The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-24
OUR NAVAL CORRESPONDENTS.

WIN IN (AL NOtitL1oI ONDENOEs
UNITED STATES STEAMER ROANOKE
OFF CHARLESTON, s. c., Oct II, 1861.
saI Ho'-Cdrture Of The Alert blythe Steamer FlagYhe
Treatment Of The PyisonefyAnother Sail in Sight-The
SLIP Thomas Watson and Her Car8c-The Moa Valua-
bic Portion Of Her Cargo Secured and the Ship Burned
The Cargo to be Sent 10 Fortress Monroe DC, dc.
On Sunday, October g. something occurred to relieve
The dull monotony Of blockading cruise and singular TO
say everything which has happened to this ship has
occurred Sunday Light had scarcely broken through
the thick embankmcnt of clouds in the when tho
lockout from the masthead sung out "Sai hop We
made signals for tho steamer Flag to get under way.
Though we not the flagship now we have
tho senior captain board, and he retains COM
mand until the nag officer comes on the station.
She fred up and got under way, and stcered to tho
southwark and westward In about three hours she
back With schooner in tow, which she caught trying
to get into stono inlet miles from Charleston (rc-
nowned In history as the scene Of bloody battle
during the Revoution) She proved to be tho Alert Of
Charleston Captain Carn formerly Of the United States
Coast Survey and well known in New York. but native
OF Charleston. The Alert from Nassau Now Provi
dence laden with fruit, salt and molasses She had on
board, when caught, rebel and Palmetto fag though
TIE captain gays he did know Of their being on board
The cook says he few them all the time wc at Nassau
Carin says be run the blockade about two months
ago, ana ga not ntead TO run tho bloch,
He awful long way out of his course
We have treated these prisoners much better than those
Of the H. Middleton We have given them the freedom Of
the ship, and the captain messes with the engineers
some Of whom he has sailed with while in Surveying SER
vice. lie tells many "yarns" about Charleston among
which about their having percussion CAP and r0
factory, the former Of which turns out thirty
thousand caps day; and as TO salt they have plenty Of
mnes, but they are not yet discovered The Alrt was
sent home the same day in charge Of Midshpman
w.an Of tue Flag, and Masters Mate Worbhog Of this
ship. ).
Cd the morning Of the 18th tho Flag made signals
ordered her and the Monticello, Captain Brain, 70
ct under way and chase Tho lockout at the
masthead called down aud severely punished for
keeping brghterookout. Iii about hour the Month
cello back and reported the slip Thomas Watson
Stone Reefs and abandoned by captain and crew who
left their breakfast the table, We then got under way
and went down We got out our boas-lrst and second
launches FIRST and second cuttersand pulled for the
wreck. We founhher laden with assorted cargo
ssng Of salt blankets annes clothes printing presses
printing ink, printing paper {much Of which brought
board this ship, lthcsralh stones Autograph nstru
ments, paints turpenine, oil, brushes, soldiers
uniforms, vriol, medicines, and, in short, most
every thing that be mentioned. She was
a ship Of $50 tons, and when we got 10 her
we found that she had six feet Of water Ia the hold
and it was impossible get her or and after searching
her kelson So, aud stripping her Of her sas
set fire 10 her in three places she lay mile and
half from the Shore and could plainly the seces
sousts the shore watching movements They hal
battery about milo 10 the southwark Of the wreck
but which out OF range. Had they opened FIRE us
tink we could have senced them, as We had six or
eight b0ns armed with red twelve Founders, and alto
gelher about three hundred men, strong, active, and
Neaee, for the fray iopne-and my opinion is
frmed by older and moro experienced men-that
the ship and cargo was worth 81 least one hundred
thousand dollars There are men on board this ship
who have served IN the Thomas Watson and they say
she belongs to Philadelphia Her alto lcd rson
Thomas Nattson . Thomas Walden, but her speaking
trumpet markcd Thomas Watson, az wcli as many
other thugs aboard. Tho MoHtee has been here about
week. she Is commanded by Lieutenant Brain, who Is
of tic most Gdrirs officers in Tie navy. Ho IS sur
vcyed this p'0cc and knows every inch Of the coast His
vessel is light draNEh md he Is enabled 10 60 close in
which lie docs every mOfiac T. recoinou & The steam
which formerly cuHe down every morning The bar
never pays is ISL now, and even The sa boats which
usoa 20 come down ~ H,h, stay ~ home now.
The vnndna goes 50 iiaUplen toais yh tho Wntisons
CARGO, when hla ~ ID rhip, WCod aud water AMI pro-
vision alter which sse w 'eta!n hero, whefo shs has
tcadegf4 sesA ehy.eA. service.