The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-27

S0Afeu bu0 udy uelOre tO get fettuy
for cruise in search of the Tacony. She
had taken aboard her powder. and waited
for the next day to take in her shot and
shell; so we were informed by the crew.
Our gunner Mick Pride by name, from Mo-
bile)..who safterward escaped from Fort
Warren, found one 32-pound shot in the
potato locker, which he carried on deck.
Our little breeze died away and Read or
dered all hands below to get what rest they
could. I was at the helm and small
guard was left over the prisoners. L1euten-
ant Read on going below told mo to call
him if anything turned up. 1t was, as far
as can remember, about fodr bells of
the forenoon watch. while l was looking
astern and whistling for breeze that l saw
what looked to be steamer coming out.
and as 1 thought heading for us. I called
Read, who came ON deck. and after looking
at zier while said he guessed it was the
Boston steamer bound out. He went below
again, telling me to keep my eye GU her. l
shortly discovered another steamer astern
of her, also coming out, and on looking
through the glasses at the nrst steamer saw
crowd of soldiers on the upper deck.
Immediately called our commander. and on
his reaching the deck. and after one glance
the decks for action. The thirty two
FOUNDER was loaded lit was located amid
ships)a and the order given to put the helm
down, the gunner and crew in the mean
time training the gun to get range on the
steamer. The cutter would not mind her
helm. Hard down. shouted Read jump
ing toward the helm lizard down it is"
answered. 20 for six knot breeze and
few shot or shell :" cried Read; 1--WE would
show them some fun If We had had a
| good working breeze, and shot or shell
sufficient for the 32-pound gun. the yankee
steamers would have never got back to
Portland, or any other port. The steamers
were directly in our wake, and when Read
| saw that we could not get an effective shot
| at them he said I'VE will give them a
scare anyhow The gun was trained as
| far aft as possible, and the order given to
fire. Nick Pride pulled the lanyard and
when the smoke cleared away both steamers
| were broadside to. as if turning back, and
we gave yell, and shouted load her up
| again." but we had nothing to load her
with. We had plenty of powder, but harry a
| shot or she'll. Read at once gave orders
| to set fire to the cutter and abandon her.
| The prisoners were brought on deck. put in
| two boats, given the keys to their irons and
/ turned adrift. l jumped down into the
| cabin and proceeded to break UP the furni-
/ ture and collect the bedding to set on fire
| The man who was assisting me came near
| causing me to be cremated with the cutter.
| He had got hold of can of camphene and
| sprinkled it over a mass of broken furni-
| ture and bedding and in going up on deck
| sprinkled il all over the steps of the COM
| panionway. When the order was given to
| set fire struck match and in an instant
| the whole cabin was on fire. rushed for
| the con.panionway and when | reached tn q
deck was pretty badly scorched, ely ebrows,
| lashes and mustache singed, and face and
! hands pretty well blistered. At this time
all hands were in the boats with the excep
| ton of the gunner and myself. He had
| gathered up lot Of scrap iron. nails,
spikes, etc., with W hich he had loaded the
| gun for
PARTING SHOT.
| Although the steamers were dead astern
| and not within three or four points of the
range of the gun, they both stopped when
| the last shot was fled. We pulled away
| from the cutter and lay on our oars, know
ing that it would be useless to try to get
away. Read ordered us to throw our arms
overheard, and every man stood up in the
boats. un buc killed. their belts, to which were
attached our revolvers and cutlasses, and
dropped them over the sides. and suppose
they are still lying at the bottom of Port
land bay. Read then produced shot bag
of specie, which he divided among us. Our
next act was to tie white handkerchief to
our boat hook and await our fate. The first
steamer had been steering directly for US
- L. l. - /. L 4 ~
cutter. The other stopped to pick up the
| crew of the cutter. We noticed 4 hat when
| the first steamer got near us a DETACHMENT
of soldiers on the upper deck had their
muskets aimed directly at us as if about to
fire, but an officer sprang in front of them.
with drawn sword. and they at once, came
| to shoulder We were ordered alongside.
| a rope was thrown to us and We were taken
on board. I wish to state how we were ta-
| ken on board the steamer. One man at a
| time was allowed to come over the side
| He was searched and then his arms tied be-
hind his back with piece of rafting stuff
| and placed under guard before another was
| taken on board. There were not less Than
300 soldiers and armed citizens aboard the
| boat. We were in hopes that the Archer,
which was in charge of Bob Mullins of New
|
ment, but no such good luck for Bob, as he
| was cruising along in shore, working his
| way out, he was startled by shot across
| his bow (he says it went between the wheel
and the afterend of the cabin and conclud-
| ed that it was best TO down helm and heaye
| 10. But before the yanks had time to board
| HIM he put his wheel through about dozen
| fine chronometers that that had been
| taken from different vessels which we had
| destroyed. Neither of the steamers attempt
| ed to go near the burning cutter, and it was
not long before the fire commune ated
| with her magazine and she blew up.
| We were soon landed at Fort Preble, and,
under a strong guard we were marched up
| to the fort The road was lined with an
eager crowd of men, women and children
who come over from the city. Some of
them greeted us. with ieers and groans.
while some would ask. How does your
necks feel, Johnny Reb:" Others said,
HANG THE PIRATES"
and made other such remarks. We all
breathed great deal easier when we were
| inside the sallyport of the fort. Major An
drews, who was in command of the fort,
stopped the mob at the saliyrort, saying to
them. SHANE on you, citizens of Portland.
You do not know how to treat a captured
foe."
That night a mob of citizens and the
rolice force of Portland came over to the