The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-07-18

cape is furnished by the correspondent of the
New York World:
HAVANA, June II.
General J. c. Breckiuridge, accompanied by
his aid-de-camp, Captain j. Wilson; his faith
fnl war servant, Thomas; Colonel Taylor Wood,
and two Confederate soldiers, arrived at Carde-
mas on the lth instant, in open boat Of about
one ton burthen, from the coast of Florida.
This party, after the capture of the President
Of the late republic, made their way to the St.
Johns river, where they proceeded up that riv
er until they reached a point due west of the
Indian river, near the head of navigation. At
St. Johns, Colonel Taylor W Wood joined the par
ty, having been captured by the command of
General Wilson which captured the President
Il &the Confederacy by accident, but he made
coed his escape the same night.
The small boat was hauled across the coun-
: ry from the ST. Johns to Indian river, dis
taDce Of twenty.s miles, and launched for the
ocean. On reaching point called Gilbert's
i bar, near the mouth of the river, the boat was
i beached and dragged across sandy-s sixty
1 yards aud launched in an inlet communicating
with the ocean. On this part of the route In
dian parties supplied them with scant provisions
of county," of which they made bread For
the balance of the voyage they were compelled
TO live on shell-tish, caught along the shore, and
turtles eggs, OF which they also laid in stores
for their voyage across the Gulf stream.
From the inlet near the mouth Of Indian riv-
er they coased south some fifty or sixty miles,
when they beached their boat to hunt provisions.
At this time United States gunboat or trans
port running down south between the shore and
the Florida reef observed the party, and the
commander dispatched boat from the vessel
to ascertain who they were and what they were
doing there. As the boat began to show her
self, there was some excitement In camp, and
Thomas began to get his weapons ready for use.
They were temporarily located on she'll ridge,
between all impenetrable swamp and the waters
of the ocean, so that if they lost their boat they
would perish IN the swamp. Taylor Wood, with
the cool determination of "Rough and Ready"
his grandfather, ordered his two men to launch
the boat, which was instantly accomplished, and
the others having retired under cover of the
brush, the two soldiers took the oars "wlh a
will, and pulled for the advancing boat which
they met at about one-eghth of mile from the
shore. An officer in the stern seat of .he gig,
with a revolver in hand, hailed the boat with
the usual marine questions. Taylor Wood be-
came Immediately the toughest loDgshore woods
man, wrecker, aud fisherman that ever lived i'll
Florida. "Hls men were paroled soldiers; they
had to live somehow; they were hunting wrecks;
and until they could find something better, they
we're subsisting the rather washy charity of
the sea-shell fish driven on shore and turtles
eggs they meant to get as far as Indian Key,
or possibly Key West; they had boat load OF
papers, if he wanted to see them And the
ready boys pulled forth their parole documents,
which were examined and found correct. "The
folks on shore were Of the same class; bad plen-
ty of papers-tbe same-and were trying to
cook dinner, if they could find any eggs or shells;
wouldn't the captain like to go along ashore
he would be perfectly ocelconae to the best they
had, and Their papers too!' Their hospitality
was declned-the dictum "all right" was
uttered, and, "give too, my boys"-when
away shot the gig on her return voyage to the
steamer-name unknown. The wearled and
half-starved party breathed more freely after
the interview, which had been rather tedious
while waiting for the result. That evening
they left the shore, having on board few dozen
of eggs, cakes Of cumty bread, and few CLANS,
SO small that they might pass for mussels.
They reached the Banks in about thirty-slx
hours, having spoken one vessel and obtained
supply of fresh water the day following their
departure from the Florida coast, and met with
no other incident though terribly perplexed for
want Of food, until they reached Cardenas on
the morning of the 1lth-eight days-where
they were received by the people and the au-
thorites with great kindness, well fed, we'll re-
freshed, aud sereuaded in the evening. The
ladies wished to entertain them in their hospita-
bic homes, which was, of necessity declined for
the want of suitable raiment. The Governor of
Cardeuas furnished the party with transporta-
ou to Havana, where they arrived on the morn
ing of the 18th, accompanied by an adjutant Of
the Spanish army, aud took up their quarters at