Year: 1862

UNITED STATES STEA MsIIP SAN JACNt0,l


ISLAND ST THOMAS, Nov. 26, 1862. ! II


suppose that long before you receive this tho papers
will have denounced officers aud Of tho San ia
cnto for allowing the rebel steamer Alabama - escape
from Fort Royal Martinique and to vindcate the officers
and crow Of this ship principally my object in writing
70 you Tho following are the particulars
On tho morning Of tho 10th inst stood In for Fort
Royal Bay In the island OF Martinique with the view os
seeing what vessels In the harbor As we entered
the harbor we steamer with steam up al anchor
under the guns Of Fort st. Louis We stood in towards
Lsr and whom about two miles of she hoisted tAe fese
flag. a I'll
The San Jacino Immediately prepared for action.
and everything 60: ready for desperate ght At eight
A. pilot or and oIored his services TO taka the
ship in to anchor which declined. Shortly after
we saw aFrench manofwar ssesmer come out from BE-
hind the fort and anchor alongside the Alabama between
her and us.


About noon Frcnch naval officer camc Of with de-
spatches from Governor the island Capt. Renck
endor ordering him to either to anchor or keep
three miles OF from the point Of land Ut
we chose the latter and kept position In the
middle Of the bay Here let say that Fort Royal Bay
IS six miles wide, with high land either side. witt
very bold shores.
In the evening Captain Nickerson Of tho brig nampde
came bo,rd accompanied by whaling captain whose
shp-the Levi Starbuck-had been burned by the Aaba
Shortly after they came on board we despatohet
two boats 10 go out and watch the rebel At this time
1t was very dark and cloudy with light, drizzng ran


From the whaling captain we learned that the Aab ans
was armed with ono one hundred pound ride aud one
sixtyfour FOUNDER pvots, and six long thirtytwo
with complement or hundred and fifty men most d
whom were English.


At half past NJ. Captain Nckerson left u.s. pro-
missing to operate with us in watching the movements
Of the Alabama.


Previous 70 his leaving gave him four rockets with
instructions that IL the Alabama got under weigh and
the bay for the south side he 70 fire rockets
in that direction, and At twenty minutes past
eight P NJ three rockets 60 up 10 the southward


The San Jacinto immediately kept for the south
shore, every man at his gun, lockstring In hand We
stood the land the rocks would permit, and
kept or and until daylight, but did not the rebel
hing Of the steamer


Our First Lieutenant won't on shore 10 see Captain Nick
erson whom he found in trouble with the authorities Cor
firing the rockets he expressed his opinion that the
rebel not out Of the bay the strength Of which
remained until the next day, having seat Acting Master
Coop up to the head Of the bay In one Of our
boats II she behind any OF the islands Re
returned on the morning Of the 2ls and reported th
she net in the bay.


Our hearts sank within US at this; but wo chcorce
ourselves with the thought that had donc al We
could


Whatever comments the papers may mako On this
affair." the above statement Is the truth. TT had boea
night might havo seen her; bat tho night We
dark cloudy and rainy-jus the kind Of night tho rsss
wanted.


My opinion that The French aided him in his escape
all they could


There lights passing to and from one point o.
land to the other and from part Of the bay 70 TIE
other, till past midnight The position captain
placed in trying one, and his first impulse was to
into her and sink her. but then what would The con
sequences have beenS with France. thc San ia
cnto sunk by the guns OF tho fort or perhaps getting
the vessel ashore before mp herr for had
chart of the harbsr and did not know the time tbs
depth OF water she was anchored In.