Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-12
CAPTAIN JOHN p. WORDEN

CAPTAIN JOHN p. woRDEN.
Captain formerly Lieutenant,) John P.
Worden, Of the United States Navy, Com
mander Of the Monitor, the first prisoner taken
by the Rebels after the outbreak of the war, is
Q resident Of Dutchess county, New York and
has served twenty-eight years in the Navy
On the 9TH of April last he was sent from
Washington as bearer of dispatches to Captain
Adams. Of the Sabine, in command of the feet
at Fort Pickens. The feet had previously
been sent to Fort Pickens, with two companies
Of artillery, for the purpose of reinforcing the
fort when 80 ordered, and the dispatches car
ried by Mr.. Worden conveyed orders to that
effect. Lieutenant Worden arrived at Pensa.
cola by way Of Richmond and Montgomery on
the 1lth, having committed the dispatches to
memory, and torn them up for fear of arrest
and search, owing to the excited state of the
country.
At Pensacola he obtained an interview with
Gen. Bragg, the Rebel Commander, and OBJ
tanned pass to visit Capt. Adams, stating in
reply to an interrogatory that he had verbal
communication from Secretary Cameron to the
Captain. Owing to a gale which was blowing
at the time. Lieut.. Worden did not visit Capt.
Adams until the following day, when he deliy.
cred his orders and received written reply
in return, acknowledging the receipt of des-
patches, and stating that they should be exc.
cuted, together with other verbal information
tOE tuo UONofumcut Ine I0rt was relntOrce ed
BY Capt. Vodges that night. Lieut.. Worden
took the cars at 8 P. NJ. on the 18th on his re-
turn, and on the morning Of the 18th, wien
within about Eve miles Of Montgomery, five
officers Of the Rebel army came in and arrested
him, taking him to the Office Of the Adjutant-
General at Montgomery. Subsequently he
learned that Sragg had collected q force of
1000 men to tack Fort Pickens, had made
all arrangements to endesvor to seize the fort
the very night it was reinforced, sRd that in
order to cover his blunder in permitting Wor-
den to 20 out to Capt. Adams, had charged
him with violating his word Of honor. This
charge the Lieutenant most positively denied.
Bragg also alleged that an arrangement had
been made between him and Capt. Adams
that no attempt to reinforce or take the fort
should be made without previous notice to the
other party-a most unlikely story. Although
the excitement against Lieut.. WOrden was in
tense, he said he was well treated during his
imprisonment, and Capt. Ingraham and other
officers whom he had known in the service
visited him in prison, and endeavored, though
vainly, to effect his release on parole, He was
allowed access to newspapers, and stated that
up to the capture Of Port Royal, the Rebels
were confident and arrogant, but when that
fell the journals denounced the Rebel Govern
meat for not making better defence, declar-
ing there was 40 safety 10 the cities on the
coast, ana that no dependence whatever could
ec pgsced nPoa La foEtiaeations A tone Of
despair seemed to preYsil, and the people
were loud in thsir drnnnciations Of Govern
ment which gave them no security, nor in
telligsncs Of the actual condition OF Affairs and
the results Of operations
On 18th Of aovembsr he was informed that he