Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-12-26
From the .Nec York Commercial .4dcert;sey.
FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
SEIZURE OF THE ARGENTINE SQUADRON.

pElAURE UT HE AhuENilNE NVUADkUN.
We have file Of the Buenos Ayres British
Packet to the 18th of October The Packet
Of that date gives long and evidently one 81
ded account of a very energetic proceeding by
Captain Voorhees,, Of the U. S. Frigate Con
gress--nothing less than the capture Of the
whole Argentine blockading squadron
The account given by the Packet is in sub
stance that en- tho goth Of October pilot boat
schooner, called the Sancala, and armed by the
beseiglng general Oribe, to protect the COM
merce of the Buseo against the cruizers of the
sH1onte Vldeans, gave chase to some Monte Fid-
I'm fishing boats, one of which ran alongside Of
q barque in the harbor, which received the crew
of the fishing boat on board. i,
The Sancala, after capturing several Of the
fishing boats, came alongside Of the blockading
flag ship and delivered some dispatches from
Oride, after which she got under way. Mean
time the barque which had protected the fish
ermen, ard which proved to be the Rosalva,
having en- board Mr.. Silas E. Burrows, of New
York, (who had difficulty with the Argen-
tine Government, some time ago, owing to the
seizure Of his ship, the Herald had sent a
boat On beard the frigate Congress, which soon
after manned some Of her beats and sent them
to board the Sancala. The crews of the boats.
on boarding the Sancala, hauled down the ORR
entail flag, hoisted that of the United States.
and sent the officers and crew on board the
Congress
The Sancala, being now manned by U. S.
officers aud seanaen, captured the Ninth of Ju-
ly, one of the blockading squadron; and. to
make short of the story, all the other blocka-
ding vessels were taking possession of by Cap
ION nd
show of resistance. They were the Ninth of
July, the Twenty fifth of May and the Re
publicauo; the Twenty-fifih Of Nav not stri-
king until shot had been fired over her from
the Congress
Captain Fitton. Of the Twenty fifth of May,
when his vessel was boarded, desired to know
the reasons for all this procedure, but Captain
Voorhees, refused to give him any subsequent
ly, however, when Capt. f. was sent on board
the Congress, Captain Voorhees, told him that
some of the musket shots fired from the Samoa
Ia, when in pursuit of the fishing boat, had
struck the Rosalva, and that this was the rea-
son.
Captain F. explained that the Sancala did
not belong to the Argentine squadron, but was
fitted out by Oribe, and carried the Oriental
flag; upon which, says the Packet, Captain
voorhees, perceived that he had been too hasty,
and signified to Captain F. and the other Ar
gentlne officers that they We're at liberty to re-
join their respective vessels, and hoist their
flags; liberty Of the latter branch of which
Capt. f. refused to avail himself without am
pie apology and reparation.
He subsequently, however, went on board
his vessel and drew Up an energetic protest,
which he sent to Captain Voorhees,.
Shortly after new coIsrnodore arrived and
took command Of the Argentine squadron, who
ordered the vessels to hoist their flags again,
and proclaimed the re-establishnent of the
blockade.
At the date of the last advices from Monte
Video Cat Buenos Ayres) Captain Voorhees,
still detained the Sancala with her officers and
crew, on the plea that no papeas were found
on board, showing her character.
The Packet affirms that the attempts to in
volye Brazil in a war with Buenos Ayres have
utterly failed; and gives long account of an
attempt made by Senior Paz formerly comman-
der Of Monte Fideo) to escape from Brazil, af
ter being denied passports by the Brazilian Go
vernment. He had got as far as Santa Catali-
ma, but was ther arrested and sent back to Rio
de Janeiro.
Fresh disturbances had broken out in the
Brazilian province of Pernambuco and the I'm
perial Government had been obliged to send
hither a large reinforcement Of troops
Captain Norris, of the barque Creole, arriv-
ed this morning from Monte Video, reports
that when he sailed, on the 18th of October.
the United States frigate Congress, sloop Bos
ton and brig Bainbridge were lying in the har-
Dor.
We regret to add that he also reports the
death of Commander w. d. Newman. of the
cambridge, by drowning, on the llth Of Oct.
He represents the seizure of the Argentine
squadron to have had for its cause an insult to
the United States flag, by firing into the Balm
bridge.
Various seports (says Bicknell's Reporter 81
Dec l7th) have reached New York in relation
ty the capture of the Argentine fleet One is,
that the first cause of the difficulty was. the
firing into the American barque Rosalva, and
killing seven men. 1t is also said that Captain
Newman committed suicide in the harbor Of
Monte Vldeo, in consequence of excited sens-
bility, produced by rnarks among the French
and English naval officers, because he did not
return the fire, when the Bainbridge, the yes
sci he commanded, was fired into He was
fine officer and an estimable man. The New
York Sun gives another virsion thus:
Another version Of tho story has reached
us attended with melancholy results. 1t is
that enc of the Argentine blockading vessels
fired into the U. s. brig Bainbridga, Captain
Newman, as she was entering the harbor, sup
posing her to have been a merchantmen. viola
ting the blockade The cambridge not having
returned the fire, Capt. Voorhees, had Court
Martial convened on board the Congress to try
Capt. Newman, and on his being reprinanded
by order Of that Court, he jumped overheard
and was drowned. This is the statement by
the mate of the barque Creole, arrived here
We. regret, under all the circumstances, that
Cant. Newman had not been sent home for tri-
al. if a trial Of such an affair was at all neces-
sary.'
2 Captain Newman was buried at Monte vi
deo, with the honors of war, On the 18th Oct,