The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-03-21
Letter from Captain Waddell, Late Of tbs
Sd EN- NANDOAHs
IRON, fba Mohila Nau-s

From the Mobile News
gentleman of this city has received q letter from
captain Waddell formerly in command of the cruiser
Shenandoah, dated December 9th, Waterloo. near
Liverpool, from which permitted to make such
extracts may be of interest to the general public
The captain appears to feel bitter disappointment
the result of the late war. He says that the
south has played false to her causehe has very little
respect for herhe does not believe she in
est-she will never again take the field, etc. Regard
ing himself he says
| am now in exile but far from being ruined man
won't go to any if l can help it. The feel
ing showed towards by the restriction placed on
my wife is decided 1t is just the feeling like,
though the tyranny to her is humating to the nature
of man. | have written her to release her bondsmen
and inform the government that she her 8legi-
ance to her husband. As my now stands l do
not think the bond is worth the paper it is written
In a court of law, know it would fall
You have seen Mr.. Welles' report, l suppose. He
does me justice when he writes that ceased my
depredations when l heard Mr. Davis was prisoner
He wilfasLly lies when he writes that l continued
cruising against unarmed whale ships when Tknew
that the armies of the south had surrendered" The
facts these
After reaching Behring's sea, I captured the ship
William Thomson and brig Susan Abigail; both had
left San Francisco in April last These captures were
made about 23d OF June, and from each received San
Francisco papers Those papers professed to have
the correspondence between generals Lee and Grant
concerning the surrender of Lees army They also
stated that Mr.. Davis and cabinet in DanvEe to
which the Confederate government had been removed
and that Mr. Davis had issued proclamation INFORM
ing the southern people that the war would be carad
with renewed vigor.
was made possessor of as late news by thest. two
captures any the Whaers had, and continued my
work until it was completed in the Arctic cceqn on
the 28th of June, when had succeeded in destroying
or dispensing the New England whaling fleet | left
the Arctc IN the Doth Of Tuna and CHI mad
from Of the whaers eight men on thai uer$ day
of intelligence, all trained soldiers IL il noL
to be believed that those would have taken SER
vice in the Shenandoah if they believed the ended.
After leaving Behring's sea, fell in with no vessel
until communicated with the British bark Barracouta
from San Francisco I'd August, II days boung for
Liverpool. She informed of the capture Of Mr..
Davis and part of his cabine also of the surrender
of generals Johnsons Smiths and Magruder's armies
The Barracouta furnished that news the first time
had heard it, and instantly ceased to cruise, and
steered for Cape Horn .a-'
Before communicating with the Barracouta Iintend-
ed to look into the gulf of Lower California and then
await the arrival of California steamer bound for
Panama. s ta .-
The Barracoutas news surprised us, and among
of the officers witnessed terror which morti-
fed me- was implored to take the vessel to Austria
liza; that to try to reach European port w0ull be
fatal to all concerned petitions signed by 5ree
fourths of the officers, asking to be taken to fape
Town, arguing and pcturing the horrors of car&urc
and all that sort of stuff. | called the officers and
crew to the quarter deck, and said calmly t5 item:
I intend to take this ship to Liverpool; know here
risk be run but that has been our associate M this
time. We will be sought after in the Pacific an not
in the Atlantic"
They supported my views, and then followed latter
from the crew-signed by II out of 1l0-saying they
had confidence in me, and were willing nay desired
to go with me wherever thought best to take the
vessel. | had Of course, very anxious time, pain
fsy anxious; because the officers had set bad exam
pie to the crew. Their conduct was nothing ess than
mutiny. 1 was very decided with some of them;
had to tell officer that would be captain or die
on the deck and the vessel should go to no other poFt
than Liverpool. So ended my trouble with complaints
and supplcations from the officers The men be-
haved nobly, and stood firmly to their decision.
When the ship 400 miles from the Azores, q
suspicious looking vessel was seen ahead, and aopa
renty lying to- waiting for US to up with her. 1t
was sunset the wind very light and my suspicious be-
ing aroused, seered my steadily until dlrk
ness closed upon us and then I wore ship and stood
southwest till steam could be gotten up-or had
banked fires since parting with the BarracGuta.
1t took two hours to get steam up; when it was ready
tufed sals steered due east for l6 miles, and haled
on my course steanling for leo miles. believe she
was Yankee cruiser She was only six miles off
when night came on, but evaded her successfully.
The Shenandoah, under sail, is a sixteen knot ives
sci; under steam, nine knots; fine sea craft. She
ran from the Arouc to Liverpool IN l5O days from
the line the Pacific eide to the Cape in % days
from the Cape to the line the Atlantic in % days
and from the line to Liverpool in "a days. Two of
my crew died of disease when near Liverpool other
wise nothing happened to cruises no aGciqent
occurred during the cruise.
So ends my naval career-and am called ''rraae!n
made New England suffer, and do not regre4 it.
cannot be condemned by an honest thinking man,
surrendered the vessel to the British government and
all uncondtionaly released. My obstinacy made
enemies among of the officers but they now. in
wardly regret their action in the Cape Town afltir.
This letter bears evidence throughout that captain
Waddel did not write it with view to publication,
but presume that neither he nor his friends will
object to seeing in print the portions that We lave
selected.