The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-09-05
An Experience on; board the PriVateer

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: A curious narrative Of experiences on
board the privateer Sumter is given by
Capt. Davis of the Philadelphia bark
Joseph Maxville. one Of the vessels cap
tured By that piratical craft Capt. Davis
says. l.-
When the officer arrived. he told me
TO collet the ships papers and all the n on
ey had on board. and accompany him
10 his vessel. With this request COM
piled, and was rowed away to the Sumter.
On reaching the vessel was introduced
to Capt Simms, who put to me the usu-
. al questions. such as Of what vessel | was
captain, by whom my vessel was owned,
where / was bound to, and then offered to
Sell ny vessel. back to me for ten thou
sand dollars, which money / was to bring
OF with me iu his boat, if succeeded in
obtaining il from the consignees Of the
Maxwell al Porto Cabel 10, Messrs. Balion
& Company. then left the Sumter, in
company with an officer of that vessel, for
Che purpose Of submitting to the cousign'
ees Of tho Maxwell the proposition of the
commander Of the previous named YES
sel. While in conversation with these
gentlemen the commandant of the port
sent an officer to Inquire by what right
they arrested a vessel in tie. port OF Yen
ezaela, and ordered him to anchor the
bark in the harbor until he could consult
the Governor Of Venezuela. The offer Of
the officer of the Sumter being refused by
the consignees of our vessel, |, in COM
pany with the officer of the Sumter, re-
turned 10 the latter named vessel for the
purpose Of communicating to tie officer OF
the Sumter the message Of the command
ant Of the port. Captain Simms replied
with an oath, that they were--fools. and
that country now being in rebellion, the
officers did not know their position. How
ever, no attempt was made to bring my
vessel into port, was then ordered to
go on board and get by wife and Child
aud put them in the boat OF the Sumter
and they would be rowed ashore BY two
of the crew. was allowed to collect al
my clothing. but my nautical instruments
/ was obliged to leave behind. AT the
same time | was informed that | would al
so have chance OF rescuirg my crew al
ter the first boats load had reached Por
TO Cabello. e -.
After efeeting a landing the boat was
nut out to obtain the remainder OF my
crew, but before that object could bs ac
complishcd Tie Sumter set out towarc
sea, and my vessel and eight of my Grew
together with prize crew on board, Sc
sail for parts unknown. / have since
heard that'she is at Cienfuegos.
Previous 10 this time. and during my
confinement on board the Sumter, an Of
ticer was dispatched to my vessel to com
fort my wife, who sin tho greatest tre
pidation lest some harm should be don'
TO me. The officer assured her that my
person, as also hers was perfectly safe
that they did not war with women, ant
that they would not be at war at all it th
people Of their State did not think the!
were right iu the present conflict.
Whe6 I went on board the Sumter,
perceived, some forty seamen, in the ma
val costume, scattered about the deck.
was told, however that her force numbers
aboupone hundred men. The crsw wa
composed Of Irish and English. Their
was but one American among them an
he was Philadelphian. His name b
told me, was.-Meoasher. and that b
had a family residing in this city.