Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-04-13
GREAT NAVAL yIeToeyt

Gallant "aoings at the Mouth of Nanse,uond Rtpsy!
The dull monotony of eastern Shore" life has, Of
late years. been occasionally relieved by feats of gaan-
try worthy the early days OF the colony-eats which
abundanty prove to the world that the descendants Of
the Cavaliers have yetremainng in their composition
spice of that gaantry which distinguished their ses in
the sacred cause of the house of Stuart
Northern aggression" upon the quiet and inohensive
bvalves on Eastern Shores have induced our Legs
latue to pass stringent enacmens for the purpose of
staying the handsor, rather, the oyster prongsof the
depredators But these enactmens unlike the ceebra-
ted resolutions of '99 and 49, have not frightened any
body-least OF all the oystersteaers They have, dixie
the negrostealers steadily extended their depredaons
till the good people of the countless washed by the wa
tiers of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries havede
termned to take the mode and measure of redress into
their own hands. Accordingly we find in the Suffolk
neligencer of the I'd inst, glowing description of the
achievements of Col. Hugh II. Kelly of Suffolk, as
COMMUNICATIVE of naval expedition which sailed
from the peaceful shores of that quiet little village on
Friday, the 29h of March, for the purpose of engaging
the pratca craft known to be cruising off the mouth OF
Nansemond River. But prefer letting the Inte-
gencer itself recount the heroic deeds of its own c
zens:
From the Suffolk Intellgencer of Aprii 2.
On Friday last the Artillery Company, Lieut.. F. C.
Riddock commanding, with a number of citizens
amounting IN all to about Is men, all under command
otthe Sheriff ofthe county, Col H. H. Kelly) proceed
ed to the mouth OF Nansemond river in the steamer
Sum- Tor the purpose OF arresting those who were viola
ting the laws OF the Commonwealth, relating to oys
tiers in the county OF Nausemond Having arrived the
'seat OF war'-the "Spit," and the force, EARNED to
teeth formed in battle array in good order possi-
BILE, the steamer rounded to- and drought up in the
midst OF the fleet OF vessels there violating the law,
when the order to "board was given, and in less than
hall an hour twelve vessels captured and about
seventytve men taken prisoners without the firing Of
single gun !. The vessels were put under charge of
men from the company and sailed for Suffolk, where
they arrived Saturday. This is the greatest Naval
engagement on record The offenders were examined
on Saturday before Benjamin Riddick, Esq, and the
Captains were mulct in the of $33 50 each-the
fines, costs, and expenses OF arrest.
This is, truly, the greatest naval victory on record
and most wonderfully atests the soundness of the theory
with regard to " floating steam batteries" Here we
see one little armed steamer dashing pell nell into
whole fleet, and by the celebrity of its movements cap
turing no less than toelpe sail of the line without burn
ing an ounce of gunpowder, or even flashing board
ing pike
During the late session of the Legislature these ia
nous oyster wars" were alluded to on the floor OF
the House OF Delegates OCCASION at least that
we wot or Mr.. FINNEY, of Accomac, towards the
close OF the session, when bills were slaughtered
without mercy rose for the purpose of mploring the
House to pass bill granting an old free woman per
mission to remain in the Commonwealth He remarked
that the last statute in relation this matter did not APP
ply to Accomac-tha the county court did not possess
the power to grant the permission prayed for unless the
manumtted slave had performed some peculiarly sig
nal service-such, for instance, said Mr. F., as saving
her masters life, or fighting in the war
A Voice-What war?
Second V0ice-The oyster war, to be sure
This sally conyulsed the House, and under the in
tluence produced, Mr.. FINNEY carried his bill