Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-10-04
A Brilliant Naval Exploit.
DESTRUCTION OF THE PRIvATEER
JUDAH.
Correspondence Of The New York Times.

The monotony of the " Blockade" so far as
this ship is concerned, was broken last night by
n most brilliant achievement; and, while can
not avoid feeling of sadness at the fate OF the
poor fellows who lost their lives in the under
taking, it affords me much pleasure to communi
cate 10 you the details of an action that rejects
b. much credit upon oil who were engaged in it.
BONE days ago large schooner was observed
in the herbor, in the vicinity of the navy yard,
and her appearance and motions led to the sus-
pieion that she had been fitted up for prvateer,
and had intentions of trying to run the blockade.
By some deserters who escaped from the seces-
sion camp and came to Fort Pickens these sus-
picions were confirmed, and further information
obtained that the schooner was moored near the
Stone Wharf, at the southeast corner Oh the navy
yard, and also that upon the wharf near where
the schooner was moored q battery was being
erected and that one large columbiad was already
mounted
For several nights past boAts from this ship
have been kept rowing guard" in the mouth
Of the harbor Oh the lookout for this schooner
should she attempt to run the blockade.
Yesterday Captain Bailey went ashore en-
Santa Rosa Island for the purpose of =" takin'
notes. in regard to the schooner and the report
ed battery, with the view of getting up an expe-
dtion against them. After obtaining all the
information he could from the deserters, and
cOrroborating their evidence by his own obser
vations with the spy-gass, he decided that an
attack might be made with reasonable chances
for success, and by the time he reached the fri
gate in the evening he had the plans for an ex-
pedition matured. Acting upon these, Flag
officer Meryine decided at once on sending a
boat expedition to the navy yard for the purpose
Of spikng the mounted gun spoken Of above aHd
burning the embryo privateer.
About o'clock p. m. yesterday the detail
Of men and officers was announced, the boats
h0isted out, the men armed and supplied with
ammunition. The expedition was placed under
the command of Lieut.. John II. Russell. The
other officers detailed were Lieuts. John G.
Preston and Francis Is. Blake; Assistant Sur
geon s. d. Kennedy; Alidshipmen Tecumsey
Steece, MOreau Forest, F. j. Higginson Gun
ner, james Borton Third Assistant Engineer
G. H. White. Capt. Ed. McReynolds, of the
Marine Corps, accompanied the party with a
force Of twenty marines under his command.-
The fierce employed was divided as follows:
First Launch.-Leut. Russell, Capt. Rey-
nolds, MARINE Corps,) DR.. Kennedy, Midship-
man Higginson, Third Assistant Engineer White
twenty-five eeameu, and one fireman, with
material for firing schooner.
First Cutter.-Lieut. Sproston, Gunner Bor-
ton, and seventeen seamen.
Second Cutter.-Liout. Blake, Midshipman
Forrest, thirteen seamen and one fireman.
Third Gutter-Mdslipmau steece and thir-
teen seamen.
The marines were divided edahetween the first
launch and the second cutteis
The boats, with oars muiifedsyfeft the side Of
the ship at about l. p M, and pulled into the
harbor, keeping far enough from the rebel side
to avoid observation. They continued en- up
the harbor to a point little above the navy
yard. Here the course was changed, and each
boat wes headed for its especial object. From
this moment every thought aud every effort of
beth officers and men were directed to the sue
cessful accomplishment of this most dangerous
enterprise. The parties in the launch and
second cutter were to board and burn the achoon-
er those in the first and third cutters were to
charge the battery and spike the recently mount
ed Z" big gun"
Lieut.. SprostOn, headed the crews of the first
and third cutters, landed at the northern face OF
the stone wharf, and made directly for the newly
erected battery. Whether this battery was not
manned at all, or whether the men at it had
been drawn from their stations by the noise oi
the strife which had already commenced at the
schooner, or whether they had " travelled" is
not known. However that may be, but one man
was found near the pun True courage, when
ever found, will command respect but the brave
man sometimes loses his life where his light
heeled comrades save theirs. This solitary SOL
dier stood his ground, in the face of thirty men
and discharged his musket at Lieut.. SprostoD
but simultaneously with the discharge Of hit
musket was that of Gunner Bortons pistol. Tht
lone defender of that battery missed his OWL
aim, but fell under that of the more fortunate
gunner.
In few moments the columbad" wa
spiked, and Lieut., SprOston having accomplished
the duty assigned him, according to previous or
ders, recalled his men 10 their boats.
The other division of the party, in the launcl
and second cutter, Gu approaching the schoone
found that instead Of being moored in the strean
che had been hauled into the dry-dock slip, an
was tied up to the wharf. Nothing daunted
however, at this unpleasant change in the pro
gramme, our gallant fellows dashed ahead in tn
slip alongside the schooner. As they were ap
preaching the vessel they were hailed from he
decks five or six times, and were thus prepare
to expect q hand-to-hand encounter. The cutie
being much the lighter boat-shot ahead
the launch as she approached the eneIay's yes
sci, and as she passed under her bows wa
greeted by Calling fire, but in q moment sh
had grappled the schooner about midships, an
Lieut.. Blake and his men were the rebi
deck. In another moment the launch was uudG
the schooner's guns and, like the cutter, wa
received by deadly salute.
Before the enemy had time to reload Lieu
Russell was upon her decks, followed by Il
brave fellows OF his boat, who escaped the mui
derous discharge Of musketry with which the
were greeted. Forty or more of our officer
seamen, and marines preeptating themselves
unceremoniously upon the enemy's deck, pre-
dueed stampede among them, and nearly O
of them fed from the deck to the shore. Oh
only attempted to stand his ground against Il
.,boarders,' and he was instantly shot by Lieu
Russell. AS soon as the decks were cleared
the rebels, our men proceeded to set the school
er on fire, and, when this was effectually accon
plshed, they took to their boats and succeed
in getting off with but few struggling she
from the rebels, who had begun to rally upon I
wharf.
When the boats had got beyond the range
musketry, the first and second cutters were bo
ordered to give parting salute to the ener
that we're collecting upon the wharf, which th
did in the shape of Eve or sx rounds of "cauni
ter from their twelve pound howitzers. WI
execution was done by this is not known, bl
having the light of the burning schooner up
their mark it is reasonable to suppose that
more than balanced accounts for the FIRE receiy
by our boats
SO small force as this, under the comma
of Lieut. Russell, on this occasion, entering il
the very stronghold Of an enemy, spiking
guns and burning an armed vessel, is an expl
not often surpassed, even in the history of Mt
many of whose members have been distinguish
for gallantry'
II was done, however, without loss-th
killed mud fifteen wounded; two fatally,
severely, and the others slightly None Of
officers we're severely wounded, but among
slightly wounded are Lieuts. Russell and Bla
Capt. reynolds, Marine Corps, and Midshipn
HiQeinson. The killed-Chas. Il. Lampl
coxswain; John r. Herring, seaman and j
Smith, marine. The fatally wOunded--Rt
Clark, ooxswain Z. r. Osborne, seaman.
others wounded more or less severely are 7
renee 0'Down, Tevillan Coburn, and Chas. G
bury, marines; John Henessey, Henry Wa