, 1861-12-17
THE ESCAPE OF THE SUMTER,
Her Operations on the High Seas.
Treaeher! Of the Captain Of the Iroguofs.

Iue ni!S !AoMa5 ". Ao"1and, 554 Ions,
Capt II. Rowland, left st. Thomas en- the eth
Of November, and reached New York on
Thursday night. She reports that the Sumter
got to Martinique OH the 18th Of November,
rom cruise: BAD captured brig Joseph
Parks Of Boston, from Bahia to tie United
Ipok money, chains, and provisions and burnt
-'her. She also took schooner DInicl Trov-
bridge, from NV Haven to the West Indies !;
threw overheard live stock and other cargo,
unm tlleEseame to the provisions, and sup
piled themselves with beef and pork, aud
lnTnt her. The crew she took to Martinique
and liberated them. The crew OF the Joseph
Parks were also landed at Martinique. One of
tic c1c1T Was brought home in the Rowland
The Z. S. steamer Iroquois let St. Thomas
OIL the 10th Of November, for Martinique, in
search of tic priyatecr Sumter who was re-
ported lying at the port. The Sumter was
found in the harbor fastened by Il stern I1awser
to tie tTccs on the beach, and anchored for
Ward She Has taking On coal, which was
brought in litters. The 1roquois ran in close
to her, hut the French authorities warned the
1ruauois that if she anchored they would de-
tain her for p hours after thu Sumter left.
The 1roquois accordingly stood out to sea, and
lny OF aid on at the mouth Of tic harbor, Sba
would run i'll until her jib-boom was over tho
Sumter's deck, and each time thu privatccfs-
men were beat to quarters. and the deck was
cleared for action.
Tie Sumter remained until Saturday night
when, having repainted, cosaled, and fitted her
rigging, she prepared to 70 to sea. The Cap
tain OF tile 1roquois had agreed with the Cap
tain Of III American schooner i'll port, that if
& 1e sumer IN ~o 59TSa ra sgRS ct gos to sea at
tain left before Saturday, and gave The instruc-
Eons and blue-light to another American Cap
tain. On Saturday word WAS brought on
hoard the 1roauois that the Sumter IL
About midni GIT tic signal was gircn that
the priyateer was getting Under way, and
cs,1in, out to the soUthward. In place Of
going in that direction The Irog4ois acas Ae14cd
al tie contrary direction, under a tNR heat If
s.eaa, as il toat out etthe uay q: tast Is possible
Tie crew assert that she steamed ut the rate Of
IL knots an hour; faster than she had ever
gone before. The vessel wAs kept on her
course for several hours, until Z great otflng
having been made, she bore away for St. Tho
mas, without amy attempt to find the prlvatcer.
Slle returned to that port on the night OF
Monday, and carlc to her old anchorage.
When she Vas standing to tho windward from
Martinique, she passed a schooner, and the
First Lieutenant suggested to the Captain
that they should speak her, in hopes that she
rould give them some information Of the phi
saving, t1Tut! tut! No, sir! Head herr
away for ST. Thomas" HI thcn went below
aid turned in The Captain told his officers
that he was an old sc'looInlatc Of the Captain
Of the Sumter, and if would be unpleasant to
| attack lin. The officers and CREW Of the 1ro'
| qnois express the greatest indignation at the
| trcache1y Of their Captain, and SOME of the
| officers were anxious 10 leave the vessel which
| had been SO wilfully dlssTaced.
| There is not the slightest excuse for the lro
| quois's Captain having rcfralned from an ut
| tack upon the Sumter, for his crew numbcrre
| iGD men, and the Surntcr's only LOO Tx
iroquois has guns, and the Sumter only 5
| uf lighter metal. There is no sEbordinntier
cn Tic priratcer, each MIN doing pretty 1nncl
US he chooses. The IEoquuis's crew deela1r
Mat they could Eave taken her without 1ir1n: u
agun, and that they could have cleared he
t decks with cutlasscs alone, in fifteen minutes
after boarding her.
To show the criminal treachery Of the Cap
tain OF The Iroeuois, it is only necessary to sa,
that while she was standing of and on at th
| mouth OF Martinique harbor, the Captain dis
| ,:,tcl.ed Il schooner to st. Thomas for n load O
tc,::l and provisions, ostensihlr that she nigh
stay and blockade the Sumter. This schoonc
reacncd St Thon,as onsatur1lay afternoon, tool
/ in her cor! and provisions, and that night at
o'ciock was towed to sea by United State
nan-of-war that had just arrived from tn
East indies o1, her way home The warstean
cr, thu name Of which has not reached us, vi
| ordered By the United States Consul at 81
Thomas to tow the schooner to Martinique
ard assist the Iroquois in taking the Sumte
, il necessary. The two vessels must Lay
/
hours after the priyateer left. On that night
at probably tho same time, the Iroq'nis eu:,
; | info st. 1hoMds har3or, having abandoned ht
, | pest and allowed the Sumter TO escape,
The closing Of the ports Of the world again:
; tic prizes Of the pirates. has altered the
, plans, SO that they now rob their prizes
charts, cAronometers, and other instrument
; ready money, provisions, and such other po
table property as they need and then burn tt
captured vessels to the water's edge. Her Q
iicers boastcd that they had taEen and dcstro,
: ed 20 American vessels since shc first went int
t commission. The Captain Of the Sumter sa,
he would treat our Captains well, so long
e our Government dealt mildly with pEiyatccr
= men, but II Wc hang their men, he would har
| every American seaman who fell into Il
l. hands. The 5uInter's boilers are said to
l. out OF repair, and she is not able to make mo
r. than nine knots per hour. Her officers h
: been buying all the winter clothing th
y could find in Martinique, rs they are going
| takc the privatccr to England to repair.
In Martinique, the rebels find many fFient
1t Thc negroes were, Of course, very hostile
N tie Confcderates, and the authorities feari
that they would cnt the Sumter's haws
D placed guard Of ten soldiers over 1t mig
ind Gay to prevent their accomplishing til
~ urposr. For these interesting particulars
=. are indebted to J. B. Lawrence, mate Of t
IL T. ". Rowland, and to the Captains ri
In | They say that it is matter Of common rept
~ that the Ioquois allowed the pTivateer j
1e | Davis to escape. as she has the Sumter.