Doc.
170.-the Barque Alvarado.
The
Fernandina Floridian of the 7th of August has the following statement in relation to this vessel, which was captured by the Jeff.
Davis:
On Monday last our town became greatly excited, by receiving the intelligence that two vessels were in sight of our bar, one of them being pursued by the other.
About ten o'clock a messenger arrived in town from the beach, bringing the intelligence that one of the vessels, a large barque, was beached, and that her crew
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had come ashore.
Soon the drum was beating to arms, and in a short time the
Fernandina Volunteers, Island City Guards, and also the private citizens, were armed and on their way to the scene of action.
After arriving at the beach, we learned that the vessel ashore was the barque
Alvarado, a prize captured by the privateer
Jeff. Davis, and she was, by order, making for our town.
The prize crew consisted of eight men, the captain of which was a Savannah pilot; they came ashore and brought their private property.
We soon learned that the
Yankee captain, his wife, and a negro were aboard, who refused to come ashore, and who raised the
American flag, Union down, as soon as the prize crew left.
A detachment of our citizens subsequently went aboard and brought them on shore, and they are now in our town.
At this time the
United States ship
Vincennes, which had been pursuing the prize, soon anchored and fired a few guns at the barque, which, however, did not take effect.
After impatiently waiting for some time, the barque (carried by the rising tide) got afloat and came nearer to the shore, so near, in fact, that the six-pounders on the beach could throw a ball some distance beyond; a company of our men manned the yawl boat brought ashore from the barque, and started to board her, when it was announced that three launches had started from the ship for the same purpose; our men perceiving this, and not being prepared to resist so large a number, returned to the shore.
The men from the
Vincennes proceeded to the barque, amid a shower of six-pounders, which fell thick and fast all around them, and, after raising a
United States flag, set fire to her and left.
The vessel continued burning all night, and yesterday morning numbers of our citizens and others from
Old Point were around the wreck, trying to save what they could.
The Yankee captain lost all of his clothes, and every thing else which he and his wife had aboard.
It is estimated that the prize was worth one hundred thousand dollars, being the most valuable one yet captured by our bold privateer.
The prize vessel was loaded with medicines, wool, copper, and furs.
