The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-01-07
Destruction of Rebel Salt WOrks-Captare of
BLOCKADE Misunderstanding of the Toscn of

Destruction of Rebel Salt Works-Captmre of
Blockade Misunderstanding of the Town of
st. Andretcs.
WASHINGTON, Jan. G.
The Navy Department to-day received the
following despatces:
u. s. flagship San yacinto, Hey Vest, Dec
2S.-Hon. G. Welles, Secretary of Navy
Sir:-I have the qualification of reporting a
very important service performed by the
blockadng force at ST. Andrews Sound, un-
der command of Acting Master VIM r.
Browne, in destroying very extensive and
valuable Quantity of salt works, both at St.
Andrews Bay and Lake Ocula. The circum-
stances are as follows :-On Dec. I'd boat
was despatched from the bark Restless to
Lake Ocula, where Acting Ensign Jas. j.
Russell landed with his men and marched
some five miles inland to the Kent salt works
and utterly destroyed them. There were six
steamboat boilers at the place cut in halves
lengthways, and seven kettles, each holding
200 gallons. They were in the practice of
turning out 100 bushels of salt daily. Be
sides destroying these boilers, large quantity
of salt was thrown into the lake. Two large
fiat boats and six OK carts were demolished,
and seventeen prisoners were takes, who were
parolled and released, as the boat was too
small to bring them away.
On the 10th of Dec, Acting Ensign E. Gus
sey arrived at ST. Andrews Sound with the
stern wheel steamer Bloomer and her tender,
sloop Caroline, having heard of the expedi-
tan to Ocula, and placed his command at the
disposal of Acting Master Browne for more
extensive operations. Accordingly thirty
officers and forty eight men we're sent from
the Restless to the Bloomer, and she proceed
ed to West Bay where the rebel Government
salt works were first destroyed, which pro-
duced 400 bushels daily. At this place there
were twenty-seven buildings, twenty-five
large boilers and some 200 kettles, all of which
were destroyed, together with 5000 bushels of
salt, and store houses containing some three
months provisions, the whole estimated at
half a million dollars.
From this point the expedition proceeded
down the bay, destroying private salt works,
which lined each side for distance of seven
miles, to the number of 1913 different estab-
lishments, averaging two boilers and two ket-
ties to each. Five hundred and seven kettles
were dug up and rendered useless and over
200 buildings were destroyed, together with ~
wagons and five large fiat boats. The entire
damage to the enemy is estimated at 100000.
Thirty-one contrabands employed at these
works gladly availed themselves of this oppor-
tunity to escape, and were of great service in
pointing out places where the kettles were
buried for concealment.
While these operations were going on Act
ing Master Browne got under way in the bark
Restless and ran up to the town of St. An
drews and commenced shelling the place, and
30 houses were soon reduced to ashes. No
resistance was offered throughout the affair.
(Signed) T. BAILEY,
Acting r. A. com'dg.
U. S Flag ship San Jacinto, Key West,
Dec. 2S-HoN. G. WELLEs, Secretary of the
Navy: Sir-It gives me great pleasure to
call the attention of the Department to very
IN Saryiea narfnr,nad hxyf ha
Fox, tender of the San Jacinto, under Act
ing Master Geo. Ashbury. On the Goth of De-
cember, steamer was discovered, apparently
at anchor in the mouth of the Shawnee river.
The Fox Immediately beat up towards her I'M
til within about three-quarters of mile of The
steamer. She grounded in s l-2 feet of water
and opened upon her with a Hewitzer, at the
same time sending an armed boat to capture
her. An attempt was made to intimidate our
men by mounting piece of stove-pipe on
chair, to represent forecastle gun, and log
of wood on camP-stool for stern gun but
this device of the rebels failed in its object,
and Ensign Jackson boarded the steamer
She proved to be side-wheel steamer paint
ed lead color, with two masts and a walking
beam engine. Neither cargo, personal effects,
papers or anything to indicate her name was
found on board. She is supposed to have
been the little Sila. The water was found
running Tapiuly INTO Tue engine room, which
could not be stopped. Under these circum-
stances, Ensign jackson set fire to the vessel,
and in returning to the Fox, pulled up all the
stakes by which the channel was marked out
for about one and half miles.
Again, on the oath of December, a vessel
was discovered by the Fox standing in for the
Shawnee river, aud after chase of two hours
and the firing of several shells, she was hove
to. Being ordered by Mr.. Ashbury to send a
boat on board, the stranger put his helm up
with the intention of running down the Fox,
and came down on the starboard quarter car
rying away the davits, but doing little dam
age, as the Fox was kept away. While his
vessel was passing of, Mr.. Ashbury directeda
rife shot to be fired for the purpose of intimi-
dation, but a heavy sea was running at the
time and the bullet took effect on the captain
of the strange vessel, passing through his leg.
She was then boarded, and proved to be the
British schooner Edwin, from Havana, with a
cargo of lead and salt, and was seized as
prize. In addition to these achievements.
would remind the department that the Fox
was one of the three tenders that assisted the
Honduras in capturing the British steamer
Mail. Respectfully,
lSignedl T. BAILEY,
Acting Rear Admiral Commanding East Gulf
Blockading Squadron.