The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-29

Extract from official records Of the
Union and Confederate navles. Series /,
volume 2. Operations of the cruisers Jan.
l, 1853, March 81, 1854. Pages 1885,
Report of Lieutenant Commander Meade,
United States navy, commando. g cha ter
ed steamer United States Of the cond
cruise of that vessel In the search for the
Confederate States bark Tacony
Unitd States Steamship United States,
Off New York, July l, 1S63.-Admiral: r "a =
ing coaled ship for fifteen days, l eft the
dock at 1870 p m. Of the 9th ult., ard
running through Long Island sound,
reached Woods Hall, in the Vineyard, at
a. m (28th).
l then sent in a boat, having 50 arrang d
in New York that the latest position of
the Tacony should be telegrap ed to me
at that point. Hearing nothing new, 1
continued my course around e G Pc AMI
was off Chatham lighthouse, at no n me
day, having averae ed twelve knots per
hour in the run from New York. He
boarded the revenue cutter NJ iris cru s.
ing, and informed her comm nder of the
news in regard to the Cushing, W ich
Commodore Radford sad csnt me mo-
ment before leaving Now York At l p.
m. fell in with pilot boat No Of B sto ,
and learned that the Gushing had teen
cut out of Portland harbor by II CO US
crew the day before, and that st m $
had been sent in chase of her l imme-
diately steered for a point to the e St
ward of Portland running at full S eed
aud cruised all night and part of the next
forenoon to leeward of the pcr.. H Ii g
nothing from the vessels owe. hauled dur
ing that time 1 determined 10 run for
Portland, and anchored there at p m.
(29th). The Mayor and Collector Jewett
visited the vessel and showed me the Ia
cony's log, captured on Saturday, in he
schooner Archer, by which ii appeared
Tacony, and fearing destruction if lien
in with by our cruisers, Read transferred
his crew, etc, to the Archer on Friday,
and then burned the Tacony. This oc-
Cured in latitude As degrees % minutes
north, longitude 81 degrees so minutes
west.
l telegraphed to you for Instructions
upon learning all this), but hearing that
1 might be delayed overnight by awaiting
an answer determined 10 steer for New
York direct.
The private leg of Read was also cap
tured. 1t commences with the cruise of the
steamer Florida af,e leaving Mobile, and
contains the cruise of the Clarence and
Tacony, or rather Florida No 2
From positions of this log 1 have strong
reasons to believe that Read expected TO
meet Maffitt in the Florida off Nantucket
about goth ultimo, and was rather disap-
pointed that he did not do so. At least the
tenor Oh TINS reindlKaOle journal taVOrS
that surmise. l deem this information of
great Importance, and therefore did not
confide it to the telegraph, and enjoined
upon Mr.. Jewett the necessity of keeping
1t from getting abroad and also that of
this log to the navy depar ment as it oon-
tains- valuable Information.
In conclusion, Admiral, although too
late to participate in the affair off Port
land, the cruise of this vessel has not |
think, been wholly barren of results. The
bold attempt Of this 2ring rebel had well
nigh succeeded. Had he ESCAPED from
Portland (which, l am Inclined to think
he would have done had he found the
ammunition in the CUTTER he must have
been overhauled by this vessel next day,
as 1 cruised directly to the eastward Of
him, with the wind due INST. l can not
help regretting that l did not fall in with
him, as in that event Capt. Read and the
crew of Florida No 2 would scarcely be
prisoners of war in Fort Preble.
l am, Admiral, very respectfully,
Richard W. Meade, Jr.,
Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Navy
Rear-Admiral II. Paulding, u S. Navy
Commandant Navy Yard, New York
P. Spy the log of the Tacony it now
appears that this vessel has four times
crossed her tracks and at one time mass