Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-08-16
c.uturs of th, Erivateer PstreI By the
n r-;q.%a H. Lawrence

The capture Of the crew of the prls
yatccr Petrol by the L. ). frigate st.
Lawrence, Sad their arrival at Phila-
delplaie, Is announced by the papers
of that city. The Petrol was former
IL Tife revenue cutter Gen. Aiken,
which was seized by the authorities
ef Soath Carolina soon after the So
cessiea of that State. The officers of
tile gun-boat Flag, which brought the
prisoners to Philadelphia, furnish the
following account Of the engagement
and capture.
The st. Lawrence, Capt. Purvi-
ance, (of Baltimore.) left Philadel-
phia in May last to form one Of the
blockading fleet off Charleston
While cruising off the harbor of
Charleston, on Sunday, the 28th ult.,
the Petrol came out, and mistaking
her for a merchant ship, as her port
holes were closed and her sails get
merchant fashion, made directly for
her. The movements of the Petrol
were watched 10y the officers of the
st. Lawrence, who occupied the poop
deck, and their uniforms soon unde-
ceived the crew of the privatcer.-
Nevertheless, she came on, and when
within range fred a gun loaded with
grape, which was evidently aimed at
the officers, as the load passed just
above their heads and tore away part
of one of the sails. A solid shot was
fired from the privateer Immediately
after, which went into one Of the port
holes Of the frigate without doing any
serious damage. BY the time the
second gun was fired, the crew Of the
st. Lawrence was beat TO quarters,
and preparations made to give the
privatccrs warm reception.
Twelve of the large guns of the
frigate we're fred at the Petral, sew
eral Of which struck her. A she'll
hit her under the bow, making large
hole in her, and one or two solid shot
did almost equal execution. The
water poured into her through the
hole thus made, and in few minutes
she sunk, Her officers and crew took
to the water, some Of them seiZing
whatever was convenient to help them
20 escape. The boats Of the ffigate
were soon lowered and manned, and
directions given to pick up the priva-
teers. Some Of them were found i'll
q state of exhaustion, and half dead
with fright. They preferred, how
ever, TO trust to the mercy of their
captors, and Of the United States gov
crnment, than risk an attempt to reach
The. shore. From the crew it was as
ccrtained that there were forty-four
on board the Petrol, so that eight of
the, crew were either killed by the
firing into the vessel, or were after
wards drowned.
AS soon as the st. Lawrence fell
in with the Flag the privatcc were
transferred to her, to bC brought to
Philadelphia, and so large an acces-
sion to the population of the Flag
made a rather crowded condition on
board, and put additional labor upon
the crew of the steamer in guarding
the privateers, there not being any
marines on board the Flag to perform
that duty. They were ironed at
night, both hands and feet, but the
irons were removed from the feet in
day time. The Flag, since she left
Philadelphia, has been cruising be-
tween Charleston and Savannah, assist
ing in the blockade, Sometimes she
would run in so as 10 be just outside
of the range of the guns Of Fort Sum
ter, and draw it's fire. The fort IS
represented to be in Eirst.ratc e0ndi-
tion, and well manned.
Several of the crew are Philadel-
plfiahs, and several from New York,
while more. than half of them are of
Irish birth, or the sons Of Irishmen.
sMost.of them say they were pressed
into the service. The gunner is a
Frehchman, and has been but a few
months in the country. Harvey, one
of the officers, says that he had not
anything to do, and had an insane
sister to support. Some of them have
been engaged as hands on coasters.
others have been at laboring work
The officers of the Flag say that they
have behaved themselves on board,
and have not given any unnecessary
trouble.
r. NJ. Harvey, lieutenant, was for
merly midshipman in the United
States navy, under Captain Sartori,
Of the Flag, and is southerner by
birth.
Mr.. Perry, the commander of the
Petrol, is about sixty-fve years of age,
and native of North Carolina.