American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-11-16
The Pirate Florida.
Descrintinn of the Vessels.

red and thirty-three days from hanpooh,
nut into port in distress, with her crew
down with the scuryy. She was supplied
with nineteen men from the Kearsage,
and would sail in a day Or two for New
York The bark Mondamon from Rio
was captured by the Florida.off Pernam-
buco about September Sth, and burned
This was the only American vessel cap
tured by the Florida since her departure
from Teneriffe.
The following is brief account of the
circumstances of the capture of the pi-
rate: The Florida arrived at Bahia, Bay
of San Salvador, on the night of the
7th ult. Captain Collins, having held
consultation with his officers, deter
mined to sink the Florida in port. Ac
cordingly at about three o'clock the cables
we're slipped, and the Wachusett steered
for the Florida, hitting her on the quar-
ter without doing great injury. Captain
Collins now called out to those on board
to surrender or he would sink her. This
demand was replied to by the First Lieu
tenant that, " under the circumstances.
he surrendered" A hawser was now
made fast, the chain slipped, and the
Florida towed to sea. In the melee sew
eral pistol shots were fired, andaccidently
two guns from the Wachusett. Captain
Morris and half the Florida's crew we're
ashore on liberty. No lives were lost.
The Florida was taken completely by
surprise, seventy of hermen it was known,
being on shore, and the others just re-
turned from liberty, were asleep and half
intoxicated The blow given the Florida
by the Wachusett carried away the miz-
zen-mast and main-yard, which fell on
the awning and preventing any one from
getting up from below. So unconscious
was the officer of the deck Of the iuten-
ton of the Wachusett's Captain that he
sang out, "You will run into us if you
don't take care" at the same time calling
for a light. Twelve officers and fifty
eight of the crew of the Florida were
captured The Wachusott and Florida
were to leave St Thomas on the ID inst.
for New York.
The gunboat Wachusctt, which has
performed the signal service Of capturing
the pirate Florida, was built at the Bos-
ton Navy Yard in 1862. Her engines
were built by George Quintard, at the
Morgan Iron Works, in this city. The
Wachusett is n screw sloop-ot-war Of the
second class, Of l,032 tons register, aud
carries battery of ten guns. She was
launched on the 10th Of October, 1861,
and her first service was in the flotilla
which aided the army in the operations
against Yorktown, Va, in May, 1862,
On the 18th Of May, 1862, she participa-
ted in the attack upon the battery at Dru-
rvs Bluff, known as Fort Darling. In
1868 she was the flagship of Admiral
Wilkes in the West Indies and on tho
25th of March, of that year, she captur-
cd the Dolphin, blockade-runner; she
also captured the blockade-runncr Virginia
the sale of both vessels netting over
100000. During the present year she
has been employed on special duty on
the coast of Brazil. Her capture OF the
Florida will place her name prominently
on the page of our eyentful history. The
following is a list of her officers, taken
from the Nayy Register :-Commander
Napoleon Collins, Lieutenant Commander
i. A. Beardslee, Surgeon VIM. King,
Assistant Paynaster W. w. Williams,
Acting Master j. A. Simpson, Ensign
E. NJ. Sheppard, Acting Ensigns n Lud-
low, c. ]. Barclay; Acting Masters
Mates, G. r. Haskins, r. Rich, j. Heth-
orington Enginoers-Chief, w. H.
Ruthford; Second Assistants, G. w. Mel
vile, NJ Knapp, Il. Lincoln; Third As
sistants II. D..McEwen, II. S. Stedman,
j. A. Barton; Boatswain, John Burrows;
Acting Gunner, John Russell.
The Florida sailed from Liverpool on
he 22d of March, 1862, under the name
f the Oreto, and arrived at Nassau, n
p, in April, where she received her ar
nament &c. On the l4th ofJune, 1862,
she was seized by the British steamer
Greyhound, but was soon released On
the 9th of August 1862, she left Nassau,
and proceeded to Green Bay, where she
was fitted out for cruiser, herstores, &c.
being brought to her by the English
schooner Prince Alfred She ran into
Mobile on the 4th of September, 1862,
and was struck by shot several times from
the guns of the Winona and Oneida, and
ran out on the 18th of January, 1868
After doing much damage to American
shipping, she went into St Georges Chan
mel, in August, 1868. InSeptember she
entered the French port of Brest, and on
the 18th of that month was detained by
the French Government. Soon after
wards she ran out. On the 10th of Ju-
ly, 1861 she captured the steamer Elec-
trio Spark, bound from New York to New
Orleans. For atime she was a consort Of
the Alabama, and acted in conjunction
with her in cruising She was comman-
ded for long time by Lieut. j. n Mafit,
but for the past~year or more she has been
commanded by G. Marringault Morris,
formerly of the United States Navy Ow-
ing to the many changes in the list of of
fcers of the Florida, no accurate list can
be given until the arrival of the Wach-
usett and her prize.-PHs. Com.
WHAT THE Sun DoEs.-Leaving out
Of account the eruption of volcanoes, and
tho ehh and flow of the tides everv mo-