Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-16
Cantnre of the SLAYER Wildfre.

KEY WEST, May6, lS6O.-The great event
of the past fortnight in this section OF the
Union, has been the capture by the United
States steamer Mohawk, Lieut.. i. A. Nj.
Craven. of the slave bark Wildtire and her
cargo of 500 negroes, and the arrival and
Decentralization of the latter upon White
head Point, near Fort Taylor.
News arrived in this city on Sunday, the
Doth. that the Mohawk was ut anchor Oft In
dian Key, fifty miles east of Key West, with
SLAYER in tow. The next morning the Mo
hawk made her appearance Oft bocca Chlca,
and at noon rounded Fort Taylor, and pro-
bcecding up opposite the naval depot, came
| to an anchor with her prize.
The Mohawk sailed from Key West on
the 9th of April, on cruise Oft the eastern
end of the Island of Cuba. She also visited
the Lobos Keys, and had two or three excl
ting chases after suspicious craft. On the
Odd she put into the harbor of Neuvtas, and
remained there until the 18th, when she
took the American brig Pedro Sanchez Dolz
in tow, the weather being calm, and carried
her outside the reefs She remained in COM
pany with the brig until the next morning,
when, discovering sail in the othng head
| ing for the land, she cast off the brig and
made chase.
There being no wind the sail, which prov
ed to be bark was speedily approached.-
She was evidently an American built vessel,
but having no name upon her stern she was
requested to show her cnors, in response to
which the American flag was hosted. AS
the Mohawk ranged alongside, men were OBJ
served at work in the rigging, others about the
decks-a few in number-while the captain
and his officers cooly leaned upon the rail OBJ
serving the steamers movements. She did
not look the SLAYER but from force of habit,
with spice Of curiosity, Captain Craven
ordered Lieut.. Carpenter to board her. AS
the boat approached the vessel it was observ-
ed that no rope was thrown out, and it was
evident that the visit was not agreeable.
The lieutenant unussisted, boarded the
vessel and was no sooner on her bulwarks
than he waved his sword, and the men in
the boat raised shout, Il signal that she
was SLAYER and prize. The moment that
the slaves, who had Just been driven below,
caught sight of the officers uniform 1.-THE
matches were covered with gratings only,)
they sang and clapped their hands with joy.
They instinctively knew that their deliverers
were at hand.
The vessel was at once taken possession Of
| by Capt Craven, a prize crew put on board,
the officers and crew transferred to the Mo-
hawk, and the bark taken in tow. The Mo-
hawk then headed for the Florida Keys.
The bark proved to be the Wildfre, a hand
some clipper of 337 tons, built in Philadel-
phia in 1855 She sailed from New York
on the 10th December, 1859, with an Ameri-
can crew, for the West Indies. She made IL
good run to st. Thomas, where she remained
eight days, and then sailed for the Congo
river. She took on board COS slaves the night
of March 81. She got safely off the coast,
and had not seen a sail up to the day of her
capture. When they left the coast the Am
erican captain and crew were superseded by
Spanish captinn and crew, the former then
acting as passengers. This cargo consists Of
children and young men and women, the ma
jority being from twelve to sixteen years Of
age. They are in Il remarkably sound and
healthy condition; few cnrgoes come over i'll
better order than this The negroes, since
their transfer to the shore, seem happy and
contcnted. The sick in hospital are getting
well under the kind treatment they are re-
ceiving.
The United States Marshal, who has charge
of the negroes, has placed them in hastily
constructed but comfortable sheds, built ex-
pressly for them upon Whitehead Point
portion of the land purchased for Fort Tay
lor, but half mile distant from the forti-
cation.
The crew Of the SLAYER have been before
the United States Commissioner and commit
ted to Jail.
Capt. Brannan has detailed portion Of
his company to guard the negroes and pre-
vent their escape or recapture. A guard of
marines from the Mohawk have also been
detailed for this duty.
The Marshal hasadded to this force guard
chosen from among the citizens, who are on
duty night and day.
The negroes seem to he perfectly happy
and conented, and are singing, clappng
their hands and dancing their country dances,
at stated intervals during the day. They
are visited daily by the whole pnpulaton.-
This encampment, in fact, is the only at
traction ON the Key, and it is worth Il voy
age of thousand miles to see them. The
women are, some of them, most attractive in
person; they are generally clean, are but
slightly attooed, and have by no means the
repulsive looks and manners our native slave
population. They exhibit marked signs Of
affection for each other, and are perfectly
overwhelming in their tondness with the
white children Of the Key.
81 I'd