The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-05-10
Capture of the Star of the West.
How IT WAS DONE.

That valuable accession to the Confed-
crate States Navy, steamship Star of the
West, (now safely moored in the river
below Algiers, it seems was taken by a
very ingenious and well performed TZss
dc gueTTe.
From Captain Muller, of the Island
City Rifles, Private Allen, of the Calves
ton Artillery, and Lieut.. Maclin, of the
Artillery service at San Antonio, we have
the following particulars:
On Tuesday night last, Col. Van Dorm,
being at Galveston, called for detach-
ments from the City volunteer Compa-
nies to 60 with him on an errand which
he kept secret. In about two hours and
a half, the Galveston Artillery, Lieut.. Van
Buren,, commanding; the Island City
Rifles, Capt. Muller, a German company
and the Wigfall Guards, Capt McGrath,
an Irish company, responded to the call
with detachments amounting altogether
to seventy-One men; thirteen artillerists,
twenty-nine rifles, and twenty-nine
Guards,
With these men on board, the Matagor-
da left Galveston at 5 o'clock Wednesday
morning, and put off for Indianola.
Reached Indianola at 5 P. NJ, with the
men invisible, being all locked up in their
state-rooms. Found the transport Fashion
there loading with U. S. troops and bag
gage, to put on board the Star of the West,
| Capt. Howe, which was lying in deep
water, outside the bar; the troops en-
barking numbering about 6000.
The Matagorda put back, and at SAluria,
| Is miles this side, Col. Van Dorm siEnaled
the Gen. Rusk. The Rusk coming along
side, the Colonel transferred his men
| from one vessel to the other At about
II o'clock at night, the Rusk, with the
soldiers on board still as mice, cane with
in hailing distance of the StaI of the
West, and was hailed. Capt. Smith an
swered, "The Rusk, with troops on board
can you take our line nowP Certain
ly," was the answer from Captain Howe,
he fancying that the troops were United
States troops. 1t is stated that Captain
| Howe asked why the Fashion did not
bring the troops, and was told that the
Fashion would be along in a few hours,
with the rest of the troops and their bag
gage!
The sea was rather rough, and after
some little trouble the Rusk got along
side and made fast. In a very short
time the Galveston soldiers were on board
with their guns; and Captain Howe
hardly had time to look at them, when
they suddenly presented bayonets, and
their officer commanded him to surrender.
''To what flag am requested to sur.
render ?" asked the astonished CAPTAIN.
Ensign Duggan, of the Wigfall Guards
here displayed the Lone Star flag of Tex.
as, and in his richest brogue exclaimed
"Thats it, look at it, me by's; did We iveI
see the Texas flag on an Irish iackstaf
before ~ The Captain, having no means
of resistance, surrendered without SAVING
) word. He had a crew of AZ men ano
900 barrels of provisions on board, bu
nothing else; none of the arms or muni
tons of the Federal troops had yet come
ON board.
The prisoners were all treated will
politeness. The steamer was immediate
ly put about for Galveston and grea
must have been the bewilderment Of tn,
officers Of the Fashion and of the Fedora
troops next morning, when they founC
the Star of the West no where in sight.
At Galveston, Col. Van Dorm put Mr.
Falval, first mate Of the Mexico, on boarC
the Star Of the West as Captain, and like
wise the engineer of the Mexico; and
ordering the soldiers on board to see he
! safely into New Orleans, he left, to TAX
! | charge of some 600 troops who wer
| hhllllk LAGIG nlll, W RO W Au
; dianola and see how the Fashion and he
! GOO Federal troops were getting on afte
their surprise.
At Galveston, when the Star of th
West left for this city Gen. Sherman
had military charge of the island.-
Hundreds of men were working nigh
and day erecting sand Notifications aroun
the exposed parts of the city-pilin
the sand up in boxes, barrels, bags, any
d thing.
IS Gen. Sam Houston was at the Tremon
g House in Galveston, and was to addrel
i the people the night after the Star of th
8 West left. 1t was reported that b
IS has at last succumbed to the vii
Q of the people, and intended making q rec
y hot secession speech.
e The following is an extract of q lettt
sent to one of the Galveston Artillerist
by his father the day the Star of tn
West left:
"Gen. Sherman has authority to pt
100 men to work throwing up embanl
ments on the beach-bags and barrels al
= going out to be filed and cannon are b
ing placed in position.
n A watch, under charge of the cutie
is being kept night and day on top
10 Hensley's building, for vessels of war q
IL, proaching. When in sight, two guns {
ell the public square will call the people
arms.
Sam Houston is at the fremont Houl
Cushing, of the Telegraph, saw him "
terday and telegraphed down this NOR
= ing that it is all q lie about Sam being
>. league and correspondence with Lincoln
Lieut.. Maclin, who came through fro
San Antonio, reports that all Westel
and Northern Texas is little better than
re- re- military camp-the people organizing
t6- for war everywhere.
en