Wilmington journal., 1858-09-10
From the Charleston Merc,,,,,

Statement Of of the slavers.
suplon statement relative to the capture Of tbp
brig Gen. Putnam sent us by one of the crew now GOV
fined in our Jail: 00''-
CHARLESTON PRISON Aug. 80. 1888
small sketch of the capture of the brig Echo or tI
Putnam published in some of the papers is yerv on
roneous;with regard to the capture and cargo shan
give you true account as / have been imprisoned o
one of the crew. On the morning of August 2lst wo
made land about three or four miles to the soutb S
eastward of Sagua la Grande, in three and haf faith
oms OF water when kept away to the northward and
westward In short time we made out the town GOV
vera vessels lying in the harbor, and one coming ont
under American coors which took to be molasse9,
ugger, supposing her to be bound to some Nortbprn
port When we got by the port part on board mado
her out to have English colors SET which she chased M
UNDER which it reported by of the papers bt
the brig called the Putnam wore.
But must confess it was most gallant capture br
an American -ofwar to chase an old tenknot hr;s
from sunrise to halfpast four five o'clock in the az
ternoon before she could make her heave to- If the brio
had been in trim is my opinion she would have ruo
clear understand that the Spanish pilot insisted that
he knew the brig and that she had cargo of negroes
on board The Dolphin is reported to not care about
boarding the brig. Why then did she chase all dav
with press of canvass and studding sails set?
About four O'Clock the Dolphin kept off, Not beino
able to make out whether she intended to go to Car5
give us gun, we took in all studsas to trv to
get to windward and out of reach of her guns but on
for
us to heaye to. She had fired two guns before We
took but little notice of them as we thought we were
out of gunsbot Her shot fell about forty wards ahead
on lee bow. She had English colors SET which she
hauled down and set American. We had the Amer;can
colors set. AS had others on board to save rs
from being fired into, and about getting ready to
heave to, she fred shot across our quarter We hove
to Immediately. She lowered boat with three or four
officers, marines and ten armed, against crew of
unarmed men, twentyone white persons, all told When
on board they Immediately ordered every one in the
boat and go on board the Dolphin They kept two and
sick man there supposed to find out she partic
ulars. When board the Dolphin they put those sup
posed to be the in double rons and searched every
one, as they said, to find papers but believe they
found nothing to lead to the vessels nationality.
The vessels kept company all night. In the morning
the Captain of the Dolphin went board of the prize
and overhaued everything Of value in the shape of
meats and eatables likewise paints and oils and trans
erred them on board of the Dolphin, with some very
good brandes and Wines 1t is reported that the crew
of the SLAYER when they thought they were out of dan
ger were drinking in revelry, which is entirely false
There good deal said about the treatment of the ne
groes I assure you that the negroes were well
taken care of the crew, kept clean the vessel being
we'll supplied with medicine But no one can Judge by
appearances since the government had charge of the yes
se as they were not properly attended to in any way
No more at present