Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-06-24
INTELLIGENCE
visit of our special Fleet to Havana.
HAVANA, june 6, 1860.
A spECIAL SQUADRON.


Nv. sailed from Hampton Roads on the
morning of Wednesday, the 18th OF May,
reaching Charleston on the 10Th, aud
Port Royal the following morning.
Here the monitor Canonicns, the Fan
kee and the Wanda were added. The
SQUADRON, having cOaled, sailed on the
morning of the 23d In search OF the
Franco-Spanish rebel ram Ohnde, better
ter known as the StonewaIi, the capture
or destruction OF which was the prIma-
~, and, indeed, the sole OBJECT Oh the
expedition.
Havana, being the last place at which
she was heard from, WAS OF course our
immediate place OF Destination.
As rapidly as practicable, the Special
moved southwark the monitors, espec--
iaIy the Monadnock, nobly ploughlng
the brine and steaming finely against
the Gulf Stream The Monadnock Is
the best seagoing of our wooden vessels
of the screw pattern.
OFF HAVANA.
at two D. II. of Sunday, the 2oth,
tbs Cuban coast was seen little to the
westward of Mafanzas; and at sunset
the entire squadron lay IN the citing IN
fulI view of the city Of oranges and cl-
CARS. The picture from the sea was rlch
with grandeur. The mountains IN the
BACKGROUND were mellow and majestic
In the lambent light OF the setting sum-
The Cabano, e Morrow and La Punta,
representatives OF the home government,
frowned darkly aid angrily upon us;
while every window of the city looking
seaward was radiant with golden glory,
borrowed from the departing god OF
day, as though to hail our coming. No
vessels being permitted to enter or leave
the harbOr between sunset and sunrise,
the Special must needs drift about
outside until the rising sun should bid
us enter.
IN PORT.
Early on the morning OF Monday. the
26th. we passed close under the walls OF
old Moro, and moved up the harbor In
open order. the monitors following next
alter the flagship. The approach OF an
American fleet, with monitors, had been
siQnaled from the tower OF FL Moro the
previous ,iay, and all Havana was On
tiptoe to see these iron-clad monsters
of the deep. Tho quay and shipping,
all along the city front, was one dense
mass OF human beings-of oil ranks,
colors and couditions-who had come IN
wild haste, hatless and coatless, from
bank and bar and brokers boards, from
parlor, counting room and store, crying
out in wild excitement ''Look look )!
'sThere come the monitors = ''How
formidable they look ~ 'sAny one OF
them could whip the Stonewall in less
than halt an hour - ''rruly these
Americans are devils y ''Hurrah for
the brave American nation ~
Scarcely had the Monitors anchored
ere Dearborn covered boats, by the hum
dreds. hocEel from the shore, on either
side of the pent-up harbor, bearingiall
descriptions of human freight, and
much that beggared description, aud
swarmed around the monitors. The
ferry-boats. too themselves the result
of American enterprise, built IN Phlla-
delphia.) ran out of their course, that
their officers and passengers might have
q closer and clearer view of these 'tcon-
centrated hells, as one OF their: poets
styled them, n an efusion inspired by
the occasion.
THE SToSEwALL.
But these were far less a matter OF
curiosity 10 MS than the Stonewal,
which Law In an arm of the harbor, in
full view from our anchorage, with little
evidence of life about her, and without
q flag to tel her nationality. And what
flag could with propTiety cover her?-
Not the rebel rag which has flOated de-
iiantly on land and seas for the past
four years; for the flaming sword of
Justice and the roaring artillery of right
eous retribution have consumed 1t
Not the red, yellow and red bdndera
bearing the royal crown and escutcheon
of Spain; for SPAN claims not her own
ership. She is bat an illegitimate Off
spring OF sensual passions bastard
child of base ambition, without coun-
try, without home, without owner, and
now without purpose.
PARTICULARS OF THE TRANSFER OF THE
sToNEwALL To THE SPANISH AUTHoRI-
TIES.
The rebel Captain Page, who brought
her across the Atlantic, finding the
cause OF his rebel master defunct, and
that rebel leader himself prisoner IN
petticoats, with the charges OF treason
and assassination hanging over his head,
deemed discretion the better part of
valor," and made an Intellectual attempt
TO sell her TO the Spanish authorities at
Havana. Regarding her as a doubtful
investment, these officials treated the
proposition with mprited disdain, and
stood aloof from her Finding this
scheme improbable, Page succeeds it
with a second, IN which he proposes TO
deliver his vessel over to the Spanish
authorities on deposit. in consideration
OF an advance of sixteen thousand dol
lars fS16 J00), with which to pay off his
officers and crew, and with the condition
that said authorities should in no case
deliver her over to the United States or
any representative thereof. This prop
osition was also rejected but, after be-
ing modified by the omission of the con-
ditiOn, and by the consent of Page to
have the sum named paid directly to the
officers and crew instead of to himself,
was agreed to, and the sum above named
was advanced, the ram being received
thus on deposit until some proper au-
thority should demand her.
s. The home government was immediate
II informed by the Captain General of
the steps taken, and this information
accompanied with the recommendation
that the Stonewall be delivered over
to the United States government on de-
mand.
Such was the state ofaffairs upon the
arrival of Admit Godon. Such has been,
in substance, the course pursued both
by Page and the Spanish officials at