The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-17


Coast.
1t was recently stated that the u. s sloop-
of~"ar jamestown, Commander Green seized
ana burned the bark AIyarado, Off Fernan-
anna, Fla, on the 9Th ult. 1t appears she
"aa eeen captured by the prvateer JEFF Da-
via, and was stranded on the Florida coast,
eight hundred yards from shore, to prevent
her re-capture by the Jamestown A cor
respondent of tle Philadelphia Inquirer, in
letter dated "Of Fernandina,' after giving
an account of the pursuit of the jamestown
and the stranding of the Alvarado by her
crew. says
soon after she stranded her boats We're low
ered, ana her crew escaped, carving with
theln, no doubt, all available yaluables and
leaving the bark with all sail on to drift far
ther In shore, in the vain hope of afterwards
getting her off or dscharging her cargo i'm
boats. by this time the jamestown had got
near enough, 1t was thought, to bring the
bark within range of her guns, the intention
neing TO destroy the vessel by shelling her
Inc anchor was then dropped and sails
fnrled, and the starboard guns opened upon
the stranded vessel; but all the shots fell
snort, ana, as the sea shoals very quickly
aiong this coast, 1T was not deemed ad visa Bile
10 run IN nearer the shore. 1t was then de
termined to take her in boats notwitbstand.
ing the fear of there being masked ba treries
on shore, ana which really proved to be the
ordnance mounted some short distance from
the stranded vessel, and were busily engaged
IN bringing down some pieces of field artil-
iery TO protect the bark III case she was at
tackled by any boats.
Everything on shore exhibited the greatest
excitement. Companies We're seen IN arching
along the beach, pieces of artillery drawn bv
horses, and mounted men galloping hither
ana thithef, made quite an exciting scene
and crowds of people lined the beach aux-
iously awaiting the result of an attack The
boats OF the jamestown We're now called
away, armed and manned, and consisted of
the launch, ofticered by Second Lieut. FIus-
ser, tWno had command of the expedition1
and accom- panied by Assistant Surgeon Gle
borne, and Lieut.. Hewston, in command of
the marines first cutter under command of
Lieut.. Phythian, accompanied by Acting
Master Chisholm; and third cutter in charge
of Midshiplnan II. B. Tyson. AS soon as the
enemy saw the boats lroisted out they were
seen to arm boat with small piece of can
non and a party of men, evidently with the
intention o; boarding the bark and defending
her against any attack. At the same time
the shore batteries opened, it was at first
thought, with the inten ton of des to- ying the
vessel, but this was discoyeaed not to be their
object they Were merely tsAing the range of
their guns. All being ready, the cutters left
,he SHIPS side, and We're soon followed by the
launch, on which was mounted q boat howit-
zer, and was excellently manned for the oc-
casion.
As the expedition neared the bark, the
with grape shot, and kept bearing on the yes
sells deck, where 1t was expected that the enc
my had mounted gun, but fortunately they
had not succeeded in doing so. The boats ad-
vanced in good order under a CALLING and
most dangerous fire from the batteries on
shore, round after round being fired upon
them, fortunately without doing any injury ;
under this fire they reached the vessels side
the balls falling pretty thickly over their
heads and around them; and in a few mo-
ments the crew, headed by their gallant com
mander and followed by the rest of the officers
reached her deck without any oppoSition-
She proved to be the bark Alluradu Of Bos-
ton, from the Cape of Good Hope and had
been captured only short time before by the
priyateer jeff. Davis, and was now on her
way to Savannah, GA, with IL prize crew on
board and had us prisoners the captain and
his wife. All the ships papers and instru-
ments We're secured, and then finding it
impossible to get her off, it was decided to set
her on fire, which was efiiCien tiy done in thu
places, and as her cargo consisted OF Manila
rope hemp and wool, she soon became enyel-
oped in flames.
About this time gun was fired from the
Jamestown, and the signal of recall hoisted
Before leaving the burning vessel the Stars
and Stripes were run up to the gaF and
then the boats showed off as quickly as posi-
Bile, as an armed steamer was steaming to-
wards them with the intention of cutting
them off from their ship: but the sloop-of
war had seen her object, and had hauled up
her anchor and was running in to cover her
boats with her guns. The batteries on shore
which had ceased firing soon after the vessel
was boarded, recommended their cannonade
all the balls falling short of the mark. Soon
after this, the steamer finding, if she contin-
ued the chase, she would soon be within reach
Of the guns of the jamestown, turned round
and made her way towards the shore. The
boats reached the ship in safety and were
hauled in, all sail was set, and the jamestown
sailed rapidly away from the scene leaving
the captors to mourn the loss of their burn
ing prize.