New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-02-17
Ntm Orlsans 9ailp 6rtstsut.
The Latest British Ouera,

Nfu Orlsans 9ailg 6rtstsnt.
The Latest British Outrage.
AMERICAN BRIG BURNED By A BRITISH cRU1sER.
The telegraph informed rs few days ago thst N
American vessel had been captured and burned o1
the western coast Of Africa by British cruiser some
time in October last. The following Official cores
pondence furnishes the circumstances attending the
affair, 30 far az they can 1t present be obtained:
UsrEEp sr.rzs SHIP vIscE.sss, Dee T. 1853
SRI have the honor to forward to the Navy De.
capture and destruction by fire OF the Rufus Soule
brgantine under American colofs, BY Her Britannia
Maesys steamer VIPER on or about the l1th or 18th
October, 1858.
As am not to meet with flag officer Conover before
the latter part o. February, and supposing It mpor
tant that the fsets - appearing IN these papers
should be communicated to the Department as early
pared for the commander.in-chief Of this station.
trust that my reason for this direct communities
ton will appear sufficient to the honorable the secre
tary Of the MAJ Navy Z. so,., 10 ;,
very 's'pss.. ). TiS6;rros, Commander.
STATEMENT PETER cAIpgsA.
shipped for the American brig Rufus Sonle, Cap
tain Anderson at Matanzas, on the 9Th Of July, and
sailed, rs understood, for Fernando Po Just
Sl&nLeQ OE teTue 1SlauuS, next ianQ We
| made was the African coast near to Banda Point.
Soon after saw a steamer coming towards u.s. and
she sent boat The captain u the steamer Viper,
and another officer with him came aboerd-they
toned us all about where we belonged. was at the
wheel and heard the captain Of the Viper tell Capt.
Anderson that be would give him one hour to make
up his mind. and, il he did not deliver his vessel be
would take her in tow and the captain returned ON
board bis own vessel, leaving the other officer with
In half an hour the order was given for the Eng
lish to open the matches. then saw for the first
| time that our flag had been hauled down. The Eng
fish officer then waved his handkerchief to the Viper
\ and the captain OF the steamer came aboard
The matches were opened, and he then ordered us
all to get our clothes ready to go on board the
steamer. Afterwards they brought from the brig all
her sails and small stores. The brig was set on fire
about seven o'clock in the evening, and was burning
all night. In the morning several shots were fired at
Of the crew of the Viper that she was burned be-
cause they had no men to send away in her, and that
they had orders to burn out Of every three yes
sells taken. We got under way in the afternoon, and
were landed on the beach Of Ksbenea. II the Vim.
cennes had not come in, don't know how we could
have lived. told the English officer that was an
American citizen.
| This statement was made on board the vincenues,
| in presence Of her officers.
Il COMMANDER TorTES TO TIE COMMANDER VIPER
| UNITED sr4 os,ss sas :, y,5ss ss
Sir-I have to ask that you will do me the favor to
0e8Ifuc
ton by fire Of the brig Rufus soule on the 18th and
18th Of this month. to the southwark OF Kebenea
would beg particularly to ask information th,
J following points, to wit: ia.,-
LIST. ii she had the American flag flying when Wis
i tied by your boat 7'1i a5= .5
I'd. Were her papers found correct +?
y Sd. II the American flag was still flying when he
matches were opened, and II not under what circun
:. stances, and when it was hauled down
It ask these questions because have informatio
4 that the Rufus Soue was captured by the Viper.
am respectfully l. ~ Tof FL ssr Commander
It To the Commander of H b. N. steamer viper.
REPLY OF the coxxAspEx OF THE VIPER. ".a
It : 8. 4 P1 a . De LoAy NO..
I'd Sunday, e oetossr =. p fs;s
l. Sir-I have the honor to acknowledge the receir
Of your letter, dated the 22d Of October, relative
the capture of brigantine called the Rufus Soult
and containing three categorical questions.
a LIST. Had the vessel the American flag flying at tn
time she was visited by the boat Answer-She hal
the British Government, dated the 9Th and 22d o
July last, there every just cause to believe tina
in this case fraudulent use OF the flag was bein
h made and that the vessel was engaged in the sav
d trade; consequently she was visited.
I'd. If her papers were correct. Answer-in m
l. opinion they were incorrect, some of them undoub
edly SO. z,. h..
Sd. II the American flag were still flying when til
still flying when the vessels patches were opened
The flag and the papers were thrown into the sea
the captain without even suggestion on my part
nave '''s auaGsf III sHopk5saros.
8 To Commodore B. l. TottcR. U. S. ship vncennes.
is To this letter Commodore Totten replied that
/, was unsatisfactory, as it made no mention of Ii
Is circumstances of the burning Of the brig wihor
legal investigation.
a. Commander Hodkington rejoined by referring Il
- American officer to the British Admiral in commar
of the station and this closes the correspondence
N reported to the Navy Department here.
II FROM NORTH LoUIsIANA.-The Mount Leblanc
N Baptist Of the 10th inst. says:
Ut The weather has been pleasantly COOL but sprn,
2 like, for week past. The doves cooling an
peach trees are very commonly beginning to blossom
Wees hardly see cause for such premature haste
them as there has been but little weather dul
ing the winter They have seemed disposed to blooI
IL all through the winter.
The rivers are everywhere throughout the Wester
a country, going down, down. Unless we have q
9. abundance OF rain soon, our last cotton crop wi
CO. hardly all be got off this spring.
r, case Of smallpox was reported recently With
in two miles of Homer, Claiborne parish causing quit
IN panic in the town and adjacent country. Exagg
rated reports having been circulated in the neghbo
ing town of Mnden and elsewhere regarding the ma
ter the Homer liad retalates in the following style
ass We understand that in and around Minden the
have at present many cases OF what is called pho
+, pneumonia-a disease which is Thousand tim
worse than smallpox. 1t is more certain to kill yo
e. and, what is worse, it takes it much longer Yc
r. suffer long and much, and the entras and all Il
g mdrf rot, instead the cuticle.
sr CAPT. STURGEON sHor.-IAe assassin in Gu
II. tody.-Capt. Sturgeon, commander of the DIANA
y his last trip up from New Orleans, (the Diana pass
na up yesterday and while at Lake Providence, {
dered two skif men, who attached their boat to
on stern of the Diana and insisted on being towed
the river to go away and attend to their busne
ar which they refused to do The Captain then call
;. the first mate to render him assistance when one
p. them drew his revolver and eveed 1t at Capt ST.
Tor moment hesltated TO SHOOT when his fellow SIX
man repeatedly urged him to fire, which he did
s taking deliberate aim. The ball passed through
right collar of the Captains coat just below bis nee
- through his cravat, and striking the button of |
ny shirt collar which seemed somewhat to turn the
rection of the ball, that the ball, entering t
md eshy portion Of the neck the left side passed
na about Ii inches from the point of entrance. 7
ME officers and crew of the Diana succeeded in captnr