The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-19
PRIvATEERS AND PIRATES-ARMED CRUZ
sERs IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

1t is the custom of the fippant writers for YAM
kee newspapers to stgmatize the armed cruisers Of
th Confederate States and all who serve on them,
rs pirates; and there is end TO the bowling
Whenever a vessel is burnt while pursuing her way
througa the blue watess. They do not seem to con-
slider the grounds for retaliation We have in the nu
moEoua instances OF burning, plundering, devasta-
ton and rapine committed by their armies upon
Southern sell, but depounce plyateering as an out
rage against civilization and cali Justify for the
hanging when caught of every officer and man en-
gagged in the business. Some Of their agents, how
ever, take more sensible view of the matter, in
the of Captain Winslow, of the Kearsarge, who
pafoed the Alabama prisoners; and as it is not
customary TO parole pirates, it is reasonable to sup
pose that he did not look upon them such. The
Northern people, at the opening Of the war, pro-
fessed 10 be fighting for the Union framed by the
revolutionary fathers. They have great reyer-
enoe Tor the Union-these Yankees-though SELF
interest is at the bottom Of it and every infant
among them is first taught to lisp Stars
and stnpes,' bunker Hill,'' Yorktown"
and other enshrined words, while the first
music is Yankee Doodle and Hail Columbia. Now,
the Confederate Government has the example OF
those same revolutionary fathers for fitting up and
~sHu4he iOitI u upon
WHAT Yankee sehoolboy, We ask, is not familiar
With CT history of the Bon Homms Richard and
Lei fearless commander, John Paul Jones We
have been much interested, recently, in the pel,sa
OF history OF the private armed ship Marquis La
fayette, which appeared in the pages Of the pir-
9'"a Historical Register, in lS4s and especially as
We publish to-day the opening of "BoHENIAN's"
description Vi the Tallahassee's cruise] it may not
be inappropriate to reproduce brief condensation
ef II here:
ine narrative commences with a detailed state
let Of the difficulties attending her construction.
she "as built within half u mile Of Suffolk, on the
Aahsemond river, Virginia, in October, 1850, and
hssei at Portsmouth but, before completion, she
was seuttled and sunk twice to keep her from the
h'hdS Of the enemy Being again taken up the
NaiSeinond, Captain Joseph Meredith assumed the
command, and after much difficulty in procuring
sealen TO navigate her, the night OF the second
Vi thiid Of May, 1881, an attempt was made to run
Through he British heet in Hampton Roads, which,
lhonsh extremely hazardous proved eminently sue
SeAA'Ui Alter getting to sea, Captain Meredith de-
eaed to get into the first port, and, accordingly
iaae ior the Delaware and made land little to the
'''n o. Cape Henlopen Upon coming up with
NPe, INC Marquis was chased by large
''''Sh ingate, but escaped. and made her way
Hsode Island without accident. Here she
completely armed and fitted with twenty -four
tA''' ana one hundred and forty men, with which
'a proceeded on cruise to Charleston, South Ca
''iAa' which was occupied by the British. Within
miles Of the bar, she captured British brig Of
hundred tons, with cargo Of dry goods, worth,
" "aI hins, In the United States, three hundred
N n''y thousand dollars; and on the sams day.
P'u'sa Two other vessels OF great value, burned
aAa' with the brig and the sther, proceeded for
Ae Island The trip Was not made without din
10y ior on the way she was chased by the British
sea ps blonde and carysfort, but succeeded in
them both, and arrived safely at her dssti-
.ap'ain Meredith Afterwards made another cruise /,
wv We sailing qualities d the ship had besn i'm