The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-11-15
From the Boston Advertiser. Nov. ..

day morning, that the arrival of tn
famous steamer. Kearsarge at this por
had brought the intelligence of tn
capture, in Brazilian waters, by th
Union gunboat Wachusett, of the notC
rious cruiser Florida, sent a thrill c
surprise and delight through the con
munity, even in the midst of the ex
element and anxiety of Presidentia
election day The joyful news sprea,
over the city like wildfire, and was tn,
universal subject Of discussion and o
mutual congratulation, until the inter
ests of the Congressional and nationa
elections seemed almost to be forgotten
In comparison. One of our reporter
/ paid visit to the Kearsarge during tn
day, and by the kind courtesy of he
officers, Payrnaster ]. A. Smith bein;
| especially obliging, was enabled t
obtain a detailed account of the singu
lar affair in the bay of Bahia, compris.
ing all the particulars which are aces
sible to the public
The Confederate war steamer Florida
arrived at Bahia, Bay of San Salvador
Brazil, October 5th, having captured
and burned the barque Mondamon
from Rio, off Pernambuco on the 2Sth
of September. The United States
steamer Wachusett, Captain Napoleon
Collins, had been lying several days in
the port of Bahia, and the Florida at
first anchored in the ofing. The Bra
lillian Admiral Immediately sent her a
message requesting her to come inside,
which she did, anchoring in the midst
of the Brazilian feet, and close under
the guns of the principal fort, which is
located upon an island in the middle of
the harbor.
Certain parties in Bahia, which is a
commercial city of considerable impor-
lance, with one of the best harbors in
the world, being interested in Ameri-
can affairs, bestirred themselves to
bring about an engagement between
the Wachusett and the Florida, firmly
confident that the result of such an
encounter would be another Union
victory as complete as that won last
summer in the British Channel On
the morning Of the 9th of October they
carried challenge to Capt Morris, Of
the Florida, to'move outside the limits
of Brazilian jurisdiction and fight the
Wachusett. The rebel commander de
clined to receive the missive which the
Brazilian residents had prepared on
account of some informality in its ad
dress. During the afternoon of the
same day Hungarian citizen living in
Bahia, and sympathizing with our Gov
eminent in its struggle with rebellion,
waited upon Captain Morris and cnN
deavored to induce him to consent to
an action between his ship and the
Union gunboat, but without success.
Capt Morris, however, stated that if
he happened to fall in Mith the Wachu
sett during cruise, heshould willingly
engage in q contest with her, but that
on no account would he consent to
leave q safe harbor for the express
purpose of having an engagement
all efforts on the part of outside par
ties to bring on naval battle in open
water between the two vessels proving
unaVailing, Captain Collins promptly
took into consideration the other means
which suggested themselves for Kidding
the seas of the most dangerous enemy
of our commerce. In the evening OF
the same day above mentioned, Thurs
day, October 9th, he called council of
his officers to debate the subject. An
element in the consideration
was the fact that the convenient harbor
of Bahia has three openings into the
Atlantic, by any one of which the Flor
ida could make her escape whenever
the darkness of the night favored her
purpose, without the possibility of one
Union vessel preventing it 1t 8 stated
that the council of officers were also
of information that the Flor
ida had repeatedly seized and burned
ships within three miles of
The coast of Brazil, in defiance Of every
law Of neutrality, without the Slightest
objection of any sort being made by the
Brazilian authorities Taking into con
all the facts in the case, the
council advised, with but one dissenting
vote among all the officers of the Wa
,husett, that the scheme proposed OF
selling the rebel cruiser at her anchor
ige should be carried out. Capt Col |
ms Immediately gave the orders for
accomplishing the design agreed upon, |
laying that with the very deepest regret /
ne felt that the conduct of the Brazil /
an Government in permitting piracies |
within the shadow of its shores had /
made the step an imperatively neces- |
AIRY one Ii may be remarked here |
hat it was found, after the seizure of
he Florida, that arrangements had |
been made for her escape from the har
DOR on the next night, for new career /
# depreciation on our shipping
The preparations for the encounter
we're made with great celebrity and com /
)lete seeresy, and at about three o clock ,
IN the morning Of Friday, October 9TH, /
he cables were shipped, and the Wa
,husett bore down upon the rebel yes
el under full head OF steam So little /
expectation was there of such a pro.
,eeding, that one half the officers and /
rev OF the Florida, seventy in num-
Der, and including Captain Morris, were /
,arousing on shore, and the remainder,
having Just returned from a similar ab- /
ence, were in no condition to repel an 4
.ssault The Florida's officer Of the
leck supposed the collision which he
aw to be imminent to be merely acct
lental, and cried out, "YOu will run
nto US if you don't look out The de-
ign Of Captain Collins was simply to
trike the Florida amidships with full
team on, crush in her side, and send
Ter at once 70 the bottom beyond the
'ossiHlity Of causing further trouble 70
ny one The Waehnsett. however.
lid not strike her adversary fairly, but
1T her in the stern, carrying away the
nizzen mast and main yard. The Flo
ida was not seriously injured by the
bat the broken spar fell across
be awning over her hatchway in such
manner as to prevent her crew from
citing on deck from below.
The reeoii which followed from the
hook carried the Wachusett back sew
raj yards. In the confusion which en-
ned several pistol shots were fred from
9th vessels, chiefly at random, and en-
rely without effect Two Of the guns
the Wachusett were also discharg-
1, By accident, according 10 one re-
ort, and as another version has it, by
rider of one of the Unicn Lieutenauts.
ne shots did not strike the Florida
Captain Collins of the Wachnsett i'm
numbered out demand to
10 rebel craft, Surrender, or 1 will
.o8 You out of the water The Lieu
.nant in charge Of the Florida may be
Ecused for considerable aEhazsment
At had still presence of mind TO reply, -
Under the circumstances i surrender
'ithoutthe delay of an instant dozens