The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-03
A Career With Few Parallels in
Annals of Single Ship Action History

sister ship. the Alabama, had shortly
before sliced and burned three Ameri-
can trading ships within Brazilian
waters.
When the Brazilian authorities re-
fused to consider Commander Collins
requests, he. with the aid of the con
sui. determined to take. the Florida
fercibly. or, failing to take her. to sink
her at her anchorage. The task was
not a very difficult one, at Lieut.. Nor
ris, reposing utmost confidence in the
Brazilian government and not think
ing for a moment that the Union com
mander would dare violate the me-
trality of the port, had allowed half
his crew and officers to go on shore,
while he himself took a suite in a hotel
on the beach during the repair period.
A cowardTy Act.
At o'clock on the morning Of Oc-
tober 6, Commander Collins slipped his
cable and. passing the Brazilian cor
vette, smashed the Florida on the star
board quarter. At the same moment,
riflemen in the tops opened brisk fire
on the sleeping crew of the unsuspect-
ing ship and two great guns were fired
at her. The latter was done directly
against the orders of Commander Col
Inns, and is about the only favorable
act on his part during the entire de-
plorable affair.
The night was so extremely dark
that no one on the Florida saw the
Wachusett until she was on the point
Of ramming. Lieut.. Porter, temporarily
in command, jumped on deck in pa
jamas just in time to see several of his
men fall victims of the whitening fire,
and the mizzenmast go over the sid@
as result of the collision. The Wa
chusett. backed away, and Commander
Collins called for the Florida to sur
render or be blown out of the water.
Totally unarmed and unprepared to-
fight, there was but one thing to do
surrender. Giving his men permission
to swim ashore If they desired, Lieut..
Porter rowed to the Wachusett and
handed his sword and the Florida's
colors to Captain Collins. Soon after
the Wachusett took the Florida in tow
and stood quickly out the harbor TO
sea.
Naturally. the Brazilian authorities
We're incensed that the neutrality of
their port had been so grossly violated.
Two men-of-war were sent to catch
the Wachusett and the forts instructed
to fire on her. The Union steamer,
however, made good her escape and
arrived in Hampton Roads some weeks
later.
The Brazilian minister in Washing
ton took the matter UP at once with
the state department. The outcome OF
it all was that the Union government
disowned the act of its subordinate
violated the neutrality of q friendly
nation. Capt. Collins was tried by
general court-martia1 and plead
''guilty7-his only defense being a re-
quest that there be placed on the rec
ord Of the court that the capture OF
the Florida was for the public good,
He was found guilty. and sentenced TT
be dismissed from the navy, which sem
tence was disapproved by the secretary
of the navy over a year after the close
Of the war, September II, 1866.
Mr.. Wilson, the consul who it ap-
peared had given his word of honor 70
the Brazilian authorities that nothing
would happen to the Florida, was dis
missed from the consular service.
Finally, to make an amende honorable.
the L. S. S. Nipsic proceeded to Bahia
on the 23rd Of July, 1864, full dressed
ship in honor of the coronation ami
versary of the Emperor and fired a
national salute with the Brazilian nag
flying at the masthead.
Thus ended the incident which had
it involved an European power would
undoubtedly precipitated war, and pos
sib1y have caused southern indepen-
dence.
The Florida was taken to Hampton
Roads, where she was carefully guard
ed against possible recapture by the
Confederates, and, on November %
1864, she was rammed and badly dam
aged by the army transport, Alliances
So strong was the belief that the ac-
cident occurred through the connivance
of Confederate agents that two boards
were instituted to look into the mat
ter. Shortly after, the Florida wa &
towed to Newport News, where No
vember %, 1864. she sank in nine
fathoms of water.
Thus brought to close the brilliant
career Of the famous little Confeder-
ate ship-a career that has few paral-
lels in the annals OF single ship action
history.