The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-01-27
THE BATTLE AT GALVESTON.
shameful Cowardise and Imbe-
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fa's. sf 70 s---d sfih Hai
We copy from the correspondence Of the
New York Times the following graphic ac-
count of tho battle at Galveston, derived from
refugees on the steamer Cambria, which es
capped and arrived At New Orleans on the 7th
We left New Orleans on the evening Of the
3lst of December, with horses, mu'cs and
commissionary stores, two companies OF the
lst Texas cavalry, and twenty five Texan re
! fugees-mcn, wemen and children. We ar
rived at Galveston on the I'd Of January, and
cast anchor about 8 p. m. So extremely rough
and foggy that we could see nothing whatever
at very short distance from the vessel.
The next morning the fog continued un.
abated. and, knowing nothing whatever Of
the disaster that had occurred to our arms
only two days previous, we bosted flag for
a pilot and fred several shots from the only
little gun we had on board, more entitled to
the name Of a pop gun than a cannon. As
We received no reply whatever, and no pilot
came near US, the Captain, about noon, sent
boats crew Of six men to seek for one, and
with strict orders to return Immediately with
or without one Having waited for some
hours without seeing the boat return, much
anxiety was felt, for the sea was still running
high, and it was feared they might have been
swamped.
In the evening, about dusk, four shots wero
fred from the shore, the meaning Of which,
although not then understood, was afterwards
found to have been the enemy firing small
boat, which they thought was coming to give
us information. In the night we fancied we
could discern some small sailing boats moving
backwards and forward inside the bar, and
thought, of course, they were fr ends coming
to us.'
! Next morning, the 4th, as soon as it was
! light, the Captain, suspectng that something
must be wrong, weighed anchor and hoisted
signal for a pilot. Inside The bar was then
to be distinctly seen bark flying the Amcri-
can flag, also two other vessels, IA pilot boat
and river steamboat making for the town {,
:sa eS ess ns ns b but Sa. s Ss ps ats
boat kept running backwards and for wards, as
if sounding the bar, but still keeping a. dis
tance. At LII o'clock, the Captain becom-
ing impatient, raised the American flag 10 the
peak, run up the Union jacket, and put out
as il actually going to sea. Immediately the
pilot boat started after us and our Captain
turned round and, heading for the shore
again. .a'ril .r.,
As the pilot ncarcd US, his maneuvers back
ward and forward were SO strange that the
Captain said be could not bs any pilot at all.
He seemed to be dodging US, and, as he kept
tacking about, we managed at last to cut him
right off aud come close up to him.
0"What water do you drawi" asks the man
10 the boat, who was accompanied by three
others. i, r.-rri a,n hg..sa st-. ,I,.
"Niue fact and half" is tho Captains an
swer.
"There's ten and half on the bar; you
; can 60 in.' ta a,!iiu grbaa'' rlh h'
"Are you the pilot r. a.et +.
"No; he is on board the bark, and has spe
cial orders to bring her out first, but you car
follow me iu."
He then dropped little astern. II hap
. pened, however, that while this coloquy wai
going on, several Of the refugee, on boaId had
recognized the four men in the boat, and hac
given notice to Col. Davis lst Texas cavalry.
that the fellows were all well known rebels.
Col. Davis, on bearing tLis, ordered the pi
lot pcremptorily to come on Coard.
81 don't like TO go on steamer wher'
there are 80 many people," said the man, a
. he commenced to drop of from us.
"Staud TO the bow gunsP shouted the Cap
tain, Ito produce as formidable an effect a
J. possiblo;) and immediately some fifty omi
nous Texan muzzes were ready; any ono o
Q which can pick man's right eye out at a l0t
> yards distance. 'esa a'aea
"Halloa. Capt. PAYNE" shouted half
8 dozen refugees on board "is that you r
u The rascal, taken aback By this unexpected
l. recognition, said; "Who is it that know
me 2" and Immediately added: ats no use
! I'll come or board; I'm your prisoner. ne5
Q When on board, and Col. Davis began I
q question him, he evidently set off with the 10
u tsntion to deceive us in everything. He sal
9 that Capt. Wainright was in command Of tn
u rebel forces; and, when asked about our boat
% crew, who had rot returned, he said the
y were all drunk ashore.
% TIE Captain, know ing that the men b
l. Fad selected were not the ones to be guilty {
such behavior, at once taxed the rebel wit
J, lying. Upon which, seeing that all his sui
'r terfuge could avail him nothing, be exclaim
D ed. swell, may as well tell you the trul
>. nv mother never learned me to tell a lia-th
d place is in the hands Of the Confedcrates -
6, As soon as Col. Davis learned the astoundin
:. fact, he at once deto rmincd 10 retain tho fe
70 low, but allow the other three to return to th
shore, as sort Of blind. while be had time
70 get away. His duty was evident. His bo'
70 was quite unable to cope with ary war steam
err. A vessel, supposed to be the Harrie
Lane, was seen firing up, with intent 10 pu
20 sue, and he was, moreover, running short
le coal. His only alternative was to move Q
,. rapidly a. possible, and he did 90. Us
- Inc prisoner tnen owneu up 10 s~s.ysh;ss
told US that Magruder was in command OF Il
T. rebel forces. although he professed not
O. know their number or strength; declared tn
ho was the identical pilot who directed Il
.e ..e rebel steamer, when she boarded the Harri
H. Lane; and, moreover, that he was on boa
The bark when our boats crew approach'
Up her 10 search Of pilot, thinking her frien'
70 and that he himself seized them and conve
' hs ed them TO shore Ms prisoners. pr.
IN 4 Only imagine one Of our people caught
IL the "cvilized" friends e the London Tin
P with such confession in his mouth, on aoard
'rs rebel craft Would they have afforded hl