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Florence and put all the prisoners aboard her, seventy-six in number, including the crews of schooners
Elizabeth Ann,
Rufus Choate, and
Ripple, which were captured and burned the same day. Twenty-third, burned schooners
Ada and
Wanderer. Twenty-fourth, latitude 45.10, longitude 67.43, captured packet ship
Shatemuc, from
Liverpool for
Boston, with three hundred and fifty passengers.
Was anxious to burn her, being loaded with iron plates, etc. Tried to catch schooners to put the passengers aboard, but failed and had to let her go, bonding her for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Same day captured the schooner
Archer, chased the
Shatemuc and put the
Archer's crew aboard.
Hearing that Federal cruisers were after the
Tacony, and fearing recognition, burned
Tacony, transferring every thing to the
Archer.
Thence came direct to
Portland.
Picked up two fishermen for pilots, but they would not serve.
Took positions from coast survey charts.
Got in at sunset and anchored below Munjoy.
Had no communication with the shore.
Waited until half-past 12 midnight, when moon went down, then rowed direct to cutter
Caleb Cushing in two boats with muffled oars.
Boarded one on each side, seized her crew without resistance and ironed them.
Captured
Lieutenant Davenport as he came on deck.
Weighed anchor, being unable to slip the cable, and started at three A. M., going out by Hussey's Sound.
Towed out by two boats ahead, followed by the
Archer as fast as the light wind would permit.
Laid to outside waiting for the
Archer.
When the steamers attacked us could only find five round shots, and were obliged to fire stones and pieces of iron.
Lieutenant Read belongs in
Mississippi, near
Vicksburgh, and graduated from
Annapolis in 1860.
He came in with the intention of burning the shipping and two gunboats which he learned were building, from a coal-laden English schooner from
Pictou to
New-York.
He also intended to catch the steamer
Forest City and burn her.
All the
Tacony's crew came out of
Mobile in the
Florida except three taken from the
Byzantium.
The
Tacony passed many steamers during her cruise.
On the day the
Byzantium and
Goodspeed were burned, a large steamer, showing French flag, sailed around the burning vessels, examined them and passed on.
Too much credit cannot be given to
Mr. Collector Jewett for the promptness with which he acted on this occasion.
He received the following despatch on the evening of the occurrence.
sir: Your prompt and efficient action in relation to the cutter
Cushing merits my warmest approval.
Cause all the parties implicated who may be arrested, to be placed in close confinement.
Report the facts in detail for further instructions.
--Portland Press, June 29.
Deposition of Albert P. Bibber, one of the fishermen captured by the Archer.
I,
Albert P. Bibber, of
Falmouth, in the
District and
State of Maine, on oath, depose and say, that on the twenty-fifth day of June, A. D. 1863, between ten and eleven o'clock A. M., I was in my row-boat, about eight miles to the southeast of the
Damariscove Island, hauling my trawl, aided by
Elbridge Titcomb.
We had about twenty-five lines to our trawl, and we had underseen all but two lines.
There were no other boats near us, except one about half a mile off. The nearest land was
Pumpkin Island, and that about five miles off. I saw a fishing vessel running down to us about half a mile distant, bearing about south-west.
The persons on board hailed us: “Boat ahoy.
Come alongside.”
I replied: “I cannot do it.”
They ordered me alongside again, and I told them I could not come, that I was under my trawl.
They replied: “Cut it.”
I replied I shouldn't do it. The vessel then stood off a short distance and hove to, put out a boat with five men in it, and the boat soon came alongside my boat.
The man in charge of the boat told me that I was taken by the confederate privateer
Alabama, that is, as near as I can recollect.
I think a part had pistols and all had side-knives.
Two of them got into my boat and ordered me and my partner alongside their vessel, the two strangers rowing as well as my partner and myself.
I went aboard with my partner, and we were both left to go about as we choose.
The vessel was a fishing schooner of about ninety tons, all fitted and found for the Banks.
I did not see more than eight or nine men on board, besides myself and
Titcomb.
I don't remember what, if any thing, was said before I was ordered into the cabin.
Titcomb was ordered in first, and he left when I went in. I had been on board an hour or more, when I was ordered into the cabin.
I took a seat, and the person I took for the captain asked me where I belonged.
I told him I belonged near by
Portland.
He asked me about the war, the fishery, the steamboats, and the cutter.
He seemed principally to want to know the news about the war. I told him I had been fishing some time, that I had not heard of any late news, and I had not heard any thing that was going on. I told him all I knew about the steamboats and the hours they run, but I told him I was not very well posted about them.
He seemed to want to know most about what time English boats run. I told him I could not tell where the cutter was, but I saw a topsail schooner go into
Boothbay harbor that morning that I took for her. I told him that the last I knew, her complement of men was thirty, but that I had not known any thing about her for a long time.
I don't recollect that he asked any thing about her guns.
He got up, and started to go out of the cabin, saying: “All I want of you is to take this vessel in and out of
Portland.”
I made no answer.
That was all he said to me for the day, that I recollect of. I went upon deck, and staid there most of the time until we
