New Orleans daily crescent., 1861-07-16

| Our extra of yesterday evening gave tile obser
| Vations from Hendey's Lookout, in reference tC
| blockading operations off our bar. The intense
feeling which prevailed throughout the whole city
when it was announced that five prizes were al
| ready in the hands of the enemy, may we'll be i'm
| agined. The Shark was known to have passengers
and freight aboard for Galveston, and both her ant
| the Anna Ryan were owned here. The signals
| during the evening showed that the steamer ant
her tender were cruising eastward, and all were OF
| the 9Hi riUe for the result. u-.., .. .-..E.
Near sundown, three schooners were seer
| making for the harbor under press of sail. A.
| the foremost CT them came within q mile of the
| battery at Fort Galveston, Capt Conrad in com
| mand of the artillery, seeing that she neither sig
nailed nor carried q flag fired a shot over her
which being unnotlced, he gave her two more, the
| last of which passed about twenty feet ahead OF
her ; this hint seemed understood, and she rounded
to and anchored. The other scho0ners, about
three-quarters of mile in the rear, also anchored
The fact being apparent, from the look ont, that
the schoOners were released prizes, the Junior edi
tor of the Civilian, who was watching the scene,
Immediately started in sailboat for the purpose
of boarding the schooners and getting the news.
After sundry wading and walking, to report him
self TO Capt. Conrad at the battery, SO as to obvi-
ate the slight necessity of lodging stray shot in
the dark, we got aboard the Louisa at near IL
O'clock and received the agreeable intelligence
that after being securely in the clutches of q Old
Abe,h all hands were released. Two of the
schooners, the Shark and the Anna Ryan, were de-
| tanned.
Among the passengers we met Col. John A.
Wharton, of Brazora, who, from his efforts in be-
half of the cause of the South, certainly had little
reason to desire q close acquaintance with the
Lincolnites. We learned that the names of the
vessels captured were the Shark, the Anna Ryan,
Louisa, Caniie!d and Venus. The Shark was the
only one carrying passengers from Berwick's.
Their names are as follows: .-
Messrs John \. Wharton Morgan, L. Smith, B.
Blydenburgh, John Redmond, F. Simpson, lady
and child, Capts. Patterson and Jamison.
SphpDnPrs ruit
The passengers avaied themselves of the invita-
ton to come to the city i'll our boat thus atordng
us an opportunity to gain reliable account of the
adventures of the day, which we give as follows
At 4 O'Clock A. NJ, as the Shark was some three
miles off the bar, slight breeze blowing steam
ship hove in view, half mile of. She bore down
and fired gun across the Sharks bow, at the
same time hailing and ordering her to heave to,
when boat boarded, with twelve men and Lieu
tenant, and announced her capt9re. The steamer
then took the Shark in tow, and went down the
coast some ten miles, speaking the tender, which
Immediately bore away to the east the steamer
then made for the bar and anchored.
Upon boarding, the Lieutenant was gruf in his
manner and made o show of authority by ordering
all the baggage to be taken charge of, declaring
that it should be searched. 1t was all taken pos
session Of at about 10 o'clock the passengers
and crew of the Shark were taken on board the
steamer They were received by Capt. Alden
with great politeness, but told that they were
prisoners of war, and would be required to take
during the present war, or they would be sent to
Key West. The whole party declined to take the
oath, Col. Wharton remarking, " Then go to Key
West,' to which the Others assented. Can't A.
said he had an unpleasant duty to perform, but
must perform it, saying, "Gentlemen you are
prisoners of war; Col Smith then told him that
he had been citizen Of Texas twenty three years,
and would under no circumstances take the oath.
Capt. Alden, after some conversation invited the
passengers and crew to partake Of Il lunch
During the forenoon the tender which was up the
coast signaled the steamer that three sail were in
sight, when the steamer, with the Shark in tow,
chased them down in short time. Her speed was
about twelve knots per hour but did not seem to
be doing her best The tender was also chasing,
and fired two guns at the Louisa. lhe prizes were
| boarded, and their crews taken to the steamer.
| The steamer then sailed in shore, sigualizng the
prizes to follow when all came to anchor During
the day the conduct of Capt Alden was urbane and
| courteous. Frequent conversations were had
| during which the passengers protested against
being sent to Key West, in lieu of refusal TO take
| the oath. They were approached separately, anG
| all gave the same answer. The passengers were
| united in their refusal. Col. Wharton saying tina
be considered it one of the proudest moments o
his life to be able to prove his devotion to his eoun
try in that way.n
! Capt. Alden said that he had been sent to Gal
weston to effect blockade, and it the people o
Galveston would let him Alone it was his desire no
| to Interfere with them.
| The passengers had about made up their mind
| that were to 60 to Key West, when at o'clock
l they were agreeably disappointed by Capt. Aldel