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burned soon afterward, all her armament and stores being removed to the Archer.
By the log-book of the Tacony, which was found on board the Archer, it appears that the Tacony was captured June tenth, latitude thirty-four degrees twenty-one minutes, longitude seventy-six degrees forty-nine minutes.
On the twenty-third of June, the log-book states that she burned four vessels, and sent all the prisoners to New-York.
June 24.--Burned ship----, from Liverpool, for New-York, with passengers, and kept charge of her during the day. 25th.--Burned the ship, and let her go. At half-past 7 captured the schooner, (Archer.) At nine A. M., removing from the bark to the schooner. Finish at two A. M., every body being on board, burnt the bark Tacony. Stood to the N. W.This is the last entry in the Tacony's log. There is also a journal of the C. S. corvette Florida Number Two, commencing May sixth, which says:
At four P. M. the brig Clarence was put in commission as the Florida Number Two. The following is a list of the officers and crew: Second Lieutenant, C. W. Read, commanding; Second Assistant Engineer, E. H. Brown; Quartermaster, J. E. Billaps; Quarter Gunner, N. B. Boyd; Captain, A. G. J. W. Matheuson; Crew: Joseph Mayer, Charles Lawson, J. P. Murphy, Robert Muller, James McLeod, J. Robertson, A. L. Drayton, George Thomas, Alex. Stewart, Michael Gorman, Robert Murray, C. W. Dolvin, Hugh McDaniels, Frederick Walton, Jas. Coffer, Daniel Morse, John McNary. Received from steamer Florida one howitzer complete, six rifles, thirteen revolvers, ten pistols.A memorandum-book was found, containing instructions, which reporters were not allowed to see, as it is thought to contain important evidence for Government. An account-book was also found, containing in the back part a list of vessels, probably captured by the rebels, as follows: Jacob Bell, Star of Peace, Oneida, Commonwealth, Kate Dyer, Lapwing, Colcord, Henrietta, Clarence, Estelle, Windward, Carrie Ann, Aldebaran, Byzantium, Isaac Webb, Shatemuc, Whistling Wind, Tacony, Goodspeed, Mary Alvina, Arabella, Umpire, Maringo, Florence, Ripple, Elizabeth Ann, Rufus Choate, Ada, Alfred Partridge, M. A. Shindler, Kate Stuart, Archer, a sloop, Wanderer. The following is a list of chronometers found on board schooner Archer: Bark Tacony, going; bark Whistling Wind, run down; brig Umpire, going; brig Clarence, going; ship Byzantium, going; bark Goodspeed, going. It appears from the memorandum-book that Lieutenant Read and crew went on board the Tacony about the fourteenth of May. On the twenty-fifth of June he seems to have burned the Tacony and gone on board the Archer. The last memorandum of the Lieutenant says:
It is my intention to go along the coast with the view of burning the shipping in some exposed harbor or cutting out some steamer.On discharging the cargo of the Archer Saturday evening the twelve-pounder brass howitzer which was on board the Tacony was found on board, together with arms and ammunition. The officers in command of the vessel were Second Lieutenant C. W. Read, who has a commission in the confederate navy, dated October twenty-third, 1862; Third Assistant Engineer Eugene H. Brown, who appears to have reported to Admiral Buchanan on board the Florida, October sixteenth, 1862. An examination of the crew of the cutter disclosed the following facts: Between one and two o'clock Saturday morning, two boats filled with armed men boarded the cutter on both quarters simultaneously. They were armed with revolvers and cutlasses. The watch on deck, when they heard the oars approaching, called Lieutenant Davenport, who was asleep in the cabin. He was overpowered by four men and ordered below; the watch was also ordered below, and the men below turned out of their hammocks and placed in irons, rebels standing over them with revolvers and threatening them with death if they made any noise. One of the crew tried to escape through the fore hatch to swim ashore and give the alarm, but was caught and secured. The rebels at once proceeded to make sail, hove up the anchors, and placing two boats ahead, towed her out through Hussey's Sound, thus avoiding the Forts. The Lieutenant and crew of the cutter, twenty in number, were kept below in irons until they were ready to set fire to her, when they were put into one of the cutter's boats with their irons on; but on being requested, the rebels threw the keys of the hand-cuffs on board the boat, and thus enabled the sailors to release themselves, and pull away from the cutter. The stores, flags, armament, etc., of the Tacony were on board the Archer. Among the flags was a burgee with.the name of Tacony upon it. Lieutenant Merryman, who was appointed to take command of the cutter, arrived here Friday evening. He went down in the Forest City to assist in the rescue of the vessel from the rebels. Company A, State guards, in twenty minutes time from receiving orders, were ready to go on board the tug. It was fortunate for the prisoners that they were landed at Fort Preble, for such was the indignation of our citizens that they would have been murdered had they been brought up to the city. When the rebel Lieutenant Read went on board the Forest City he was all of a tremor, and so nervous that he could scarcely do or say any thing. The rebel crew were rather stoical in appearance and action. No communication was allowed on Saturday with the prisoners at Fort Preble, as by order of Government they are kept in strict confinement. A posse of police officers went down Saturday night for the purpose of bringing up the prisoners
