Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-11-13

OFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE CAPTURE OF
: 81 THE REBBL Sf1AMERS R. IL. LEE,
CORNTBIA,sELLA AND ANNA. -
The Navy Department recei we'd this morning
the frst detailed account Of the capture OF the
steamers r. f. Lee, Cornubia, and Ella and
Anna, Of Wilmington, NO, which has been
received. From these accounts we CLEAN the
following: H. 1s,.=s.sat s : e.saa
Abou. 9 q. m. of November s, the blockading
vessels off New Inletwere warned BY signal
from TIE Jas. Adeer Of the presence OF a
blockade-runner; and while the Adger pur-
sued the strange craft along the. beach. the
Nippon stood IN to cut of the chase. Escape
Being impossible, the pursued vessel was run
on shore half hour after the chase began. a
half hour later the Jas. Adker, assisted by the
Niphon, succeeded In getting her or uninlured.
The captured vessel proved to be the Cornubia,
enc OF the most successful Of the blockade
runners. She Is q Confederate vessel. and
owned solely by james A. Seldom, OF Rich
mord. - g. -Ust.i e.
Some idea Of the Importance Of this capture
may be formed from the statement Of her mas
ter 10 the commander Of the James Adger, that
though the vessel is small, his Government
could better have afforded to lose almost any
other vessel. From this statement 1t was in
ferred that her cargo was valuable, or that
important dispatches were destroyed. Her
cargo proved to be composed of ammunition,
arms, saltpeter and lead. -ar "-G
Acting Master Breck, Of the Nippon, reports
that he sent in boats to capture those OF the
crew OF the Columbia who were on the beach,
and succeeded. The next morning several
men appeared on shore, making signals 10 be
taken off. Before a boat could reach them
they were taken prisoners by party Of sol.
diers, on whom the Nippon at once opened
fire, killing and wounding several In their
treat Soon after, eight men, making signals
from the shore, were taken off by the Niphon's
boats A quantity of official dis patches, mail
matter, and private and public papers, some
of them of considerable interest and value,
were picked up in the surf by the first boats
crew from the Nippon, having been thrown
overheard or dropped by the enemy. These
papers have been received here, and are Of
great Importance.
The Robert E. Lee was discovered on the
morning of the 9th inst by the James Adger,
aud chase was given which resulted in the cap
ture Of the vessel at ~ o'clock same day. The
X. E. Lee was from Bermuda, and left that
port five hours after the Cornubia. Her cargo
consisted OF PHI large cases and bales of shoes
and blankets, $50 cases Austrian rifles, $50 bags
saltpeter, 81 barrels salt provisions, 30 pigs
lead, &c, &c. Fifty -four OF her passengers Off.
GERS and crew were transferred to the Newbern
and will be sent TO New York for proper dis
position.
The following is 8 list OF the passengers found
ON board the Lee ut the time OF her capture =
g. T.. Stewart, Belgian Consul; Horace H. Web
Der, lieutenant royal artillery: August McIn-
tosh Williamson. agent for Trott Il Atwood.
Bermuda: J. Westmoreland, agent for Joice IL
Co, Londont Luther Barron, W. Hargram
White, agent for business firm in North Gar
olina, and John Richardson. AS will bs per-
ceived, they are all British subjects with the
exception OF White.
The Ella and Anna was also captured on the
9th by the Nippon. She Is a vessel OF 9us tons
burthen, and in good order, with the exception
OF some small damages from shell and grape
Her cargo consis ted Of 4sO sacks Of salt 500
sacks saltpetre, PSI cases Austrian rifles, 500
barrels beef, ~ cases paper, &c.