Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-07-29
. tsllsnt E7pldlt Id jamss Rivtt--h Federal
Transpoat Destr Dyed.

Transport Destr Dyed
On Saturday morning, party OF tive OF
the Prince George Cavalry, Captain Marks,
consisting of Corporal Teller Cooke, and Prl-
Yates Thomas Martin, William Daniel, Alex
ander Dimitrv, and YIN. Williams, conceived,
and carried out success(ully,a private little
enterprise Of their own, which resulted III
the burning of large Federal transport, the
cant,,rc of its commander, and the consterna-
ton and surprise of the Yankee fleet III thc
immediate neighborhood. The party lett
Coggins' Point, Oh the south side oil James
River, five miles below City Point, about one
o'clock, Saturday morning, i'll an open poat'
armed with naked sabrcS and their reviewers.
The Federal fleet Of transports and gnnboatS
lay all around them. One gunhoat was at an
Choir about one hundred yards above them, and
another half Il uilr Immediately below, while
several others, invisible ut the time, were OH
in various positions. The transports lay
scattered alon. the channel some not twenty
yards apart.
After getting amidst them. tlc party made
reconnaissance to discover the largest, anu
finally selected Il splendid looking schooner,
Of two hundred tons burthcn, which proved
TO be the Louisa Rivrs, Of New York, loaded
with corn oats, and other articles OF forage
and commanded by Captain John \. Jones.
AS they approached her dog on board com
menced barking furinusly, but they Piled their
oars vigorously and quietly, and, reaching
the bow chains boarded. the schooner without
fatcring. The crew were sleeping Soundly,
but the Captain, awakened by the dog, pushed
on deck from the cabin, and was met ut the
vcrv door by Martin, (hlmSc!fa >aor) who
seized him by the collar and placing pistol
at his head cautioned him that to speak II
word was death.
Taking the surprised Captain back into his
cabin. he was allowed to dress and secure
whatever valuabcS he wished TO carry away
with him. The mattresses were then drawn
ont, ripped open AMI tired, the door locked
and the Captain escorted t" the boat. In 4
few minutes, the party reached the shore.
when the flames burst from the lirc'i vessel,
and tlr whole fleet was in c"mu"tlun.--
Small boats piled abou, in every direction,
hawscrs were attached TO vessels. anchors
weighed and a general pulling and Juggling
commenced to keep clear Of the burning YES
sci.
In the meantime, the crew Of the Louisa
niycS, awakened by the smoke, yelled Tire!
and Scanpcrcd over the deck with buckets oil
water with all the volubilty and nmhlenesS
of New York 'plugs." a boat was sent
from one Of the adjacent vessels to their re-
lief and assistance, and for the additional
purpose of saving the schooner if possible
But the crew had scarcely mounted the deck
before shell and some rifles, which were III
the cabin, exploded. All hands commenced
Il general stampede, and tumblcd over the
bulwarkS into their boats in the utmost con-
fusion. No further attempt WAS male to save
the vessel and she burned to the waters
edge.
The heroes of this achievement, concealed
in the woods above Coggin'S Point, watched
the event with the utmost satisfaction, and
then carried their prisoner into quarters.
They stated that they would have taken
the whole crew, but their boat was leaky,
with hole in one side Just little above thu
water line, so that. if they bad taken the
crew in, all would have gone down together.
Had they stopped to lower L boat from ,i,r
vessel, the manu.uvrc would doubtless have
been observed, and their capture the consr-
uIlcncc.