The Daily Dispatch: February 24, 1862., [Electronic resource]

The Confederate Steamer Sumter in the Mediterranean — Her Deeds at Sea.&c.,

From our latest foreign files we gather the following in relation to the Confederate States steamer Sumter.

Madrid, Feb. 6.--Correspondence is received saying that the Sumter is still lying at Saint Robin with no funds enough to pay the expenses she has incurred.

The United States Consul has given a banquet at Caliz to the former prisoners of the Sumter. The following toasty were given.

Peace to America.

The Queen of Spain.

[From the Liverpool Courier, Feb. 5.]

On Sunday morning, the Spanish steamer Director arrived in Liverpool from Cadez having as passengers on board three gentlemen, late in command of different American ships, all of which had been captured by the Sumter, Confederate steamer and burned at sea. The Christians are Minott, late of the Viginian Smith, of the Areade, and Hoxie, of the Ruen Dodge. They were prisoners of Capt. Semmes, who, when the Sumter visited Cadez recently, put them on shore there, whence they have been forwarded to this port by the American Consult there, and hence they purpose returning to American by the Canadian steamer Ponsmiar. They describe the Sumter as a very indifferent screw propeller, of about tons. She is armed with four short 32 pounder guns, and one as pounder point gun. She is amply provided with small arms has abundance of ammunition, and has abundance of provisions of all kinds as may be expected from her helping herself so plentifully from various sources. Her , when she entered Cadia harbor, was all fold, mostly Irish, has with a slight intermixture of English. The Captains say that the crew are very discontentment, and that it deserted on entering the Spanish port. The marines on board are all Irish, and they add, that of 43 prisoners on board, on arriving at Cadiz, all the negroes, who former a large proposition of them, were retained as part of the crew of the Confederate steamer.

As each of the Captains relates circumstances somewhat different from the other, we shall take each in turn, and first of Captain Lioxie.

His vessel, the Eben Dodge, was 1,222 tone, and belonging to Bedford, whence she sailed on the 20th of November last on a whaling voyage to the South Pacific. She was provisioned and provided in all respects for a three years voyage, and had a large store of water. Her crew had three years clothing, and the findings of ship and crew were of the best. On December N. M. W., about ten o'clock A. M. weather thick, a steamer Bove in sight, showing. American colors, and immediately fired across the bows of the Eben Dodge, and then running up the Confederate flag, stun ranged alongside, coming up under her stern.

Captain Semmes ordered Captain Hoxie to take his boat and come on board bringing his imports, starting that the steamer was the Confederate vessel Sumter--a statement which Captain. Hoxie had anticipated. Captain Hoxie, on going on board was received by the first lieutenant who counted him to the where he found Captain Semmes.--Having examined the papers, the Sumter's commander said, ‘"On, yes, it all right — she is the lawful price of the Confederate State and I shall burn the ship"’ He next observed, ‘"I am short of water, and you have plenty; I must have some of that."’ and he forthwith ordered Captain Hoxie to go back, ending an armed boat a crew with him, and to fetch off all the water. They and bring away about 1,000 gallons, and also took off a quantity of coin tobacco and a great case of packed clothing.

The whole of the charts or board the prize were also taken, the captain's sentient and Chronometer, and being again brought on board the Sumter, Captain Hoxie was ordered by her commander to bring one bad on board, with our track of clothing, and no more. His mater and crew were restricted to one bag of clothing each, and fie was advised to ‘"look smart"’ about it, as he (Captain Semmest must fire the ship. The copulations were complied with as, speedily as possible, and the whole of the carpenter's place having been taken on board the Sumter, the Eben Dodge was set on fire, and the Sumter bore away about sundown, leaving the prize blazing from stem to stern. Soon after this, Captain Semmes called Captain Hoxie aft, and said ‘"Have you any money? adding, "It will be as well to be counted for if. I have any reason to doubt what you say, I shall have you searched."’ Captain Hoxie replied he had $15 which he was ordered to hand to the purser of the Sumter, who, Capt. Semmes said‘"would I take care of it"’

Next morning, Capt. Semmes said the men belonging to the Eben Dodge had brought too many clothes on board, and ordered nearly all save what they stood in need of, to be taken from them. Captain Hoxie describes the conditions of the Sumter as filthy, and complains that he was detailed to a berth among the petty officers of the ship, but apart from these inconveniences he had no other cause of complaint, save forcible detention, denudation of cash and property, and destruction of his ship. In this respect his companions give concurrent testimony. We should add that one of the boats of the Eben Dodge was also taken by the Sumter.

Captain Smith, of the schooner Arcade, 122 tons, belonging to Portland, Me., sailed thence on the 10th November, with a cargo of molasses, for Guadeloupe. On the 20th of that month, at two o'clock in the afternoon, being in latitude 20, 35 N., longitude 57, 12 W., the Sumter, bearing the American ensign, bore up and seat an armed to it's crow on board the Arcade. The crew took Captain Smith on board the Sumter, along with the ship's papers, charts, chronometer, &c., announced her a lawful prize in due form, and that she must burned. All valuables whatever were first taken off. Captain Smith was informed he must confine his equipment on removed to a bed and trunk of clothes, and his men to a bag each, and this having been arranged, and the men brought on board the Confederate steamer, the Arcade was fired Captain Smith having only $5 on him when questioned, was allowed to retain it.

Capt. Minott, of the Vigilant, 625 tons, belonging to Bath, Me., sailed from New York on the 21st November for Falmonth, for orders. On December 3d, about nine A. M., in latitude 29 12 N., longitude. 57, 20 W., a steamer, having the French ensign hoisted, hove in sight, came rapidly up, and proved to be, as Capt. Minott conjectured, the Sumter. The Vigilant was ordered to heave to, and two armed boats' crews were sent on board. They took away the ship's papers and Capt. Minott on board the steamer, and, after examining the papers, Capt. Semmes declared the Vigilant a lawful prize to the Confederate States, adding that he should burn her life then gave permission to Capt. Smith to fetch the customary trunk of clothes and bed, and the usual equipment for the others of the crew. A boat's crew sent on board took away all books, chairs, and other things of value from the Vigilant, together with whatever valuables belonging to captain Minott were on board, to clouding chronometer and sextant, and at about two o'clock P. M. the prize was set on fire and left burning. Most of the crew of the Viginian were negroes, and these were immediately incorporated with the crew of the Sumter and see to work. In a conversation with Captain Minott, Captain Semmes said it was all fair, adding, ‘"You would have taken me if you could,"’ to which the former replied. ‘"Yes; and should do so now if you gave me the chance."’ Captain Minott was also questioned as to whether he had any money, but having only $14 that was left with him. He was, of course, taken to Cadiz.

On the 4th of January, this year, the Sumter reached Cadiz, and the captains were released on the 7th. Before putting them on shore Captain Summes assembled themselves and several of their officers and their respective crews, and, telling them he was going to send them on shore said the American Consul would take care of them. Capt. Hoxie then requested that the one hundred and fifty dollars he had entrusted to the purser of the Sumter might be given up to him; but Capt. Semmes said,‘"O, that is contraband of war and is confiscated."’. They were then landed, and several of Captain Hoxie's crew had to be supplied with clothes by the American Consul.

The steward of the Eben Dodge, who was all at the time of the capture, died on board the Sumter.