New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-05-11
CAPTURE OF THE UNCLE BEN
Full Particulars Of the Exploit.
IMPRISONMENT OF THE GREW
THE DEAD AT MOULTRiE.

Mr.. W. II. Dare pilot of the steam.tug Uncle ben'
arrived at this port on Wednesday evening ana LAS
given us tie following interesting particulars OF Tue
CAPTURE of the vessel at Wilmington, n. L, 'oe I'M
prsonment and perils of the crew, and the h'.iofy
condition of affairs at that place.
The Uncle Ben, tug of $50 tuns burden, belonging
n Jobnson A. Higgins of New-York, was chartered by
core,rmsn, 70 90 10 Charleston and do service with
tho feet dnring Il bombardment of Sumter. BY rea
son Of head winds and heavy gales from the time Of
Having the Hook until che off the coast of North
Coropa the tug was unable to overake the fleet, and
hence did not reach Ocracoke Inlet, n. c. until the
news of the evacuation OF Sumter had been brought to
that place.
bis destination if it had not been for bis lack Of coal
which necessated his touching at Wilmington TO take
in q supply. The tug made fast to the steamer
North Carolina which lay at the dock where the had
been tied up after her seizure 10y the rebels The cap
tain of the Uncle Ben entirely ignorant Of THU fact
was amazed TO thirty AIMED men spriD1pg Oh his
decks, and proceeding to take possession Of hr. Tue
pirates were eaci armed With sword aud two AZ
shooters.
TIE leader Of the gang demanded the surrender Of
the vessel ordered al hands ashore, searched for arms
aud took possesson Of old, rusty pistol the Only
weapon on board and as soon he the twelve men OF
the crew were on the deck surrounded them with
forty or fifty ruians armed TO the teeth and marched
then. 10 the new Marine Hosphal, which was used for
Jail On reaching tbs building the men were all put
i'll one Of the wards, and guard oil sHiy-'wo men
placed over them with an iniinaton thai any attempt
al ESCAPE would be punished by death. ScHnty ranons
Of ships biscuit and salt pork stolen from the Uncle
Ben her.eiil terved out 10 them ana ,hey We're
allowed by special favor to have their own seocing
from the vessel modify the hardness Of tie floor on
which they slept.
After two days the guard was replaced by g. nun.
formed raw recruits from the back country, who styled
themselves "'rhe Iincon-KIllers. more miserable
l,..l ;noo of
clothed in rags and tatters eupid IN intellect hai OF
them drunk, uley danced and fought ad ganibied
among tenseves from morning TO rsght ana relieved
the tedum Of duty with curses at the Morrill, Tie Con-
stituiion and Administration.
The men who seized the vessel comprised mounted
artillery company, styled, "Cape Clear FLYING Ari-
ery ard poscssing brass eld ieces nis wasthe
only equipjed company there, and was composed on
wealthy, educated men, good part Of whom were OF
Northern birth. They constituted sort Of Pabhc
Safety Committee and had great Influence. After the
crew of the tug had been Ia prison eleven DAYS, the
captain Of this company procured their release from
Gov Ellis. The crew found passage on the schooner
Alba Capt. Powell which happened to be In port aud
was about to ssil TO NewYork, and alter voyage OF
four days reached this port in safety.
The Alba also brought as passengers Sereeants
Walker and Russell of the United States Army, who
were taken prisoners at Fort Caswe wien that port
was seized by The rebels These officers had beer NAL
treated by their capors in every way to induce ttemto
enter the service Of the rebels but they ersteniiy re-
fused. Serge ant Walker was even whipped on his
refu al to turn traitor The services Of theee
were much coveted by the rebels, they both were
experienced gunners, and there were none In the
eDemy's ranks. There were 700 men In Fort Caswell
when our informant left only portion Of them armed.
They have seven guns mounted, some OF them
brought som Fort Sumter the Charleston Railroad
At SnithvMe there about $50 troops. Each train
from the South comes loaded with troops bound to
Richmond.
About 800 day passed through while our men were
in prison and when they left Wilmington they were
informed that there were 5000 on their way TO the
camp at Raleigh from the Southern States. TIE plan,
as understood Wilmington is 10 rst attack Fortress
Mouroe, when q su1bc ent army had been collected,
and then attack Washington.
All the free negroes in North Carolina have bern
forced to 20 to the coast and throw up nirenchmens
between Fort Caswell and Lockwood Folly. The
rebels have taken the Frying Pan lightship ripred
off her copper, and sunk her in New Inlet. An Old
brig has also been sunk in Smthville Channel. All
the lights on the Virginia and North Carolina coast
have been extinguished.
Mr.. Dare saw in Wilmington the captain Of
schooner, who told him that he had seen 100 dead
bodies from Fort Moutrie and Cumming Poibt trans-
ferred by night from lighter 10 small diogher. on
which they were taken up Cooper River TO POtters
Field, and there buried. He was on schooner when
the bodies carried across her deck ~ the drogher
On which they taken away. The bodice were IN
their uniforms just as when they fell and he as told
that they buried in wide trenches, piled by skies
on each other like cord-wOod. The relatives Of the
dead told inquiry that their friends had been
ordered of 10 other posts