THE CONNECTING THREAD OF THE HISTORY OF THE WAR TAKEN UP--A BRIEF REVIEW
OF THE EVENTS OF THE TWELVE MONTHS DURING WHICH THE ALABAMA HAD BEEN
COMMISSIONED--ALABAMA ARRIVES AT CAPE TOWN--CAPTURE OF THE SEA
BRIDE--EXCITEMENT THEREUPON--CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE AMERICAN CONSUL
AND THE GOVERNOR ON THE SUBJECT OF THE CAPTURE.
The _Alabama_ has been commissioned, now, one year. In accordance with my
plan of connecting my cruises with a thread--a mere thread--of the history
of the war, it will be necessary to retrace our steps, and take up that
thread at the point at which it was broken--August, 1862. At that date, as
the reader will recollect, the splendid army of McClellan had been
overwhelmed with defeat, and driven in disorder, from before Richmond, and
the fortunes of the Confederacy had greatly brightened in consequence. Lee
followed up this movement with the invasion of Maryland; not for the
purpose of fighting battles, but to free the people of that Southern State
from the military despotism which had been fastened upon them by the
enemy, and enable them, if they thought proper, to join their fortunes
with those of the Confederacy. But he penetrated only that portion of the
State in which the people had always been but lukewarm Southerners, and an
indifferent, if not cold, reception awaited him. The result might have
been different if he could have made his way into the city of Baltimore,
and the more Southern parts of the State. There the enemy was as cordially
detested, as in any part of the Confederacy. The Federal Government had,
by this time, gotten firm military possession of the State, through the
treason of Governor Bradford, Mayor Swann, and others, and nothing short
of driving out the enemy from the city of Baltimore, and occupying it by
our troops, could enable the people of that true and patriotic city to
move in defence of their liberties, and save their State from the
desecration that awaited her.
Harper's Ferry was captured by a portion of Lee's forces; the battle of
Sharpsburg was fought (17th September, 1862) without decisive results, and
Lee recrossed his army into Virginia.
In the West, Corinth was evacuated by General Beauregard, who was
threatened with being flanked, by an enemy of superior force.
Memphis was captured soon afterward, by a Federal fleet, which dispersed
the few Confederate gunboats that offered it a feeble resistance.
The fall of Fort Pillow and Memphis opened the way for the enemy, as far
down the Mississippi as Vicksburg. Here Farragut's and Porter's
fleets--the former from below, the latter from above--united in a joint
attack upon the place, but Van Dorn beat them off.
The Confederates made an attempt to dislodge the enemy from Baton Rouge,
the capital of Louisiana, about forty miles below the mouth of the Red
River, but failed. The expedition was to be a joint naval and military
one, but the naval portion of it failed by an unfortunate accident.
Breckinridge, with less than 3000 men, fought a gallant action against a
superior force, and drove the enemy into the town, but for want of the
naval assistance promised could not dislodge him. We now occupied Port
Hudson below Baton Rouge, and the enemy evacuated Baton Rouge in
consequence. We thus held the Mississippi River between Port Hudson and
Vicksburg, a distance of more than 200 miles.
General Bragg now made a campaign into Kentucky, which State he occupied
for several weeks, but was obliged finally to evacuate, by overwhelming
forces of the enemy. During this campaign, the battles of Richmond and
Perryville were fought. Bragg gathered immense supplies during his march,
killed, wounded, or captured 25,000 of the enemy's troops, and returned
with a well-clothed, well-equipped, more numerous, and better disciplined
army than he had at the beginning of the campaign. The effect of this
campaign was to relieve North Alabama and Middle Tennessee of the presence
of the enemy for some months.
In September, 1862, Van Dorn attacked Rosencrans at Corinth, but was
obliged to withdraw after a gallant and bloody fight. He retreated in good
order.
After Lee's retreat into Virginia, from his march into Maryland, which has
been alluded to, McClellan remained inactive for some time, and the
Northern people becoming dissatisfied, clamored for a change of
commanders. Burnside was appointed to supersede him--a man, in every way
unfit for the command of a large army. With an army of 150,000 men, this
man of straw crossed the Rappahannock, and attacked Lee at Fredericksburg,
in obedience to the howl of the Northern Demos, of "On to Richmond!" A
perfect slaughter of his troops ensued. As far as can be learned, this man
did not cross the river at all himself, but sent his troops to assault
works in front which none but a madman would have thought of
attempting--especially with a river in his rear. It is only necessary to
state the result. Federal loss in killed, 1152; wounded, 7000. Confederate
loss in killed and wounded, 1800. During a storm of wind and rain, the
beaten army regained the shelter of its camps on the opposite side of the
river. Burnside was now thrown overboard by the Northern Demos, as
McClellan had been before him.
As the old year died, and the new year came in, the battle of
Murfreesborough, in Middle Tennessee, was fought between Bragg and
Rosencrans, which was bloody on both sides, and indecisive. Bragg retired
from Murfreesborough, but was not molested by the enemy during his
retreat. The year 1862 may be said, upon the whole, to have resulted
brilliantly for the Confederate arms. We had fought drawn battles, and had
made some retrograde movements, but, on the other hand, we had gained
splendid victories, made triumphant marches into the enemy's territory,
and even threatened his capital. The nations of the earth were looking
upon us with admiration, and we had every reason to feel encouraged.
One of the first events of the year 1863, was the dispersion of the
enemy's blockading fleet, off Charleston, by Commodore Ingraham, with two
small iron-clads, the _Chicora_ and the _Palmetto State_. This gallant
South Carolinian, in his flag-ship, the _Chicora_, first attacked the
_Mercedita_, Captain Stellwagen. Having run into this vessel, and fired
one or two shots at her, she cried for quarter, and surrendered, believing
herself to be in a sinking condition. In a few minutes, the _Mercedita_
sent a boat alongside the _Chicora_, with her first lieutenant, who, by
authority of his captain, surrendered the ship, and assented to the
_paroling_ of the officers and crew. The two little iron-clads then went
in pursuit of the enemy's other ships, and succeeded in getting a shot at
one or two of them, but they were all too fast for them, and betaking
themselves to their heels, soon put themselves out of harm's way. In a
short time there was not a blockader to be seen!
Judge of the surprise of Commodore Ingraham, when, upon his return, he
found that his prize, the _Mercedita_, which he had left at anchor, under
_parole_, had cleared out. Captain Stellwagen, and every officer and man
on board the _Mercedita_, had solemnly promised _on honor_--for this is
the nature of a parole--that they would do no act of war until exchanged.
From the moment they made that promise, they were _hors du combat_. They
were prisoners at large, on board the ship which they had surrendered to
the enemy. And yet, when that enemy turned his back--relying upon the
_parole_ which they had given him--they got up their anchor, and steamed
off to Port Royal, and reported to their Admiral--Dupont! Did Dupont send
her back to Ingraham? No. He reported the facts to Mr. Secretary Welles.
And what did Mr. Secretary Welles do? He kept possession of the ship at
the sacrifice of the honor of the Department over which he presided. And
what think you, reader, was the excuse? It is a curiosity. Admiral Dupont
reported the case thus to Mr. Welles:--"* * * Unable to use his
[Stellwagen's] guns, and being at the mercy of the enemy, which was lying
alongside, on his starboard quarter, all further resistance was deemed
hopeless by Captain Stellwagen, and he surrendered. The crew and officers
were paroled, _though nothing was said about the ship_; the executive
officer, Lieutenant-Commander Abbot, having gone on board the enemy's
ship, and made the arrangements." Mr. Welles, thus prompted by Admiral
Dupont, adopted the exceedingly brilliant idea, that as _nothing had been
said about the ship_--that is, as the _ship_ had not been paroled, she
might, like every other unparoled prisoner, walk off with herself, and
make her escape! But to say nothing of the odd idea of paroling a ship,
these honorable casuists overlooked the small circumstance that the ship
could not make her escape without the assistance of the paroled officers;
and it was an act of war for paroled officers to get under way, and carry
off from her anchors, a prize-ship of the enemy. It was a theft, and
breach of honor besides.
A few days after Ingraham's raid, Galveston was recaptured by the
Confederates, as already described when speaking of the victory of the
_Alabama_ over the _Hatteras_.
Sherman made an attempt upon Vicksburg, and failed. Admiral Dupont, with a
large and well appointed fleet of iron-clads, attacked Charleston, and was
beaten back--one of his ships being sunk, and others seriously damaged. On
the Potomac, Hooker had been sent by the many-headed monster to relieve
Burnside, which was but the substitution of one dunderhead for another.
But Hooker had the _sobriquet_ of "fighting Joe," and this tickled the
monster. "With the most splendid army on the planet," as characterized by
the hyperbolous Joe himself, he crossed the Rappahannock, _on his way to
Richmond_. Lee had no more than about one third of Hooker's force, with
which to oppose him. Three battles ensued--at the Wilderness,
Chancellorsville, and Salem Church, which resulted in the defeat and rout
of "fighting Joe," and his rapid retreat to the north bank of the
Rappahannock. But these victories cost us the life of Stonewall Jackson,
the Coeur de Leon of the Southern Confederacy. His body has been given
to the worms, but his exploits equal, if they do not excel, those of
Napoleon in his first Italian campaign, and will fire the youth of America
as long as our language lives, and history continues to be read.
A third attempt was made upon Vicksburg; this time by General Grant, with
a large army that insured success. With this army, and a fleet of
gunboats, he laid siege to Pemberton. On the 4th of July Pemberton
surrendered. This was a terrible blow to us. It not only lost us an army,
but cut the Confederacy in two, by giving the enemy the command of the
Mississippi River. Port Hudson followed. As a partial set-off to these
disasters, General Dick Taylor captured Brasher City, a very important
base which the enemy had established for operations in Louisiana and
Texas. Nearly five million dollars' worth of stores fell into Taylor's
hands.
After the defeat of Hooker, Lee determined upon another move across the
enemy's border. Hooker followed, keeping himself between Lee and
Washington, supposing the latter to be the object of Lee's movement. But
Lee moved by the Shenandoah Valley, upon Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.
Hooker now resigned the command, for which he found himself unfitted, and
Meade was sent to relieve him. The latter marched forthwith upon
Gettysburg, cautiously disposing his troops, meanwhile, so as to cover
both Baltimore and Washington. The greatest battle of the war was fought
here during the first three days of July. Both parties were whipped, and
on the 4th of July, when Pemberton was surrendering Vicksburg to Grant,
Lee was preparing to withdraw from Gettysburg for the purpose of
recrossing the Potomac. If the battle had been fought in Virginia, Meade
would have been preparing, in like manner, to cross the same river, but to
a different side. Lee withdrew without serious molestation, Meade being
too badly crippled, to do more than follow him at a limping gait. The
disproportion of numbers in this battle was greatly in favor of Meade, and
he had, besides, the advantage of acting on the defensive, in an
intrenched position.
Vicksburg and Gettysburg mark an era in the war. The Confederates, from
this time, began to show signs of weakness. In consequence of the great
disparity of numbers, we had been compelled, at an early day in the war,
to draw upon our whole fighting population. The Northern hive was still
swarming, and apparently as numerous as ever. All Europe was, besides,
open to the North as a recruiting station, and we have seen, in the course
of these pages, how unscrupulously and fraudulently the Federal agents
availed themselves of this advantage. We were being hard pressed, too, for
_material_, for the enemy was maintaining a rigid blockade of our ports,
and was, besides, with a barbarity unknown in civilized war, laying waste
our plantations and corn-fields. We need no better evidence of the shock
which had been given to public confidence in the South, by those two
disasters, than the simple fact, that our currency depreciated almost
immediately a thousand per cent.! Later in the summer, another attempt was
made upon Charleston, which was repulsed as the others had been. Dupont,
after his failure, had been thrown overboard, and Admiral Foote ordered to
succeed him; but Foote dying before he could assume command, Dahlgren was
substituted. This gentleman had, from a very early period in his career,
directed his attention to ordnance, and turned to account the experiments
of Colonel Paixan with shell-guns and shell-firing. He had much improved
upon the old-fashioned naval ordnance, in vogue before the advent of
steamships, and for these labors of his in the foundries and work-shops,
he had been made an Admiral. He was now sent to aid General Gilmore, an
engineer of some reputation, to carry out the favorite Boston idea of
razing Charleston to the ground, as the original hot-bed of secession.
They made a lodgment on Morris Island, but failed, as Dupont had done,
against the other works. We have thus strung, as it were, upon our thread
of the war, the more important military events that occurred during the
first year of the cruise of the _Alabama_. We will now return to that
ship. We left her at Saldanha Bay, near the Cape of Good Hope.
On the morning of the 5th of August, the weather being fine, and the wind
light from the south, we got under way for Table Bay. As we were steaming
along the coast, we fell in with our consort, the _Tuscaloosa_, on her way
to join us, at Saldanha Bay, in accordance with her instructions. She had
been delayed by light winds and calms. She reported the capture of the
enemy's ship _Santee_, from the East Indies, laden with rice, on British
account, and bound for Falmouth, in England. She had released her on
ransom-bond. The _Tuscaloosa_ being in want of supplies, I directed her to
proceed to Simon Town, in Simon's Bay, to the eastward of the Cape, and
there refit, and provide herself with whatever might be necessary. A
little after mid-day, as we were hauling in for Cape Town, "sail ho!" was
cried from aloft; and when we had raised the sail from the deck, we could
see quite distinctly that the jaunty, newly painted craft, with the taper
spars, and white canvas, was an American bark, bound, like ourselves, into
Table Bay. As before remarked, the wind was light, and the bark was not
making much headway. This was fortunate, for if there had been a brisk
breeze blowing, she must have run within the charmed marine league, before
we could have overhauled her.
Hoisting the English colors, we gave the _Alabama_ all steam in chase, and
came near enough to heave the stranger to, when she was still five or six
miles from the land. She proved to be the _Sea-Bride_, of Boston, from New
York, and bound, with an assorted cargo of provisions and notions, on a
trading voyage along the eastern coast of Africa. I threw a prize crew on
board of her, and as I could not take her into port with me, I directed
the officer to stand off and on until further orders--repairing to
Saldanha Bay, by the 15th of the month, in case he should be blown off by
a gale. The capture of this ship caused great excitement at Cape Town, it
having been made within full view of the whole population. The editor of a
daily newspaper published at the Cape--the "Argus"--witnessed it, and we
will let him describe it. The following is an extract from that paper, of
the date of the 6th of August, 1863:--
"Yesterday, at almost noon, a steamer from the northward was made
down from the signal-post, on Lion's Hill. The Governor had, on the
previous day, received a letter from Captain Semmes, informing his
Excellency that the gallant captain had put his ship into Saldanha
Bay for repairs. This letter had been made public in the morning, and
had caused no little excitement. Cape Town, that has been more than
dull--that has been dismal for months, thinking and talking of
nothing but bankruptcies--bankruptcies fraudulent, and bankruptcies
unavoidable--was now all astir, full of life and motion. The stoop of
the Commercial Exchange was crowded with merchants, knots of citizens
were collected at the corner of every street; business was almost, if
not entirely suspended.
"All that could be gleaned, in addition to the information of Captain
Semmes' letter to the Governor, a copy of which was sent to the
United States Consul, immediately it was received, was that the
schooner _Atlas_ had just returned from Malagas Island, where she had
been with water and vegetables for men collecting guano there.
Captain Boyce, the master of the _Atlas_, reported that he had
himself actually seen the _Alabama_; a boat from the steamer had
boarded his vessel, and he had been on board of her. His report of
Captain Semmes corroborated that given by every one else. He said the
Captain was most courteous and gentlemanly. He asked Captain Boyce to
land thirty prisoners for him, in Table Bay, with which request
Captain Boyce was unable to comply. Captain Semmes said that the
_Florida_ was also a short distance off the Cape, and that the
_Alabama_, when she had completed her repairs, and was cleaned and
painted, would pay Table Bay a visit. He expected to be there, he
said, very nearly as soon as the _Atlas_. Shortly after the _Atlas_
arrived, a boat brought up some of the prisoners from Saldanha Bay,
and among them one of the crew of the _Alabama_, who said he had left
the ship. All these waited on the United States Consul, but were
unable to give much information, beyond what we had already received.
"The news that the _Alabama_ was coming into Table Bay, and would
probably arrive about four o'clock this afternoon, added to the
excitement. About noon, a steamer from the north-west was made down
by the signal-man on the hill. Could this be the _Alabama_? or was it
the _Hydaspes_, from India, or the _Lady Jocelyn_ from England? All
three were now hourly expected, and the city was in doubt. Just after
one, it was made down '_Confederate steamer Alabama from the
north-west, and Federal bark from the south-east_.' Here was to be a
capture by the celebrated Confederate craft, close to the entrance of
Table Bay. The inhabitants rushed off to get a sight. Crowds of
people ran up the Lion's Hill, and to the Kloof Road. All the cabs
were chartered--every one of them; there was no cavilling about
fares; the cabs were taken, and no questions asked, but orders were
given to drive as hard as possible.
"The bark coming in from the south-east, and, as the signal-man made
down, five miles off; the steamer coming in from the north-west,
eight miles off, led us to think that the kloof road was the best
place for a full view. To that place we directed our Jehu to drive
furiously. We did the first mile in a short time; but the kloof-hill
for the next two and a half miles is up-hill work. The horse jibbed,
so we pushed on, on foot, as fast as possible, and left the cab to
come on. When we reached the summit, we could only make out a steamer
on the horizon, from eighteen to twenty miles off. This could not be
the _Alabama_, unless she was making off to sea again. There was no
bark. As soon as our cab reached the crown of the hill, we set off at
a break-neck pace, down the hill, on past the Round-house, till we
came near Brighton, and as we reached the corner, there lay the
_Alabama_ within fifty yards of the unfortunate Yankee. As the Yankee
came around from the south-east, and about five miles from the Bay,
the steamer came down upon her. The Yankee was evidently taken by
surprise. The _Alabama_ fired a gun, and brought her to.
"When first we got sight of the _Alabama_, it was difficult to make
out what she was doing; the bark's head had been put about, and the
_Alabama_ lay off quite immovable, as if she were taking a sight of
the 'varmint.' The weather was beautifully calm and clear, and the
sea was as smooth and transparent as a sheet of glass. The bark was
making her way slowly from the steamer, with every bit of her canvas
spread. The _Alabama_, with her steam off, appeared to be letting the
bark get clear off. What could this mean? No one understood. It must
be the _Alabama_. 'There,' said the spectators, 'is the Confederate
flag at her peak; it must be a Federal bark, too, for there are the
stars and stripes of the States flying at her main.' What could the
_Alabama_ mean lying there--
'As idly as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.'
What it meant was soon seen. Like a cat, watching and playing with a
victimized mouse, Captain Semmes permitted his prize to draw off a
few yards, and then he up steam again, and pounced upon her. She
first sailed round the Yankee from stem to stern, and stern to stem
again. The way that fine, saucy, rakish craft was handled was worth
riding a hundred miles to see. She went round the bark like a toy,
making a complete circle, and leaving an even margin of water between
herself and her prize, of not more than twenty yards. From the hill
it appeared as if there was no water at all between the two vessels.
This done, she sent a boat with a prize crew off, took possession in
the name of the Confederate States, and sent the bark off to sea.
"The _Alabama_ then made for the port. We came round the Kloof to
visit Captain Semmes on board. As we came, we found the heights
overlooking Table Bay covered with people; the road to Green Point
lined with cabs. The windows of the villas at the bottom of the hill
were all thrown up, and ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and one and
all joined in the general enthusiasm; over the quarries, along the
Malay burying-ground, the Gallows Hill, and the beach, there were
masses of people--nothing but a sea of heads as far as the eye could
reach. Along Strand Street, and Alderley Street, the roofs of all the
houses, from which Table Bay is overlooked, were made available as
standing-places for the people who could not get boats to go off to
her. The central, the north, the south, and the coaling jetties were
all crowded. At the central jetty it was almost impossible to force
one's way through to get a boat. However, all in good time, we did
get a boat, and went off, in the midst of dingies, cargo-boats, gigs,
and wherries, all as full as they could hold. Nearly all the city was
upon the bay; the rowing clubs in uniform, with favored members of
their respective clubs on board. The crews feathered their oars in
double-quick time, and their pulling, our 'stroke' declared, was a
'caution, and no mistake.' * * * On getting alongside the _Alabama_,
we found about a dozen boats before us, and we had not been on board
five minutes before she was surrounded by nearly every boat in Table
Bay, and as boat after boat arrived, three hearty cheers were given
for Captain Semmes and his gallant privateer. This, upon the part of
a neutral people, is, perchance, wrong; but we are not arguing a
case--we are recording facts. They did cheer, and cheer with a will,
too. It was not, perhaps, taking the view of either side, Federal or
Confederate, but in admiration of the skill, pluck, and daring of the
_Alabama_, her captain, and her crew, who afford a general theme of
admiration for the world all over.
"Visitors were received by the officers of the ship most courteously,
and without distinction, and the officers conversed freely and
unreservedly of their exploits. There was nothing like brag in their
manner of answering questions put to them. They are as fine and
gentlemanly a set of fellows as ever we saw; most of them young men.
The ship has been so frequently described, that most people know what
she is like, as we do who have seen her. We should have known her to
be the _Alabama_, if we had boarded her in the midst of the ocean,
with no one to introduce us to each other. Her guns alone are worth
going off to see, and everything about her speaks highly of the
seamanship and discipline of her commander and his officers. She had
a very large crew, fine, lithe-looking fellows, the very picture of
English man-of-war's men."
The editor of the "Argus" has not overdrawn the picture when he says, that
nearly all Cape Town was afloat, on the evening of the arrival of the
_Alabama_. The deck of the ship was so crowded, that it was almost
impossible to stir in any direction. Nor was this simply a vulgar crowd,
come off to satisfy mere curiosity. It seemed to be a generous outpouring
of the better classes. Gentlemen and ladies of distinction pressed into my
cabin, to tender me a cordial greeting. Whatever may have been the cause,
their imaginations and their hearts seemed both to have been touched. I
could not but be gratified at such a demonstration on the part of an
entire people. The inhabitants of the Cape colony seemed to resemble our
own people in their excitability, and in the warmth with which they
expressed their feelings, more than the phlegmatic English people, of whom
they are a part. This resemblance became still more apparent, when I had
the leisure to notice the tone, and temper of their press, the marshalling
of political parties, and the speeches of their public men. The colony,
with its own legislature, charged with the care of its own local concerns,
was almost a republic. It enjoyed all the freedom of a republic, without
its evils. The check upon the franchise, and the appointment of the
Executive by the Crown, so tempered the republican elements, that license
was checked, without liberty being restrained.
Bartelli, my faithful steward, was in his element during the continuance
of this great levee on board the _Alabama_. He had dressed himself with
scrupulous care, and posting himself at my cabin-door, with the air of a
chamberlain to a king, he refused admission to all comers, until they had
first presented him with a card, and been duly announced. Pressing some of
the ward-room boys into his service, he served refreshments to his
numerous guests, in a style that did my _menage_ infinite credit. Fair
women brought off bouquets with them, which they presented with a charming
grace, and my cabin was soon garlanded with flowers. Some of these were
_immortelles_ peculiar to the Cape of Good Hope, and for months afterward,
they retained their places around the large mirror that adorned the
after-part of my cabin, with their colors almost as bright as ever. During
my entire stay, my table was loaded with flowers, and the most luscious
grapes, and other fruits, sent off to me every morning, by the ladies of
the Cape, sometimes with, and sometimes without, a name. Something has
been said before about the capacity of the heart of a sailor. My own was
carried by storm on the present occasion. I simply surrendered at
discretion, and whilst Kell was explaining the virtues of his guns to his
male visitors, and answering the many questions that were put to him about
our cruises and captures, I found it as much as I could do, to write
autographs, and answer the pretty little perfumed billets that came off to
me. Dear ladies of the Cape of Good Hope! these scenes are still fresh in
my memory, and I make you but a feeble return for all your kindness, in
endeavoring to impress them upon these pages, that they may endure "yet a
little while." I have always found the instincts of women to be right, and
I felt more gratified at this spontaneous outpouring of the sympathies of
the sex, for our cause, than if all the male creatures of the earth had
approved it, in cold and formal words.
I found, at the Cape of Good Hope, the stereotyped American Consul; half
diplomat, half demagogue. Here is a letter which the ignorant fellow wrote
to the Governor, whilst I was still at Saldanha Bay:--
"SIR: From reliable information received by me, and which you are
also doubtless in possession of, a war-steamer called the _Alabama_,
is now in Saldanha Bay, being painted, discharging prisoners of war,
&c. The vessel in question was built in England, to prey upon the
commerce of the United States, and escaped therefrom while on her
trial-trip, forfeiting bonds of L20,000 (!) which the British
Government exacted under the Foreign Enlistment Act. Now, as your
Government has a treaty of amity and commerce with the United States,
and has not recognized the persons in revolt against the United
States as a government at all, the vessel alluded to should be at
once seized, and sent to England, whence she clandestinely escaped.
Assuming that the British Government was sincere in exacting the
bonds, you have, doubtless, been instructed to send her home to
England, where she belongs. But if, from some oversight, you have not
received such instructions, and you decline the responsibility of
making the seizure, I would most respectfully protest against the
vessel remaining in any port of the Colony, another day. She has been
at Saldanha Bay four days already, and a week previously on the
coast, and has forfeited all right to remain an hour longer, by this
breach of neutrality. Painting a ship [especially with Yankee paint]
does not come under the head of "necessary repairs," and is no proof
that she is unseaworthy; and to allow her to visit other ports, after
she has set the Queen's proclamation of neutrality at defiance, would
not be regarded as in accordance with the spirit and purpose of that
document."
This letter, in its loose statement of facts, and in its lucid exposition
of the laws of nations, would have done credit to Mr. Seward himself, the
head of the department to which this ambitious little Consul belonged.
Instead of a week, the _Alabama_ had been less than a day on the coast,
before she ran into Saldanha Bay; and, if she had chosen, she might have
cruised on the coast during the rest of the war, in entire conformity with
the Queen's proclamation, and the laws of nations. But the richest part of
the letter is that wherein the Consul tells the Governor, that inasmuch as
the Confederate States had not been acknowledged as a nation, they had no
right to commission a ship of war! It is astonishing how dull the Federal
officials, generally, were on this point. The Consul knew that Great
Britain had acknowledged us to be in possession of belligerent rights, and
that the only rights I was pretending to exercise, in the _Alabama_, were
those of a belligerent. But the Consul was not to blame. He was only a
Consul, and could not be supposed to know better. Mr. Seward's despatches
on the subject of the _Alabama_ had so muddled the brains of his
subordinates, that they could never make head or tail of the subject.
The following was the reply of the Governor, through the Colonial
Secretary:--
"I am directed by the Governor, to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter of yesterday's date, relative to the _Alabama_. His Excellency
has no instructions, neither has he any authority, to seize, or
detain that vessel; and he desires me to acquaint you, that he has
received a letter from the Commander, dated the 1st instant, stating
that repairs were in progress, and as soon as they were completed he
intended to go to sea. He further announces his intention of
respecting the neutrality of the British Government. The course which
Captain Semmes here proposes to take, is, in the Governor's opinion,
in conformity with the instructions he has himself received, relative
to ships of war and privateers, belonging to the United States, and
the States calling themselves the Confederate States of America,
visiting British ports. The reports received from Saldanha Bay induce
the Governor to believe, that the vessel will leave that harbor, as
soon as her repairs are completed; but he will immediately, on
receiving intelligence to the contrary, take the necessary steps for
enforcing the observance of the rules laid down by her Majesty's
Government."
Another correspondence now sprang up between the Consul and the Governor
in relation to the capture of the _Sea-Bride_. The Consul wrote to the
Governor, as follows:--
"The Confederate steamer _Alabama_ has just captured an American bark
off Green Point, or about four miles from the nearest land--Robben
Island. I witnessed the capture with my own eyes, as did hundreds of
others at the same time. This occurrence at the entrance of Table
Bay, and clearly in British waters, is an insult to England, and a
grievous injury to a friendly power, the United States."
This remark about the honor of England will remind the reader of the
article I quoted some pages back, from the New York "Commercial
Advertiser," to the same effect. How wonderfully alive these fellows were
to English honor, when Yankee ships were in danger! But as the Consul
admits, upon the testimony of his "own eyes," that the capture was made
_four_ miles from the nearest land, the reader will, perhaps, be curious
to see how he brings it within British waters. The marine league is the
limit of jurisdiction, and the writers on international law say that that
limit was probably adopted, because a cannon-shot could not be thrown
farther than three miles from the shore. It may have been the cannon-shot
which suggested the league, but it was the league, and not the
cannon-shot, which was the limit. Now the Consul argued that the Yankees
had invented some "big guns," which would throw a shot a long way beyond
the league--ergo, the Yankee guns had changed the Laws of Nations.
But the Consul wrote his letter in too great a hurry. He had not yet seen
the master of the captured ship. This clever Yankee, backed by several of
his crew equally clever, made a much better case for him; for they swore,
in a batch of affidavits before the Consul himself, and in spite of the
Consul's "own eyes," that the ship had been captured within _two miles and
a half_ of Robben Island! Imprudent Consul, to have thus gone off half
cocked! This discovery of new testimony was communicated to the Governor,
as follows: "I beg now to enclose for your Excellency's perusal, the
affidavit of Captain Charles F. White, of the _Sea-Bride_, protesting
against the capture of the said bark in British waters. The bearings taken
by him at the time of capture, conclusively show that she was in neutral
waters, being about two and a half miles from Robben Island. This
statement is doubtless more satisfactory than the testimony of persons,
who measured the distance by the eye." Doubtless, if the bearings had been
correct; but unfortunately for Captain White, there were too many other
witnesses, who were under no temptation to falsify the truth. A fine ship,
and a lucrative trading voyage along the eastern coast of Africa were to
be the reward of his testimony; the simple telling of the truth the reward
of the other witnesses. The usual consequences followed. The interested
witness perjured himself, and was disbelieved. I remained entirely neutral
in the matter, volunteered no testimony, and only responded to such
questions as were asked me--not under oath--by the authorities. The
following was the case made in rebuttal of this "Yankee hash":--
STATEMENT OF JOSEPH HOPSON.
Joseph Hopson, keeper of the Green Point Light-house, states:--
"I was on the lookout on Wednesday afternoon, when the _Alabama_ and
_Sea-Bride_ were coming in. When I first saw them, the steamer was
coming round the north-west of Robben Island, and the bark bore from
her about five miles W. N. W. The bark was coming in under all sail,
with a good breeze, and she took nothing in, when the gun was fired.
I believe two guns were fired, but the gun I mean was the last, and
the steamer then crossed the stern of the bark, and hauled up to her
on the starboard side. He steamed ahead gently, and shortly afterward
I saw the bark put round, with her head to the westward, and a boat
put off from the steamer and boarded her. Both vessels were then good
five miles off the mainland, and quite five, if not six, from the
north-west point of Robben Island."
STATEMENT OF W. S. FIELD, COLLECTOR OF THE CUSTOMS.
"I was present at the old light-house, on Green Point, on Wednesday
afternoon at two P. M., and saw the _Alabama_ capture the American
bark _Sea-Bride_, and I agree with the above statement, as far as the
position of the vessels, and their distance from shore are concerned.
I may also remark that I called the attention of Colonel Bisset and
the lighthouse keeper, Hopson, to the distance of the vessels at the
time of the capture, as it was probable we should be called upon to
give our evidence respecting the affair, and we took a note of the
time it occurred."
STATEMENT OF JOHN ROE.
"I was, yesterday, the 5th day of August, 1863, returning from a
whale chase in Hunt's Bay, when I first saw the bark _Sea-Bride_
standing from the westward, on to the land. I came on to Table Bay,
and when off Camp's Bay, I saw the smoke of the _Alabama_, some
distance from the westward of Robben Island. When I reached the Green
Point lighthouse, the steamer was standing up toward the bark, which
was about five miles and a half to the westward of Green Point, and
about four and a half from the western point of Robben Island. This
was their position--being near each other--when the gun was fired."
STATEMENT OF THE SIGNAL-MAN AT THE LION'S RUMP TELEGRAPH STATION.
"On Wednesday last, the 5th day of August, 1863, I sighted the bark
_Sea-Bride_, about seven o'clock in the morning, about fifteen or
twenty miles off the land, standing into Table Bay from the
south-west. There was a light breeze blowing from the north-west,
which continued until mid-day. About mid-day I sighted the _Alabama_,
screw-steamer, standing from due north, toward Table Bay, intending,
as it appeared to me, to take the passage between Robben Island, and
the Blueberg Beach. She was then between fifteen and eighteen miles
off the land. After sighting the steamer, I hoisted the demand for
the bark, when she hoisted the American flag, which I reported to
the port-office, the bark being then about eight miles off the land,
from Irville Point. No sooner had the bark hoisted the American flag,
than the steamer turned sharp round in the direction of, and toward
the bark. The steamer appeared at that time to be about twelve miles
off the land, from Irville Point, and about four or five miles
outside of Robben Island, and about seven miles from the bark. The
steamer then came up to, and alongside of the bark, when the latter
was good four miles off the land, at or near the old lighthouse, and
five miles off the island. The steamer, after firing a gun, stopped
the farther progress of the bark, several boats were sent to her, and
after that the bark stood out to sea again, and the _Alabama_ steamed
into Table Bay."
At the time of the capture, her Majesty's steamship _Valorous_ was lying
in Table Bay, and the Governor, in addition to the above testimony,
charged Captain Forsyth, her commander, also, to investigate the subject,
and report to him. The following is Captain Forsyth's report:--
HER MAJESTY'S SHIP VALOROUS, August 6, 1863.
In compliance with the request conveyed to me by your Excellency, I
have the honor to report that I have obtained from Captain Semmes, a
statement of the position of the Confederate States steamer
_Alabama_, and the American bark _Sea-Bride_, when the latter was
captured, yesterday afternoon. Captain Semmes asserts, that at the
time of his capturing the _Sea-Bride_, Green Point lighthouse bore
from the _Alabama_, south-east, about six or six and a half miles.
[The Yankee master said that it bore south, by east.] This statement
is borne out by the evidence of Captain Wilson, Port-Captain of Table
Bay, who has assured me, that at the time of the _Sea-Bride_ being
captured, he was off Green Point, in the port-boat, and that only the
top of the _Alabama's_ hull was visible. I am of opinion, if Captain
Wilson could only see that portion of the hull of the _Alabama_, she
must have been about the distance from shore, which is stated by
Captain Semmes, and I have, therefore, come to the conclusion, that
the bark _Sea-Bride_ was beyond the limits assigned, when she was
captured by the _Alabama_.
The Governor, after having thus patiently investigated the case, directed
his Secretary to inform the Consul of the result in the following
letter:--
"With reference to the correspondence that has passed, relative to
the capture, by the Confederate States steamer _Alabama_, of the bark
_Sea-Bride_, I am directed by the Governor to acquaint you, that, on
the best information he has been enabled to procure, he has come to
the conclusion, that the capture cannot be held to be illegal, or in
violation of the neutrality of the British Government, by reason of
the distance from the land at which it took place."
The Consul was foiled; but he was a man of courage, and resolved to strike
another blow for the _Sea-Bride_. He next charged that the prize-master
had brought her within the marine league _after her capture_. He made this
charge upon the strength of another affidavit--that ready resource of the
enemy when in difficulty. Enclosing this affidavit to the Governor, he
wrote as follows:--
"From the affidavit of the first officer, it appears that the alleged
prize was brought within one mile and a half of Green Point
lighthouse, yesterday, at one o'clock A. M. Now, as the vessel was,
at the time, in charge of a prize-crew, it was a violation of
neutrality, as much as if the capture had been made at the same
distance from the land."
And he required that the ship should be seized.
Without stopping to inquire into the truth of the fact stated, the
Governor directed his Secretary to reply, that--
"His Excellency is not prepared to admit that the fact of a vessel
having been brought, by the prize-crew, within one and a half mile of
the Green Point lighthouse 'was a violation of the neutrality, as
much as if the capture had taken place at the same distance from the
land,' although both the belligerents are prohibited from bringing
their prizes into British ports. The Governor does not feel warranted
in taking steps for the removal of the prize-crew from the
_Sea-Bride_."