The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-16
The Blocks ade at Charleston.

From The Charles ton papers, of the 18th in
| slant, we gather the following interesting
statement relative to the blockade of that
port
The steam frigate Niagara, which it was
| reported some days since was coming OF this
| port to blockade the harbor was first noticed
| of here at an early hour on Saturday by Pilot
| Boat No. T. then outside the bar, and also
| from the steeple of the Custom House
| The pilot boat had observed in the oGing on
| Friday evening what appeared to be Il mer-
| chant ship bound III, and which, not being in
| sight on Saturday, was no doubt ordered off
| Towards id-day the Niagara disappeared
| but returned off the port in the afternoon
On Saturday Captain Robert Lockwood pi-
lot in boat No. 2, (the w. Y. Leitch took to
sea the schr Minnehaha, for Baltimore; soon
after leaving which vessel outside, he made a
square rigger standing in for the bar. Being
anxious to board, but not liking the Niagara
then in sight, he concluded TO send his large
boat into port, and take TO his skiff with 4
trusty hand.
He reached the vessel about Z p. NJ , and
found her to be the British barque Hilia from
Liverpool, consigned to Messrs. Il. Mure 81
Co. The tide being too late to get her into
port, he remained on board during Saturday
night, his skin being taken on deck and care
lully placed away. On Sunday morning, if
being cain, he was unable to get ner under
way, and about half-past A. M. she was
boarded by boat from the Niagara, COM
manded by Lleat. K l.. May, who informed
blockaded-the rebels inside having fired on
Fort Sumter, with garrison of less than loo
men gave him a Yankee paper containing
| the latest news, and mentioned that an army
of i00, 900 men had landed in Louisiana The
Captain of the Hilja informed the boarding
officer that he was short of water and re-
quested Il supply from the Niagara, but he
was informed that the frigate had less of that
article than was necessary for her. The fol
lowing is copy OF the endorsement of Lieut.
H. L.. May on the papers of the Hilia:
Boarded May Il, and ordered off the wbo,a
southern coast of the United States OF America il
being blockaded.
tSignedl RI MAY,
Lieutenant U. S. Steamship Niagara
The officer remained by the Hilja for abou
twenty minutes, when he left The boats
| crew had revolver each in belt attached
| TO the waist Mr.. Lockwood left the Hilis
| abont 10 A. M, and reached the city in Il
| SKIN, accompanied by a valuable boat hand
| who remained faithful, although appearances
| indicated that the boy had only to open his
mouth when he might have had passage tc
| some other place than " Dixie's Land"
The Hllla went off during the day, and will
| proceed to the British Provinces. The British
| ship Monmou til, from Liverpool, and the shiI
General Parkhili, from the same place, were
seen oil the bar yesterday, and Were ordered
OFF.
The Charleston News, of Monday evening,
says:
The British ship A and A, from Belfast,
having been chased unsuccessfuily yesterday
by the steam -frgate Niagara, was fortunate
enough to get into port this morning, having
most successfully and tearlessly run the block
ade. Captain Hutchinson deserves credit for
the fearless manner in which he stood in to the
shoal part of the bar and will have an oppor-
tunity OF getting a fine freight and dispatch
The A and A was towed into port by the
steamer Gordon.