The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-14
From the N. 7. Express, Of Saturday Evening.
ARRIVAL NE THE
STAR OFTHE WEST AT NEW YORK,
REPORT OF HER OFFICERS.


STAR OF THE WEST AT NEW YORK
REPORT OF HER OFFICERS.
| The now famous steamship Star of the West I'M
expectedIy made her appearance in this mort early
/ this morning, three days from Charleston Bar
/ She brings back with her the two hundred United
| States troops whom she failed to land at Fort
Sumter, and has besides proper crew of sixty
men She has experienced heavy weather on the
return passage.
From or Ship Nesos Reporter.I
The following is the ships account of her trip:
Wednesday, January 8, A. NJ, made Charles
ton Bar. Laid to until daylight when we pro
ceeded to enter the harbor. When off Morris
Island the ship fired into BY the battery from
that point. Seventeen shots were fred at her-one
taking slight effect on her port bow and second,
as she turned to leave the harbOr on the starboard
quarter One ball passed between the smoke stack
and the engine BEAM Finding it impossible to
land the troops the ship was returning to sea at 9
A. NJ when the fire was continued several shots
being fired after; succeeded in getting to sea with
out other damage to the vessel or those on board;
on coming out the bar, the steamer struck
twice. we remained outside the bar over Wednes
day night; on that night we saw steamers coming
cat of the harbOr as supposed in pursuit of us
We extinguished all lights and the ship was not
seen by them. The same night we spoke ship Emil
" st. Pierre, of and for Charleston, at anchor
She had been refused admittance, in consequences of
having the American flag flying.
Tie troops will remain on board until orders are
| received from Washington. The vessel lies at
anchor, foot OF Chambers street. North River
STATEMENTS OF PARTIES BOARD
As the day began to break we discovered a
steamer just in shore of us, who, as soon as she
saw US; burned one blue light and two red lights
and signals and shortly after steamed over the bar
| shin
| all put below, and no one allowed on deck except
| our crew.
! AS there was light enough to see we
| crossed the bar and procee led on up the channel
| (the outer bar buoy having been taken away
the steamer ahead of sending off erockets and
burning lights until after broad daylight contin-
uing on her course up near two miles ahead of us.
| When we arrived about two miles from Fort Mou-
! trie, Fort Sumter being about the same distance,
we could find al no guiding marks for the bag the
| running very slow, and sounding, until about L.
| NJ being then in ~ fathoms water, when we dis
covered light through the haze, which at that
time covered the horizon. Concluding that the
lights were on Fort Sumter, after getting the bear
| ings, we steered to the S. W., to the main ship
channel, where we had to wait daylight our lights
having all been put out since II O'clock to avoid
| being seen.
From information received from parties on board
| We learn that the movement of the Star of
| the West was expected to be strictly private: but
as some of the New York papers had got wind of it
and made the affair public, the mission was de-
| feated. We have also been informed that the pen-
eral impression of the North respecting the easv
| access of Charleston harbor by vessels of large
draft Is erroneous as only vessels of light draft
could get within distance to do service Those in
charge OF the batteries on Morris Island are by no
means the inexperienced gunners that thew were
supposed to be- which was plainly proved by their
shots, which for time flew very lively about the
vessel Two of them took effect and one passed be-
| tween the smoke stack and the BEAM The gener-
| al feeling among the troops and crew on boaad is
in favor of being landed at Fort Sumter, and they
| are anxious to return with the proper means
OF offence and defence Deeming it imprudent to
again attempt landing of the troops she left for
| New York for further orders, which will probably
reach here to-day friday. The supposition on
board is that they will return to Charleston.
| CAPTAIN M'GowAN's STATEMENT
| STEAMSHIP STAR OF THE WEST
New YORK, Jan. IL, 1861.
| Sm-After leaving the wharf on the 5th instant
at D O'Clock, Z, M, we proceeded down the bay,
when we hove to- and took on board four officers
and two hundred soldiers, with their arms ammu
nitions, &C., and then proceeded to sea- crossing
the bar at Sandy Hook, at p. NJ. Nothing I'M
very pleasant one for this season of the year. We
| arrived at Charleston Bar at 1.30 A. ii the 9th
instant, a masked battery on Morris Island where
there was red Palmetto flag flying, opened fire
upon US, distance five eighths of a mile. We had
the American flag flying at flagstaff at the
time, and soon after the first shot, hosted large
American ensign at the fore.
We continued on under the fire of the battery for
over ten minutes, several of the shots going clear
over US; one just passed clear of the pilot house
another passed between the smoke stack and walk
ing beams OF the engine, another struck the ship
aoait the fore rigging, and stove in the planking
while another of the shots fired came within an ace
of carrying away the rudder. At the same time
there was movement of two steamers, from near
Fort Moutrie, one of them towing a schooner Il
presume an armed schooner with the intention of
II
critical, as we had to approach Fort Moultrie to
within three-quarters of a mile, before we could
keep away for Fort Sumter.
steamer approaching us with armed schoon-
er In tow, and the battery on the island firing at
us all the time, and having no cannon to defend
ourselves from the attack of the vessels we con-
cuded that to avoid certain capture or destruction
we would endeavor to get to sea. Consequently
we wore round, and steered down the channel the
battery firing upon us until the shot fell short As
1t was now strong ebb tide, ard the water having
talle some three feet, we proceeded with caution
and crossed the Bar safely at $3.50 A. M and con.
tinued on our course for this port where we ar
rived this morning after boisterous passage
steamer from Charleston followed for about three
hours, watching our movements
In justice to the officer and crew of each depart-
ment OF the ship, must add that their behaviour,
while under the fire of the battery reflected great
credit on them.
Mr. Brewer, the New York pilot, was of very
great SSSS lance to me, in helping to pilot the ship
II I'll.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
JOHN MCGOWAN, Captain.
EXCITEMENT IN THE CITY,
Considerable excitement was occasiOned at an
early hour this Saturday morning, when it be-
came known in the lower wards of the CITY, that
the Star of the West had returned from the seat of
war to this city.
Captain MCGOWAN came ashore as soon as his
vessel was anchored, and at once reported himself
at the Office of his owner, Mr. Roberts where his
assurance that the ship and all on board were safe
was received with much pleasure He at once
handed Mr.. Roberts his official report, which is
given above. Captain MCGOWAN lays the whole
blame of the Illustration of his expedition on the
Tribune, which paper intimated the destination of
his vessel.
Some incidents related of the conduct of
those on board. AS Captain MCGOWAN SAYS, they
all did their duty well and bravely. 1t was
natural, however, for those unused to such things
to show little nervousness when under fire. The
hrst shot took effect on the hull of the steamer
Just below where the Quartermaster was standing
with the lead in his hand, taking soundngs
The rather unexpected shock of the bali suggest
ed to the olcer and his crew, the propriety of
shifting their quarters to the other side of the YES
sci In order to get out of such unpleasant neghb
hood of the whlstling shot, which they according
ly did. Capt. McGowan did not think that there
was any cause for alarm, as be did not think Sec
ond shot would be fired. The result, however,
showed that he was mistaken.
Capt. McGOwan Indignantly denies the truth of
the report contained in a special Washington des-
patch to the Tribune to the effect that he hauled
down his flag after eighteen shots had been fired at
his vessel.
One of the men on board of the Star of the West
gives the following as the distance of the vessel
from the forts:
The Star OF the West was about five-eighths of a
mile from the battery on Morris Island When she
turned we were about mile ard half from Fort
Sumter and the same distance from Fort Moultrie
The Morris Island battery is apparently about
mile and quarter from Fort Sumter Had we not
turned about we should have soon been within less
than three-fourths of mile of Moultrie.
1t is not true, as learn has been stated in some
OF the morning papers, that the Star of the West
struck her colors, We came out of Charleston
with the stars and stripes still flying. A. c. II.
From the ". Y. Erening Express Of Satarday.l
DETENTION OF THE STEAMER MARION
THE MARION IS SEIZED FOR THE PURPOSE OF cHAs.
ING AND SINKING THE STAR OF THE WEST
Capt. Whiting, of the steamer Marion, arrived
in this city at nine O'Clock this Saturday morning
with full particulars of the detention of this
vessel, and the firing on the Star of West, at
Charleston
1t appears from his statement that the Marion
arrived outside Charleston on Thursday morning
last at five o'clock, and proceeded towards land in
dense fog. When the fog lifted, the lighthouse of
the port was discovered, but buoys were visible
several having been removed since the secession
ordinance of the State was promulgated The
steamer Gen. Clinch with an armed force was dis
covered proceeding down the channel; reaching
the outer buoy, she hove to, as was supposed by