The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-09-13
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wilkes Famous Capture-The seizur
Which Threatened War Between En
gland and America I'm 1861.
II. M. Hunter, I'm Philadelphia Weekly Times.l
On the 1st day OF November Lieut.
d. A. Greer, navigating officer, brough
word to the ship that Mason and Sliden
with their secretaries and families, wer
booked for England by the steame
Trent to st. Thomas and thence by tn
regular West India packet to Southamp
ton. The next day we went to sea
touching at Key West on the Sd. Oh
the 4th we returned to the Cuban coast
and cruising along the northern shor'
awaited further information as to thu
movements of the Confederate repre-
sentatives from Consul General Schu
feldt. 1t was not received, and orders
were given to bear away to the narrow
channel of old Bahama, through which
the Trent must necessarily pass on hel
way to st. Thomas. The point selected
could not have been chosen to better
advantage. Between the coral keys the
distance across the channel was but fif.
teen miles, and no ship could pass with
out being seen by our topsail-yard look
out. Early on the morning of the 18th
the ship was cleared for action.
If the Trent had left Havana on the
7th she was due at the point where we
werc waiting on the 9Th. The distance
was but $40 miles, and the wind blowing
full sail breeze from the southwest
should place the Trent under our guns
at noon. The calculations were made
with exactness, for at IL 40 o'clock the
lookout aloft sung out "Sail ho" Lieut..
X. Randolph Breese, who had the deck,
hailed the lookout and asked for her di-
rection. "Off the port bow, sir, came
back the reply. The San Jacinto was
then heading north, and presently the
black smoke of steamer was deserted
from our decks. When the crew was
piped to dinner the mess-cloths were de-
serted and nearly everybody remained
on deck watching the smoke until out of
the base of the ascending blackness came
the spars, presently the hull and full
shape of the steamship Trent. Until
that moment probably no one on board
the ship knew what the object OF our
waiting was, but as soon as the Trent
hove in sight and her identity was de-
cided there was no doubt of our mission.
Then Capt. Wilkes called Lieut.. Fairfax
into the cabin and gave him his instruc-
tions.
AS if by common consent, the officers
had repaired to their staterooms and
presently appeared in full uniform, with
side-arms. The officers detailed to go
in the boats with Lieut.. Fairfax received
their instructions, and Capt. Wilkes
walked forward to the mainmast and
gave the order, "Beat to quarters. A
few minutes later the officers reported
their divisions, and the guns were run
out, the half-ports triced up and all
preparations made. 1t was ] :15 o'clock
when the boats were called away-Mr.
Fairfax in the second cutter and Lieut..
Greer commanding the third cutter.
Before the boats were showed off the
Trent had steamed well up toward the
San Jacinto, and was in midchannel
when the gun OH the topgallant fore
castle, loaded with a round-shot, was
fired in line across her bows. Imme-
diately the red cross of st. George went
futtering to her peak, but she kept her
course. "Put a shell in that gum"
called cut Capt. Wilkes, "and let it go
across her bows so she may not mistake
our intention this time" The shell ex-
ploded about 100 fathoms ahead of the
steamer, and Immediately her engines
stopped and she rounded to within 200
feet of the man-of-war, and under the
muzzles of our broadside, that would
have sunk her at the word "fire."
There was much confusion on the mail
steamer, and the passengers could be
seen running about the decks in the
greatest state of excitement. AS our
men were going into their boats, Capt.
Moir, of the Trent, hailed us. "What
do you rnean," shouted he, "by stopping
my ship, and why do you do it with
shotted guns, contrary to usage?"
Lieut.. Breese sung out in reply: "We
are going to send boat on board of
you. Lay to-"
At this instant the order to shove off
was given to our boats, and the second
and third cutters went dancing over the
blue waves toward the Trent. Lieut..
Greer pulled up to the port gangway, and
Mr.. Fairfax went to the starboard side
and boarded the ship alone. The first
officer met him as he came up the side
and asked what he wanted. care you
the master of of this ship, sirl"
"No, sir-irst officer.
CT would like to see the Captain"
and Capt. Moir at this instant walked
out of his cabin, and, coming forward,
said, in angry tones, "How dare you
come on board of my ship. What right
have you here? This is an outrage the
flag there (pointing to the red cross
aloft) will make you pay for"
Lieut.. Fairfax bowed and said: CT
have instructions to effect the arrest of
Messrs. Mason and Slidell, and their
secretaries, Messrs. Eustis and McFar-
land. 1 have information that they are
on board, and 1 would like to see your
passenger list.
"For impertinent, out
rageous puppy, give me, or don't give
me, a Yankee. You go back to your
chip, young man, and tell her skipper
that you couldn't accomplish your mis-
sion because we wouldn't let you. L
deny your right of search. Dye under
stand that?"
81 am sorry" quietly returned the
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