Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-24

'"i lf'N I charleston.
Mr. Mason and Mr.. Sldcil met at
Riohmoud on September - aud re-
c"ivod their hual instructions. Mr..
Mason did not wish any of the mem
"''S of his own family I" accompany
MN on tho mission he was under
taking Nr Slidcll. however. was 10
%" accompanied 10y his wife, two
daughters and Young SON.
Su"rcS>fniiS Runs BInrkndc
In tn" party. also. were MIR l:us-
rs the secretary al MIR. Slidcu. and
also Mrs. Eustis ana Mr.. James Mae
;arland. who was to I've Mr, Masou's
secretary. ON tho night OF October
IL the commissioners and the other
members of their party succeeded in
getting past the tire" steamers. the
fTiGatc and tho Sloor OF war tina,
w"r" hlockadinE the harbnr of Char
lesion
Th" escape was facilitate hv tho
i"ct that they pat out from Charles
ton in a small river boat. the COR
don. which was chartered for the
rurp"s" and which. drawing only
some seven feet az water. could safe
~ max" the passage Of tho bar
IN" Gordon (also known as the
Th"odora), lcft Charleston at mid
night. after III" moon had gone down
and tn" escape was also helped bv
the fact that rain began TO fall.
ON" may we'll picture the suppressed
excitement that must have animated
Ia" participants in this strange adj
venture and Ia" feeling of relief
when finally tn" little boat In an
hour or SO after passing Fort sum
ter got fairly well out. leaving the
enemy ships behind.
Reach NISSAN October H.
OF course. ;he Gordon was only To
convey tn" commissioners and their
party - som" port. at which passage
could. he taken ny some regular mail
steamer to England Nassau wa.
reached ON October II, but il was
men found that IN, mail steamers
ala not touch there and that IL would
10" necessary To =" on to HAVANA.
which city was reached October ~
Here 1t was learned that !, shin Of
,h& West Indian Mail Linz. should
touch at Havana ON hcr way - ST.
Thomas. on November !. and tina, at
81 Thomas. connections would "a,
m1do for England
Passage vas engaged through tho
british consul. But this delay at
Havana proved unfortunate since,
before the sailing date, there ar
rived at Havana a United States
steamer. tho san Jacini". under COM
inand of Captain Charles Wilkes
Captain wilkes had learned from
the United states consul at Havana.
or from some other source who the
commissioners were and what was
their destination. When he left la
Nana, some days before November +,
II was said that no had gone on TO
tho United States
But he had. in fact. como out 10
sea 10 wait tor and waylay the brave
adventures
>nil From IIn,nnn.
Mr. Mason and MIR Slidcl ana their
party sailed from Havana, as they
had planned to do. on tile English
Royal Mail steamer known as I'm.
Trent Captain M"ir ON III. next
day, November ). 1861. about mid
day. when In sigh, Of, aud about ten
miles from. the cuban coast and
Within a mile OF Captain wilkes.
ship, the san Jacinto. shot was
fred from 'hc san Jacinto across tho
how OF Tn" Trent
When within quarter az a milo.
another shot was fred, which ox-
rlot"d quit" near The Trent Tho
English ship. upon approaching Tho
United states ship. had hois,rd her
English colors. Captain Moir then
slhck"ncd the speed OF his ship and.
hhi!ing tn" san Jacinto. inquired The
meaning of this strange action on The
part OF tho United States ship In nr-
ing.
Tho reply was: Well send a boat
aboard" Mr.. Mason and Mr.. Slideil
aud their secretaries were taken on
The Trent. with "a display os force
ana under protest and thor The
Trent. with her other psssanccrs
al