Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-02-13

ship Amanda, destroyed IN Sunda Straits by
lie Alubama:
am the chief officer Of the United States
bark Amanda, commanded by lsia Lerbyc
We left Manila on the I'D OF September
bound for Queenstown, inIreland, for orders.
Our crew consisted Of fourteen. including
officers and one female stewardess. Our
cargo consisted Of hemp and sugar. cannot
state the value Of it, but we had full ship,
and the Amanda's tonnage is six hundred
tons. On the 9th Of this month, one hundred
and twenty miles SSW of Java Head, at
=. NJ, saw steamer coming up astern. l
was on deck at the time and Immediately
gave intimation Of the same to the Captain.
At this time we had no ensign up, and when
three miles from US, this steamer, which has
since turned out to be the Confederate
steamer Alabama, fred gun-I believe it
was a blank cartridge. We at once f1oisted
the American flag, never dreaming that the
Alabama was in those waters. She, too,
hoisted the American flag. She then Came
up alongside, under our lee, and hailed us,
ordering us, to back the maintopsail and
saying that she would board US.
Our Captain gave the necessary orders, and
an armed boats crew came on board, with
two officers. They asked the Captain our
ships name, and at the same time the boats
6oaried us, tSes &labaniU charged the Amer
lean flag for the Confederate flag. Our,
Captain gave the ships name, and stated
that she was an American ship, when the
officer informed him that she was prize to
the Confedcratet war steamer Alabama, and
told him to get his papers and report himself
alongside OF the Alabama, at the same time
ordering myself and the second officer into
aie boats. We alfwsns on board the Alabs-
ma, leavingthe prize officer and Ms sreH as
also our own, on board of the Amanda.
When we got on board the Alabama, we were
placed between two guns. The Captain was
called into the cabin before Captain Semmes,
and gave mp his papers. Our ship WAS then
condemned, and we were sent back with or.
ders to bring one bag Of clothing to each
man. Our baggage was all collected, the
Captain being allowed one box, and all was
put into. the Alabama's boats, with the Cap
tain and stewardcss, who returned to the
Alabama. The boat then returned with the
First Lieutenant, sailmaker, boatswain and
carpenter. was then ordered with my crew
to break out the provisions which was done.
This occupied us until halSpast eleven at
night. The main hatch was broken open to
get at the cargo Of sugar, but being low down
we could not get at it. We were then or
dered into the boats and the ship set FIRE to-,
in the following manner: The bedding from
our staterooms was burst open, and the
straw and coir saturated with kerosene oil,
placed below the cabin table, and guam
tity of loose hemp forward was also fired.
We left her, but kept sight Of her till 2
A. NJ. when she was lost to sight, owing
to the weather being thick. There is no doubt,
though, that the ship was perfectly destroyed
At 2 A. NJ, the fires of the Alabama were al
lowed to go down, and the steam let off and
Gail made, standing away to the northward
and eastward. We we've all, except our cap
tain, put in irons and placed in two boats
which were hanging to the dayits. Our cap
tain was placed with the engineers. The next
morning the irons were taken of, and we
were not again ironed. Two days after this,
at p. NJ, we came TO anchor on the coast os
Sumatra, near Flat Point, and lay there till
the 10th, when we got under weigh with stenin
and sail and proceeded through the Straits of
Sunda, keeping close in to the coast Of Suma-
ira. At 4 p. ", on this day, we made the U.
S. clipper ship Winged Racer, and when close
enough for her to be made out as an Ameri-
can ship, the Alabama hoisted the st. George
Cross, or English white ensign The Winged
Racer was standing in shore trying TO come
to anchor, and did not answer the flag.
The Alabama then fred blank shot: the
Winged Racer then hoisted her ensign but
did not "heave to-" The Alabama then fred
another gun, which caused the Winged Racer
to hcave to. The same course was then fol-
lowed as with our ship. The Winged Racer
left Manila shortly after US, and was bound
for New York. This ship, after being con-
denned, was taken into near North Island.
where she was brought to anchor and her pro-
visions brought on board the Alabama. The
| Captain of the Winged Racer received orders
to fit out two of his boats to convey his bag
gage and crew to any place he liked to go to;
our Captain was also ordered To fit out anoth-
er of the boats for himself and our crew. The
boats were fitted and provisioned for about
two days-a bag of bread and four pieces Of
raw salt beef, without means to cook it, some
water, but no spirits. When all the boats
were ready it was about 2 4. NJ, on the llth.
We were then ordered to leave the ship and
steer for North Island, distant about Ave
miles. At 3 A. N. We saw the Winged Racer
on fire. We anchored our boats close into
the shore until daylight. our boat leaking very
bad, and requiring two men constantly to bail
her. At daylight we were obliged to haul QUE,
boat up and repair her. After We finished
this, there were three vessels seen at anchor,
about eight miles off the Island, so we pro-
ceeded to them. The other two boats Of the
Winged Racer had reached them. Two Of
the vessels we're English; one, the Julia, =
full-rigged ship, which we boarded; the 9TH
er's name ! do not know. The third was a
Spanish ship. The Captain Of the Julia took
Captain Cummings Of the Winged Racer,
who had his wife with him, as passenger to
AMER, while the rest of us stood for Batavia,
where our boat reached next day at 10 A. NJ;
one of the Winged Racers boats coming in
there also, at 5 r. ", and the third boat going
TO Anjcr.
On arrival in Batavia, we all went 70 tho
U. S. Consul, who found boarding houses for
US, the crew being sent on board the guard
ship. We were three days in Batavia, when
we were sent up here by the Dutch mail
steamer, in all twenty y-two, leaving behind our
Captain, Captain Cummings and his wife,
and about twenty men. brought q letter
from the Consul at Batavia to the Consul here,
and he has given us an order TO be admitted
into the Sailors Home. What we are to do l
cannot say; none Of US have anything but
few clothes, having lost everything We pos
sessed when taken by the Alabama. The
Alabama stood away TO the northward, and
where she has gone to cannot say.
The crew Of the Alabama are principally
foreigners, viz: French, Dutch, English.
Irish, and almost every nation, and from
what could hear while on board, they have
generally been taken out Of prizes. While
on board, the greater part Of our men were
asked to volunteer: one did; he was
Dutchman. The officers Of the Alabama are
| all Southerners, except one, who is an En-
| glishman; he was prizemaster on board our
shin. The Alabama's S crew consists Of l6O
all told, The crew boast that none Of them
have either been wounded or sick since the
ship has been on commission.
The officers of the Alabama stated that the
| o,rturo of onr yessel and the Winord Racer