Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-20
The Pirste-Busters of the Gulf.

The P1rStesbuSIeEs OA
The telegraph reports that tie Susan has
been heard from, and with her flibuster crew
was bearing for Greytown bent on making law
less war on Nicaragua Lieut.. White, of the
Revenue service, who was carried off on the Su-
san, was put on board the bark Oregon when
two days out from Mobile Point, and landed at
New Orleans. According to the Washington
Union he has officially reported that on finding
the schooner under way, he ordered the Cap
tain to come to anchor; which order was DISC
beyed, and the vessel proceeded to sea. She
was commanded by Capt. Maury, and had on
board Col Mcdonald, Major Ellis, Col Rudler,
Capt West, and other officers, and about 25O
men, armed with rifles, revolvers, and side arms.
They declared that they were going to Greytown
il Nicaragua. The Union commends the officers
of Customs at Mobile "for a firm and manly
discharge of their sworn duty"
How that 'sworn duty" was discharged is
revealed by the letter of Capt. Maury, Ofthe fill
ibuster Susan. 1t will be seen that the conduct
of the u s. officers was a farce of the broadest
character-that the federal authorities suffered
themselves to be intimidated from the schooner,
and on such easy, cosy terms that they left
an officer on board "as guest of Mr.. Maury.
Capt. MAury's account is instructive on the sub
ject OF "a firm and manly discharge of sworn
duty" at the South. Here it is:
While beating down Mobile Bay on Monday,
Dec. 9th, at half past twelve P M, the shooner
Susan, II. Maury, master, to the northward of
the fset, was brought to and boarded by the U.
S. revenue cutter Robert McClelland, J. J. Nor
rison, commander. The boarding officer was S.
B. Caldwell, I'd Lieutenant of said cutter, who
demanded to see the schooner's papers, upon
which Mr. Maury replied that he had not clear
ed, but was bound into the fleet TO get ready for
sea, the schooner then having her signal flying
for a water boat Lieut.. Caldwell then returned
to the cutter.
Soon afterward he (Lieut c. revisited the
schooner, and claimed her as a prize in the
name of the United States, and ordered her to
return to Mobile. He ordered the schooner to
be filled away and the helm to be put up,
whereupon Mr.. Maury, master, denied his
right TO do so, and Immediately brought the
schooner to anchor; but Mr.. Maury told Lieut..
Caldwell that he had no objections to an Off
x
until the schooner was ready for sea.
Lieut.. Caldwell then fired pistol as a signal,
and the cutter Immediately sent another boat,
in command of Lieut.. Geo. F. White, who came
alongside and stated as the orders of Capt. Nor
rison to Lieut. Caldwell to take the schooner to
Dog River Bar an anchor, and if he wanted and
armed crew he (Capt Morrison) would send it to
him. Lieut. Caldwell replied that he would go
back to the cutter and see the Captain. Lieut..
White with six men, remained on board the
schooner, with arms, (pistols and cutlasses,) in
their boat Capt. Morrison, upon stepping on
board inquired "whO commands this vessel I"
to which Mr. Maury replied, 81 am the com
mander." Thereupon Capt Morrison claimed
the schooner as prize to the nlted States
Mr. Morrison asked under what authority he
made the capture. Capt. Morrison replied that
he did so as 4 Government officer, and by virtue
of orders from the custom house at Mobile, not
to let the schooner pass below Dog River Bar.
Mr. Maury replied that such course would be
illegal, and that he would most assuredly resist
any such an attempt.
Mr. Maury also gave orders fOrbiddlng any
armed men coming on board, and stated to Capt.
Morrison that he intended taking his vessel into
the fleet Capt Morrison then said that, by
virtue of the Custom-house orders, he would
sink the schooner Susan if she undertook to get
under way from where she then lay. After
some further conversation between Capt. Nor
rison and Mr.. Maury, in which the former ex-
pressed his determination to take the schooner
to Dog River Bar as prize to the United States,
and the latter expressed himself also determined
not to be taken as prize, inasmuch he had
violated no law, Capt Morrison and Caldwell
returned to the cutter, leaving on board Lieut..
White, as a guest of Mr.. Maury. The schooner
then got under way and proceeded on her course
to the fleet in Mobile Bay. The cutter, also,
got under way and stood to the Westward, with
her starboard tacks aboard, the wind being to
the Southward. HARRY MAURY,
Master of Schooner Susan.