Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-12-05

One of our officers visited the hotel with
some of his friends, and met Mr.. Mason
in the parlor.
| When Capt. Wilkes heard Of their in
tention to take passage in the British pack
ct for Europe. he conceived the bold plan
to intercept the British mail steamer, and
| in the event of those four persons being
on board, to make them prisoners. We
filed up with coal in great haste, took in
provisions, (as part of our daily rations.
for the crew were exhausted. and left Ha
vans on the "a inst On the 4th. we ar
rived at Key West. in search of the Pow
hatan or some other steamer to assist us
IN intercepting the British packet. There
Bahama channels. Capt Wilkes's plan
was, that a steamer should cruise there.
while the San Jacinto was cruising in the
Old Bahamas, so that the mail packet
could not escape our vigilance; but the
Fowhatan having left for Key West the
day before, and no steamer except the
Huntsville land she caulking) being in
port, our captain, nothing daunted, fully
resolved to undertake the boldly conceived
enterprise alone. On the morning of the
9th. we left Key West. and running to the
north side Of the island of Cuba, we steer
ed for the Old Bahama Channel. about 20
miles east of the north side of Cubs, 240
miles from Havana, and about 10 from
the lighthouse of Paredoa del Grande.-
The channel contracts there to the width
of Is miles. and we could not miss very
we'll the object Of our search. There we
laid of and on. during the night of the 9TH.
all our battery loaded. aud the bulwarks
around the pivot gun on the forecastlc re-
! moved.
Capt. Wilkes issued an order to Lieut.
ID. NJ. Fairfax, our executive officer, to
have two boats ready manned and armed
to board the British packet as soon Us she
should be hove to under our guns, and in
the event of Mcssrs Mason, Sldell, Eus-
It's and Mcfarland being on board Of her.
TO make them prisoners and send them inn
mediately on board the San Jscinto, and
also to offer in his name. to their families.
his cabin. in the event they should deter
mine to take passage to the United States
in the San Jacinto. assuring them that all
the attention and comforts we could com
mand would be placed at their service. and
closed the order with the following re-
mark: II trust that all those under your
command, in executing this important and
ldelicate duty, will conduct themselves with
all the delicacy and kindness which be-
comes our naval service" In accordance
with this order, Lieut.. Fairfax had the
second and third cutters Of the ship man.
ned. armed and kept in readiness, he Lav
ing the command Of the enterprise.
In the morning of the 9Th inst. the Of
Ificers and crew Of this ship were anxious
ly and impatiently looking out for the mail
steamer. About 1910. the lookout at the
mast -heads reported smoke as from a
steamer from the westward. and about Il
m. she was visible from the deck. We
were all ready for her, beat to quarters
and as soon as she was within reach of our
Iguns. every gun of our starboard battery
was trained upon her. a shot from our
pivot gun was fred across her bow. She
hoisted English colors, but showed no dis
position to slaeken her speed or heave to.
We hoisted the Star Spangled Banner. .
and as soon as she was close upon us. fired
a she'll across her bow, which brought her
to. Our Captain hailed her and said he
would send a boat on board. and ordered
Lieut.. Fairfax to board her, he went in the
second cutter: at the same time Lieut..
Greer was all ready in the third cutter to
shove from the port side should bis a.
sistance be required. On coming along
side the packet, Lieut.. Fairfax ordered the
other officers to remain in the boat with
the crew until force should become neces-
sary, and went on board alone. The Cap
tain of tie mail steamer refused to show
his papers and passenger list. knowing
very well the object of our visit aud the
character and mission of the four gentle
men above named. b It Mr.. Mason being
recognized. part on the armed crew was
.ordered from the boat and came on board
e Messrs. Mason and Slidell were then per-
> suaded to come on board the San Jacinto,
but declined. and said that they womb on
, lily yield by force: Mr.. Slidell making he
remark that lit would require considerable
/, force to take him on boari the san Jacin-
to-" Lieut.. Fairfax then ordered Mr.
y Houston to return to our ship and report
: that the Confederate Commissioners were
t on board the mail steamer and refused Il
$ come on board the San Jacinto by Other
: means than force. Lieut.. Greer ther
A showed off and went alongside the Trent
2 sent his armed crew and marines on board
and stationed them al both gangways, ant
e then, after gentle application" Of force
. the foar gentlemen were taken. in. the Sc
: eond cutter aud conveyed on board of on
: ship. They were received by Captain
: Wilkes at the gangway. and shown int
= his cabin. Two other boats were theI
!. sent on board to remove the luggage. an.
y the ladies having declined the hosphaliic
offered them. at $50 we parted compsn,
/, from the Trent.
/. During the time our officers were OF
lie board the Trent, the British passengers ex
J, pressed their sympathies with the secede'
$ States in the strongest possible manner
j and our officers were much abused an
Ie threatened by the crowd; they were callc'
d pirates. robbers. AMI other opprobrious cpl
: thets. expressing great satisfaction at on
" loss at Bull Run and Leesburg. -Bosto
Post. 2Jth. = roorf1
4 Sea Island Gotten.
II fFrom the Providence Journall
Il