Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-10-16
For The standard.

: - - .
q THE YANKERS AND THE FISHERMEN.
: Mr. EDrroR: The latest refinement Of Yankee
rascality is the introduction into their warfare
against the South Of handouts. When it was first
announced that large number Of these interesting
specimens Of Yankee ingenuity had been found up-s
on the field wherethe battle of Manassas was fought
the public received the statement with incrednlity
but this feeling was soon superseded by Of hon.
est and deep-seated indignation, when the rufnor
was abundantly confirmed Accidental cirenmstan-
ces which have lately happened in the vicinity Of
Bogue Inlet just opposite the town Of Swansboro',
indicate that the enemy did not lose all their hand
cuffs at Manassas. On Tuesday morning last some
fishermen who were pursuing their calling on the
! beach, near Bogue Inlet on coming out of their
camps just before day break, observed one or more
lights in motion at sea, and the land. After
short interval, they heard some one halloa the
, point of the beach South of them, and went down
In that direction to ascertain what the matter was
They had not proceeded far, before they met three
men who were advancing at a little distance ahead
of some twenty five others. On seeing the fisher
men, one Of the three men exclaimed | suppose
we your prisoners :" to which the fishermen re-
piled, mo, that can't be-fOr we are nothing but
fishermen and are unarmed except with our fish,
knives; so fear instead of your being cur pris-
oners, we are yours" Being much alarmed, they
were greatly relieved when the Yankees immediate
ly assured them that they did not come there to,
the beach, they stated that they were off in their
boats taking soundings, when they approached too
near the shore, and their boat was capsized and
stove upon reef; that they lost large lot of arms
worth between $1,000 and 1000, and that three
Of their men were drowned. The boat that had
been upset they had succeeded in hauling upon the
beach, and soon another boat filed with armed men
left one Of the ships which were by this time plain
ly visible and came to the place where this boat
was, and not long after three other boats came to
the shore In one of these boats the fishermen said
they saw about three pecks of handouts, piled mp
in the bow, together with lot of arms, and the
same day, at low tide they found opposite the place
where the boat said to have been capsized sew
eral pairs of handouts and ankle letters pistol
boardng-pike two cutlasSeS, and a Jacket. They
state that there between forty and fitv of the
Yankees upon the beach at the same time that
there were two of the ships, the names Of which
they understood to be the Cambridge and the Alba
tross; that they did not ter der to them the oath of
allegiance, nor inquire of them whether they were
loyal to the U. S. government; there was no con.
versatiOn between them upon the present state of
the country, except some remarks made by one of
them who claimed to be a EIrginian, and who
seemed to be acquainted with the localities therea
bouts and tire navigation of the Sound to the effect
that in his opinion the North and South were equal
ly dependent upon each other that he had no heart
for this war, and believed that some adjustment
would be made SOon-a conSummation most agree
able to his feelings The citizens of Swansboro
suspecting something sent to inquire into the
matter The fishermen stated that the Yankees
had landed and the other circumstances of the case
but said nothing about their having found any arms
| or handouts, but it was ascertaned from an old
woman living near there that they had handouts
This omission, together with their failure to COM
muncate to tie people of Swansboro the fact of the
landing of the Yankees engendered suspicion against
them, and induced the citizens of that place to ar
rest them and bring them to Fort Macon in order
both that all the circumstances of the landing might
be impaired to the military authorities of the post,
and also that the conduct of the fishermen might
undergo investigation. They were brought to Beau
| fort and underwent examination before the Safety
Committee of the town, and Lieut. Col Sloan of the
Fort when the above facts were disclosed No
| disloyaty was fastened upon the fishermen and it
was decided that they be dismissed with an explain.
alton IF the offence of treason and caution to avoid
even the appearance of treating the Yankees any
thing else than their mortal and INSCRIPTIONS foes
There are many people of this class living in this
and the adjacent counties, the coast who are in
position to be tempered with by the FederastS and
| whose Ignorance sometimes leads them into impru
! dent communication with the boats that are fire.
I quently landing on the beach from the bockading
! vessels-and they ought either TO be enlightened
upon the precise nature of their relations to them
and in respect to their conduct aud conversation
with them, or their fisheries on the side ought
to be discontinued do not mean to question theil
loyalty, for matter how loyal may be- 1t is
! hot impossible TO extract information from him by
adroit questioning especially when he is as ignorant
} as those are. On the day after this affair a
Bogue Inlet about forty of the Yankees landed from
one of the blockading vessels this side of Cape
Lookout they pulled their boat across the point
the Cape, and then rowed off in pursuit of su al
vessel The attention of the authorities ought to be
called to the ease with which the bIockading vessel.
can procure information on the banks and their op
portunties for tampering with the ignorant fisher
men, who at this season of the year. occupying
them by the sea- side. This letter has expanded un
der my hand to much greater length than | had at
first designed and will conclude it with an apollo
gy for taking up so much of your valuable space
Yours, &c, P.
BEAUFORT, N. c., Oct. IL, 1861.