The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-14
DECEMBER Ia, 1861.
MOVEMENTS or pRIvATEEPS.
THE ESCAPE OF THE SUMTER.

now IT WAS DoNg, AND WHY ir WAS ALLOWED.
rhe brig Thomas W. Rowland Captain iIowlmd from
Rio Janciro, VIA - rhouss November u arrived at this
port Thursday night
Captain Rowland states that the CAPTAIN Of the {
United States lnnboat lroquois Is entirely and T
more to bians for the escape Of the sumter /
from rort Roysl, Martinique. The captain
Of the gunboa sent shore a. Port Royal with
signal lights and gave him instructions sgnaiize TO
him the movements II the sumter. the nght Of
the 2ad Of November signals made by the man on
shore that she wss ing tho harbor bu, wa
taken Of 1t by the captain Of tho Iroquois His !
hrs lieutenant tried to persuade him 10 give chase
which they could easily have done The Sumter drew
foot water than the iroquos did hut hc would
not hear 10 IT, saying it would be unpleasant for
him TO capture her as he and Captain Semmos
had been sahooinates, and had sailed together,
and Captain Senmes had been his superior officer; |
and another reason he did no want to break |
the neutrality laws, The movements Of the sum
ter from The deck of The Iroauos shc !
Gho SUMTER taking souiherly course, when
the captain of the Iro1uois gave orders to pro
tos Thomas not making the least effort capture
tho prvateer after haTpg been lying of The port several
days for that sole purpose ON these becoming
known at ST. Thomas the greatest Indignation prevailed
among the Americans 10 port ard All cherf friendly TO
the United States.
The brig J. W. Rowland Is now lying at por 50 Fast
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS
THE SECOND EsCapE or THE SUMTER Ex, lrRHENT
IN AARfIHiQus AND st. THOMAS.
The brig Thomas y. Rowland, commanded by Captain
Rowland, arrived at this port Thursday evening last
from st. Thomas, whittier She had gone from Martinique
french West Indies. One of our reporters yesterday
waited the captain 10 MAKE further inquiries concern
ing the recent escape OF the privaeer Sumter from
under tho very gnns OF the United States gunboa lro
quois. Captain Rowland made detailed statement in
substance very much like the report published above
He said he had got his information from the first lieu
tenant Of the lroquois, and he frank and
unreserved in all he had said he he captain) had
reason FOR reserving any Of the particulars from the
press and public The greatest excitement prevailed
Martinique from day to day while il expected
that collision would take place between the rival
vessels; for the pTiyateer 80 closely cornsred
that it was looked upon as next 70 certain that
she wcnld have been captured The officers OF
the lroqaois seemed very anxious for the capture;
but while in port the captain OF the federal vessel
shore the American Consul made requisition
for supply OF coal art other effects which could not be
obtained at hartniqac, and without which he said
would be impossible for him successfully to watch and
follow the sumter. The Consul the apparent ne
cessty Of the case, ~ chartered schooner and
despatched her 10 81 Thomas 70 got The supply Of coal
and other thiuge required with orders TO return with
haste. The schooner accordingly started and reached
ST. Thomas safely and by the cxcrtion Of the American
Consul there lifted up with evary Ming needed
While preparing TO start hor return voyage the Uni
ted States Dacoah arrived 81. Thomas from
East Indies and the Consul at once ordered her TO
ake the schooner in tow nnd TO proceed TO Martinique
without delay, az TO time. The captain Of the
Bacotah was also told to operate in every posi-
hle with tho commander of the hoInos SO to
the capture OF the Sumter under all circumstances.
But, the surprise OF ihe pacoiah, on her
arrival at Rort Royal, The sumter had al
resdy escaped, hayrig succoaded in leaving The
rort about forty eight hours before her arrival. While
the sumter lying in the iarbor Of Port Royal the
qois frequently steamed around her banierag the o
and and asking then, 10 outside Of The
hslbor and settle their boast in square 8gh The
OF the privaeer always kept remarkably quiet scarcely
replying 10 the auns Of the board tho Union
vessel There thing remarked board Of the
pr, atecr and that that the always busy
sharpening cutasses and swordsevdenty making pre-
parstons for vigorous defence Of their vessel Tho
authorities DID relish the action OF the Jro-
quois in cruising around the privstcer and otherwise
moving the srbor under steam eventually tho
captain rece 81 order the effect that he either
drop anchor and remain quiet IKE ether vessels eso
80 out Of the hsrbor for a ieague aud remain there
The feeling Of the people Of Marniquoeepeeally the
negroes at Port Royalwss decidedly in favor Of the
United States officers. Whenever these went on shore
The people followed them With cheers and ex-
pressions Of friendship. The secessonists on the
on shore their officers the object Of continual curo
sty Of the lower orders icer them
they would not up tho challenge the Iro9uos
TO go out and fight.
The outlet Of the haror o Port Roya Is very
not than about $50 feet, Outside of this point the
Irc7uos crused about for several days, waiting to catch
the privaoer she should attempt to escape
The opinion Of every who knows anything about the
position OF the harboT, that so long the federal
continued TO lay of tho port would be altogether
impossible FOR her 10 slip out without being taken
A. already stated in the captains report, watch had
been Port Royal from the Iroquois pro-
vided win blue rockets which 10 be let off
the Sumter slipped her anchor and began from
the harbor The Iroquos was this outside Of tho
larbor, marrow point indicated but tho signals from
the shore plainly visible from her deck The first
rocket plainly sepnto burst when The captain
dercd the vessel TO head OF TO the south After they bad
gone distance, the first Lieutenant went TO tho
captain and asked IL woud not he better stand in
the mouth Of the harbor, the Sumter would be
compelled to In that direction go TO The
captain urged tbat he did not wish 70 break the neutrality
laws, and added that the captain of The Sumter
old schoolfcow with whom he did not wish to into
lie then shaped her The nor,hvard
far 10 intercept the Sumter her way out BY the time
that he the mouth Of he harbor again the sum
nowhere to be seen. The Iroluois did not at
tempt any pursuit. but sailed direct for Thcmss with
ont meeting tbs Dacoah and schooner on the way.
The plea Of the captain that he did pursue
Of coal is generally doubted both at II. Thomas and
Martinique. The captain of the Rowland heard it said
he had coal enough TO have followed hundred
miles, and yet have forty fifty tons 10 spare. Besides
the sumter could not sail miles hour her
screw damaged, while the rcquo- would sail fifteen
knots with This the general topic Of
among the crew when they went shore. Ono Of tho
went 10 the American Consul and told hin that
he had sailed for twenty years under the American ag
and during that time he bad never got drunk bit nc
disgusted AZ the way the Sumter allowed to
escape that he was going regular spree. None Of