The Daily Dispatch: January 23, 1864., [Electronic resource]

The New Confederate cruiser Rappahannock.

For near two months past several young Americans had chosen Calais as a sojourn; they were of irreproachable conduct, beseeming themselves as persons of refinement, employing themselves to study, and asserting that they had left the South to escape the conscription; we had already several of the latter.

Everything was progressing favorably, when last Wednesday these young Americans, numbering thirteen, embarked aboard a fishing boat for Boulogne, with their trunks, etc., with the ostensive object of fishing in the channel. At a certain distance from the port they proposed to the master of the boat to change their course, and put them aboard a vessel they were to meet in the channel. He refused, and not to be overpowered, hailed two other Calais boats at a short distance. The three boats entered the port together, the young Americans showing no resistance.

The news of this incident correlating in the town with many comments, as it is needless to say, was indescribable, when, lo! a steamer with unknown colors appears in the roadstead. A boat leaves her and lands a seaman, who, after a short stay in the town, re-embarks; finally, the vessel itself enters the harbor and is moored at the dock.

The vessel belongs to the Southern confederacy it is ascertained. She is a propeller of 700 to 750 tons, and, from appearances, of great speed. From the looks of her spars and outward appearance, it is plain that she still needs repairs, and that her armament is only temporary. From which conclusions are drawn, if she left England in her present condition there were good reasons for her doing so, at the bottom of which one may discern political policy has had its share. Her captain, Mr. Camp bell, calls her the Rappahannock. The following is a description of her ensign: A white field with a red union, the latter having a blue St. Andrew's cross and thirteen stars — equal to the thirteen States forming the Confederacy.

It is said that ten Federal vessels are cruising in the British Channel after the Rappahannock; but with our long nights and a heavy fog it will be easy for her to evade them.

These young men, our guests for two months, are evidently the staff of the Rappahannock. The Captain appears to be about thirty years of age; his officers not more than twenty to twenty- four. The majority of them were in the old United States navy, but on the breaking out of the war resigned, and east their lots with those of their section. That age does not give experience of war fare, but often most loft acts of heroism are performed. Gen. Bonaparte was but twenty five when he made the first campaign of Italy. The Captain of the frigate Glory, in his five brilliant engagements off the coast of troland with the English in 1798, was but twenty nine. Imagination becomes inflamed with love of country and disenthralled of an odious yoker; nance it is not difficult to conceive that these young Americans, finding themselves similarity situated as their fathers were in 1776, will battle fiercely with their brothers of yesterday, but to-day enemies.

We are told that orders have been received from Paris to give the Rappahannock full liberty as to her movements. The vessel is from Sheerness.