Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-11-14
Fro n the Newbern Progress

Coz. ss ,, IF .Ss nfsscers and crew of Man
of-XVar, etc. !,
At our request Col SDgletary has furnished US the
following detailed account OF his recent expedIon down
the river which will be found exceedingly nterestng-I
The Frencbmen rescued from the wreck attribute ther
deljyersnce to the extraordinary efforts of Col single
tary: So o
noisance about Hatteras ard in such damage had
been suffered by the late storm as to disable the emery
to have the force hand TO take advantage OF II a.
once and also to ascertain the real CONDITION OF tne
works at Beacon Island This statement was made TO
Gen. Hill Sunday afternoon. lie expressed DIS dlsap
probation of an attack on Haeras at present and with
out fuller information and spoke OF the necessity o.
great caution in such operations. | assured am tha
should be cautious as possible No formal apPil-
cation was made for PERMISSION to leave whicn was ho
considered necessary The preparations for departure
were made publicly and the community generaiy pFt
cipating and the expedition left Newbern ABOUT iour
! O'Clock Monday morning. Arrived at Beacon Islaho
about o'clock, Z. NJ and cast antnor near Tue lott
| Sent out accommodating party that night Ascer-
tanned that the fort at Haeras had not been much H.
iured and gave up the idea of any demonstration ID
| that quarter. Meanwhile about 3 O'CLOCK luesday
morning discovered signals across the par, tbeh at Oui
miles distant supposed to be the enemy AS day broke
discovered an armed steamer with her ports down, and
not doubling that she a Yankee craft opened IRE
On her Before second shot, discovered that she rals-
ed the French flag After some hesitation sent out
! boat with Major Singetay and Capt. Srmond to make
iuuury On their return they reported that she was
| the French Corvette PrOhy, Captain de Fontanges,
bound from Char ston to New York, with dispatches
from the French Consul had missed her way and was
aground between the North and South Bars BENG
still suspicious OF Yauee tricks sent my boat back to
make further inquiry Ga the way they were met by
boat hom the PROXY and returned to the steamer Al
bemare where then i he boat brought an on
Ger from the Prom who with request from DIS
commander that / would send out the Aibemarle and
Napoleon to take eff the guns and coal (6 guns 100
tons coaD which thought would Tighten his vessel sutl-
ceut to get her afoat. explained TO him my stua-
tion-that The troops the Napoleon would be 10
great danger Of being taken by the Yankees she west
outside, but promised to return TO NeWDern anu
discharae the men aud come hack immediately
= he AIbemarle w@s at this time aground out
side the Swasb, about three mites from the wreck,
Hhre she had gOne 10 get supply OF wood
! The Napoleon was inside the SVash about FIVE miles
. off, Went 10 the Napoleon and got under way for
NeWbern Wind ahead. Had not been long under
way when the lookout reported four Federal steamers
: coming IN. Soon after the Pilot from the A!0emarie
with the baggage left en- the steamboat and re-
ported that everything was prePered to leave her i
necessary Cot in the POt-00at and returned to the
. Abemarie The Federal steamers hung around thf
bar during the afternoon but made attempt to reacf
the FrenCbman. Towards night two OF them went ct
South; the other two Weut towards iatteras. Observed
their lights in shore during the greater part of the night
Surprising of they woUd be aroand the Corvette
in the morning made an arrangement with the trelcf
officer to taEe nominal command of the AIbemare aDC
}, raise the French flag, which done At The mex
" flOUd we went aOa; kept up steam daring the night
and at daylight started for the wreck Il OmitteI to
that the French officer bad attempted to return
his vessel but the wind had risen and finding impossible
to pass the breakers came back TO the Aibemare where
be remained during the nght Succeeded the first time
getting within six hundred yards OF the wreck and
driven back by the brakers. Returned and cast anchor
- and waited outside, Made another attempt not eX
" pecting 10 succeed there being yet very little ul
in the wind, but thinking it would encourage those Oh
st board to See that had not given them up.
Returning from tie second trial discovered steamers
" an tie matchmaking it might be fleet aud know
re ing the AIhermare French steamer was in Gan
4 ger from Yarkets raised the Confederate Flag anC
u started in pGrsnit-proved be Commodore Lynct
y ard squadr went on board lag ship Seabd abOu
II Al.-niormed Com. Lynch of ali that had OccurreC
and requested him to send or two OF his steamers
assist III case Of any accident to the AlbCmare, t
which he very readily aSscDd-stated that he himsel
thought it best tor the Aibtnare to try trst as be
ls loss WOu1 be great and If she failed OF th
others could try-soOu afterwards discovered that tit
y CurIew, Capt. Hunter getting under way, an,
learned inquiry that she going to the Prony To-
IN the purpose OF taking OH the CrtWreturned ImmedI
Id at-y to the Alberuale started for the Prony-Curev
some distance ahead. CUreW went beyond the Onl,
j. place from which the PROXY could be reached-imp0s
sibe get The Prony except through beakers-A
'e bermare lay to got in the Life Boat with Capt
~ Sirm0nd and the oarsmen-passed through the ker
t. without accident went % board all the boats gOu
but one Prony's boat carried about Il men Lift
t. boat very SMALL could Gully fnd for five by put
Is ting under the belmsnan; fled both and starte
OF the Life boat ahead directing the ether to follow Cur
lew dropped back and alongside the Abermarle
as the small boats neared the Abermarle Curlew RAJ
in between and attempted to get the men on board
III they refused to dc and went AlbeFmale after thi
r. lie boat from the CuTlew with Capt. Alexander, wen
to the wreck and one other boat started.
In the course OF the evening The entire crew number
d. ing lao including officers, taken off No accden
except that on The second trip Of the AIbemares boat
She capszd in the breakers, but through the
ness and skill OF Capt. SirmOnd the boat and all
iii board was saved The Curlew and Albelnare return
al ed to anchorage about dark little AFTER 500
of after boat from the CurleW came and carried b
r. the French Officers on board the AlbeinarIe Durin
the night the wind shifted and it became smooth aroun
ds the wreck and remained during tie day following
'o Next morning addressed note Capt de Foutaug(
he OF the Frony stating that about leaving tc
Newbern; soon after four ofhis Officers came back
A the Albemare Lett for Newbern, and arrived abou
2. M Provided quarters for those had brought, an
also for those who were expected to come the oht
of boats
% After supper received order from General Hill pl
IN cling me In arrest with copy of charges for havn
,e gone on the expedition. About O'clock P. M, Gu
lew came up with orders from Capt Fontanges an
KS Com. Hynde to carry back the men who had come
e- the Abemae. Information was also received from ii
Captain OF the Curew that the French commander ha
rt become very indignant account of my having broug
in OF his men, and that Commodore Lynch demanded
Oh arrest for taking the Napoleon The next day aft
~ getting three nights sleep in and furnishing myse
y with clothing in place Of that which was lost in tt
h. Albemare's boat, returned to Camp Gatlin where
shall have time to mediate the improperly of
h. wing l4O Frencbnen from drowning without orders
bel even introduction.
In addition to the foregoing will state that he
informed the officer of the "Prony'that be could NJ
ht get to New York by land and believed it to be unde
On sood mat they were to come to Newben and reuI
"a thence to Charleston where the French Consul con
ct provide for them, and the Yankees could not get no