The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-10-17
The Pirate Steamer Alabama.
Statements of Captains Gefford, Haga,
aud TiltOn.
Piratical Treatment of Officers
and Men.
Correct List Of the Vessels Burned.

The rebel propeller Alabama is 1900 tons
burthen, wooden vessel, coppered bottom, 2lO
feet long, rather narrow, painted black outside
carries three long S2-pounders on side,
pierced for two more amidships; has 100
FOUNDER rifled pivot gun forward of the bridge
and 5S-pounder on the main deck has tracks
laid forward for pivot bow gun, and tracks
| aft for pivot stern chaser. Her guns are of
the Blakely pattern, made by Wesley & Pres
ton, Liverpool, 1862 She is bark rugged is
represented to go ID knots under sail and Is
under steam; can get up steam in 20 minutes.
She has all the national flags, but usually sets
! ST. Georges cross on approaching a vessel
Her compliment of men is 10 but is anxious
20 ship more.
The Virginia was captured on Sept. H. lat.
80, Ion. "a, and stripped of all valuables and
burned. The Elisha Dunbar was taken the
next day and burned. The crews of both YES
sells were put in irons on the deck of the Ala
bama, and kept there night and day until they
were transferred to the Emily Farnham.
Capt. Geilord of the Dunbar, says that he
understood that the Alabama would cruise
! about the Grand Banks a few weeks TO destroy
large American ships. They had knowledge
of two ships loading with arms for the United
States, and were in hopes To capture them
They were anxious TO capture the Dread
naught, and were confident of their ability to
capture or run away from any vessel in the
United States. The steamer being in the
track of both outward and honeward bound
vessels, and more or less being in sight every
day, she will make great havoc among them.
Capt. Hagar, of the Brilliant, says that on
the morning of Oct. Sd, lat. 40, Ion. 80 30, the
wind from the northeast, had large ship in
company about mile to windward; soon after
steamer was seen on the weather bow, stand
ing to the westward, under sail. The steamer
on nearing the ship to windward, ran up 10 her
peak the St Georges cross. and in few min
utes after fired gun across her bow, at the
same time displaying the confederate flag. The
American colors were set and the ship hove to,
and boat from the steamer went alongside
The steamer then wore around and made
sail for the Brilliant. We set our colors, and
Oh the steamer nearing us she fired a gun
across our stern, when we hove 10. A boat
was then sent alongside with two officers and
a boats crew all armed, and on their reaching
the deck OF the ship, claimed her as a prize to
the confederate steamer Alabama, Captain
Senmes. with orders for me TO go in the boat
TO the steamer with all my ships papers. On
arriving on board, after waiting while was
asked into the cabin to have my papers ex-
anined The ship not having any documents
to prove that her cargo was on foreign account,
the papers and cargo were conliscated. was
then ordered on board the ship to assist with
my crew in removing such stores and cargo
they wanted for their own use, and to bring
no,bino aaoh on 80 Al ,t staan ', ~ -, r.,
oid %, ha L,,nhor'd ,t, 49,, - 10
On arriving back to the steamer with my crew,
L was ordered to the other vessel, which prov
ed to be the ship Emily Farnham, of Ports
mouth, \. H., Capt. SHINES, from New York
for Liverpool.
oor,a; ,ls ~, - H. ,,nn, H. ~. ~ ~;
-. ",,~,',;,aS n.',, -; ,e '''1
p ''i,s,, 81, - IN, ~; oe lou'iu
TnS,si, , .,"e II, ,',o was oi
I haosS ,,,', ~, sup m"s i1'o'a
e. 20, e,ae ~ wy ms III
Heeis anu eieMs' ~ ~ ai' vi 'lie wnaiiiS ual Ms
sd anu 1'', -nsna Va NV neu,oiu'
'''ie , v'i no'h .nese IieMs
W r.,'' U ~ suo Isl. Pu' ~. "oiu
''ie my al imam, ' i ICING p"Io ieu,
ing 1.iaoa l a., uooA Hei "luahieh. anu Slen
gu poal ,l i'er "cs.cih isialus, run an Eng
i,s M p ' N. nc. Nie" az Pit".ip'uiy LnShs u,
olicers, peihS Ihe chNatIy Vi .he oouuh. An
WIG water eohsuieu y" ooaiu 10 cohuehoeu-
she mas eishts months provisions, besides what
SUE mas piuhuefeu, anu ABOUT 4vo 'oiis Vi coai.
DurliiS tne reHiiiuuer oi tiie Jay inc oIheeis
anu crew OF tie steamer were piahuerihS the
Driiiiint oil lef cargo ana stores ana every
: hilS lhey chose 10 lake. An OF capt. haSars
private property, such Us MS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
taht, barometer, etc' ana large part oil his
clothinS We're taken from MN, the steamer
oiIlcers clalininS everything. during the L:
M, iarge snip was h~iSht 10 lhe Southwark
heaoihg 10 Tue Eastwaru, anu tiey hau thelr
eyes on hef. IL was now nearly or quite
CAIN ahd continued so curing the night. Al
sunset the briiiiaht was ircd AT L. NJ, she
was IN haihes lore ana ATT Inc Emmy Farm
nam way i!iiig ABOUT imile rom her: Inc
snip continued 10 ourh All hi9ht anu III the
morning ihe steamer was close AT hahd, ana
the snip that was seen the I. NJ before
nad worked up 10 ,he burning wreck during
the hlSni, prooaoiy Win the expectation OF
safihS ne, pnt AZ uayhsht iouhu heiseh III me
clulches oi ner destroyer. IL continued CAIN
nearly All day anu bul sllght AR al night
lowarus midnight bright light was seen III
the direction OF the steamer, ana IL Is more
tnah probable IL was rom the thlrd ship
inree Oh the crew OF the Brilliant, all Eng
llsnmen, volunteered on the Alabama. Capt
luton OF tne virginia, says he was overhauled
by the Alabama Oh inc morning oil the 18th OF
September, IN iat ~ ~, lon "a ~. The
pirate showed Brush coiors, but when quar-
Ter oil a nlie from the virginia set the Conied-
crate coiors ana sent an armed boats crew
aboard and Capt Iiltol was informed that the
vessel was prize to the Alabama, and was or
dered to take his papers and go on board that
steamer. The pirates then stripped the ship
| OF all valuable articles on board, and at L.
NJ set fire TO the vessel. Capt. Tilton adds,
that on arriving on board the steamer l asked
| the Captain to release me, as l was doing no
one any harm; the answer was, You North
eIners are destroying our property; and New