Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-08-17


The National rnieMgeneer publishes tn
following letter from an officer on board tn
United States Ship St. Louis, dated Smyr
D ma, July 7, 1858;
r II wrote you that one Martin Kosts, q
Hungarian refugee had been forcibIy taken
!. on board of an Austrian brig-of-war and
q confined in double irons. Although he was
not citizen of the United States, still be
had made his declaration of intention to ap'
. [ply to become such. Captain Ingraham.
! knowing that certain death would await the
man if he should be carried to Austria de-
, termined. If possible, to save him, if he
could do it without compromising his flag.
Orders had been issued by the Austrian
Consul TO carry the man away on the 18th
of June. Capt. Insraham, hearing this on
: the night Of the 28th, sent his protest that
the man must not be carried away until it
was fully settled whether or not Martin
Kosta was an American. 9a
! "On the morning of the 29th oar ship
made sah and bore down towards the Aus
trian brig, and anchored near, SO we could
watch and see that the man was not car
ried off. The Austrians, thinking that We
were going to take the man, made, every
preparation to receive US. During the
. morning the Austrian Captain sent word
| that the man would not be sent away
Letters came the same day from Mr.. Brown,
the Charge d'Affaires, al interim at Con-
stantinople, stating that Kosta was citizen
of the United States, and as such was enti-
tied to protection fiom our country. Well,
as things stood, the Captain was in doubt
how to act, but asked that further time
might be allowed, SO as TO hear from Mr..
Marsh, who was daily expected at Con-
stantinople. The Austrans gave until last
Saturday, the Sd Of July. Other letters
came from Corstantinople, but still Capt.
Ingraham was in doubt, and after little
conversation with the Consul, the Captain
and Consul went on board the Austrian
brig.of-war to see Martin Kosta. After
some conversation, Martin Kosta demand
ed protection from the American flag
Captain Ingraham then told him that be
should have it. The Captain and Consul
returned on board of our ship, and the Cap
tain sent word to the Austrian that he de-
manded Martin Kosta by four o'clock in the
evening. After this was known, tremen-
dous excitement spread throughout the ship;
all hands were called to quarters to make
preparations for action; the big guns were
loaded; cutlasses, small arms, boarding
pixies and every think ready for an engage.
ment. The Surgeons brought out their in.
struments, ready to cut off legs, patch up
wounds. &c. The shore was crowded with
people, to witness the engagement, as they
thought bloody work was going. to take
place. The news spread like wild fire thro'.
out Smyrna, and the people were as much
excited as we were. Delegations came off
to the ship to see if something could not be
done to prevent an action. After four or
five hours (happily for all parties) the A.
merican and Austrian Consuls came to a
compromise that is, the Austrian Consul.
who had full control of the man, consented
that Martin Kosta should de delivered up
into the hands of the French Consul, who
consented to take charge of him, until eve.
ry thing was fully settled by the two Gov
ernments as to who had claim to the man.
Well, after this was settled, Of course we
breathed much freer than we did before.--
| No doubt but many lives would have been
lost on both sides. Although our guns are
much larger than the Austrians', still at
the nearer Quarter we intended fighting,
their guns would have been ust as destruc.
tive as ours. The Austrian force consist
ed of one brig of sixteen guns, one schoon.
er Of ten guns, and three mail steamers,
which would no doubt have assisted IN the
engagement. So you see their folee was
much larger than ours. There was gem
eral rejoicing after the matter was settled,
and the American citizens in Smyrna gave
dinner to Captain Ingraham and his offi-
GERS on the 4th of July. There was gem
eral Notification, and there was popping
of bottle corks instead of the big GUNS
Last night we gave ball on board to some
of the residents of Smyrna, who have Been
very kind to us since our arrival in por:."
A London paper publishes the following
letter from Hungarian, in justification of
Kosta:
"It is right that the public should be ins
formed that Captain Kosta, the Hugarian
refugee, who was recently taken prisoner
at Smyrna, never gave, and as a subordi-
nate officer could not give, the promise not
to return to Turkey. 1t is true that during
the detention of the Hungarian refugees III
Turkey, it was suggested to them that
promise never to return, might facilitate
their liberation but the condition was not
accepted by them, and Gen. Meszaros, late
Minister Of War in Hungary, answered with
characteristic manliness-'no conditions,
but liberty
"That liberty was given to them without
any condition and Capt. Kosta, well known
in OUT Army as brave soldier, left TUT.
key with Gen. Meszaros, and arrived, with
one hundred of his fellow countrymen, on
tho 9Th of Inne 1851 at Southamptuu.o