Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-11-17
Correspondence Of the Freeman.
From the Department of the South.
UNITED STATES STEAMER FULTON. J
OF Hatteras Sight, N. c.
November, 9th, 1868. J

UH laWeras oRht, ~ u
November, 9th, 1868.
MR. EDITOR We sailed from Hilton Head, S.
c., on Wednesday lest, at 2 p. u and passed
Charleston Bar at p. NJ. Nothing Of interest
occurred, until Tuesday, at s A. M, we dscoy-
cred q suspicious looking vessel in the distance,
apparently blockade runner. We sgnalled
her, but she refused tc show colors OF any kind,
or answer us in any way but kept on her course,
evidently trying to eVadc US.
At this time the Naval gunboats, Keystone
State and Nansemond, also discovered her, and
then commenced the chase or perhaps ! should
say, race Sic appeared to be prize worth
the taking with three competitors for her
the U, S. mail steamer " Fulton, and the gun
boats keystone State and Nansemond, each
sending her their compliments in the shape Of
shot and shell
But the Fulton soon distanced her compet-
tors, and after chase Of some nine hours during
which time the =" runner " had been throwing
boxes and bales overheard, we brought her to,
and she " gave up the ship" She prove to be
the steamer " MAJ qaret and Jessie" Of Charles
ton s. c., Captain Lockwood, from Nassau, load
ed with an unusually valuable cMgo and bound
! for Wilmington.
She ia an iron side.wheel steamer, built IN
Scotland, and is long, low and sharp, and is an
old customer having run the blockade many
timer. She was Immediately boarded by our
first officer and purser, and claimed as a prze'
Her captain, officers, passengers and crew, IN
all about twenty persons, then came of in boats
and with their baggage and papers were trans
fened to the Fulton,
Having placed prize crew aboard the +" Mar
care. and jessie and attached our big hawserr
we steamed away, towing prize, whose value at
the lowest figure, will exceed ttOo hundred thou
sand dollars. Quite good day'swork, wethink
for a mail steamer
Among the passengers are two ladies' One a
handsome southern belle Of about sweet six.
teen was returning from an English boarding
school to rejoin her parents and friends in the
South.
The passengers and crew seem to take the al
fair good-naturcdly, and if you could see then
sitting about our cabin, costly chatting witt. oul
passcng rs, drinking wine, or perhaps engaging
in friendly game Of Euchre, you would hard
" believe thata few hours before, they occu
pied vessel whose destruction or capture VI
we're bent upon. But life is " such"
Capt. Lockwood is an old blockade Tunner,-
having, according to his own statement, ruI
through large number Of valuable cargoef
lie expects to be exchanged or released soon
and then 20 into the same business agao, bu
a thinks, however, that he will steer clear of To
= Fulton
. Should we capture any more prizes, Mr. ID
itor before reaching New York, will dPpri'
you
: =. Paymasters, it would seem, are by no mean
q fixed stars in the armament Of our great army
}, For example Major Halsey is relieved fror
II the Department OF the South, and ordered
= report for duty at Fortress Monroe,
!. d" Until further orders,
: Hastily yours, W. +. P.