The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1838-04-27

OUTRAGE on THE AMERICAN FLAG.
The Steam Packet Columbia, Capt.
" night, while on her passage from Calves
ton and Veasco To New Orleans, was fired
upon by Two Mexican vessels of war. The
following il an account Oi the transaction
signed by the passengers OF the Columbia.
Tie br,r meuiiuued below IS the new soop
of war Igula, said 10 be commanded by
Commodore Lopez, carrying from 81 to 80
suns. aud believed to have 200 men on
board. The other vessel was the llurb'de,
commanded by an American named DAVIS,
carrying 5 guns, also with large number
OF men. Capt. Wrghl's iorbearance on
thus occasion, IS highly commended, as he
could easily have run down the lsula.
Ga board tho steam ship Columbia.
NEAR NEW ORLEANS. March 20, 1888.
To Commodore ). Cassiu, Commander OF the U.
5. Naval ssree IA the Gulf Of Mexico, &c:
Slr-As the protector OF your eounlTy's honor
and inlcrest 90 this part Of her martins frontier,
when both are sssalled ia thu most asnton and
aggravated manner, We feel ourselves constrained
10 ins1rm you VI an occurrence that has recently
Transported which II may be your duty to esquire
into with view to such PREPARATION as eifcumsian.
css may warrant your demanding for your insoi.
Ted country.
Leaving Galveston on the morning Of the 2lth
INST for Velasco, VAS soon afterwards discovered
tao MsIcar vessels OF war; one brig under q
press Of svass, making Tor Us; the other large
ship lyiag at anchor The latter soon 20, under
weigh aud otned the chase, but after fo!losios ns
for three hours they both gave II ~. Lauding
our passengers al Vslasco, and taking on board
several others, stood Oh onr course lur New
Orleans, and ahsn about ten minutes from NsI4s-
CO. we AGAIN discovered the same vessels that gave
U. chase IN the uorping. The brig shot across
our siIrb.ard. ard The ship eloss aboard
Lsw efftciuaiIy 10 ,HIeforp ~ ouriighs, attempted.
We kept our sallonsl collars flying from the mo-
tnenI w rsisse cur anchor 10 the morning also
the pnvlie signal Of the Columbia a! the main.
Ga diusing. 10 order 10 prevent oUf hghi, al a
aIlte more than nu,kei shu, dt.tsnos. tbs biig
hasled the Mst,can flag, ssd hred gua loaded
vain grape and bail, which passed within shors
distance OF Us, shortly a!lsi .Do;hsr qua. Nth
xrapo sad canister, which passed eiUss goder
J1I aoW the .hi, al tie same iime hosstsd her
color. fred ball which tell on our a4fboard
side The b'ig again fred al ~ with srSps ard
canister; eslaeutlJ Ai,uias a, our eoOfs, one
Of the ,hfouds connecting them ~ih the mas,
vas cut thfough and The hag al tho same tan.
PsrlofA ,ed BY the ball
Although We were lying perfectly still, the "a.
elgs being stopped, sEd snhin FORTY o. FIJI.
Tf YARDS " thS 5ng, 'hesS acts 81 violence
acre manifested. Capt Wugh, iesl0. Justly
indignant at saeh gfos. outrage 10 ms Sogasry' .
flag, demanded whsi they wanted OF han, aud
III, lhcy continued to Use upon hss,, whcn he
W4s entirely at thetT mercy They fsp.isd,
we asnt yssr psPvfs' Captain ". rsjslnsh,
Come and get ,hsl .nd CD ID co. II %
ire sno het shgt al 4.e. IA bios you 10 h--l'
Immediately three muskgls With tuck and slug
we're hred a. hlm a. hs stood aioae by tbs sAssi
house on lie forward decs. AT hat iu,iant The
euginscr l., the .Issm partially s,cags sh.eh IRON
- strange add eIiftofGinafy sose to thlse hratu
MgScaus, caused one and al sith q solIiaFF En-
espi,on 10 fail upon Their faces. sppfeh,ndins ~
suppose, i;iat Captain Hught iuteudsd 10 PCT IA
tkceuiou tie threat be uttered fsw noasents
previously
Thus ended tie encooEter. Captsin Nuahi
then proceeded ,numphauily on bAs way wtkoui
5etng searched, add ws sanasl lCi this o2y0ttani.
~ pass without GHafdlng han that praise ~hteA
Is peculiarly his dos ,Ds ths fra and ,Bariy stsnd
he tnok IN sustaining the honor ef hts country,
leaving hIia The Ptoua and grateful ttlpciIoe. thai
he Nould not al Tho lbHihsnt hazard OF hu. llis
.4tIsr staiu to be inflicted "a her SAr SpaEgled
kannrr"