Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-09
From Me paaedelphm spiritef he Times. |


We mentioned yesterday the admission by Mr. Fox,
the British Minister in Of his letters 10 the Secre-
ary Of State that the burning of the Caroline the
" act of persons in her Naestys service, obcyng the
orders OF their superior authorities; and the whole
of that outrage will probably up again before the
public, in consequence of the arrest of Mr. Mcleod,
charged with having been concerned IN it, and whose
release the British Government through Mr.. Fox has
demanded, we feel disposed TO make few remarks
which we conceive german TO the matter. This out
rage it will be recoilectcd took place the night of
the 18th December, 1887. The steamboat Caroline
was lying at the wharf Schlosser, n. York, in peace
and quielness. She American boat was own
ed, and managed BY American citizens, and carried
an American flag. She had been employed during
the day ferry boat, by her proprietor, citizen OF
Buffalo, and had carried men, who from motives of
curiosity business, had chosen 10 visit the accent
island Her crew were asleep after the tolls of the
day, and several strangers too who had sought re-
iuge on board OF her from the nclemency of the wea
Their, were reposing peaceaby on board, thanking
Heaven probably for the hospitality extended 10 them
About midnight boats filed with armed men left the
British shore, and with muiled approached the
devoted vessel. The watch on board saw them, but
he could have had idea OF the destruction intended
The boat had been engaged in harmless trade, and
anticipating none, was totally unpreparcd for muir
derous attack. In moment after, British officers and
British soldiers sprang upon her deck and hooking at
the flag of country, and despsng its boast of pro-
tection commenced with nsatate greedness The work
of death. The sleepers aroused from their beds
BY the sharp fire of PISTOLS the cangor of swords the
oaths and mprecatons of the assaants and the horid
cry they butchered the Americans, Of give the
id rebels no quarter They rushed on deck, and 4
fearful picture presented itself All was confusion,
terror and boodshed. One American, Mr. Durfee,
had reached the wharf in safety in his flight: for like
his fellows, he totally unarmed, when bullet
pierced his bran and with leap and groan Of ago.
ny, he fell and expired. How many thus inhu
manly butchered, the records Of eternity alone can
show. Some able to drag themselves, wounded
and mutlated, 10 place of safety One, citizen Of
Buffalo, whose only crime was that he had slept that
night board the Caroline, found dead upon the
shore, and it is conjectured that several met their
doom in still more terrific way, by remaining con-
cealed on board the boat during the massacre. The
British boast that in this ralorous attack upoleepng
aud unarmed men, they slew six or seven So be it.
They are welcome to the glory-and We hope our
citizens will never forget it The scene did not end
here: when the boats all escaped or
murdered-or perchance concealed in her, she
cut loose, towed into the stream and set fire. and
signal light the British shore to guide the
boats on their return from their expedition. The
scene became of awful sublimty. The Ca
rolne in flames, and the resistless flood bear
ing her on toward the cataract AS the fire curled
about her, her engine began to work by the heat of the
burning vessel and the ptchy flames threw red glare
on the wild scenery around her. II showed the wntry
forest and glowed upon the waters-t revealed the
bel island and the barracks of the British soldiers and
showed too the CHASTITY corpse and cotted gore of the