New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-01-22
NUMBER 276.

ting off our retreat bat she soon abandons tht
chase, and we sail out, without a man Killed o1
wounded, with our stores nnharmed, and proceed
unrnolested, probably on our homeward journey.
After the brief but exciting experience Of she
morning, am prepared without hesitation to coz
er with the Captain in the opinion that it is VeRJ
unpleasant to be fired at with hard cannon balls
without any chance to FIRE hack. / wish to say,
however, that no one one on board displayed any
symptoms Of fear. Capt. MeGowan and the pilot
Mr. Brewer were probably especial marks for the
the wheelhoEse would have been most disastrous.
The soldiers although two. thirds of them are re-
cruits, appeared TO be quite Indifferent to the
music, while the officers agreed that it was scan
dalous that they could not fight back.
Soon after crossing the bar Of the Charleston
harbor, on our hcMeward course, we met a fine
sailing vessel, the Emily St Pierre, Of Charleston.
Capt; Mct5owan stopped and hailed her.
"Where do you hail ffom?" said he.
From Liverpool" was the reply.
whittier bound?H
ITO Charleston.n
@ What flag do you sail under?"
" So far under the American flag.
" Then you can't go into Charleston. n said our
captain /" They will not let the American flag go
into that port. I was just driven ont of there.
They fired upon me when Twas sailing under the
American fag.p
"Then suppose must go in under the Pal
metto flag" said he of the Emily St. Pierre.
" Then ought to take you" shouted our cap
tain, with energy. g War has been declared
price,
g You can do what you Ike" replied the other,
with voice which seemed to be tremulous from
one cause or another, you are the stronger
party"
Capt. MCGOWAN concluded that, inasmuch as he
had not at present commission from Govern
ment, he wonld let the Emily ST. Pierre go her
way but declared that if he had his commission j,
would be delightful to bring her off, after the
| treatment he had received this morning from
| Charleston.
The military men on board highly complimented
the South Carolnians on their shooting in this first
attempt They say it was well done; that all
| which was needed little better range, which
they probably could have obtained in few min
utes. Thor line was perfect: and the opinion is
| expressed that some one had charge of the guns
| who understood his business.
/" 1t was very good sport for them,,' remarked
one of our officers, to shoot at US, and there was
nothing to trouble them. They had it all their owr
way. But when when Uncle Sam gets man-of
war in the channel, throwing shells into that sand
| hill, they will learn the difference
Two guns were employed; the smaller, it is be
lieved, twelve pounder, and the larger a thirty
| two pounder. This, however, is only conjecture
| Whatever their size, they were well manned. They
were fred rapidly and with a will.
One of the officers hazarded joke soon after We
| left the Charleston harbor The people o
Charleston,' he remarked, "pride themselves up
| on their hospitality; but it exceeds my expecta
ton. They gave us several balls before W.
| landed"
1t is believed that if the South Carolinians hat
not made a mistake we should have partaken o
their hospitality, whatever it may be- prisoners
If the battery on Morris Island had waited tel
minutes longer before firing, we should have beer
completely at their mercy. 1t was only necces
sary for them to wait until we were within rang
Of the guns of Fort Moultrie and escape woult
| have been impossible. So that, had itnot been 70
this new and unexpected battery on Morris Island
and its premature firing, we should inevitably hav
fallen into the hands of the enemy if we ha,
| escaped shooting and drowning.
Although we had a surgeon on board, he had nj
instruments or medical stores ls5
1t is believed that the cutter which was in tow Q
the steamboat was the William Aiken, which wa
treacherously surrendered TO the South CaroiinaI
| by its commander.