Newbern weekly progress., 1862-01-14

ENCI WAS RANSOMED

TIE PRIV ATEER SUMTER-HOW THE MONT N1oH-
ENCI WAS RANsoMED
The captain of the ship Montmorenc captured
BY the Sumter on November &c, tells the follow
inU story of the manner in which he ranSOmed
his vessel. After describing the chase he
says
The Sumter. lying within a few yards of us,
her guns pointed at US, and about 100 men on
deck / did not the least chance for escape. l
went on board the Sumter, when Twas ordered to
the captain cabin who said to me that L was
his enemy, that my snip was prize to the Con
federate States of America. L told him L had
cargo of Goals belonging to the English West In
dia Mail Steamship Company, that my ship was
chartered by them, and that he could not take my
ship without coming in collision with England
He askad how l could prove these facts.
referred my charter party bill OF ladlng, clear
ance fre IL Newport, Wales, and showed him the
papers.
! ho'onred to him; that lie would put prize mas
ter on board, and send her INTO port. ! asked MN
where he could send her He then said he would
| burn her. | again reminded him OF neutral car
90. He figured the probable cost of the Goals
| and said if had valuable cargo belonging %
Euplish owners, he sh ,uld let go. after TAX
what he wanted from the strip, but the cargo
was not worth over $4 600, it was worth his
W hile to pay England, if obliged to do So $4,000
for the sake of destroying from his enemy what
| he srnnosed worth $50 600, that it would be mon
ey well laid out. He said there was one of two
things he orld do. he weuld take from me a
ra, som bond of $2O,OO0. payable to the President
of the Confederate.S Estates thirty Gays after the
declaration OF peace, or he would blrn my snip
/! | told hi n iii not know sueh a President lie
then called an officer of the deck and told him o
take all the valuabes from my sh p and then bu n
| her.
While thew were in the act Of doing so [ con-
cluded to sign the bond and save the ship,
thinking the bond worthless and believe he
took it as lawyer-like way of getting rid o]
me- He then declared me prisoner OF war,
and wanted are to sign parole paper. L de-
INJURED, but he had me prisoner in his cabin,
aud told me there no alternative. had
to do He then said he wanted all my spare
canvass. ropes, paints, Gil, etc. After ransom
ine NV ship-which put into my protest as
piracy he took al my firearms, powder, etc
told him I wanted my firearms. He said
it was one of the most important things to dis
arm their enemies, but when expostulotet
with him, that must have them, as l hae
ransomed my ship, and must protect hel
against small pirates he said | was right, ane
gave them all up to me after | got on board
n,v own ship, sword and all. He kept ou
best ensign as a trophy of his prize. He tool
; from us many little things, some rope, ant
about two hundred pounds of white .ead that
he had bought to paint ship.
Setting aside the Piratical acts of Semmes an'
t his officers they are very gentlemanly In thel
q appearance. | tried to get a chance to see hoV
we'll armed the sumter was. l went on deck',
. The officer of ,he deck fmmedlatel
> came 10 me aud told me that | would D
: well treated. but begged me to 60 down IN Tn
l ward ROOM | told him that it was rather clos
e below and wanted to see if they had hlg gu
i When the office. of the deck failed to get me i
0 below Semmes came up and asEed me II "oui
e obliee him by going back into bis caolu. Al.
Y saw was four guns ON a side not heaVy o"t W
e Sumter will 60 fast. Semmes 'o4u lne no Id
olo Of hn