The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-16

ssillians Aea!ss II flseIle vsIanseers..
s.nast ana .Nineieea ssiisrs TsEsn Pris-
The New Orleans Delta Of July Il. con tair 4
the following:
We had the satisfaction to-day of hearing
from thu lips Of Capt. N. H. Smith, Of the
schooner Give Branch. the full particulars
u one OF the most sdccesefnl and era sifying
incidents in the history of the blockade,
Wntch an insoient foe is attemp'fn TO maia.
tain on our coast. The telegraph has already
announced the recapture OF the Florida coast
d four small schooners which the piraticai
massachusetts, stole in the Mississippi Sound,
lmong the hireiings Of Abe Lincoln, inclu-
Ing those sentimental and patriotic young
Ulcers Of the United States Navy, who pro.
Tess SO much fraternal feeling for our people,
ing, which even a bsrbarous tribe would scorn
% employ in a regular war.
The four schooners captured In the Sound,
before even any formal announcement Of a
blockade had been made to the au liberties of
Biloxi, are the Fanny, the Three Brothers
the Batilde and the Olive Branch. There
vas also Mexican schooner taken at the
same time, the name Of Which we could not
tscertain. They were all small vessels, Of
nifty or sixty tons, and were employed in the
lumber and carrying trade along the coast.
After making this hani, the Massachusetts
lowed the prizes to the Brooklyn, when the
Jul IoLbcu WcIc pldCeu III charge Or LIEUT..
Sslden, and nineteen T. 5. sailors as prize
crew, with orders TO take them to Tortugas -
The captains and men all refused to aid
i'll the navigation Of the prizes, and Lieut. Sci
den, left TO his own resources of sailorship p,
made a sad mess OF il in trying TO get to Tortu.
gas, and after great deal of laundering and
casting about turned up qnite une X pect teddy OFF
Cedar Keys, which Is about 800 miles from his
destination. Here the vessels were becaimed
within sight OF the land. The Fioridians, O,
which there happened to be an en-
ctmpment in the vicinity, soon des-
cried the becalmed fleet, and having been
annoyed by the p;ratical craft of the
envy, deterpinsd TO look into the matter
The steamer Madison, plying upon the Suwa-
nee river, was therefore engaged for the occa.
son, and being armed with two small pieces,
md manned by sixty Florida volunteers, pro
ceeded towards the hset. As the Madison ap-
preached, Lieut. Seicen. who was on board OF
his sails mp. AS soon as this was done the
Madison fired one of her pieces at the Fanny,
whereupOn Lieutenant Selden, in q child
ish display OF heroism, fired his revolver
which caused his men to jump into the hold OF
the Fanny in terrible fear of a destructive flu .
silade from the Madison. Rutthe latter quietly
steamed up and Major Widsmith, who com
manded the FloriIilu called out to the Fanny
10 haul down her flag and her sails, or he
would blow her out Of the water. Lieut.
Selden not oheyipg the order with sufficient
pronptituhe, the Captain OF the Fanny did il
for him. She was then boarded by the Flo.
ridians, was taken possession OF, and Lieut.
Selden and party we're held prisoners OF
war. The other vessels Were also taken pos
session OF and carried into the SuwaDee
where they now are. The prisoners are in
the hands of the Florida authorities, by
whom We hope they will be held securely fol
further orders from the Confederate Govern
ment.