St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-10

Z DOuL Atftt DtlltN lIUlu TIE scene OF IfllN
engagement. where the river debouches
into the marshes, was discovered a force Of
the
ENEMY IN AMBUSH;
we opened fire at close quarters and soon.
scattered them. About noon we reached
St Marys. much 10 tho relief of our com
rades on the Isaac Smith. who had heard
the heavy firing and were about getting
under way and coming to our assistance
when we hove in sight. In reporting the
affair / took occasion TO refer to the val
liable services of Midshipman Pearson.
which in fire and out of fire he was always
prompt 20 render. Subsequently in the
East Indies. while cooperating with the
English in those waters, he won great dis
tinction and was made by the queen a c. b.
He attained the rank Of commander in our
service and recently resigned greatly TO the
regret OF all who knew the officer and the
man. The next day we returned to Fer
nandina and reported the results of the re-
connoissance 10 the flag officer. We re-
ceived orders that evening TO proceed the
next day with the Seneca, Pembina, Isaac
Smith, Huron and Ellen off the st. Johns
bar and report to the senior officer present
Before receiving the order and soon after
anchOring, several of the gunbOat captains
came on board the Ottawa to confer with
me in relation TO my orders. They urged
me, as the ranking officer of the vessels
designated, 10 represent their earnest desire
10 the flag officer that in recognition Of the
valuable
SERVICES OF THE GUNBoATs,
which he had often acknowledged. he
should give the command of the expedition
(Which had for its object an examination of
the st. Johns river to me. After a thor
ough discussion OF the subject. fully agree
ing with the others as TO the prOpriety of
the request. / went to the flag officer and
briefly stated the purpose Of my visit.
Without entering into any discussion, he
acknowledged that as it was purely gun
boat expedition. and in consideration of the
mand.
All the gunboat captains were highly
gratifed with this success, and their feel
ings were shared by the subordinates desig-
mated for duty. On the morning of March
8 we started for our destination off the St.
Johns, where we anchored before noon the
next day. We discovered guns in an earth
work about mile to the southwark of May
port, obviously To defend the river entrance,
but no men To fight them were seen in the
vicinity. After waiting three days for the
spring tides before making the attempt, we
crossed the difficult and dangerous st.
Johns bar about p. m. Of the 18th, with
no water TO spare under our keels; Capt
Nicholson, in the Smith, crossing half an
hour later, and without pilot. 1 found it
was too late to move further that evening,
so the vessels
ANCHORED FOR THE NIGHT
off Mayport. settlement at the mouth of
the river. About 10 o'clock that night we
several large fires. bearing w. S.
w. from our anchorage. We afterwards
found that they were the burning mills and
houses of Northern men suspected of Union
Early the next morning we
continued our way up the river; finding the
fort at st. Johns bluff abandoned. the Ellen
was directed to anchor off the point and
take on board the guns and munitions of
war found there. After this she was to re-
join us at Jacksonville. We reached that
place without difficulty and found signs of
returning reason at most of the houses
along the river bank. As we steamed to-
wards the wharf to disembark the soldiers,
a boat was reported coming from shore with
a flag of truce. On looking over the rail
into the boat recognized the familiar fea-
lures of Judge Burritt, an old friend from
San Francisco. The Ottawa slowed down,
and as the boat came alongside stepped
forward to receive the judge and his assO-
ciates, who had been appointed by the au-
thOritieS to surrender the town, only request
ing that the property and persons of inoffen-
sive citizens should be protected. After the
formalities had been gone through with, the
judge was invited into the cabin. His first
remark was: "Where the devil did you
come from?" Then followed a hearty
greeting and long conversation. during
which land afterwards from other leading
l learned that the inhabitants de-
sired the
PROTECTION OF OUR FLAG,
and were not afraid of us, but of their own
people. Since this was the general feeling,
it became my evident duty to report the re-
markable change of sentiment to the flag
officer and to ask for an additional land
force. l remained in Jacksonville a day to
restore the municipal government and ar
range for the protection of the place. and
then left with the Ottawa and Ellen to pen
citrate, as far as prudent, the upper waters
Of the st. Johns. We proceeded as far as
Palatka, landing at every settlement, and
found everywhere a desire for peace and
restoration of the Union. The services of
Judge Burritt (who had accompanied mel
were of the first importance on this occa-
sion. He was man of great attainments
and popularity. and a leader under all cir
cumStances. On our way up we had stopped
at Orange Mills, the beautiful residence of
DR.. May. pronounced rebel against all au-
thority but his own. He had fled to escape
the contamination of our presence, leaving
in charge a man named Da Costa, from
whom we purchased at a fair valuation,
frnif 1Apr1fru
for holding communication with the de-
spised Northemers, was, we found on a
subsequent visit, carried off, as we pre-
sumed, through the agency of the owner
A note was sent to the doctor stating our
suspicious; no reply was made, and as we
plainly minated we would take
RETALIAToRY MEASURES
if his reply were not satisfactory. we at
once carried them into effect. On our re-
turn down the river, ten or fifteen miles
below Palatka, boat was observed cross
ing the river. Her movements were so
suspicious that orders were given to over
haul her. Only one man was found in her,
he proving to be the mail carrier of the dis
trict with the bags in his possession. On
opening these, important letters We're found
two among them disclosing when and where
the yacht America and the steamer St
Johns had been scuttled to prevent their
falling into our hands. Thus was obtained
the information we had sought since cross
ing the St. Johns bar. On returning to
Jacksonville we found Gen. Wright, who
was to return next day TO Fernandina, and
who promised to inform the flag officer of
the changed condition of affairs. On the
evening of March II, 1862, left Jackson
vile in the Ellen, with the two armed
launches of the Wabash and the Darlington.
to find the yacht America and the steamer
st. Johns, whose whereabouts had been
discovered as above stated. On the morn
ing of the 29th we found the America scut-