Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part I
Lord Lyons to Earl Russell.—(Received December)
My Lord: The enclosed extract from the New York Herald of yesterday will make your lordship acquainted with the intelligence which has been received here of the seizure of an American steamer, the Chesapeake, plying between New York and Portland, by a party of men who embarked as passengers at New York. The master and crew appear to have been landed at Partridge island, at the entrance of the harbor of St. John, New Brunswick.
I have not had any communication with the United States government about this affair, nor have I received any intelligence concerning it except that contained in newspapers
I have, &c.,
Murder and piracy.–Capture of the steamer Chesapeake, of New York, by Rebel passengers.
The steamer Chesapeake, Captain Willetts, from New York for Portland, Maine, was taken possession of on Monday morning last, between 1 and 2 o’clock, by sixteen rebel passengers.
The second engineer of the steamer was shot dead and his body thrown overboard. The first engineer was shot in the chin, but was retained on [Page 458] board. The first mate was badly wounded in the groin. Eleven or twelve shots were fired at the captain. After being overpowered, the captain was put in irons, and the passengers were notified that they were prisoners of war to the Confederate States of America. The steamer came to off Partridge island, at about 1 o’clock this morning. The crew and passengers, except the first engineer, were put on board a boat and sent to this city. The steamer then sailed in an easterly direction, and was subsequently seen alongside another vessel. It is supposed that she took on board a supply of coal from her. The attack took place about twenty-one miles east of Cape Cod. Captain Willett’s and the passengers per the Chesapeake are now at tbe Mansion House. The steamer and cargo were valued at $180,000. The steamer sailed from New York on Saturday at 4 o’clock, p. m., and was one of the regular line plying between New York and Portland. It will be recollected that it was the Chesapeake that captured Captain Reed and his party when they attempted to run away with the cutter Gushing from the harbor of Portland. The following telegraphic despatch was received by Mr. Cromwell:
From United States consul, St. Johns.
“Portland, December 9, 1863.
“Steamer Chesapeake was captured twenty-one miles north-northeast of Cape Cod, at half past 1 a. m., on Monday, by rebels, who left New York as passengers. Second engineer killed and thrown overboard. Chief engineer and mate wounded. Captain Willetts and crew were landed at St. John this morning.
“H. B. Cromwell & Co.”
“Portland, Maine, December 9, 1863.
“Deputy Collector Bird has applied to the Washington authorities for permission to despatch the Agawam, the new gunboat now furnishing here, after the Chesapeake, and, in the mean time, the collector is fitting her out with guns, men, and provisions. Two detachments of soldiers have been furnished for the expedition by Brigadier General Rowley, from the conscript camp, and Major Andrews from Port Preble. She will sail about 6 o’clock this evening, under command of Captain Webster, of the revenue cutter Dobbin. Citizens are volunteering as crew.”
Additional details.
The public were thrown into a fever of excitement yesterday by the above telegrams announcing that a party of pirates, who embarked as passengers on board the steamer Chesapeake, had captured her after some resistance by the officers, about twenty-one miles west of Cape Cod. The boldness of the affair was a theme of universal conversation, and a large number of persons interested in the passenger list and cargo immediately sought the office of the owners, H. B. Cromwell & Co., to learn further of the particulars. Marshall Murray was notified early, and took possession of the passenger list, with a view to further the ends of justice.
From all we can learn there were only seven persons who purchased passage tickets for Portland, Maine, while a dozen or more persons, dressed shabbily, some as returned soldiers, went on board and purchased their tickets of the clerk of the boat. This not being an unfrequent method of doing business, of course would not create any suspicions either in the minds of the clerk or captain. Among the seven passengers who obtained their tickets at the office was one person who stated to the clerk that he was an old sea-captain, and preferred this mode of reaching Portland on account of its being the pleasantest and cheapest. Before she started some fifteen persons were counted on her deck; but even at the office nothing was thought of it.
[Page 459]She was full of freight, consisting of cotton, rags, provisions, and general merchandise. She only carries about thirty tons of coal, which is enough to last her for the round trip, and had not more than three days’ coal at the time of her capture, so that the rebels cannot go very far with her. She carried two guns, six-pounders, one brass and the other iron, several revolvers, and some other fire-arms.
It is not known whether there was any powder on board, but it is supposed there was not much. Her sails are small and cannot be depended upon. There was no war risk, and the value of the vessel is over $60,000. It is not known whether the cargo was insured. The captain is expected to arrive here to-day, and then the full particulars will be obtained.
The steam propeller Chesapeake was owned by H. B. Cromwell, of this city, and was a splendid vessel in every respect. She was built in 1853, by J. A. Westervelt, was 460 tons burden, and eleven feet draught of water, built of oak, schooner-rigged, and had a direct-acting engine of 200 horse-power, one cylinder of forty inches, and forty-two inch piston. She has always been a popular boat on this route, and was the vessel which chased Captain Reid, of the Tacony, at the time of his famous foray in Portland harbor, June 27, and succeeded in capturing his vessel, the schooner Archer.
The Chesapeake carried a crew of about twenty persons, who were, no doubt, so scattered throughout the vessel that they did not have time to collect and retain possession of the steamer. The officers no doubt made a desperate resistance, as the second engineer, Mr. Orin Schaffer, was shot dead and his body thrown overboard; and the chief officer and chief engineer were wounded.
The following is a list of her officers and crew: captain, Isaac Willetts; mate, Chas. Johnson, wounded; second mate, Daniel Henderson; engineers: first, James Johnson, wounded; second, Orin Schaffer, killed; third, August Strebeck; firemen, Patrick Connor. R. Tracey, John Murphy; seamen, Albion Alsen, Thos. Hudson, Peter Westerman, David Hopkins; steward, P. Kelly; stewardess, Jenny Borguine; cook, A. Peterson; waiters, Peter Whalen, and two or three others.
The capture was made at half-past 1 o’clock on Monday morning, when there was only one-half the crew on duty, the others being below asleep. Mr. Schaffer, the second assistant engineer, was, no doubt, on watch, and probably lost his life while endeavoring to protect the property of his employers and vindicate the honor of his flag. He has been a long time in the employ of this line, and has always won the respect and esteem of his employers. He was a young man and leaves a wife and children. The captain was probably asleep, as it was midnight, and the task of capturing the vessel was an easy one, when confided to the hands of the dozen or more villains who had matured their hellish plans.
There are grounds for supposing that these murdering pirates intend running the blockade with their prize, as it has been ascertained that 500 packages, invoiced as merchandise, containing liquors, bonded for Montreal, were on board. The acquisition of her cargo, which is a valuable one, and the steamer, which would be also valuable to convey it into Wilmington, would tempt almost any determined band of sea-devils to hazard such a bold act; and as the city has been full of men who have run the blockade several times, it is fair to suppose some of them have had a hand in the operation.
This affair should stir up the Navy Department to the possibility of the Alabama or Georgia being in the vicinity, for it will be remembered that when the Tacony made her raid upon the fishermen the Florida was not far distant. This may be a preconcerted thing to draw out a large number of armed chartered government gunboats; and the regular privateers would like no better fun than to capture half a dozen or more of that class of vessels. The rebels would loudly sing the praises of their corsairs, while France and England would taunt [Page 460] us on the inefficiency of our naval vessels. It may be that these now unknown men are a portion of the Johnson’s island rebels, who, frustrated in their plans for success in that quarter, have come into this locality, where quietly they have planned the capture of this or some other vessel by which to make havoc upon the sea, and knowing full well if captured they will only be subjected to a short confinement, fed and clothed well, and then set adrift, to make as much more mischief as they deem proper. At any rate, the blockade-runners brought to grief should not be allowed to go at large when captured.
As soon as the news of the capture of the Chesapeake reached the Brooklyn navy yard, Admiral Paulding and Commodore Radford set to work to fit out a fleet to be sent in pursuit of the prize. The Sebago, Grand Gulf, and Vicksburg, being the most suitable, and the nearest ready for sea, a large gang of men were set to work to get them ready as quickly as possible. They were worked upon all night, and will be off at an early hour this morning. Other vessels will be despatched as soon as they can be got ready.
The Vicksburg is a new vessel, and this will be her first cruise, and it is in accordance with the expressed desire of her officers that she should be sent on special service. She now has an opportunity to do something. The following is a list of her officers:
Lieutenant commander, Daniel L. Braine; acting master and executive officer, Jas. H. Rogers; acting assistant paymaster, T. E. Smith; acting assistant surgeon, T. W. Bennett; acting ensigns, J. H. Harris, F. G. Osborne, and W. H. Bryant; engineers, second assistants, H. A. Delius, (in charge,) H. P. Gregory; third assistants, J. L. Bright, A. F. Nagle, and H. L. Slosson; acting master’s mates, Aaron Vanderbilt, W. O. M. D’Aubigne, and Robert Elder; captain’s clerk, Jas. W. Jones; paymaster’s clerk, Thos. A. Simonson.
The Grand Gulf is also a new vessel, and has only made a short cruise off Wilmington. Annexed is a list of the officers of the Grand Gulf:
Commander, George M. Ransom; lieutenant and executive officer, Frederick Rogers; acting assistant surgeon, George B. Higginbotham; acting assistant paymaster, Edward B. Southworth; acting ensigns, Charles H. Frisbie, Charles H. Cadieu, John Boyle, and Hans J. Ipsen; engineers, acting second assistants, Geo. W. Shank, (in charge,) Campbell McEwan; acting third assistants, Samuel V. Stillings, Benjamin James, and Joel M. Wheeler; acting gunner, B.C. Betts; acting master’s mates, James Courtney, Thomas Mason, Harrison B. Cleaves; commander’s clerk, William S. Dick; paymaster’s clerk, Albert B. Gillet.
The Sebago is one of the fastest double-enders in the service, and as her list of officers was not completed last evening, we are unable to procure it. The Dawn and several other vessels will be despatched to-day, and possibly the revenue cutter Miami. At Boston, the Ticonderoga, Hendrik Hudson, and others, were rumored to have sailed last evening.
The Navy Department is awake, and in all its watchfulness it should not forget to warn the Wilmington blockaders that the Chesapeake may come along and report that she is bound to Beaufort or Charleston, and thus get the weather-gauge of them. Yet it is possible that, having taken in a supply of coal from the vessel she was seen alongside of, she will go forth to sink, burn, and destroy inoffensive merchantmen.
The following strange story appeared in one of the sensation evening papers on Monday. It was thought at first to be connected in some way with the Chesapeake affair; but the dates do not correspond, and the Patapsco lies quietly moored alongside of her dock. It is a strange coincident of facts, and may be possibly the doings of some wicked sensationist; but, be it true or not in foundation, it might have been thrown over from the Chesapeake, and the name given wrong as well as the dates, or it may have been done by one of the party of pirates, who threw it over while half-drunk, so that in the event of its being picked up it would be but the forerunner of events to take place:
[Page 461]“To the Editors of ————:
“Monday, December 1, 1863.
“Yesterday, about dark, I picked up a bottle in the sound, with a white ragtied about the neck, and found this paper. I send it to you, thinking it might be of importance. I put one of my boys ashore at Harlem and send it to you. I will be in the city to-morrow, and will call on you.
“J. WILLIAMS, “Master schooner Betsey.
“‘On board Patapsco, Sunday morning, daylight.
“‘Last night, about 12 o’clock, the captain and officers of the Patapsco were seized by a band of ruffians, between twenty and thirty in number, who had taken passage on board at New York.
“‘They were all thoroughly armed, and among their number were engineers and sailing-masters, who immediately took charge of the vessel. The passengers had nearly all retired, and all hands were so completely surprised that resistance was out of the question. The captain and officers were handcuffed and confined below, as also were all the passengers. I shall throw this overboard in a bottle.
“‘Two hours later.
“‘There has been a great bustle on deck. A vessel is alongside, and cannon is being transferred to one vessel. The craft alongside is a steamer, and, from what I can see of her through ray state-room window, she is pierced for cannon. From a conversation I overheard I gathered that there were two other vessels near by, to co-operate with them. Look out for a formidable raid somewhere.’”
The Latest.
Portland, Maine, December 9, 1863, 10 p. m.
A private despatch, received this evening, says there are many suspicious characters about St. John, and there are hints of a plot against the steamer New England.
Permission has arrived to put the gunboat Agawam in commission, which Deputy Collector Bird had already taken the responsibility of doing.
Boston, December 9, 1863.
The United States gunboat Acacia left here this evening to search for the Chesapeake.