The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-07-03
Pirates in Portland.

the crew Of the pirate Tacony, and their
subsequent pursue and capture, from the
Portland Daily Press: rgo4D -n
Early Saturday morning II was reported
that the Revenue cutter Caleb Cushing had
been surreptitiously taken out of the harbor.
Various rumors were aaoat respecting it.
One was that Lieutenant Davenport, who is
a Georgian by birth, had run away with her.
The cutter had been seen between and 6
O'Clock in the morning proceeding outward,
through Hussey's Sound, towcd by boats. rs
the wind was very light, and from the OBJ
servatory all her movements could be distinct
ly seen. sh -. N
Mr.. Jewett, Collector of the port, was in
formed Of the circumstances little alter 8
o'clock, and before Q o'clock no had three
steamers employed in searching for the YES.
sci and discovering her position. Without
any delay no chartered the steamers Forest
City, Of the Portland & Boston line, tho
steamer Casco and the steamtug Tiger
Mayor Mcclellan engaged the steamer Chesa-
peake, of the Portland and New York line.
Two riaed l2-pounders were placed on board
the Forest City, obtained from Fort Preble,
and two 6.pounders from the Arsenal on
board the Chesapeake. A detachment Of
soldiers from the 7th Maine, under command
of Adjutant Nickerson was placed on board
the tug. A detachment of the 18th United
States regulars from Fort Preble was placed
on board the Forest City, and detach-
ment of tho 18th Maine on board tho Ches-
apeake. the latter being accompanied by
COL Mason and Capt. Henry Warren
Hundreds of our citizens volunteered to 60
in the steamers, who were furnished with
arms by the Mayor, among them the Rev.
Mr.. Lowering, of Park street Church.
II was providentially almost dead calm
and the cutter was able to get out to sea only
10 miles when the steamers sent in pursuit
came up with her and preparations were at
once made for boarding.
The cutter kept up her firing for short
time. when. finding that she would be car
ried by boarding, she Was. deserted after be-
ing set on fire. She burned some time before
the flames reached the magazine, and about
q quarter before o'clock blew up with q
loud explosion, which shook buildings in the
city Before leaving the pirates put the
crew of the cutter of in irons in one of the
cutters boats, and betook themselves to the
Others.
Tho two boat loads Of rebels steered for
Harpswell, but were pursued and picked up
by the Forest City. There were twenty-three
persons in the two boats. The Forest City
also picked up small boat containing Mr..
Bibber, who had been set adriit from the
cutter-he having been captured with his
partner from a small fishing boat Friday off
Damascove Island. Mr.. Bibber informed
Capt. Lisbomb that he was captured by the
schooner Archer, Of Southport, which vessel
was in possession OF rebel crew from the
pirate Tacony. That the schooner came in
Friday and anchored below Munjoy, intend
ing to burn the two new gunboats and to cut
out the Revenue cutter and the steamer
Forest City. This they found themselves
unable to do; but Mt 9 o'clock Saturday
morning they boarded the cutter quietly,
seized the small portion of her crew aboard,
put them in irons, and made their way out
of the harbor through Hussey's Sound, thus
avoiding the FIRE of the forts.
Learning this, Capt. Liscomb Immediately
pursued the Archer, which was making her
way to the eastward as rapidly as the light
breeze would permit, and captured her, find
ing three rebels and Mr.. Bibbcr partner on
board. She was towed up to the city by the
Forest City.
The rebel prisoners. twenty-three in num-
Der, were landed at Fort Preble. The crew
of the cutter were brought up in the Chesa-
peake, and are held until the matter can be
investigated. 81. .
The search on board the Archer revealed
tho fact that tho rebel crew was none other
than that of tho acony. The Archer was
captured by her on the 25th, and the Tacony
was burned soon afterwards, oil her arma-
ment and stores being removed to the Archer.
An examination OF the crew Of the cutter
disclosed the following facts:
Between / and o'clock Saturday morn
ing, two boats filled with armed men boarded
the cutter on both quarters simultaneously.
They were armed with revolycrs and cutlasses.
The watch on deck, when they heard the
oars approaching, called Lieut.. Davenport,
who was asleep in the cabin. He was over
powered by four men and ordered below tho
watch was also ordered below, and the men
below turned out their hammocks and placed
in irons, rebels standing over them with re.
yolvers and threatening them with death ii
they made any noise. One of tho crew tried
to escape through the fore hatch to swim
ashore and give the alarm, but was caught
and secured. The rebels at once proceeded
to make sail, hove up the anchors, and plac-
ing two boats ahead, towed her out through
Hussey's Sound, thus avoiding tho forts
The lieutenant and crew of the cutter, TWEEN
ty in number, were kept below in irons un-
I'll they were ready to SGT fire to her, when
they were put into one of the cutters boats
with their irons on but on being requested,
the rebels threw the keys Of the hand-cufs
on board the boat, and thus enabled the
sailors to release themselves, and pull away
from the cutter. The stores, flags, arma-
ment, &C., of the Tacony were on board the
Archer. t.--
The officers of the pirate Tacony who arc
captured, are Cd Lieut.. @. w. Reed, who
has a commission in the Confederate Navy,
dated Oct, %, 1862, and Sd Asst. Engineer
II. Brown.
The crew of tho cutter refused to tell the
pirates where tho ammunition was, nor could
they find but o small quantity Of the 400
pounds Of powder that was on board. and
the IS rounds Of 80 pound cartridges. This,
with the failure on account Of the wind to
make their escape and join the Florida, lod
Lieut.. Reed to burn the cutter and take to |
tho boats. They are now safely secured in
Fort Prcblo under double guard. Too
much praise cannot be awarded to Collector
Jewett and Major Mcclellan for the energy
they displayed in this matter and to tho cite
izens of Portland for the alacrity with which
they fastened to offer their services. Port
land may we'll DO proud of this achievement,