, 1862-07-08


The prisoner disclaimed all right to the title
by which he is known. His name and Fauk
is Joseph Fry, lieutenant commanding con
fcderute States Navy. The uniform Of an Off
Ger of this grade in the rebel nary resembles
coloners uniform in the army, and this resem-
blancc gave him his title when he Was first
captured.
Lieutenant Fry was born at Tampa Bay,
Florida, ard is the son Of native of Rhode
Is1aLG-a Yankee schoolmaster who in his
youth eInigrated to Louisiana to teach the
top6 and daughters Of the proud sugar plant
trs such scraps Of knowledge as was necessary
to enable them to work their way successfully
through the world. Here he became acQnaiut-
cd with the daughter OF rich planter, 8 bca1l-
1iful creole, who did rot at that time indulge
in these VULGAR pEcjudices conc!r-lng the
Yankees which have siucc 1nade her sex SO
notorious in the sunny South. He maTied
in 1924, and invested his savings, with the for
| ture received from his vile, in plantation at
Tampa Bay, where, on the 18th Of Juue, 1928,
| the prisoner Was born pass over the iaci
| dents Of biz boyhood as not exhibiting any
| thing Of interest to the general reader. At
| the age of fifteen he cutter, the United States
| navy as acting madshipnaan, and subsequently,
| graduated at the naval school at Annapolis.
| On hisfrst cruise,it was his fortune to serve on
board the United States steamer Missouri.
burned in lSs5 in the port Of Gibral1ar. He
Was afterwards on the steamers Boston and
| Leysnt, both OF whom toundered at sea. H.
| accompanied Commodore Perry on the Jaran-
ese expedition, and remained with him four
years, until that expedition returned. Suhse-
| quently he was attached to the coast survey,
| under Prot. Baehe, for several years. H.
served throughout the Mexican war On the
steamer Mississippi, and during the latter
portion Of the time was lieutenant CON
nandlng Of the United States steamer Vixen
At the time OF the breaking out of the rebel
lion he Was on Light house duty at New Or
leans, On the day that Louisiana seeded and
| hoisted the Pelican flAg from the custom
house and mint, the 26th daT OF January
1860, he resigned his commission aud tender
ed his services to the State. a regiment O
| artillery was projected. of which Brauregarf
was appoi1ted colonel, Duncan. who subsc
queltiy disting guished himself at Fort jack
s:n, major, aud 1t Fry senior captain
Beaurega1d declined tue appointment, ant
almost Immediately afterwards was namei
Brigadier General Of the Confederate State
army. Duncan was chosen colonel, and thel
became brigadier general. At this time tn
project vas broached to form navy, and 1t
; Fry receised the first appointment and com
mission as lieutenant commanding. A1ou
the same period Gen.Bragg receiVed his com
, ! mission as Msior General ct Louisiana Stat
| volunteers.
! The tirst boat to which Lieutensnt Fry VIA
attached was the little steamer Ivy detail.
for picket duty about the mouth Of the hi:
! eippi. This was the steamer to which Co
Harvey Brown, Of Fort Piekens fame referre
> iu his report, when he said that he had Ioar
ed Commodore McKeon Of the United State
steamer Nisgara, two guns, to prevent th
whole squadron being driven out Of tt
mouth Of the river by 8 small steamer moan
: ing single pivot gun. She was the onl
steamer ever mentioned BY the federl5
connection with the fight of the Passe:
Lieutenant Fry spoke Of this passage Of b
. life with evident pride, aud said that with tt
1 Ivy and tic ram Manassas he had sunk tt
: frigate Richmond and put the entire squadro
s to Tight Since that time he has been col
d slantls busy and continually under fire till h
e capture. Alter the battle of the Passes
= was transferred to the M4u-ipa as, and s atio1
s. ed Ut Columbus, then at Island No. 10, an
2 afterwards at Tiptonyille. Just above t!
q latter plnce he engaged the batteries at Poi
y Pleasant and RIDDLES Point, the former
ID which the heet very nearly captured T!
4 Lady Polk and the Mauripas had steamed I
Il to within g. hundred yards of the batterie
= srd wire preparing to land when au
lucky shot strucksthe Polk, passing entirr
U through her hull, and Obliged her to haul
for repairs- Two OF the Mauripas' guns b
cane disabled from the iou1ing Of their venl
II and he too was reluctantly compelled to I
as tire; II the action could have been continn
~ sn hour longer, tht stars and BARI Wou13 ha
| d9ated t1cn tie batteries, n e7ent Hh.sh