Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-09-06
Ia, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6. 1895

Comm Porter,
with the force at his disposal, fully execute all the
OBJECTS which lie had contemplated. Tie explanation
OF Tins circumstance IS given in letters from the Score
tary OF the Navy of June 7t 1923.
During the continuance, however Of this state of
'ngs, the operations of the squadon were necessarily
more limited than had been originally designed; and
portion OF The vessels instead of being actively enga
geo IN pursuing pirates the different ha,nts In
which they took refuge, diverted from this object
Tor which they specially equipped TO the not less
important one OF atforng convoy to merchant vessels
In consequence, alsn of the very limited number of
men attached TO the squadron, il became necessary 10
have the Peacock soop of war, and Decoy laid mp at
iNey w est and their officers and crews employed
tiiie IN the smaller vessels and barges. portion Of the
force also, necessarily occupied the erection of
suitable buildings, and inpreparng the island the
reception and accommodation of the forces employed in
The expedition. These various circumstances did ui
ques';onaby operate to divert the squadron from the
suppression OF piracy; but ii appears the Court
inc aordns OF convoy to the merchant vessels, and the
preparing accommodations at the island cannot be CON
s'ereu as OBJECTS OF inferior moment which tho
public service would permit be lost sight Of or even
postponed =
tlikcwse appears to the Court that from the period
that tins squadron arrived in the West Indies the pirates
changed, IN great degree, both their cha racter and
'heif haunls. Instead of cruising open day, in
scis OF considerable magnitude, they abandoned this
open and avowed system of piracy for some consi-
derablc period of time, until system of operations
could be organised, either entirely Disappeared or re-
sorted to new places for the carrying their dcpreda-
tons.
i Immediately upon the arrival of Commodore Porter
at ihompsons Island, he commenced the necessary
works on shore, and expedition prepared and des-
Patched under the command of Captain Cassn quest
oil supposed pirate, who had been few days
previous in the neghborood of the Island Of Cuba
The reports OF Lieutenant Sribbling, who succeeded
IN eiectng IN very gallant manner, tie captucrc of
the vessel which had been the object OF suspicion dated
the 9Th April 1928, of Capt. Cassin of the 9th of the
same month, and of Commodore Porter of the 10th,
exhibit full and their several ope-
ratlons during the intervening period Of time.
i The peculiar character of the service i'll which the
squadron was employed, has been fully detailed in The
reports made to tlc Department and in the testimony
submitted 10 the Court. large portion the officers
and men wa, employed in the small schuoncrs and in
open boats-in cmate--exposcd 10 the heat OF
tropical sun by day and to the not less dangerous dews
ana cXhalatons at night The vessels themselves, from
their size, destitute ef suitable accommodation
and the operations in which they were engaged ueces-
3arly imposed ncessant fatigue and constant exposure.
One TACT may be deserving of particular notice. cNh-
biting specimen of the of this service. Ii is in
eYIcence before the Court that Lieut. Plat was employ
cd Tor SIXTY eight successive days in open barge,
The North " est Coast of Cuba in the examination of the
ncts, bays, keys and other places of piltca resort.
Two OF the schooocis occupied in giving CONVOY
OH tie Havana which relieved By others wheneve
required The baIgcs under Capt. Cassin cncao-
cd in iaborIoIs and critical search after pirates and ri
raca establishments and during this period all the dis
possible force under the command of Com Porter ap
pears To have been actively occupied in the important
objects entrusc 10 his care.
On the eth April Commodore Porter, after detailing
Tie circnmstances attending expedition in which he
at tbat time pirate :loa that part of the coast Of
Cuba NlatanZas) larger an open boat and flat
Is doubtful About the period Captain CassiD was
employed in the Fox and with the barces in careful
examination of all that part of the Coast of Cuba
westward OF Havana, through the reefs, and in the in
lets; IN the course of which two patiCal vessels were
pursued and captured, and their establishments on
shore consisting of five buts destroyed the pra les
themselves succeeded in e1ccting their escape, in
consequence of the of the ground which rem
dered continuation of the pursuit shore impract
cable.
On the 10th of May, Comm. Porter reports his pro-
ceedngs during the intervening time and the operations
IN which the squadron were then engaged The result
was thc capture o piratical schooner and very fine
clucCa, the destruction of shore the burning of
three schooners in the Rio Palmas and about dozen
houses in the different establishments leeward of Da-
bia Honda and inside OF the Colorado reefs; and what
he continues, will be of no little Importance in all our
future operations, most thorough and intimate acquain-
lance with the whole line of coast from Cayo Blanco,
!, in the east, down to Cape Antonio, in the west"
Another expedition was Immediately despatched un-
der the command OF Lieut.. Watson who, after n strict
examination OF the coasts and islands from Cayo Francis
to Cayo Blanco in the vicinity Of Cape EIycacos disco
Vered IN SISapa Bay, piratlCa schooner, which, after
gallant action, peculiarly destructive TO the pirate lie
succeeded IN capturing without having sustained on his
h part the slightest injury. His report of the expedition
dated July l. contains narrative Of 4hc ccumstaD
d ccs
- During the period, two of the schooners under
the command Of Lieut. Skinner engaged in giving
convoy from Havana: we're Carecucd at Thonnsous
Island; and such the want of men that il became
impossible to man all the barges, of which were,
consequently. laid up.
On the 1fth May, the Peacock sailed from Thomp-
sous Island 10 relieve the Shark in The GulfofMexico,
in pursuance of tue instructions Of tie 9TH May The
, particulars of this cruise detailed by Capt. Cassn
! IN his testimony before the Court
So successful had the squadron, during This period,
accomplished the objects for which lad been sent, that
on the 10Th May, Com Porter felt himself authorized to
state TO the Department that 'not single pratica act
had been committed the coast of Cuba since he had
:, organized and arranged his forces"
On the 22d Of the month"; he states that I've is
left at Thompsons Island alone with the Sea Gull,
small schooner being engaged in the protection of com
merCe off Havana another at Matanzas; two coming in
for repairs and all tie others cruising for pirates the
south side Of Cuba, and in the Old Srcig Of Bahama
Early IN June, accounts having been received that p
raca schooner had captured two vessels on the south
side of Cuba, the Grey Hound, under the command OIL
70 1t Kearney, wasdcspatced in pursuits whose report
- his cruise is dated August 9th.
At this period, such was the incessant occupation o.