The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-11-16

hailed and commanded to halt moment
after, replied that pause was impossi-
BILE, as she was towed by the vessel ir
front. The Brazilians soon guessed the
state Of affairs, and in another moment
or two the heavy guns of the fort, under
the very muzzles of which the capture
had been made, opened fire on the Wa
chusett as she disappeared in the morn
ing darkness. Three shots were fired
after her, all passing harmlessly far above
her pennant and striking the water
To the reader it seems that all this
must have taken considerable time, but
the testimony of careful officer on the
Wachusett, corroborated by the surgeon
| Of the Florida, assures us that from the
time the Wachusett first slipped her ca
bic and steamed upon the rebel cruiser
| to the moment when the echoes Of the
died away, was only twenty minutes by
| the watch. Certainly no page of history
can show more daring achievement, or
| one executed with more brilliant rapidity
or more complete success.
The Brazilian naval commander in
Bahia harbor acted with all the prompt
ness which could have been expected,
and in few moments the dawn Of day
disclosed two vessels of the Brazilian
feet doing their utmost to pursue and
| overhaul the Wachusett and her prize.
They were heavy sloop-of-war and a
small armed steamer-neither of them
any match, in point Of speed, for the hand
iwork of New Ei gland mechanics, and
soon gave up the chase as the Union
and rebel steamers disappeared below
| the horizon.
| Captain Collins soon ordered the ships
to heave to, and examined his prize. He
found that neither vessel was materially
damaged by the collision, and that there
had been no injury to life or limb from
the confused firing which followed it
Twelve officers and fifty-eight men of
| the Florida's crew were captured, and
| all her stores, papers, records, &c, were
found undisturbed in the cabin. The
| two vessels soon steamed for ST. Thomas,
| arriving here on the goth ultimo, and
finding the Klearsarge already in port. 1t
was intended to keep the matter at Ba-
hia a secret at st. Thomas, but it was
accidentally revealed by seaman Of the
Wachusett to one of the crew Of the
Kearsarge, and some hints of it got wind
in the town, causing great excitement
there The Florida remained outside the
bay, while the Wachusett entered to Oh
tain COAX
Acting Assistant Paymaster W. W.
Williams, of the Wachusett Surgeon
Charlton, of the Florida and sixteen of
the crew of the privateer, were transfer
red to the kearsarge, which sailed Octo-
Der 81, and arrived here at midnight en-
Monday, as previously reported. Pay.
master Williams, being charged with
dispatches for the Government, left by
the earliest train yesterday morning for
Washington. The Wachusett and Flo
rida were to sail from St Thomas on the
% instant for New York, where they
may now be daily expected
The crew of the Florida is composed
of Englishmen, Irishmen, Germans, &c,
and contains no citizens OF the rebel
States Among her officers, however,
there are several Southerners. Surgeon
Charlton, who is now on board the Kear-
sarge, is a native of Georgia. He was
before the war an officer in the United
States Navy, and was stationed for
several years in Chelsea. He has many
ac9usintances in Boston. He was here
on the day Of President Lincolns first
election, and left shortly after TO tender
his services to the Southern Coniederacy.
He is gentleman in appearance and
manner, and not reluctant to speak Of
the circumstances Of his capture and the
condition of our national affairs. He
wears the full uaiform Of the rebel naval
service, of plain grey cloth, with the
rank indicated by shoulder straps, as in
the Union costume.
Surgeon Charlton expresses full con-
fidence that his captivity will last for only
very limited period, believing that the
whole affair will terminate as did the
seizure of Mason and Slidell three years
ago. If the demands which he thinks
will be made by the Brazilian Govern
ment are disregarded by our authorities,
he looks for an endorsement of the claims
by the Governments Of Great Britain,
France and Spain in such manner as
to compel compliance. The rebel officers
profess complete indifference as to the
result of yesterdays elections. They
| say that the North entirely mistakes the
universal sentiment of the South, which
they affirm will never consent, on any
terms, to restoration of the. Union.
They declare an unshaken confidence
in the ultimate triumph OF their cause,
placing their reliance on the intrinsic
| advantages of their position in a mill
tary point of view, moving constantly on
interior lines. They argue that volun-
teering is entirely at an end in the
North, and that the conscription cannot
be enforced here while the rebel army is
kept up to a fighting standard by steady
recruiting, and has a reserve always on
hand of three hundred thousand negroes
capable of efficient military service.
Surgeon Charlton estimates that the
Florida has steamed over forty thousand
miles since she left. BreSt, not having
spent ten days in port in nine months. -
During her career she has captured about
forty American vessels.
SPEECH FROM LINCoLN-THE ELECTION
NEWS IN WASHINGTON.
The Abolition clubs of Washington
went to Lincoln's White House on
Thursday evening, and, after firing off a
cannon, proceeded to hurrah, etc, until
the Gorilla came out and made the fol
lowing speech:
1t has long been grave question whether any