The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-08-13
sinking OF the Rebel Prfvateer, Pc
tel az EharIcaan1a.


We published last week the announce
ment that the priyateer, Petrol, formerly q.
S, Revenue Cutter, Aiken, had been sunk
off Charleston BY the frigate st. Lawrence.
The New York papers Of the 9Th inst, give
the following particulars
The st. Lawrence, one of our first class
war frigates, sailed from Fortress Monroe
in seageh of pirates. During the day time
the st. Lawrence closed her ports and main
tanned tie appearance of a merchantmen.
The crew was kept below she showed the
Stars and Stripes at the peak, but main
tanned guse so cautious that none but ex-
perienced mariners could detect in her gov
eminent vessel of the first class, armed to
the teeth and ready at all hours for engage
ment.
The st. Lawrence lay directly off
one of the small shoal islands on the
Carolina coast, on the afternoon of the lst
Of August, when trim built, rakish vessel
of war was seen coming out of Charleston
harbor, making directly for the supposed
merchantmen. The St. Lawrence affected
to crowd all sail and get out to sea, but in
realty was edging close in to the stranger,
and making preparations to open the ports
and deluge her with shot. The pirates
deck was seen crowded with men, and the
gunners distinctly seen rnmming and point
ing the guns. She few the rebel flag, and
shouted twice for the merchantmen to heave
to and send boat aboard. No response
being made, the pirate fred three shots in
quick succession-the first two ahead Gnd
third directly over the deck of the st. Law
renee, the grape and crnnister whistliDg
through the rigging and falling in danger
Gus proximity to some of the officers.
Then the St. Lawrence threw up her port
lids and showed in a moment the tiers of
cannon with the gunners at tie breech hold
ing lighted matches Scarcely a second in
tervened when shock that shook the sea
and made the ship tremble in all her tim
bers broke from the guns, and when the
smoke cleared away the waves where the
pirate stood were seen full of driftwood and
| swimming men.
/ She had been literally cut to pieces and
1 one ball Knocked hole in the bow at
| the water line, caused her to fill in a mo-
ment and go down.
All the boats of the st. Lawrence were
put out and the seamen picked up. Five of
them either wounded or unable to swim
went down with the hulk.
| 1t was found that the audacious craft was
| the Petrol, formerly the General Aiken, a
United States revenue cutter. She had
| been seized in Charleston prior to the taking
of Sumter, and some accounts say that she
had been duly entered as Confederate yes
sci of war.
Some of the men, when fshed out of the
water were at loss to know what had
happened to them. The suddenness of the
st. Lawrence's reply, the deafening roar of
the guns and the spiinters and submerged
vessel, were all incidents that happened in
less time than we can take to relate it.
The following are the names of the Off
GERS Of the pirate ship Petrol, brought
4 here: s
Captain, VIM. Perry, of South Carolina.
Lieutenant r. NJ. Harvey, of North Car
DINA.
Prizemaster, August Peyrussett, France.
Nearly all of the crew are IFishmeh, who
state that they were out of work.
The pirate crew were heavily ironed.-
They were lodged tonight in MoyameRsing
prison.
The St. Lawrence was slightly damaged.