Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-04-09

The MYSTERIOUS SCHOONER THAT w,sp
ED INTO AT CHARLESTON. The schoo,'au H.
IL. ShanAon, Captain Joseph Mar,s t.
Boston, with cargo of ice, to IJcrw,1 'iOA!
Gage, of this city, arrived here yes;crJa'
noon. Capt. Marts informs us that ON ~. ~
nesday morning, about II O'clock. the wa' 1''
er being rough and heavy, he mistook Cb. ."''
ton harbor for that of Savannah, and j;I
discover his error until after he had no., W.;
the bar, when he made signal for 4 pj!,, :.
tending to 90 into the harbor and r. " '"'
GU. nexs morning, in the event of the w e.n''
er proving fair, and proceed on his vor .'',
to this port. Shortly after making his s;: :so
by displaying the United States colorSa "..''
the hands of one of his men at the mas, h,.n ~
and when his vessel had arrived na sau.
abreast Of Fort Moultrie, one or two .":
were fired, as he thinks from that Fort ,s n~"S
his bows. lie continued on his ccursa 10y
ordered his colors to be run up to the ,a ",l
peak, supposing that L signlfcatou or r'I "a
nationality WIS what was required r., :.
few momenss the fire was opened from L,%
sides Of the channel-lron Fort Manu-
and from 4 battery on Morris Island. =,
shot passing fore and eft OF the schooner ,"'
whistling, as he describes it, iear!ullv 'y'
head.
Not knowing what to do, or villa, VAS,
quired of him, he ordered his coIors h,ral
down, tackled ship and stood out to sea. IT,
firing from the fort and battery continpsI
most of the shot coming in dangerous prnr
| unity, and one bal! passing through hi, n,,,,
sail, only some twelve inches above the heal
OF a man who was standing on the house a, TIA
time. The crew think that enc shot stru.,
the schooner forward. but under water. and
doing no perceptIble damage. Passing with.
in speaking distance of a brig tina, was %.
ing into the harb2r, Capt. Marts hailed !,
and asked why he was fred upon. r..
captain OF the brig advised him to haul Es
jib down and come to anchor, which he a.,
cordingly did, and the firing ceased. Abor,
On hour after coming to anchor, revenue
cutter was seen bearing down towards The
schooner; but owing to the roughncss of III.
weather, she was compelled to put back after
approaching within half a mile Of the Shan.
non. AS she wore round, on her return, the
officer in Command waved his hat, which
Capt. Marts took to be q signal that all va,
right to come in from his dangerous position.
The crew Of the Shannon COMMENCED
heaving anchor when Il boat was seen Al.
preaching the schooner, as was supposed from
the shore, but which proved to be from For,
Sumter. Two officers from the boat came on
board the Shannon, and after ascertanuy
where she was from and all the circumstances
of her cases. asked Cap NJ. why he did no!
display his colors. The captain assured
them that he had done SO, but that the ia.
had not been respected, as the firing continu.
cd while it was displayed from his peak.
The officers Informed him that his vessel had
no doubt been suspected of coming there /,
reinforce Fort Sumter, which was the cau,e
of his being fired into. and directed him n
remain where he WAS until they could r..
present his true character to the Confederate
authorities, when he would be permitted Ii
enter the harbor unmolested
After the boat had left, ADD had got about
half way to the Island, night coming on, ard
the weather becoming more threatening,
Capt. NJ. weighed anchor and stood into the
harbor for safer anchorage; but looking
through his glass and seeing what he thought
to he preparations for opening FIRE On him
again, preferred the peri!s Of a stormy night
On the coast to again running the gauntlet O!
the Carolina batteries, and accordingly put
to sra Getting clear of the bar the wealth
err being rough, the Shannon hove to Until
o'clock yesterday morning, when she bore
away for this port, where she arrived, with
no other damage than pretty good fright
and shot hole in her mainsail
Capt. Marts, who is an intelligent Gnd
clever skipper, says although he brought u:
cargo to keep US cool, we certa My gave
him n very warm reception on bis first yov
age South. --,Sacunnah Ne,cs.