Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-11-19
THE CAPTURE OF TdE CONFEDERATE STEAM.
Err FLORIDA.

Err FLORIDA
The following version Of The cIptufe Of the OOnfeds
rata slsamer Florida, which is now lying at FSrtrts
Monroe, ia Iom q b. z Ian journal;
ASA. n, on the Oh OF 0JiobGr, the steG mer Flor
ida. Ct The Confederate s atss of N.r.n America, ar
rived At Bahia, from Santa OTtS aud Tsntr " in 81
daVa She q INTO This port 10 lake cal a1d I've
lions. la the night ti6e tie Unittd States sIeAme,
WscausstI was outsiGs the hAIbor, va ching the Fori
de. and she came Ia aid made preparations TO capture
ar. Ia the morning the WscbuJttt came near the
F..rids, and here ban 10 resistance, al III ;er Was
sent on board, who commanded the crew Of
The Florida 10 suiFtndtr. TGtre we're bat feN
men On board, aud the vessel was NOT In G state OF
Ssrspos. onlJ a lev email cannon b,iDg on the
do,ks, The CEc E in charge OF The florida stated that
4 a n ros on board the Waohuss,t was muth larger IAN
ts own, a. the gFsaWr pGt,on o. his command uas alb
ssu, aud hat o. 10 Nss Ia q loreign porI they had n
\, b, 20 NEEDLE with his steamer. There was much
sIeiismsnt on hoard the steamer, soon after The tficeI
Of The WAchussts LETT, the y, ridA steamed toward tie
sno a in order 10 get TIE Protection of she Provinces, ara
abo Ma AZ once hrsd on ~ the Wschuseti, which TO-.
10 sed her. The IfReer in Charge OF The Florida thu
stA. ed, In answer 10 Q second summons 70 surrender bis
vessel that he would give II Up. because he had no
force "a lAl 10 the one brought against bic and that the
Clp.ain and q large portion # me ofhssrs and crsN
WeIe en- shore.
The vessel was then sci 4 by the Waehusett and the
report OF her capture Was quIcGly tpr,ad through the
city.
The next day an officer Of the Florida notified the
oSmmAnaer Of the Wscbuset that he had no right 10
capture the Florida in Lha, port, and that the Bar ian
q vsrnmeal would demand an 4, Z planation oil his coursd
shat tas D TT Was free 10 ali Vessels, and that the cap
tars Of such vessels sh,u d be made outside. Toe eff.
esTa OF The NGchrS Il lremaIked the JournsD % z d
cite + .orida in the light, In the same manner % q slave
ship : z d the negroes Of AtIioa; and the BIZ ziian
Government would Insist on Ice tight 60 scG TOW aid atch
vessel, as ths Government Of Fan Q had when the KsAr-
slge ana AlADsmI we're obi sd TO fight outside OF the
haFbor.
The seizure caused great eIotemen among the peo-
pe o, BIh.S. The American Consul, NJ. Wilson, hear.
ing of he action Of The President of the Province, sent
60 tie representative Of the Bro lillian GJvsrr ment, in
order to prO.Gss SO inst IL, or to '6,ct q change in the
decision. The whole fault lay Ia the Wtcau5ett, az ste
had Violsiei The laws Of the Province.
After &C z ng the vessel, she was tied 10 the Wachu
sett, whose Commander at once prepared for sea. The
ANAL guns OF the florida and the crew were removed
to the W4ctus cit, and a portion Of the engines wire
aiken away, in order 10 prevent her escaping. As sic
Sas going out, the p tp 0 gathered on the shore, and
b ,tteries we're leVellsd at tho vessel. Some of the men
on tho Wac usett then fred rasolvers at the spectators
whch increased The eIcitemen'; but The vessel left the
pr,
Wschusett, the crew acted very qlietly, out the men
of the Wachusett endesVored in vain to make thtm
act olherSise. They declared that if they bad the
arms OF their opponents, anu ms II Wnole crew IN BOARD
they would not let Themselves be captured. A fire was
then Liz in the Florida, but tie sailors ex.inguished Il.
Be ore the capture the Two vessels made signs to fight,
but they we're stopped by the Cficors Of The Pfo'ince.
Previous TO the seizure, four sailors of the + .orids
ret ,ed the shore. and ftreen jumped ia,o the water,
BAT they we're rescued by several vessels. Wbtn the
American Con nj heard The report of the firing from
the Wachusett, no got up in the night time aud had it
stopped.
Toe q csr Of the Florida, when asked to surreDder,
at opcs threw his sword into the water.
OomusrdT Morris, Cf the Florida, has sent 9 com
uuuicatiUn TO the President OF the Province, thanking
him for The # Iris be made to prevent her o,p.uEs In
a neural part aud prote sting against hes 90 Elre.
Tue matter Is a serious one, and may be SO regarded
bT tie Brsz Ian Government.