Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-12-26
U. S. STEAMER &AN JAcINTo, AT SEA, !

-NBFEIltEI Jti.
Capt. HHkcs, U. S, ~, Commanding San J0ci to:
SIR-We desire to communicate TO you, by this mel-
Oraudum, the facts attending our arrest yesterday
board the British Mail steamer Trent by you; order
and our trans er to this ship
We the undersigned, embarked at Havana 0u Tie 7lI
instant, as passengers o. board the Ire,t, Captain
Moir, bound to The Island OF st. II mas, the Ireat
being Of the regular mail and passage line OF the
British Royal Mail Steamship Company running irom
Vera Cruz, via Havana TO ST Thomas aud thcuC3 10
southampton, England We paid our passage m0lcy
for the whole route from Havana to Southamp,ou to
the British Consul, at Havana no acts agent
or repr sentative OF tle said steamship company, Mr.
SlideIl being accompanied by his family. sting OF
his wife, four children AID slrva1t, ard Mr.. Ea3s by
bis wife and servants.
The Trent lelt the port Of Havana about s O'Clock
a m. on the morning of tie It'll inst and pusacd ber
voyage u.inerrupteiiy until intercepted hy the u S.
steamer SIN JaClnt0, under your command, The day
following. (the 6th lnst) IN the manner now to o3 re-
lated
When the San Jaciato was observed several miles
distant the Trent pursuing the usual course o her
voyage along the old Bahama or Nlch0as channel was
about 240 miles from Havana, ana il gh Ot the light
house Ct Poradon Grance, the San J0c5i0 then lying
stationary. nearly So about the ddle OF the channel
and where it fifteen miles wide, since shown
US on the chart the nationality OF the shp being then
unknown. When the Trent had apprOach near enough
for her flag to be distinguished, il hOsed at the
peak and at the main, and so remained Tor time, No
flag SnOWn Dy the OQB JdClH0 W bc! Lit L REM
had approached within mile OF the SGs J0Clnt0 still
pursuing the due OF her voyage, shotted qua
was fred from the latter ship the OF the
Trent and the United States flag the time dis
played at the peak
The British flag was again Immediately b0isted, as
before by the ITent and SO remained. When the Trent
had approached, still her course, within two or three
hundred yards of the San JGClnt0, second shoed gun
was fired from your ship, again the O the
Trent. " hen the Trent got within hai!ing distance,
her captain inquired what was wanted? lie reply was
understood 10 be "lhey would send boat" Both
vessels were then stationary, with steam shuJ of
boat was put Oft from your ship, followed Imme-
diatelY by other boats, with full crews, aud armed
with muskets and side lieutenant in the naval
uniform Of the United States Navy, and with sd arms
boarded the II e and 10 the presence Of most OF tue
passengers, then assembled upper deck said to
Capt Moir that he came with orders tO~d,mand his
passenger list. The captain refused to produce it, and
formally protested against any right TO visit his ship for
the purpose indicated. After some conversation, I'M
parting renewed protests on the part of the cap ain
aganst the alleged object Of the VISIT and the part
of tie officer Of the S1n JaciatO that he had only to
execute his orders, the latter said -
I hat two gentlemen, naming Mr.. Slid, Il and Mason,
were known to be on board as also two other gentlemen
naming Mr. Eustis and Macarlaud, and that his orders
were to take and carry them board the SI Jdc1ntG
1t should have been noted that first addressing the
captain be announced himself a lieutenant OF the
United States steamer Sun JuClnt0. The four gentle
thus named Deug present, Ileuttudut
Mr. Slidel ard afterwards MR. Mason repeating that
his orders were to take them, together with Eass and
Mcfarland and carry them on board his ship Messrs.
Sde and Mason, in reply, protested in the presence OF
the captain of the Trent his officers and passengers,
against such threatened violation OF their persons and
their rights and informed the lieutenant that they would
not leave the ship they in unless compelled by the
employment of actual force greater than they could re-
sst and Messrs. Eusts and Aiactarland united With
them in expressing like purpose That officer stated
that he hoped he would not be compelled to resort to
the use of force, but If it would become necessary to
employ it, in order execute bis ORDERS he prepar-
ed to do so.
He was answered by the undersigned that they would
submit such force alone The lieutenant then went
to the gangway where his boats Were the undersigned
going the same time to their sae-ro0ms On the next
deck below, followed by Captain Mor and by the other
passengers. jne lieutenant returned with party OF
his meu, portOu of whom armed with side arms,
and oh. appearing to bea squad of marines having
muskets and bayonets. Mr.. Slidell 10 his state
room Immediately by and in full view The lieutenant
then said to Mr. Mason that having his force pres
ent he hoped to be relieved from the necessity OF calling
it into actual use The gentleman again answered that
he would only submit to actual force greater than he
could overcome when the lieutenant and several of his
men by his order took hold OF him. and in amanner and
in numbers sufficient 10 make resistance fruitess and
Mr. Sdell joining the group at the same time one Oh
more OF the armed party took like hold of him, and
those gentlemen at once went into the boat.