Mr. Perry to Mr.
Seward
No. 177.]
Legation of the United States,
Madrid,
March 15, 1865.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose copy of Mr.
Bigelow’s letter to me of 12th instant, received last evening, and mine
to Commodore Craven, enclosing copy of Mr. Bigelow’s, and sent off by
mail to Corunna last night. These letters explain themselves.
Both the Niagara and Sacramento left their anchorage at Corunna the day
before yesterday in the afternoon, and lay about eight or ten miles off
the harbor at nightfall; yesterday morning they were not visible.
This movement was undoubtedly in consequence of my letter of the 7th
instant, which reached Commodore Craven on the 10th. On the night of the
11th or 12th instant he telegraphed me his thanks for that
information.
On the night of the 11th, I also received from our consular agent at
Ferrol the repetition of a telegraphic despatch he had just received
from Mr. Bigelow, conveying the same information.
These telegrams are copied, and go enclosed, and the situation at Corunna
and Ferrol is thus before you.
I have the honor to remain, with the highest respect, sir, your obedient
servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington.
A
Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Perry
Legation of the United
States, Paris,
March 12, 1865.
Dear Sir: I am reliably informed that it is
the intention of the confederate officer in command on thfë station,
Commodore Barron, to change the upper works of the Stonewall, so
that she may mount ten guns—four on a side, and two pivots, one on
each end, as heavy as can be bought. It is also proposed to cover
her sides, to protect her machinery, with chains after the Winslow
pattern, and then to cover them again with wood to complete the
disguise.
She is expected to muster 140 men, and to be ready for sea in fifteen
days from the 10th instant.
Yours, very respectfully,
JOHN BIGELOW, Chargé
d’Affaires.
Hon. H. J. Perry, Chargé d’Affaires.
B
Mr. Perry to Commodore Craven
Legation of the United
States, Madrid,
March 14, 1860.
Dear Sir: I have just received from Mr.
Bigelow the information that considerable changes have been decided
on in the construction and armament of the Stonewall, and that he
has sent you a copy of his letter to me.
I have it not merely by word, but in writing also, that the Spanish
government will not permit any more work to be done on that
ship.
Either the decisions of Commodore Barron in this respect are thus so
much waste paper, or the Stonewall must leave the Spanish
jurisdiction and go into some other for the purpose of getting this
work done. You will be able to judge whether it was perhaps supposed
by the confederate officers, at the time the work mentioned by Mr.
Bigelow was decided on, that this work could be executed in Spain,
or whether they mean to move the ship as she is.
[Page 518]
I incline to the former supposition, and imagine they will still
waste some time in efforts to bring the Spanish authorities to
consent to the work projected.
But it is clear that, once this is definitively refused, the day will
have come for them to decide whether they will take the ship out as
she is, or resign themselves to let her rot in port at Ferrol.
My despatches from Mr. Seward, of February 20, do not mention the
sending out of any re-enforcements for you, though it is evident
from his despatch that there was such a confusion of information
from Paris, Nantes, Madrid and Ferrol, that there was no clear
intelligence by that steamer of what had really happened.
I shall have despatches again the day after to-morrow, and no doubt
something more explicit will be heard from Washington.
No important news by telegraph from this steamer arrived
yesterday.
Orders have been sent to all the Atlantic ports and to the frontiers
of France and Portugal to stop the thirty Florida’s men, and not
allow them to traverse Spain in a direction towards Ferrol. New
orders to the authorities of that port not to permit their
embarcation on the Stonewall if they should by any chance reach that
port.
I have the affair of the Cleadon’s men also in good train.
Did you ever see à negro man James who started
from Madrid to go to you on the 27th ultimo?
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Commodore Craven, Commanding Squadron at Corunna.
Note.—A copy of Mr. Bigelow’s letter of
12th instant also accompanied this letter.
H. J. P.
[Telegram.]
Mr. Fernandez to Mr. Perry
Sr. Encargado
de negocios de los Estados Unidos:
In this moment I received from Paris the following despatch to
communicate you. I am advised by the United States consul at
[Liverpool that the corsair Florida were paid off on or about 20th
February last, at Liverpool, when they received a leave of absence
until the 10th instant, when they were to re-embark at Calais on
board the Rappahannock.
A subsequent letter from the same informs me that these men are to be
sent to the Stonewall, Ferrol, by sea, on their arrival at Calais.
By post I will send to you the original despatch.
Commodore Craven to Mr. Perry
[Telegram.]
Corunna,
March 11, 1865.
Hon. H. J. Perry, American Chargé d’Affaires: Thanks for your despatch
received yesterday.
