Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-06-03
Value OF their CargOes EKceedIng n
million and "a haIfOf Dallars.
KEY WEsr. May s, 1862.
CAPTURE OF THE BERMUDA.


CAPTURE OF THE bermuda.
The arrival Of the Mercedita at this
port, a few days since, brings the graft
fying intelligence of her capture of the
British Confederate steamer Bermuda, to
the southwark of the Bahama Banks.
The Bermuda had full cargo of arms
and munitions of war. Her manifest,
which occupied some four pages of FOOLS
cap paper, saw a copy of, and the
quantity on board a vessel of her ton
mage is really surprising Besides pistols
and cutlasses in any quantity, there
were number of six and a half and
seven and half inch ritled guns, tOgeth-
err withReVeral complete field batteries.
Then again there were nearly fifty
thousand pounds of powder in barrels,
besides cases upon cases of cartridges,
fixed ammunition and shells. Among
the papers found on board the Bermuda
was a complete code Of night signals and
sailing directions for entering the harbor
of Charleston, both by way of MafIit's
and the main ship channel; also orders
from parties in the South for goods TO be
purchased for them by the Captain of
the Bermuda, which goods are now, no
doubt, on board the vessel.
It most fortunate occurrence that
the cargo of the Bermuda has been pre-
vented from reaching Dixie. 1t would
have been invaluable TO rebeldom in their
present dilapidated condition, and is
worth TO us at least one million OF doll
lars. Too much credit cannot be award
ed to Commander Stellwagen and the
officers and crew of the Mercedita for
having effected this capture.
The Bermuda, by her register, is
owned by Frasier, Treuholme q Co., Of
Liverpool, branch of the house of Fra
sier & Co., of Charleston, S. O., and her
commander is a Charlestonian. The
majority of the officers and crew of the
Bermuda are here on board of the Mer-
cedita. What disposition is to be made
of them / do not yet learn. One Of her
crew has given information that shortly
before her capture a secession flag, to-
gether with a large number of papers,
was thrown overheard by the captain,
This fact may have weight in the evil
dence before the Prize Commissioner,
All the other particulars regarding her
capture will no doubt be given 20 the
Herald by its Philadelphia correspon-
dent, as il is &c that port that the Ber-
muda has been sent, in charge Of Lieut..
Abbott, of the Mercedita. The Merce-
dita is now cOaling, and will leave in a
few days for her cruising grounds.
CAPTURE OF THE sTEAMER cIRcAssIA.
While your correspondent was on board
the Mercedita steamer was reported i'm
sight to the eastward With the aid Of a
powerful telescope she was made out to
be large bark rugged screw steamer, in
tow of one of our armed ferry boats.
Various were the cOnjectures as 10 what
she might be; but all felt confident that
she was prize and that the vessel tow
ing her was the Somerset As soon as
she was anchored Lieutenant Command
ing English, of the Somerset, which yes
sci the one towing proved 70 be, came on
board the Mercedita to make his report
TO Commodore Stellwagen, the senior
naval officer in port. The English steam
or proved 10 be the Circassian, from Bor-
deaux via ST. Thomas, and purpoting 10
be bound 10 Havana. She was captured
on Sunday, the 9TH inst, about twenty
miles TO the eastward Of Havana, under
the following circumstances: The Som
erset, as soon as the Circassian hove in
sight, ran down toward her, and round
ing 70 under her stern, hailed and re-
qested her 10 heaye 10 until boat could
be sent alongside.
To this request no audible reply was
received, the Circassian putting on all
speed and standing on her course Captain
English then ordered a blank cartridge
to be fired towards her but no notice was
taken Of IT. A shot was then fred broad
on her quarter; still no notice A nine
inch shell was then thrown over her,
which burst ahead Of the ship; still she
would not heaye TO. Captain English
then ordered the captain Of the gun TO
fire at her masts, which was done, and
the shot cut away the sings Of her fore
yard Then, aud not until then, did Mr..
John Bull see fit TO round 10 and state
who and what he was. AS soon AZ she
was found 10 be the Circassian, which
vessel was known TO have loaded in Eu-
rope with a cargo for Dixie, Capt, English Z