Mr. Seward to Mr.
Burnley
Department of State, Washington,
March 3, 1865.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a
copy of a despatch of the 24th ultimo, from the consul general of the
United States at Havana, relative to the movements of a schooner called
the Gypsy, which vessel, upon arriving at Nassau, it is supposed, will
be fitted out by insurgent agents to depredate upon American commerce. I
beg to request that you will, without loss of time, call the attention
of the proper authorities at Nassau to the matter.
I have the honor to be, with high consideration, sir, your obedient
servant,
J. Hume Burnley, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
[Page 87]
Mr. Minor to Mr. Seward
United States Consulate
General,
Havana,
February 24, 1865.
Sir: à few days since a schooner called the
Gypsy came over here from Key West, Florida, and was sold to a man
by the name of Barney Pennington. On the 23d instant she left here
for Nassau. Last evening I received information that she took quite
a large crew, and about fifty passengers, among them some desperate
characters. Her commander is Captain Lorent, formerly commanding the
schooner Dart, which was captured a few months since off the coast
of Florida. My informant further stated that Captain Jacobs, of the
Maria, just left for the west coast of Florida, owned an interest in
her. I am inclined to believe that on her arrival at Nassau she will
be fitted out as a piratical vessel, to prey upon the commerce of
our country. The schooner is a very fast sailer; length, 120 feet;
beam, 23 feet; hold, 9 feet; fore-and-aft schooner rigged. Lorent
will probably leave her at Nassau, and Pennington, from Newark, New
Jersey, take command.
I have communicated this information to Admiral Stribling and
Commodore Palmer, and to Collector Draper, of New York, and in the
envelope to Collector Draper have sent a letter to T. Kirkpatrick,
esq., United States consul at Nassau, requesting the collector to
transmit it at the first opportunity.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM T. MINOR. United States Consul
General.
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
