Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-17


Many similar questions were put, and in like
manner answered; but it was all in vain to
attempt to deceive the Portuguese, and they
would persist in calling her 'frigata Inglesi.
''About the lapse of week from the arr-
val of the $3.50" the harque above mentioned
sailed in and anchored, her captain alleging
as a reason to the Portuguese officials that his
vessel had sprung leak, which would require
to be repaired ere she could resume her vow
age; and on this understanding the Portu-
gese at once placed her in quarantine (Which
in the Azores lasts three days.) On the dav
after the barques arrival, Capt Bullock (of
the 900, } being anxious to get his guns on
board, hauled alongside of the barque, and
erected pair of large shears to affect the
transfer of her cargo from the barque's hold
to the '290s' deck. This brought off the Por-
tuguese in fury that their rules should have
been broken by the 900 having dared to COM
municate with vessel that bad still two days
quarantine to run, and they angrily demanded
to know the reason why their regulations had
been infringed. They were. told that the
barque was in sinking state, and the cree
ton of the shears was accounted for by urging
the necessity for an immediate temporary
transfer of her cargo, that the leak might be
reached and stopped, and Captain Bullock
finally succeeded i'll bearing down all opposi-
ton by feigning to go in passion, saying that
he was doing no more for the barque than any
EugliShman would do for countryman in
distress. The Portuguese left the vessel and
the transhipment proceeded without hindrance
from those on shore.
"AbOut the afternoon of the second day.
and when the transfer was nearly complete,
the British screw steamer Bahama came in,
having on board Captain Semmes and the
other late officers of the Sumter, besides the
remainder of the '290's' armament, and an ad.
dition of twenty odd men to her crew. On the
Bahamas arrival and anchorage on a some
what similar pretext to those given to her two
predecessors, the Portuguese fairly lost all
patience, and peremptorily insisted on the in.
slant departure of all three vessels. The Ba-
hama at once communicated with the '29O,'
and having handed over to the latter vessel
everything destined for her, got up steam and
left, followed by the '270i towing the now
empty barque. All three went, not to sea, as
they had been ordered to do, but to Angra
bay Ga bay in the same island, and only a few
leagues distant from Tarissa Roads). Here
they remained unmolested until noon the fol-
lowing day Ga Sunday, when for the second
time, all three vessels were ordered out ofthe
Portuguese waters. All the '29Os' guns being
now mounted and the vessel otherwise ready
Tor cruise, the order was obeyed, and all
took their departure, the barque, as before,
in tow of the $780, which having conveyed
her well out to sea, cast her off, and with
favoring breeze she steered for Cardiff, to
bring out further supply of coal for the
'290's' future use.
"The 900 and the Bahama now steamed
round the island, and Capt Semmes coming
out of his cabin, ordered his first lieutenant
to muster the crew aft. This having been
done, and all the officers assembled on the
poop in their full uniform Ii. e., confederate
gray frock coat and trOusers), Capt. Semmes
enjoned silence, and read his commission as
post captain in the confederate navy. 1t was
a document duly attested at Richmond, and
bore the signature of jeff Davis, President,
Confederate States of America He then
opened and read his sealed orders from the
Of Gle eodte E4erRfs e sop Of var AaOaa
hitherto known as the $780, in which (having
been duly commissioned he was to hoist the
confederate ensign and pendant, and sink,
burn, and destroy everything which flew the
ensign of the so-caled United States OF. Amer
ica." Capt. Semnes then ordered the first
lieutenant to fire gun, and run up the con-
federate flag and pendant. The gun was fired
by the second lieutenant Armstrong, rela-
ton of the famous inventory, and ere its
smoke had cleared away, the stars and bars
of the young confederacy were floating on the
breeze, and the ceremony was complete
Capt Semmes declaring the vessel henceforth
to be known as the Alabama, to have been
duly commissioned. The next step was
formally to engage the crew to serve
and fight under the southern flag, which hav-
ing been done, the men were addressed by
their captain in an eloquent and stirring
speech, in the course Of which he said there
were only four vessels in the United States
navy that were more than a match for the
Alabama; but he said that in an English
built heart of oak as he was, and surrounded
as he then was by British hearts of oak, he
wouldn't strike his newly hoisted flag for any
of the four. OF course this elected hearty
burst of cheering for president, states and
captain, and when it had subsidized, captain
Semmes said the Bahama was on the point OF
leaving for England, and intimated that if
any of the crew repented the step they had
taken Their were free to return in her. This
alternative none would accept, and captain
Bullock and few of the other officers, who
had taken the 900 from England to the
Azores, finding their occupation gone, through
pointments in the Sumter, having gone on
board the Bahama, that vessel and the Alaba-
ma, amidst hearty cheering from the crews Of
both, parted company, the former pursuing
her course back to England, the latter in chase
of Yankee whaler, which she captured and
burned. This was her first prize, and her
subsequent career is now so famous as to rem
der a single remark thereupon supertluous.
1.-THE Alabama's crew receive from the con-
federate government half the value of every
American ship and cargo they destroy, and
each of her crew is now worth several hun
dred pounds. All obligations to them have
hitherto been faithfully discharged in gold.
The Alabama is supplied with coal from
Wales by three sailing vessels thus constantly
employed.
s'The boatswain of the $780, to whom l re-
ferred above, having been superseded by the
late boatswain of the Sumter, returned to
England in the Bahama.
S. NJ. UNDERHILL.