The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-10-25
THE YANKEES PRIZE
FROM THE BOSTON JOURNAL.

It's well known, doubtless, to all our readers,
that during the latest, and hope the last war with
Gieat Britain, an immense injury was done to the
British commerce by American privateers and let
tiers of marque British ships were fsllen in with
on every sea. Some, which were good sailers and
well found. and contained valuable cargoes, were
manned and ordered to some port i'll the United
States, but the greater part of the captured ships
were burnt on the waters where they were oaptur-
cd, after having been stripped OF heir most val'a
bic articles Such hontres were often seen III the
night on the Atanlic, Oh the Pa, ifc aud "n the
Indian Ocean; and while they tended somewhat to
cripple the resources ol the enemy, they caused a
vast amount OF ind,i idual suffering, aud plunged
many worthy men, who. perhaps, deprecated a
war between the two countries as great evil to
bc avoided at all hazards from the summit Of
ahluence to the lowest depths Of poverty Such
are some of the nitural and unavoidable conse-
quences of war! afa,.- .r-5. ,a.9. ..a,-. H..
a In the month of August, 1873, beautiful brig,
called the Wanderer, of baltimore pilot-boal
nodel,' was despatched from port in New Eng
land for the East Indies, with full permission to
.'capture, burn, sink, or destroy" any vessel be.
longing to- the enemy, which might be met with
on the outward or homeward bound passage It
was thought, however. that the injury that this
vessel would cause to the British commerce would
not be very great, for she was far better calcula.
ted for sailing than tor fghtiug-her whole arma'
ment consisting OF only six twelve pound caronades
while twenty five good seamen comprised all her
effective crew. Nevertheless, the Wanderer made
an imposing appearance on the water. She was
long, black, rakish-lookire craf-heavilv SPARED,
and ostentatiotsly exhibiting rine port holes on
each side On the high seas she would be easily
mistaken by the enemy for an eighteen gun brig,
with all the customary means and appurenances
The Wanderer was commanded by Richard
Wilcox, ESQ.,, man of great intrepidity and reso-
luton, and who possessed among other charac-
teristics OF thorough seaman, noble, generous
heart. He was strict disciplinaran. and although
hi. crew were comparatively few in number, his
vessel was managed with admirable skill and dex.
tsrity. asmd'' He.
EOn the outward passage, Captain Wilcox fell IN
with number Of British armed vessels, and was
several times chased by their frigates sDd soops Of
war. from which he found little difficulty in esca.
ping. When he fell in with large merchant
ship, or government vessel of small size, either
ofwhich would have been more than match for
the Wanderer, with her small armament and COM
plement Of men. he would hoist the "stars and
stripes" at his trysail peak, and crowd all sail,
steering directly towards her, with a drag astern,
torstard the briggs way, and preclude The POSSIBLE
jty OF getting within point blank shot while, in an
agony offear, the enemy would claw off with all
possible despatch.
/, The Wanderer was bound to China, and reach
si Wbampoa after short passage of one hundred
and fifteen days. She succeeded in getting into
port, p spite Of the British cruizers, which at that
tins were stationed at convenient intervals along
.ths whole southern coast Of China. and which
succeeded in trapping number OF valuable Amer
Jean ships, and prevented others from leaving
port Her arrival caused quite . sensation among
the English officers, and old Commodore Treenail.