Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-10-17

herself in the clutches of her destroyer. 1t
continued calm nearly all day, and but light
air during the night. Towards midnight, a
bright light was seen in the direction of the
steamer, and it was more than probable it was
from the third ship. Three of the crew of the
Brilliant, all Englishmen, volunteered on the
Alabama.
CAPT. TILToN's STATEMENT.
Capt. Tilton, of the Virginia, says that he
was overhauled by the Alabama on the morn
ing of the 18th of September, in lat. 10 and
Ion. 1920. The pirate showed British colors,
but when a quarter of mile from the Virgin
ia, set the confederate colors and sent an
armed boats crew aboard. Capt. Tllton was
informed that he was prize to the Alabama
and was ordered to take his papers and go on
board that steamer. The pirates then stripped
the ship of all the valuable articles on board
and at P. NJ. set fire to the vessel captain
Tilton adds:
s'On arriving on board the steamer asked
the captain to release me, as was dong no
one anv harm. His answer was: You north
erners are destroying our property, and New
Bedford people are having their war meetings,
offering two hundred dollars bounty for volun-
teers. and send out their stone fleets to block
up our harbors and am gong to retaliate.
Cant Tilton continues 81 went on the
quarter deck with my son, when they ordered
me into the lee waist with my crew, and all of
us put in irons, with the exception of two boys,
the cook and the steward. l asked if | was
to be put in irons. The reply was that his
purser was put in irons, and his head shaved
by us, and that he was going to retalate.
We were put in the lee waist with an old sail
over us, and a few planks to lie upon.
The steamer was cruising to the west. The
next day they took the Elisha Dunbar, her
crew receiving the same treatment as our
selves"
The steamers guns being kept run out, the
side ports could not be shut, and when the sea
was little rough, or the vessel rolled, the
water was continually coming in on both
sides, and Washing across the deck where we
were, so that our feet and clothing were wet
all the time, either from the water below or
the rain above; and we were obliged to sleep
in the place where we were, often waking up
in the night nearly under water Our fare
consisted Of beef, pork, rice, beans, tea and
coffee, and bread. Only one of our irons
was allowed to be taken off at a time, and we
had to wash in salt water. We were kept on
deck all the time, night and day. and guard
was placed over us.
The steamer continued to cruise to the
with the ships Brilliant and Emily Farnham,
the former of which they burnt and her crew
with ourselves were transferred to the latter
ship, after signing parole. On the 9th inst.
we were taken on board the brig Golden
Head of Thomaston, Capt. Smith from Jersey
for New York, who treated us with great kind
ness.
The Alabama took her armament and crew
on board near the Western Islands from an
English bark. Her crew are principally Eng
fish, the officers being the "chivalry of the
SOUTH All the water consumed aboard is
condensed. She has eight months provisions
besides what is being plundered and about
400 tons of coal.
CAPT. GIFFARD's STATEMENT.
The following is Capt. Gitfards state
ment On the morning of the 18th of Sep.
TENDER, in lat. 1850, long. 1920, with the
wind from the southwest, and the bark head
ing E. S. E., saw steamer on our port
quarter standing to the northwest. Soon at
ter found she had altered her course and was
steering for the barque. We soon made all
sail to get out of her reach, and were going
ten knots at the time; but the steamer gaining
on us under canvas alone, soon came up with
us and fired gun under our stern with the
St. Georges cross flying. At the time our
federate flag, being near us. We hove to- and
a boat with armed officers and crew came
alongside, and, on coming on board, stated to
me that my vessel was prize to the conted-
crate steamer Alabama, Capt Semmes.
was then ordered on board the steamer
with my papers, and the crew to follow me
with bag of clothing each. On getting
aboard, the captain claimed me as prize, and
said my vessel would be burnt Not having
any clothes with me, he allowed me to return
for a small trunk of clothes. The officer on
board asked me what l was coming back for,
and tried to prevent me from coming on
board. | told him | came after few clothes,
which | took, and returned to the steamer
1t blowing very hard at the time, and being
very squally, nothing but the thermometer,
seXtant, charts, &C.. were taken, when the YES
sci was set fire to and burnt
There were sixty-ive barrels of sperm oil
on deck, taken on the passage, which were
consumed. We were all put in irons and re-
ceived the same treatment that Capt. Tilton's
officers and crew did. While on board we
understood the steamer would cruise off the
Grand Banks a few weeks, to destroy the
large American ships to and from the channel
ports. They had knowledge of two ships be-
ing loaded with arms for the United States,
and were in hopes to capture them. They
were particularly anxious to fall in with the
clipper ship Dreadnaught, and destroy her, as
she was celebrated for speed and they 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 out
ward and homeward bound vessels, and more
or less being in sight every day, she will make
great havoc among them.
From Gen. McCIelIans Army.