The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-16
A Federal Launch Oh the Attakapas Coast
Capture of the Confederaae Schr. Purdy.

The Planters tLa) BanHer gives the follow
ing particulars OF the capture of the Confede-
rate schooner Purdy, by launch belonging
to the blockading frigate Santee:
Last Frid:y morning, the cath inst, the
Confederate schooner Purdy, Capt Collins
while ly ing at The mouth OF Belle Isle bayou
Was suddenly boarded by eight Lincolnites
from u launch brlonging g. AS they stated 10 the
u. -. fl gate .Santee. Tney were armed with
SIX Minnie rifles, eight cutlasses and a brace
OF pistols eacn fhey also had t-pounder
abJaru ready for action. The Purdy had on
board three men, Capt. Collins, J ohm Dennis
tom and vi. Is. tordy, and Il small boy. They
had three double barrel shot guns, u revolver
aud 2-pounder which was below.
The captain of the launch demanded the
surrender OF the Purdy, and when Capt. Col
lIus cooked his gun, and stated that he doubt
ed whether he would accede TO the demand,
all the Lincoln guns were promptly leyeled
upon him and ms companions preparatory to
enforcing lie request. Capt. Collins saw the
folly OF ting under The circumstances, and
reiuc. .antly perni ted the piratcal crew to
taee charge of his vessel. Tney permitted
Capt. a.. 10 take most OF The articles he wished
from his vessel, and to go ashore with his
thIae companioas AS soon as these arrange.
ments were con pletet, the I.:nColnites left
with their prIZa, lloying To the southeast.
About thl~e hours after this Capt. Samuel
Parker cllu4 within haiing distance from
belle Isle with the sloop Florida, belonging
! NJ Waiioid and had with him two other
iHti ttltt collins ana his intN
20 ned them and they st.rted to recapture the
Purdy. Tney were ba lily armed, and had but
Xix lGen against eight Iincolnites. But what
they lacked in weapons and men they made
up III pin * aud strategy. They had pump
aboard ~ nich they masked, all but the end,
which Was 4 fine i'm mititiOn of the m uZZle OF q
t-pounder, and with a hole or two in the SAIL
which indicated mat they had been shot at
they doubtless pa sSed Tor priVateer. ana
looked rather savage 10 the thtevinG crew.
upon whom they We're now rapidly gaining
Ine Purdy was at length run on reef, and
the LiEcolntes iii hot haste abandoned her
aud took to tneir launch, plying their oars
iusIily TO aVo,i heing captured by theiI reso.
lute pursuers 1ney l'fc the Purdy In such
fearful haste tha they lett behind them twelv
cartridge boxes. TWO pistols. seven rntlass
sh hea tbs, doZsu belts and a letter which had
Just been written by one Of the crew, giving
"A thrilling account of u tearfiA light in which
they had Jnst engaged, killing, wOnnding and
taking prisoners about twenty rebels, besides
capturing their vessel.
The launch and It's crew would have been
finally captured but for a Misunderstanding
III the sig gnals exchanged between the Florida
and n launch of The Confederate steamer Mo-
bile, wirN which they attemptsdto oomnuni
y, al ftsr the recapture of the Pnrdy.
Ii appear that Il launch OF about the sixo
of the Dove, which VT 25 feet long, with
eight oals and eight men, had landed on an
island west of Belle Isle few days previous
10 this, aud lnere We're various speculattons
in regard 10 what YES sci they belonged to-
They landed Oh n stealing expediti IN. Itap-
peal also III at they h Adj been ashore at belle
Isle tie day previous to ths capture of the
Pnrds.