Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-09-25
the STEAMER FLORIDA AT BREsr.


Bees CO repon"cnt OF toe Lopdor Times august
CIyL t Of the Confederate ates s'ea,rer Florida,
which recently put into the Franc port of BFest for
: repairs. We subjoiu a portion Of the letter:
or the Captain himself NAV Say that lie is a slight,
middle sized, well knit man, with ready determined
! cir, full Of life and bus There huadred
able seamen on board the Florida aud sbut thirteen
! officers. Four hne fellows are from neghborhOtd
Of Brtst Capt Maht says that he ha' Ia diy eve la
/ ken q priZs but ut some OF the crew Of the lT
have come forward to say, SHOULD Ike 10 rye W.Sh
YOU sir" ne ally speaking, he has 20 refuse; out #
| ne SECS a very likely elOw he takes him on aVssin
Na6i a ruIenlnt Of the United Sate' navy De'oTs
the outbreak, and in that ~ dstiugis red himself
! g-esty. In 1903 he commanded tire ig Dolphin,
V. ell he ctpued the SLAYER Echo with 400 slaves On
board aud took her into Charleston FIR tits feat his
| health unk ct publ; dime az Liverpool; and
IL IL Ous lac, TO- thOso Nho MAINTAIN That the vi
war in Amer lourded upon the II estion, that
the commando o. thus impO tint NOniedv ate CrGiser
should be The very who has dist rgushed himself
sctvey agsiust the ssYJ abe. la 1869 OaUt Naift
commanded the United ales steamer C.uslder, and
captured four saVers.
Toe only broadside which the Florida has fred in
auger was aga INST the icsson, armed merchant
| man, which she encountered some forty miles from
New York. The ErirssOn, very large vessel, md
v but made the best of her way CT ard eted
in ping When they ventured ~itin forty IN les f
IL
lacuuy Tone OF Their "outf s had the Nes York
ers oa tnir guard and they our inst there
a5Ou. seventy armed vessels out rchBg for tr'm
and 20 we're glad TO retreat. 4" q eek fg1i"
sa'd Ca tain Mafh land VIC don't avoid one You
we've ou.y vessels against fifteen huudTtd
| kh .uld stand poor Glance Oar object is meHl
s,toy th, lie commerce. so as TO brir gabout PEA
We'se taken altogether seventy prizes, ana ,st
mare the value at about sl5 100000. The Jsc,b Bel
tlone "or.h 81 10000 The Ca tain exh bi;,d
book ia Whca al. tire prizes regularly entered
aud al particulars ating thereto He explained that
Their IN, de OF procedure TO burn aud destroy the
property OF Northern States wherever hey found IT,
asked if the took gold aud precious articles AID the
reply vas, "PIetty Ick, when We get them" be
papers Of the burnt priz all kept and valuation
is mad before the de ruction Of he vessels in the
pee ion that when peace il restored the COfed,r
Government will make appropriation OF money ecu
lem to the claims q TIC csptors. In cOnsequepce OF
tn arrau cement there very Little Gc'udl treasure
board the Florida AID Ie officers ana wOiIi
mainy faith OF the iuure Independence and sol
v-ucy of tie Copfe6erscy. ANY way" said Captain
NJ ,t, I'VE have 81 the government very little, for
we've lived on tie enemy Oh yes, we've served them
out beautifully" In reply 20 some qge iOnH as 10 the
nett Oh of capture the captain said 1--WE O. axe
val With tie United States Government, and respect
Huls property. We treat prisoners OF war with the
groatet resp Most Of those whom we have captured
have spoken well OF To be sure We have met win
ungrae!ul rascas but you meet Tith those all TIE
wCTld Oye-."
When the florida came into Brest she bal been So
sea for ght months ~ithou; speuding than our
euare days in port Before entering the port OF Bfes!
she bad rot been than twenty -iouf hours in any
o ,e port although she had visited Nassau, BeTmuGa
Perugubloo aud Sierra (Brszl) Yes indeed, sii "
said The Captain, two hrnd e aul iurty-gva DAYS up
on col junk, withou. repirs IIoVis oas." DurTg
al ib Tune they haze 09Iy lost fifteen men, icudifg
Laose who killed aud wounded AZ Noble, tbe pay
mater (Nao Died O. cousrmptiop) and Cii,,r Iva
vas accicertsy drowned) They have CON into Br st
q repair the engines iih somewhat cut of order
the shat being quite gu; OF NJ. TIE Emperor hos
giv a orders that tie Horidt is to be admitted into Ne
port for all necessary repairs, and is to be supplied rh
sosS yLtiEg ssmdy require except munitions Of
Captain Saii.t shOred u his ship, which wss in
pretty good Order considering the eight mouths almost
uuuerrup ed cruise, aud be presented Us both VII.
photo ;raOoic picture OF her, which taken ut Ber.
muda Toe FlordI mounts only eight guns-sx As
pCundsrs OF the Baktley pattern made at Low Moor,
and stern and bo= eha,es
On akirg our leave asked Captain Msffttt whether
he exp ced to be intercepted leaving Bfest p0intUg
at the same time 10 The GOuet, the narrow passage
which slords the only Dgres' and egrets aud from
the Rade well" replied he 81 expect there will be
seven or ght Of Them there before long, but I'm
not afraid. I've run eight bloekGdes already aud len
go hard, but Iitrun the ninth"