hung up in such a "rogues' gallery," I had no
means of preventing it. Besides, it could do us but little damage, in the
way of identification, as we had the art of disguising the _Sumter_ so
that we would not know her, ourselves, at half a dozen miles distance.
I was surprised, one morning, during our stay here, whilst I was lounging,
listlessly, in my cabin, making a vain attempt to read, under the
infliction of the caulkers overhead, who were striking their
caulking-irons with a vigor, and rapidity, that made the tympanum of my
ears ring again, at the announcement that Don somebody or other, the
private secretary of President Castro, desired to see me. The caulkers
were sent away, and his Excellency's private secretary brought below.
President Castro was one of those unfortunate South American chiefs, who
had been beaten in a battle of ragamuffins, and compelled to fly his
country. He was President of Venezuela, and had been deprived of his
office, before the expiration of his term, by some military aspirant, who
had seated himself in the presidential chair, instead, and was now in
exile in Curacoa, with four of the members of his cabinet. The object of
the visit of his secretary was to propose to me to reinstate the exiled
President, in his lost position, by engaging in a military expedition,
with him, to the mainland.
Here was a chance, now, for an ambitious man! I might become the Warwick
of Venezuela, and put the crown on another's head, if I might not wear it
myself. I might hoist my admiral's flag, on board the _Sumter_, and take
charge of all the piraguas, and canoes, that composed the Venezuelan navy,
whilst my colleague mustered those men in buckram, so graphically
described by Sir John Falstaff, and made an onslaught upon his despoiler.
But unfortunately for friend Castro, I was like one of those damsels who
had already plighted her faith to another, before the new wooer
appeared--I was not in the market. I listened courteously, however, to
what the secretary had to say; told him, that I felt flattered by the
offer of his chief, but that I was unable to accept it. "I cannot," I
continued, "consistently with my obligations to my own country, engage in
any of the revolutionary movements of other countries." "But," said he,
"Senor Castro is the _de jure_ President of Venezuela, and you would be
upholding the right in assisting him;--can you not, at least, land us,
with some arms and ammunition, on the main land?" I replied that, "as a
Confederate States officer, I could not look into _de jure_ claims. These
questions were for the Venezuelans, themselves, to decide. The only
government I could know in Venezuela was the _de facto_ government, for
the time being, and _that_, by his own showing, was in the hands of his
antagonists." Here the conversation closed, and my visitor, who had the
bearing and speech of a cultivated gentleman, departed. The jottings of my
diary for the next few days, will perhaps now inform the reader, of our
movements, better than any other form of narrative.
_July 19th._--Wind unusually blustering this morning, with partial
obscuration of the heavens. The engineers are busy, overhauling and
repairing damages to their engine and boilers; the gunner is at work,
polishing up his battery and ventilating his magazine, and the sailors are
busy renewing ratlines and tarring down their rigging. An English bark
entered the harbor to-day from Liverpool.
_July 20th._--Painting and refitting ship; got off the new fore-topmast
from the shore. It is a good pine stick, evidently from our Southern
States, and has been well fashioned. The monthly packet from the island of
St. Thomas arrived, to-day, bringing newspapers from the enemy's country
as late as the 26th of June. We get nothing new from these papers, except
that the Northern bee-hive is all agog, with the marching and
countermarching of troops.
_July 21st._--Fresh trade-winds, with flying clouds--atmosphere highly
charged with moisture, but no rain. This being Sunday, we mustered and
inspected the crew. The washer-women have decidedly improved the
appearance of the young officers, the glistening of white shirt-bosoms and
collars having been somewhat unusual on board of the _Sumter_, of late.
The crew look improved too, by their change of diet, and the use of
antiscorbutics, which have been supplied to them, at the request of the
surgeon; though some of them, having been on shore, "on liberty," have
brought off a blackened eye. No matter--the more frequently Jack settles
his accounts, on shore, the fewer he will have to settle on board ship, in
breach of discipline. We read, at the muster, to-day, the finding and
sentence of the first court-martial, that has sat on board the _Sumter_,
since she reached the high seas.
_July 22d._--Warped alongside a wharf, in the edge of the town, and
commenced receiving coal on board. Refitting, and repainting ship. In the
afternoon, I took a lonely stroll through the town, mainly in the suburbs.
It is a quaint, picturesque old place, with some few modern houses, but
the general air is that of dilapidation, and a decay of trade. The lower
classes are simple, and primitive in their habits, and but little suffices
to supply their wants. The St. Thomas packet sailed, to-day, and, as a
consequence, the Federal cruisers, in and about that island, will have
intelligence of our whereabouts, in four or five days. To mislead them, I
have told the pilot, and several gentlemen from the shore, _in great
confidence_, that I am going back to cruise on the coast of Cuba. The
packet will of course take that intelligence to St. Thomas.
_July 23d._--Still coaling, refitting and painting. Weather more cloudy,
and wind not so constantly fresh, within the last few days. Having taken
sights for our chronometers, on the morning after our arrival, and again
to-day, I have been enabled to verify their rates. They are running very
well. The chronometer of the _Golden Rocket_ proves to be a good
instrument. We fix the longitude of Curacoa to be 68 deg. 58' 30", west
of Greenwich.
_July 24th._--Sky occasionally obscured, with a moderate trade-wind. Our
men have all returned from their visits to the shore, except one, a simple
lad named Orr, who, as I learn, has been seduced away, by a Yankee
skipper, in port, aided by the Boston hotel-keeper, and our particular
friend, the consul. As these persons have tampered with my whole crew, I
am gratified to know, that there has been but one traitor found among
them.
We had now been a week in Curacoa, during which time, besides recruiting,
and refreshing my crew, I had made all the necessary preparations for
another cruise. The ship had been thoroughly overhauled, inside and out,
and her coal-bunkers were full of good English coal. It only remained for
us to put to sea. Accordingly, at twelve o'clock precisely, on the day
last above mentioned, as had been previously appointed, the _Sumter_,
bidding farewell to her new-made friends, moved gracefully out of the
harbor--this time, amid the waving of handkerchiefs, in female hands, as
well as of hats in the hands of the males; the quay being lined, as
before, to see us depart. The photographer took a last shot at the ship,
as she glided past his sanctum, and we looked with some little interest to
the future numbers of that "Journal of Civilization," vulgarly yclept
"Harper's Weekly," for the interesting portrait; which came along in due
time, accompanied by a lengthy description, veracious, of course, of the
"Pirate."
Curacoa lies a short distance off the coast of Venezuela, between
Laguayra, and Puerto Cabello, and as both of these places had some
commerce with the United States, I resolved to look into them. The morning
after our departure found us on a smooth sea, with a light breeze off the
land. The mountains, back of Laguayra, loomed up blue, mystic, and
majestic, at a distance of about thirty miles, and the lookout, at the
mast-head, was on the _qui vive_ for strange sails. He had not to wait
long. In the tropics, there is very little of that bewitching portion of
the twenty-four hours, which, in other parts of the world, is called
twilight. Day passes into night, and night into day, almost at a single
bound. The rapidly approaching dawn had scarcely revealed to us the bold
outline of the coast, above mentioned, when sail ho! resounded from the
mast-head. The sail bore on our port-bow, and was standing obliquely
toward us. We at once gave chase, and at half-past six A. M., came up
with, and captured the schooner _Abby Bradford_, from New York, bound for
_Puerto Cabello_.
We knew our prize to be American, long before she showed us her colors.
She was a "down-East," fore-and-aft schooner, and there are no other such
vessels in the world. They are as thoroughly marked, as the Puritans who
build them, and there is no more mistaking the "cut of their jib." The
little schooner was provision laden, and there was no attempt to cover her
cargo. The news of the escape of the _Sumter_ had not reached New York, at
the date of her sailing, and the few privateers that we had put afloat, at
the beginning of the war, had confined their operations to our own, and
the enemy's coasts. Hence the neglect of the owners of the _Bradford_, in
not providing her with some good English, or Spanish certificates,
protesting that her cargo was neutral. The "old flag" was treated very
tenderly on the present occasion. The "flaunting lie," which Mr. Horace
Greeley had told us, should "insult no sunny sky," was hauled down, and
stowed away in the quartermaster's bag described a few pages back.
The _Bradford_ being bound for Puerto Cabello, and that port being but a
short distance, under my lee, I resolved to run down, with the prize, and
try my hand with my friend Castro's opponent, the _de facto_ President of
Venezuela, to see whether I could not prevail upon him, to admit my prizes
into his ports. I thought, surely, an arrangement could be made with some
of these beggarly South American republics, the revenue of which did not
amount to a cargo of provisions, annually, and which were too weak,
besides, to be worth kicking by the stronger powers. What right had
_they_, thought I, to be putting on the airs of nations, and talking about
acknowledging other people, when they had lived a whole generation,
themselves, without the acknowledgment of Spain.
But, as the reader will see, I reckoned without my host. I found that they
had a wholesome fear of the Federal gun-boats, and that even their
cupidity could not tempt them to be just, or generous. If they had
admitted my prizes into their ports, I could, in the course of a few
months, have made those same ports more busy with the hum and thrift of
commerce, than they had ever been before; I could have given a new impulse
to their revolutions, and made them rich enough to indulge in the luxury
of a _pronunciamiento_, once a week. The bait was tempting, but there
stood the great lion in their path--the model Republic. The fact is, I
must do this model Republic the justice to say, that it not only bullied
the little South American republics, but all the world besides. Even old
John Bull, grown rich, and plethoric, and asthmatic and gouty, trembled
when he thought of his rich argosies, and of the possibility of Yankee
privateers chasing them.
Taking the _Bradford_ in tow, then, we squared away for Puerto Cabello,
but darkness came on before we could reach the entrance of the harbor, and
we were compelled to stand off and on, during the night--the schooner
being cast off, and taking care of herself, under sail. The _Sumter_ lay
on the still waters, all night, like a huge monster asleep, with the light
from the light-house, on the battlements of the fort, glaring full upon
her, and in plain hearing of the shrill cry of "_Alerta!_" from the
sentinels. So quietly did she repose, with banked fires, being fanned, but
not moved, by the gentle land-breeze that was blowing, that she scarcely
needed to turn over her propeller during the night, to preserve her
relative position with the light. There was no occasion to be in a hurry
to run in, the next morning, as no business could be transacted before
ten, or eleven o'clock, and so I waited until the sun, with his broad disk
glaring upon us, like an angry furnace, had rolled away the mists of the
morning, and the first lieutenant had holy-stoned his decks, and arranged
his hammock-nettings, with his neat, white hammocks stowed in them, before
we put the ship in motion.
We had, some time before, hoisted the Confederate States flag, and the
Venezuelan colors were flying from the fort in response. The prize
accompanied us in, and we both anchored, within a stone's throw of the
town, the latter looking like some old Moorish city, that had been
transported by magic to the new world, _gallinazos_, and all. Whilst my
clerk was copying my despatch to the Governor, and the lieutenant was
preparing himself, and his boat's crew, to take it on shore, I made a
hasty _reconnoissance_ of the fort, which had a few iron pieces, of small
calibre mounted on it, well eaten by rust, and whose carriages had rotted
from under them. The following is a copy of my letter to his Excellency.
CONFEDERATE STATES STEAMER SUMTER,
PUERTO CABELLO, July 26, 1861.
HIS EXCELLENCY, THE GOVERNOR:--
I have the honor to inform your Excellency of my arrival at this
place, in this ship, under my command, with the prize schooner, _Abby
Bradford_, in company, captured by me about seventy miles to the
northward and eastward. The _Abby Bradford_ is the property of
citizens of the United States, with which States, as your Excellency
is aware, the Confederate States, which I have the honor to
represent, are at war, and the cargo would appear to belong, also, to
citizens of the United States, who have shipped it, on consignment,
to a house in _Puerto Cabello_. Should any claim, however, be given
for the cargo, or any part of it, the question of ownership can only
be decided by the Prize Courts of the Confederate States. In the
meantime, I have the honor to request, that your Excellency will
permit me to leave this prize vessel, with her cargo, in the port of
Puerto Cabello, until the question of prize can be adjudicated by the
proper tribunals of my country. This will be a convenience to all
parties; as well to any citizens of Venezuela, who may have an
interest in the cargo, as to the captors, who have also valuable
interests to protect.
In making this request, I do not propose that the Venezuelan
government shall depart from a strict neutrality between the
belligerents, as the same rule it applies to us, it can give the
other party the benefit of, also. In other words, with the most
scrupulous regard for her neutrality, she may permit both
belligerents to bring their prizes into her waters; and, of this,
neither belligerent could complain, since whatever justice is
extended to its enemy, is extended also to itself. * * * [Here
follows a repetition of the facts with regard to the seizure of the
Navy by the Federal authorities, and the establishment of the
blockade of the Southern ports, already stated in my letter to the
Governor of Cienfuegos.] * * * Thus, your Excellency sees, that under
the rule of exclusion, the enemy could enjoy his right of capture, to
its full extent--all his own ports being open to him--whilst the
cruisers of the Confederate States could enjoy it, _sub modo_, only;
that is, for the purpose of destroying their prizes. A rule which
would produce such unequal results as this, is not a just rule
(although it might, in terms, be extended to both parties), and as
equality and justice, are of the essence of neutrality, I take it for
granted, that Venezuela will not adopt it.
On the other hand, the rule admitting both parties, alike, with their
prizes into your ports, until the prize courts of the respective
countries could have time to adjudicate the cases, would work equal
and exact justice to both; and this is all that the Confederate
States demand.
With reference to the present case, as the cargo consists chiefly of
provisions, which are perishable, I would ask leave to sell them, at
public auction, for the benefit of "whom it may concern," depositing
the proceeds with a suitable prize agent, until the decision of the
court can be known. With regard to the vessel, I request that she may
remain in the custody of the same agent, until condemned and sold.
When the _Sumter_ entered _Puerto Cabello_, with her prize, she found an
empty harbor, there being only two or three coasting schooners anchored
along the coast; there was a general dearth of business, and the quiet
little city was panting for an excitement. A bomb-shell, thrown into the
midst of the stagnant commercial community, could not have startled them
more, than the rattling of the chain cable of the _Sumter_ through her
hawse-hole, as she let go her anchor; and when my missive was handed to
the Governor, there was a racing, and chasing of bare-footed orderlies,
that indicated a prospective gathering of the clans, similar to the one
which had occurred at Curacoa. A grand council was held, at which the
Confederate States had not the honor to be represented.
That the reader may understand the odds against which we now had to
struggle, he must recollect, that all these small South American towns
are, more or less, dependent upon American trade. The New England States,
and New York supply them with their domestic cottons, flour, bacon, and
notions; sell them all their worthless old muskets, and damaged
ammunition, and now and then, smuggle out a small craft to them, for naval
purposes. The American Consul, who is also a merchant, represents not only
those "grand moral ideas," that characterize our Northern people, but
Sand's sarsaparilla, and Smith's wooden clocks. He is, _par excellence_,
the big dog of the village. The big dog was present on the present
occasion, looking portentous, and savage, and when he ope'd his mouth, all
the little dogs were silent. Of course, the poor _Sumter_, anchored away
off in the bay, could have no chance before so august an assemblage, and,
pretty soon, an orderly came down to the boat, where my patient lieutenant
was waiting, bearing a most ominous-looking letter, put up in true South
American style, about a foot square, and bearing on it, "_Dios y
Libertad_."
When I came to break the seal of this letter, I found it to purport, that
the Governor had not the necessary _funciones_, to reply to me,
diplomatically, but that he would _elevate_ my despatch, to the _Supreme_
Government; and that, in the mean time, I had better take the _Abby
Bradford_ and get out of _Puerto Cabello_, as soon as possible! This was
all said, very politely, for your petty South American chieftain is
"As mild a mannered man, as ever cut a throat,"
but it was none the less strong for all that. The missive of the Governor
reached me early, in the afternoon, but I paid not the least attention to
it. I sent the paymaster on shore, to purchase some fresh provisions, and
fruits, for the crew, and gave such of the officers "liberty," as desired
it. The next morning I sent a prize crew on board the _Bradford_, and
determined to send her to New Orleans. Being loth to part with any more of
my officers, after the experience I had had, with the prize brig _Cuba_, I
selected an intelligent quartermaster, who had been mate of a merchantman,
as prize-master. My men I could replace--my officers I could not. The
following letter of instructions was prepared for the guidance of the
prize-master:
CONFEDERATE STATES STEAMER SUMTER,
OFF PUERTO CABELLO, July 26, 1861.
QUARTERMASTER AND PRIZE-MASTER, EUGENE RUHL:
You will take charge of the prize schooner, _Abby Bradford_, and
proceed with her, to New Orleans--making the land to the westward of
the passes of the Mississippi, and endeavoring to run into Barrataria
Bay, Berwick's Bay, or some of the other small inlets. Upon your
arrival, you will proceed to the city of New Orleans, in person, and
report yourself to Commodore Rousseau, for orders. You will take
especial care of the accompanying package of papers, as they are the
papers of the captured schooner, and you will deliver them, with the
seals unbroken, to the judge of the Prize Court, Judge Moise. You
will batten down your hatches, and see that no part of the cargo is
touched, during the voyage, and you will deliver both vessel, and
cargo, to the proper law officers, in the condition in which you find
them, as nearly as possible.
I availed myself of this opportunity, to address the following letter to
Mr. Mallory, the Secretary of the Navy; having nothing very important to
communicate, I did not resort to the use of the cipher, that had been
established between us.
CONFEDERATE STATES STEAMER SUMTER,
PUERTO CABELLO, July 26, 1861.
SIR:--Having captured a schooner of light draught, which, with her
cargo, I estimate to be worth some twenty-five thousand dollars, and
being denied the privilege of leaving her at this port, until she
could be adjudicated, I have resolved to dispatch her for New
Orleans, in charge of a prize crew, with the hope that she may be
able to elude the vigilance of the blockading squadron, of the enemy,
and run into some one of the shoal passes, to the westward of the
mouth of the Mississippi, as Barrataria, or Berwick's Bay. In great
haste, I avail myself of this opportunity to send you my first
despatch, since leaving New Orleans. I can do no more, for want of
time, than barely enumerate, without describing events.
We ran the blockade of Pass a L'Outre, by the _Brooklyn_, on the 30th
of June, that ship giving us chase. On the morning of the 3d of July,
I doubled Cape Antonio, the western extremity of Cuba, and, on the
same day, captured, off the Isle of Pines, the American ship, _Golden
Rocket_, belonging to parties in Bangor, in Maine. She was a fine
ship of 600 tons, and worth between thirty and forty thousand
dollars. I burned her. On the next day, the 4th, I captured the
brigantines _Cuba_ and _Machias_, both of Maine, also. They were
laden with sugars. I sent them to Cienfuegos, Cuba. On the 5th of
July, I captured the brigs _Ben. Dunning_, and _Albert Adams_, owned
in New York, and Massachusetts. They were laden, also, with sugars. I
sent them to Cienfuegos. On the next day, the 6th, I captured the
barks _West Wind_, and _Louisa Kilham_, and the brig _Naiad_, all
owned in New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. I sent them,
also, to Cienfuegos.
On the same day, I ran into that port, myself, reported my captures
to the authorities, and asked leave for them to remain, until they
could be adjudicated. The Government took them in charge, until the
Home Government should give directions concerning them. I coaled
ship, and sailed, again, on the 7th. On the 17th I arrived at the
Island of Curacoa, without having fallen in with any of the enemy's
ships. I coaled again, here--having had some little difficulty with
the Governor, about entering--and sailed on the 24th. On the morning
of the 25th, I captured, off Laguayra, the schooner _Abby Bradford_,
which is the vessel, by which I send this despatch. I do not deem it
prudent to speak, here, of my future movements, lest my despatch
should fall into the hands of the enemy. We are all well, and "doing
a pretty fair business," in mercantile parlance, having made nine
captures in twenty-six days.
The _Bradford_ reached the coast of Louisiana, in due time, but
approaching too near to the principal passes of the Mississippi, against
which I had warned her, she was re-captured, by one of the enemy's
steamers, and my prize crew were made prisoners, but soon afterward
released, though they did not rejoin me. I am thus particular, in giving
the reader an account of these, my first transactions, for the purpose of
showing him, that I made every effort to avoid the necessity of destroying
my prizes, at sea; and that I only resorted to this practice, when it
became evident that there was nothing else to be done. Not that I had not
the right to burn them, under the laws of war, when there was no dispute
about the property--as was the case with the _Golden Rocket_, she having
had no cargo on board--but because I desired to avoid all possible
complication with neutrals.
Having dispatched the _Bradford_, we got under way, in the _Sumter_, to
continue our cruise. We had scarcely gotten clear of the harbor, before a
sail was discovered, in plain sight, from the deck. The breeze was light,
and she was running down the coast, with all her studding sails set. Her
taunt and graceful spars, and her whitest of cotton sails, glistening in
the morning's sun, revealed at once the secret of her nationality. We
chased, and, at the distance of full seven miles from the land, came up
with, and captured her. She proved to be the bark _Joseph Maxwell_, of
Philadelphia, last from Laguayra, where she had touched, to land a part of
her cargo. The remainder she was bringing to Puerto Cabello. Upon
inspection of her papers, I ascertained that one-half of the cargo,
remaining on board of her, belonged to a neutral owner, doing business in
Puerto Cabello.
Heaving the bark to, in charge of a prize crew, beyond the marine league,
I took her master on board the _Sumter_, and steaming back into the
harbor, sent Paymaster Myers on shore with him, to see if some arrangement
could not be made, by which the interests of the neutral half-owner of the
cargo could be protected; to see, in other words, whether _this_ prize, in
which a Venezuelan citizen was interested, would not be permitted to
enter, and remain until she could be adjudicated. Much to my surprise,
upon the return of my boat, the paymaster handed me a written _command_
from the Governor, to bring the _Maxwell_ in, and deliver her to him,
until the _Venezuelan courts_ could determine whether she had been
captured within the marine league, or not! This insolence was refreshing.
I scarcely knew whether to laugh, or be angry at it. I believe I indulged
in both emotions. The _Sumter_ had not let go her anchor, but had been
waiting for the return of her boat, under steam. She was lying close under
the guns of the fort, and we could see that the tompions had been taken
out of the guns, and that they were manned by some half-naked soldiers.
Not knowing but the foolish Governor might order his commandant to fire
upon me, in case I should attempt to proceed to sea, in my ship, before I
had sent a boat out to bring in the _Maxwell_, I beat to quarters, and
with my crew standing by my guns, steamed out to rejoin my prize. When I
had a little leisure to converse with my paymaster, he told me, that the
Federal consul had been consulted, on the occasion, and that the nice
little _ruse_ of the Governor's order had been resorted to in the hope of
intimidating me. I would have burned the _Maxwell_, on the spot, but,
unfortunately, as the reader has seen, she had some neutral cargo on
board, and this I had no right to destroy. I resolved, therefore, to send
her in; not to the Confederate States, for she drew too much water to
enter any, except the principal ports, and these being all blockaded, by
steamers, it was useless for her to make the attempt. The following letter
of instructions to her prize-master, will show what disposition was made
of her.
CONFEDERATE STATES STEAMER SUMTER,
AT SEA, July 27, 1861.
MIDSHIPMAN AND PRIZE-MASTER WM. A. HICKS:--
You will take charge of the prize bark, _Joseph Maxwell_, and
proceed, with her, to some port on the south side of the island of
Cuba, say St. Jago, Trinidad, or Cienfuegos. I think it would be
safest for you to go into Cienfuegos, as the enemy, from the very
fact of our having been there, recently, will scarcely be on the look
for us a second time. The steamers which were probably sent thither
from Havana in pursuit of the _Sumter_ must, long since, have
departed, to hunt her in some other quarter.
Upon your arrival, you will inform the Governor, or Commandant of the
Port, of the fact, state to him that your vessel is the prize of a
ship of war, and not of a privateer, and ask leave for her to remain
in port, in charge of a prize agent, until she can be adjudicated by
a prize court of the Confederate States. Should he grant you this
request, you will, if you go into Cienfuegos, put the vessel in
charge of _Don Mariano Dias_, our agent for the other prizes; but
should you go into either of the other ports, you will appoint some
reliable person to take charge of the prize, but without power to
sell, until further orders--taking from him a bond, with sufficient
sureties for the faithful performance of his duties.
Should the Governor decline to permit the prize to remain, you will
store the cargo, with some responsible person, if permitted to land
it, taking his receipt therefor, and then take the ship outside the
port, beyond the marine league, and burn her. Should you need funds
for the unlading and storage of the cargo, you are authorized to sell
so much of it as may be necessary for this purpose. You will then
make the best of your way to the Confederate States, and report
yourself to the Secretary of the Navy. You will keep in close custody
the accompanying sealed package of papers, being the papers of the
captured vessel, and deliver it, in person, to the Judge of the
Admiralty Court, in New Orleans. The paymaster will hand you the sum
of one hundred dollars, and you are authorized to draw on the
Secretary of the Navy for such further sum as you may need, to defray
the expenses of yourself, and crew, to the Confederate States.
I had not yet seen the proclamation of neutrality by Spain, and the reader
will perceive, from the above letter, that I still clung to the hope that
that Power would dare to be just, even in the face of the truckling of
England and France. The master of the _Maxwell_ had his wife on board, and
the sea being smooth, I made him a present of one of the best of his
boats, and sent him and his wife on shore in her. He repaid my kindness by
stealing the ship's chronometer, which he falsely told the midshipman in
charge of the prize I had given him leave to take with him. At three P.
M., taking a final leave of _Puerto Cabello_, there being neither waving
of hats or handkerchiefs, or regrets on either side, we shaped our course
to the eastward, and put our ship under a full head of steam.