Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-11-25
From the roston Advertiser, Nov. Q.
CAPTURE or THE FLORIDA.
EuIl Account aT tr,e Gallant angr

rived at Bahia, BAY Of San Salsndor, Brazil,
October 9th, havingcaptured and burned the
bark 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 first anchored
in the otfing. The Brazilian Admiral inme.
diatCly sent her message requesting her to
come inside, which sho did, anchcring in the
midst Of the Brazilian feet, and close under
the guns OF the principal fort, which is loca-
| ted upon an island in the middle Of the har-
bor
Certain parties in Bahia, which is com.
mercial city of considerable importance. with
one Of the best harbors in the world, being
| interested in American affairs bcstirrcd
themselves to bring about an engagement be-
| tween the Wachusctt and the Florida, firmly
confident that the result Of such an encoun-
ter would be another Union victory as com
plctc as that won last summer in the British
! Channel. On the morning of the 9Th Of DC
tohcr they carried challenge to Captain
| Morris, Of the Florida, to move outside the
| limits OF Brazilian jurisdiction and fight the
| Wachusctt. The rebel commander declined
to receive the missye which the Brazilian
informalty in it's address.
All efforts ON the part Of outside parties to
bring on naval battle in open water between
tho two vessels proving unavailing, Captain
! Collins promptly took into consideration the
other means which suggested themselves for
Kidding the seas of this most dangerous enc.
my of our commerce. In the evening of the
same day above mentioned, Thursday, Oct.
| ha lI,. IF Ia Iphp nj IN
the subject. An important element in the
consideration was the fact that the convent
ent harbor Of Bahia has three openings into
tho Atlantic, by any of which the Florida
could make her escape whenever the dark.
ness Of the night favored her purpose, with
out the possibility Of one Union vessel pre-
venting it. II is stated that the council of
officers were also possessed Of Information
that the Florida had repeatedly seized and
burned American ships within three. miles OF
the coast of Brazil, in defiance Of every law
Of neutrality, without the slightest objection
Of any soit being made by the Brazilian au-
! thorties Taking into consideration all the
! facts in the case, the council advised, with
but one dissenting vote among all the officers
of the Wachusett, that the scheme proposed
of seizing the rebel cruiser at her anchorage,
should be carried out. Captain Collins i'm.
mcdatey gave the ordere for accomplishing
the design agreed upon, saying that with the
very deepest regret he felt that tue conduct
of the Brazilian Government in permitting
| piraces within the shadow of It's shores had
made the step an impcrativcly necessary one.
1t may be remarked here that it was found,
after the seizure Of the Florida, that ar.
rangcnents had been made FOR her escape
from the harhor on the very next night, FOR
a new career Of depreciation upon our ship.
ping. ..
The preparations for the encounter were
made with great celebrity and complete sccrc.
cy, and at about three o'clock in the mora.
ing Of Friday, Oct. 7, the cables were slip
ped, and the Wscbusvt bore down upon the
rebel vessel under full bead of steam. So
little expectation was there Of such pro
ccedng that one half the officers and crew
or the Florida, 70 in number and including
! Captain Morris, were carousing on shore and
| the remainder, having just returned from a
similar absence, were in no condition to re.
pei al assault. The llorida's officer Of the
| deck supposed tie collision which he saw to
be immincnt 10 he merely accidental, and
cried out, "You will run into us if Won don't
look OUT The design of Captain Collins
was simply TO strike the Florida amidships
with full steam on, crush in her side, and
send her to the bottom beyond the possbili,
ty of causing further trouble to any one.
The Nachusett, however, did not strike
h,r adversary fairly, but hit her in the stern,
carrying away the mizzcnmast and main
yard, The Florida was not seriously iuiur
ed by the collision, but the broken sb&S fell
across the awning over her hatchway in such
manner as to prevent her crew from getting
on deck from below. The rccol which fol.
lowed the shock carried the Wachusott back
several yards. In the confusion which en-.
sued several pistol shots were fired from both
vessels, chiefly at random, and entirely with
out effect. Two Of the guns of the Wachu.
sctt were also discharged by accident, accor
ding to ono rcpcr.,an rs another version has
it. by order Of one of the Union licutcnants
The shots did not strike the Florida.
Captain Collins, Of the Wachusctt, imme.
diately Numbered out demand to tue rebel
craft, " Surrender, or will blow you out OF
the water" The lieutenant in charge Of the
Florida may be excused for considerable
amazement, but still had presence Of mind
to reply, Under the circumstances, sur
render" Without The delay Of an instant
dozens Of the gal!an, tars boarded the pfize
and made fast a hawSer connecting her with
their own vessel, and the Wachusett turned
her course scaward, moving al the top OF her
speed and towing the Florida in her wake
The feet Of Brazilian vessels, which en-
tircly surrounded the little space Of water on
which the brief battle had been fought, was
so situated that the two American steamers
We're obliged to pass under the stern Of one
oi the largest in order to penetrate their line.
The Wachusett was challenged. but did not
deign word Of reply, and the Florida when
hailed and commanded to halt moment af
ter, replied that a pause was impossible rs
she was towed by the vessel in front The
Brazllians soon guessed the state Of affairs,
and in another moment or two, the heavy
guns Of the fort nndcr-the v,ry muzzles of
which the capture had been made, opened
fire on the Wachusctt as she disappeared in
the morning darkness, the shots that were
fired after her all passing harmlcssly far
above her pennant, and striking the water
beyond. #
To the reader t seems that all this must
have taken a considerable time, but the tes.
timony Of careful officer Of the Wachusett,
corroboratcd By the surgeon Of the Florida,
assures us that from the time the Wachuse,t
first slipped her cable and steamed upon fh9'l
rebel cruiser to the moment when the echoes
OF the last gun from the Brazilian fortress
had died a. ay, was only twenty minutes by
the watch. Certainly n, page of history can
show a more daring achievement, or one ex |
ecuted with more brilliant rapidlty or more
complete success.
The Brazilian naval commander in Bahia !
harbor acted with all tbc promptncss which
could have been expected, and in few mo |
ments 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
small armed steamer, neither Of them any
match in point Of speed FOR the han,liwork Of
New England mechanics, and soon gave up
the chase, as the Union aud rebel steamers
disappeared below the horizon.
Captain Collins ordered the ship TO heaye !
to and examined his prize. lie found that
neither vessel was materially damaged by the
collision. and that there had been no injury
to lle or limb from the confused FIRING which I
followed IT, Twelve officers and fifty eight /