I trust that you will be so good as to cause instructions to be issued to
prevent the exercise of any similar pressure in future upon British
subjects who may be found on board vessels captured for any alleged
intention to violate the blockade.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you the assurances of my
highest consideration.
Hon. Wm. H. Seward, &c., &c.
[Untitled]
United States of America, State of New York, ss:
By this public instrument be it known to all to whom the same doth or
may concern, that I, Charles Edwards, a public notary in and for the
State of New York, by letters patent under the great seal of the
said State, duly commissioned and sworn, and in and by the said
letters patent invested “with full power and authority to attest
deeds, wills, codicils, agreements, and other instruments in
writing, and to administer any oath or oaths to any person or
persons,” do hereby certify that on the day of the date hereof,
before me personally came and appeared John Kidd, William Caldwell,
George Gregg, John McClelland, James Fraser, and Frances Patten,
forming part of the crew of the British steamer
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Sunbeam, and they being by me duly
sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, did depose and say:
that these appearers, George Gregg, John McClelland, James Fraser,
and Francis Patten, were seamen, and these appearers, John Kidd and
William Caldwell, were firemen, on board the Sunbeam, bound from
Liverpool to Matamoras; that they shipped at Liverpool for the
voyage to Halifax, and thence to Matamoras; that on the morning of
the 19th day of September last (1862) the said steamer encountered a
furious hurricane, which swept the decks fore and aft, filled the
engine-room with water on a level with the deck, washed the boats
overboard, with the exception of the long-boat, which was torn from
the main hatch and stove in several places; filled the cabins and
storeroom with water, and destroyed the ship’s provisions, and
expecting every moment that the steamer would go down—the ship lying
on her beam ends, and refusing to right herself—the coal was washed
out of the bunkers, and only three inches of fresh water in the
tanks. These appearers, as portions of the crew, requested the
captain (Hepburn) to make for the nearest land, being in fear of
loss of life. The said master consented to this, and bore up for the
nearest land, hoping to speak some ship or coaster and obtain
relief; that on the 27th day of the said September, the wind being
so light and variable that the vessel had made but little way, and
having but about twelve hours’ coal in the bunkers, and believing
that the steamer Sunbeam was about seventy miles from the nearest
land, her master ordered all steam to be made, and stood right in
shore. At 10 p.m. found the water shoaling rapidly from nine to two
and a half fathoms, and the vessel laid off until daylight, and at
break of day on the morning of the 28th of September, when going
under easy steam, not more than four knots an hour, the vessel found
herself near the shore, and under the guns of two American cruisers,
who fired four shots at the Sunbeam and boarded her, claiming her as
a prize. All these appearers were severed from the rest of the crew
by being taken on board the United States cruiser State of Georgia,
(being one of the two cruisers before referred to,) while the
Sunbeam was sent on with a prize crew to New York. These appearers
were all continued to be detained on board the State of Georgia
until she reached the city of Washington, which she did on the 11th
day of October instant, (1862,) when all these appearers were cast
on shore at Washington, penniless and friendless. The crew of the
State of Georgia, seeing and pitying the position of these
appearers, subscribed among themselves, and Handed to these
appearers a small sum of money, for which they felt deeply grateful,
and with this, and by selling the best part of their few effects,
these appearers managed to raise sufficient to carry them to New
York, so that they might join the rest of the crew, there carried in
with the Sunbeam; that on their arrival in New York these appearers
went to the British consul, who sent them to a boarding-house. These
appearers desire to say that while they were on board the State of
Georgia they were treated by her crew with every kindness; but when
put ashore on the Saturday night, the 11th of October instant, at 6
p.m., not knowing where to turn, every inducement was held out by
acting master and ex-officer Rogers, of the said State of Georgia,
to induce these appearers to join the American navy, or the military
forces, but which they, as British subjects, strenuously opposed,
preferring to take the protection of the British flag, and suffer
any privation rather than do so; that under the circumstances before
mentioned, these appearers have been obliged to sacrifice and
dispose of the best part of their personal effects, and thrown upon
the streets of New York friendless and destitute.
And these appearers protest against such harsh conduct, and
respectfully claim all reasonable compensation and satisfaction
therefor.
Wherefore I, the said notary, at the request of the said appearers,
do protest against all and every wrong and grievance aforesaid
suffered by them, and claim for them all and every restitution,
compensation, damages, and wages on account
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thereof. Whereof an attestation being
required, I have granted this under my notarial firm and seal.
Done in the city of New York, in the said State of New York, the
seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two.
In pramissorem fidem.
CHARLES EDWARDS.
JOHN KIDD.
WILLIAM CALDWELL.
his
GEORGE + GREGG.
mark.
his
JOHN + McCLELLAND.
mark.
JAMES FRASER.
his
FRANCIS + PATTEN.
mark.
