The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-02
AN Extraordinary Affair.
OF A pRIvATEER PRIZE CREW

KILLING OF A PRIvATEER PRIZE CREW.
We published Tuesday the account Of
the recapture Of vessel taken by the pri-
vateer JEFF Davis. The details of this most
extraordinary affair are contained in the
statement of BoIcE McK1NNoN, passen.
ger:
On the Bird of July sailed as passenger,
for Montevideo, whittier l was going for
my health, intending to engage in stock
breeding, in the schooner S. j. Warning,
Capt. Smith of Brookhaven, from New
York. We dropped down to Quarantine
that afternoon, and on the morning of the
4th weighed anchor and put to sea. We
had tolerably fair weather, until we got to
lat. $50 SIS, Ion. go 4, $50 miles from SAM
dy Hook, on Sunday, the 7th inst.
That morning, about 8 o'clock, we saw Q
vessel ahead, but did not pay any particu-
lar attention to her until about noon, when
we had drifted pretty near her. Then Capt.
Smith and his second mate carefully scam.
ed her through the telescope. She soon at.
ter hoisted French colors, and our Captain
sent below and got the stars and stripes,
which he set. A moment after shot came
whizzing over us, and we then pretty well
understood her true character, still we
thought it not unlikely that she was a
French man.of.war that had merely taken
that way of asking US for news from the
States. Our uncertainty, however, soon
resolved itself into stern fact, for we were
shortly visited by boat from the uncere-
monious stranger, in which were an officer
and twelve men, the first ununiformed, and
the crew as wretched set of scoundrels as
could be picked up in any seaport, all of
whom were armed. They wore clothes of
all shapes and, sizes, and many of them
were shoeless. As they came up to US the
brig run up the confederate flag.
Upon reaching our vessel, the person in
command of the boat, whom we afterwards
ascertained was Lieutenant PosteIl, for
merly of the United States navy, address.
ing Captain Smith, he said, We have
taken you as prize to the brig JEFF. Davis,
bearing letters of marque of the Coincide
rate States haul down that flag" point.
ing to the United States colors.
Captain Smith took Lieutenant Postell
below into his cabin, and handed him his
letters and papers, and gave up his vessel.
The privateers took some of our charts,
coasting books, a sextant, some plates, cot,
fee cups, lot of table cloths, some of which
were dirty, quantity of -four, several oil
cans, tub OF butter, some cases of pre-
served lobster, and other articles, together
with all the firearms which they could find,
but single barreled pistol belonging to
myself, and another owned by VIM. Sted-
ding, one of our crew.
Having sent their boat load of stuff on,
they returned with a prize crew, consisting
of a prize. master, mate and second mate,
and two men, taking in exchange for them
Captain Smith, OF Brooklyn L. j. Smith,
first mate of New York L. Davidson,
second mate, and two seamen. The prize
crew consisted of Montague Amiel, a
Charleston pilot, prize>master Stephens,
mate, an Irishman, who had been in the
country about ten years ago, but had been
at sea since until Line months ago, when he
returned, and three sailors, one of whom
acted as second mate and slept in the cabin /;
the other two were hands, whose names are
James Minor, OF South Carolina, and Jas.
Dorsey, of Port Pleasant, New Jersey.
There were, therefore, on the schooner the
prize crew Of five; VIM. Tilman, the col.
ored steward of the vessel William Sted>
ding and Donald Mcleod, seamen, and
myself of the original party, four-nine
persons in all.
The schooner was headed for Charleston,
or some inlet on the coast near that port.
We'were not put in irons, but used with as
much kindness as we could expect. The
steward continued to cook and provide for
us,.and our men worked the vessel. be.
came quite intimate with the officers, and
expected soon to be prisoner of war in
Charleston, though we hoped that we might
fall in with United States vessel, and be
rescued from our captors. Thus we got
along quietly on our way southwark till
Tuesday, the 10th inst when we were fifty
miles south and one hundred miles west oil
port, and thought we might get in the next
day.
: What followed l did not anticipate. II
is true that now, when look back, re
member that Amiel had congratulated him.
self upon the valuable prize be had found in
the steward, whom he vowed was worth q
cool thousand on Meeting street, Charles,
ton. And / further remember that on sew
eral occasions, Tillman, the steward, shook
his head and muttered, Dem folks nebbeI
git to Charles'n," but supposed then that
be was expecting, like the rest of us, to
meet with friend in one of Uncle Sam I
cruisers. aage 81
1t was bright moonlight night, thai
of Tuesday, so pleasant that remained or
deck till IL P. NJ, later than / usually did
Ehe steward had turned in at 8, as was hi:
habit. Our trunk cabin projected about
three feet above the main deck, and was en-
tered by companion way in the middle O
the forward end. When went down, the
mate was nodding on the cabin roof, just in
front of the wheel. in half recumbent pc
sition. Behind him stood William Sted
ding, one of our old crew, at the wheel
Minor, the South Carolinian, lay asleep or
a pile of sails at the foot of the foremost
Mcleod, another of our men, with Dorsey
the JerseymaD, were asleep in the forecastIe