Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-29
BY TELEGRAPH.
For --latest Dispatches see Second Paoe.
BloeKading Operations on the Florida
COast-NiOIatiOn Of Flag1 of Trure

Oo"st-ViOlatiOn OF Flags of Truce.
WAsHINGToN, April 28.-The navy depart
ment has received dispatches from acting rear
admiral Bally, dated Key West the 2lst, of a
boat expedition OFF the coast of Florida, be-
tween the mouth of the Swanee river and
Anaote Keys Their first operation was at
Bayport.
The Sycamore remained in the ofinp TO
prevent the escape of the rebel vessels. The
main object of the expedition, Notwithstanding
the untavorable weather, was handsomely ac-
complished
The sloop Helen, OF Crystal river, loaded
with corn, was burned, and then the boats
made movement toward a large schooner at
anchor inside, loaded with cotton, said to
amount to three hundred bales, but were ar
rested by the fire of a two gun battery on the
shore and a number of riAemen concealed in
the woods.
brisk engagement of half an hour ensued,
and the enemy were driven from their guns
and rifle pits with some loss. Fortunately
the enemy's aim was so wild that their shot
went mostly over the heads of our party, and
but one man was hnrt on our side, and he not
seriously. This action seems to have been
conducted with GOODNESS and judgment, and
to have been fought with spirit and brayeness
Meanwhile the rebels had set fire to the
schooner, and the engagement was continued
on our SIDE by Smelling the woods until all pos
slOlllty OF their eXtinguiShing the flames had
disappeared, when, as our object had been ac-
comphshed, and as several of our guns had
been disabled, and as the pilot gave warning
that the tide would soon leave the boats high
and dry, they retired beyond range of the bat
terry and waited there until the masts of the
schooner fell, and until the vessel herself had
been entirely consumed.
The expedition then proceeded to the Chas-
sahowltzka river, thence to Crystal river, and
| thence to the HomoSassa, the Withlaco0che,
and the Wakassa, but the vessels were SO
much delayed by head winds and currents,
and by the sluggiShness OF one-of the launch
es, that they necessarily made but slow pro-
gress; only seventy-fye miles in five DAYS,
| and consequently the news of their coming
preceded them, and of course nothing was
found within their reach along the coast.
The same causes prevented their effecting
surprise or extending their operations to the
| Suwanee river.
Master John Sheriff., commanding the
barque Roebuck, makes report of an unfor-
| tuuate affair, in which acting master James
| Folger and the launch crew of eleven men
| were engaged, and which resulted in the death
OF two men-ThomaS King and Ralph b.
Snow-and the wounding of six. 1t seems
that Sheriff., having heard that a vessel was
loading with cotton at st. Andrews Bay, sent
| up his launch and crew to reconnoiter. For
some reason, Folger, in charge of the party,
made a landing; the boats crew were fired
upon by a large guerrilla force with fatal eff
feet, and barely escaped with their lives, Fol
ger himself paying dearly for his incautious-
ness As the report shows, the landing was
i'll advised.
There is an official confirmation of the re-
port that our flags OF truce were violated at
Gadsden's Point, Fla, by rebels clothed in
female apparel with blackened faces. The
Beauregard and Johoma the next day were
sent as near the battery as possible, and both
vessels commenced firing on the town, hitting
some OF the houses, but what damage was
done could not be ascertalned.
The schooner Onward was cut out in
Oclockney river by the boats of the u S.
bark Amanda. The work was CALAMITY per-
formed, with but few casualties. The rebels
made spirited resistance. The expedition
resulted in the destruction of their vessel
The bark Gem of the Sea, on the Sth of
April, captured English schooner Maggie
Fulton Of Nassau, trom Greeu Turtle Buy
Abaco, while attempting to run the blockade
at Indian River inlet, east Florida, loaded
Win a general cargo.
The United States steamer Huntsville cap
tured the confederate sloop Minnie, with thir-
teen bales of cotton from the DELLA river,
Florida, bound to Matanzas.
Acting lieutenant commander w. G.. Rog-
ers communicates the fact of the capture of
the British schooner Ascension, of and from
Havana, for the Suwanee river with an as
sorted cargo. She was taken after being
fired upon several times in a chase of two
hours.
The schooner Teresa was also captured.
She sailed under British colors. Among 9TH
er captures on the Florida coast are the
schooner Annie B, the British schooner Clip
sey, and the schooner Matte