The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-05-17
Blockade OF the Southern Ports


for the blockade of all the Southern ports,
and in less than month, it is expected
there will be an effective blockade of every
harbor from the Potomac to the Rio
Grange. The entire blockading fleet will
consist of at least fifty war vessels of vari-
GUS descriptions, accompanied by sufficient
steam transports for the accommodation OF
land force of at least 10000 strong Thus
it will prove sufficient to make an efficient
blockade of every inlet on the Southern
coast, into which any vessel drawing six
feet water might otherwise enter, while it
will devolve on the disunion authorities the
necessity of keeping in arms, feeding, etc.,
distinct armies, sufficient to cope with the
land forces accompanying it, in or near
Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, Pensacola,
Mobile, and New Orleans, of at least an
aggregate of 100000 troops stationed fer
the protection of those important points
alone. A we'll informed writer says:
That not bale of cotton or cargo of other
Southern production can seek a market through
any Southern port, is to become fixed fact
within one month from this day, and without
the proceeds of sale of their crops the Disun-
iOnists will have no means whatever OF prOcur.
ing military supplies of any description, for
they do not produce or manufacture them; and
the experience of Northern merchants would
seem to indicate that the available treasure of
the South is neither silver nor gold, and dar.
kies are not at present desirable mediums of
exchange.
Com. PENDEGRAsT, commanding the home
squadron, has issued the following order:
TO ALL WHOM 1T MAY CONCERN.
UNITED STATES FLAG SHIP CUMBERLAND,
OFF FORTRESS MONROE, Va, April 80, 1861.
l hereby call attention to the proclamation
of his Excellency, Abraham Lincoln President
of the United States, under date of April ~,
1861, for an efficient blockade of the ports of
Virginia and North Carolina, and warn all per.
sons interested that have a sufficient naval
force here for the purpose of carrying out that
proclamation.
All vessels passing the Capes of Virginia
coming from distance and ignorant of the
proclamation, will be warned off, and those
passing Fortress Monroe will be required to
anchor under the guns of the fort and subject
themselves to an examination.
G. j. PENDEGRAST,
Flag Officer, Commanding Home Squadron.
The administration do not anticipate as
has been stated, any complication with
foreign governments arising out of this
blockade, inasmuch as the ports closed are
not foreign ports, and. moreover, as it is
intended to render the blockade effectual,
which, according to the decision of the Con-
vention at Paris in 1856, is to be recognize.
ed as an actual blockade.
The following are the ports and har
bors from. Cape Henry, at the entrance Of
Chesapeake Bay, to the mouth of the Rio
Grande, all of which are to be blockaded
according to the Presidents proclamation:
Entrance to Chesapeake Bay, Va. and Md.
Albemarle and Pimlico Sounds, N. c.; Beau.
fort, N. c.; Wilmington, N. c.; Georgetown,
S. c.; Charleston, s. c.; Beaufort S. c.; Sa-
vannah, Ca; Brunswick, Ca; st. Mary's,
Florida; Key West. Florida; Fort Jefferson,
Florida; Cedar Keys, Florida; st. Marks,
Florida; Pensacola, Florida; Mobile, Alabama;
ton, Texas; Matagorda Bay, Texas; Brazos
Santiago, Texas; mouth of the Rio Grande,
Texas.
From the Chesapeake to the Rio Grande,
the coast, except in Louisiana, displays the
same peculiarities-low sandbars, islands,
reefs and shoals, forming constant success
sion of shallow sounds, with inlets at very
wide intervals. So few are these entrances
to harbors for coast of almost two thousand
miles in length, that it would not require an
extensive marine to lock the entire coast so
that bale ofcotton on coast sloop would
not find place of exit. So complete a
blockade is not necessary.