The Republican journal., 1896-01-16
n Plucky Prlvateer.


TERROR ON THE NEW ENGLAND COAST.
HIS DARING DEED IN THE HARBoR OF
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES SCORE OF
VESSELS, But CAPTURED AT LAST.
Try Robert H. Woods, Chief Clerk, Office
Naval War Records.
On the 9th day of May, 1868, the Amer
lean blig Clarence, bound from Rio de
Janeiro to Baltimore, with cargo OF cot
fee, was captured off the coast of Brazil
by the Confederates States steamer Flori-
da, Capt. John n. Matfitt Confederate
States navy, commanding. Lieut.. Charles
W. Read, Confederate States navy, an officer
of the Florida, young MissisSi ppian of
scarce % years, filled with a patriotic de-
votion to the cause of the Conlederacy,
Immediately proposed to take the Clarence
with crew of twenty men and proceed to
Hampton Roads, Va. and there cut out a
gunboat or steamer, with which it was his
intention to go ON a raid against the Fed
eral commerce. Capt Matfitt granted his
request, gave him howitzel with ammu-
milton and equipments, and the necessary
small arms tor a crew OF twenty men, and
bade him God speed. Read was accom-
panied by Second Assistant Engineer L.
II. Brown, so that altogether he had
twen1y-one meu besides himself.
lit ltlllittilittly Sii"pSt HIS NouloS loi
the capcs OF the Chesapeake Bay, drilling
his crew and preparing them for the ardu
Gus service which was expected OF them,
and keeping the men busy making wooden
guns as he sailed northward, to supply in
appearance what he lacked in reality
OF the Windward Islands he chase Il
several vessels, but failed to overhaul
them on account OF the inferior sailing
qualities OF the Clarence On the 9th of
June. in latitude .33 degrees and 80 MIMI
ties north, longitude II degrees and %
minutes west he captured and burned the
bark Whstling Wind OF Philadelphia,
bound To New orleans with coal for Rear
Admiral Farragut's squadron This YES
sci had been insured by the United States
Government for Sl4, SOC. On the It'll of
June he captured T. schooner Alfred Ii.
Partridge OF New York. bound to Malta
mOIas, Mexico. AS this vessel was load
ed with arms and clothing for citizens of
Texas the captains bond for s., 600 was
taken as a guarantee for the delivery of
the cargo to loyal citizens of the Con
federate States and she was allowed to
proceed on her journey. On the 9th OF
June the brig Mary Alvina, from Boston
to New Orleans, loaded with commissary
stores was captured and burned.
From the prisoners and papers Of the
Whistling Wind and Mary Alvina, Read
gained information which convinced him
that it would be impossible for him to
carry out his original intention, as no YES
sells We're allowed to 90 into Hampton
Roads unless they had supplies for the
United States Government, and even then
they were closely watched. The vessels
lying at the wharf above Fortress Monroe
We're guarded by gunboat and sentries
on the wharf, whilst just outside of the
fort there We're two armed boarding steam
ers which inspected everything entering
the bay, from dugout to a frigate He
then determined to cruise along the coast
and try to intercept transport for Fort
ress Monroe, and with her to carry out
his original design.
On the morning OF the 18th of June. in
latitude 81 degrees north. longitude - de-
greeS 30 minutes west, almost in sight of
the capeS OF the Chesapeake, the bark Ia
cony, in ballast from Port Royal, 5. c., to
Philadelphia, and the schooner NJ A.
Shindler of Philadelphia We're captured
The latter was burned, but Read, who
was as full of eXpedients and resources as
Paul Jones himself with the quick eve OF
seaman, saw at glance that the Tacony
was better Sailer than the Clarence, so
he determined 10 burn the latter and take
the bark ton his purposes. He immedi-
ateiN set to work Io transfer his gun and
his small arms to The Tacony, as time WAS
short, and he was almost III the presence
OF the enemy. ANY one familiar with the
sea can appreciate the difficulties of such
an operation on the rolling deep. While
the howitzer was being transferred a
schooner was discovered coming down
before the wind. Passing near the Clar-
ence, wooden gun Was pointed at her,
and she was commanded to heave TO-
winch she did Immediately. She proved
TO be the schooner Kate Stewart Of Phia-
delphla AS he was then short OF pro
visions and had over fifty prisoners ON
board he determined TO bond the Kate
Stewart and make cartel of her He
bonded her for the ''sum of 81 600 paw
able to the President of the Confederate
States thirty days after the ratification of
treaty of peace between the Confederate
States and the United States He then
burned the Clarence and M. A. Shindler,
and gave chase to a brig. which proved to
be the Arabella OF New York. This vessel
having neutral cargo on board, he bond
ed her for $50, 600.
Up to this time the Federal Government
had no knowledge that Read was off the
coast, destroying the commerce of it's citi-
zens, but on the 18th of June Capt Nun
day, of the bark Tacony, having been
landed from the cartel Kate Stewart on
the coast of New jersey, took the train to
Philadelphia and, arriving there at 3 p.
M, reported that there was pirate off
the coast, and all the scenes which he had
witnessed the day before. The news was
at once telegraphed to the Navy Depart
ment at Washington, and Immediately the
telegraph wires waxed warm with olders
to Admiral Lee, commanding the North
Atlantic bic ckading squadron, and to the
commandments of the Boston, New York
and Philadelphia navy yards, to send out
vessels in pursuit of the .'prate." 1t
may be well to explain here that this was
the generic NJ me used by the Federal
Government and its citizens for all Con
federate cruisers. 1t was misnomer.
for pirate is ''hostis humani generis, -
while the Confederates only made war on
the L nited States Government and its citi-
Zens. However, it matters little hat YOU
call your enemies in war time.
Nothing illustrates better the power and
splendid resources of the United States
Government at this time, and the mag
nlficent discipline of the Navy Depart
ment, than the fact that notwithstand-
ing they were blockading with All iron cor
don a coast of > GOO miles and uccIlpyinv