Viewing page 15 of 16

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

SEPTEMBER, 1861.    DOUGLASS' MONTHLY.    527


BLACK HEROISM.

ANOTHER VESSEL SAVED BY A COLORED MAN.

The gunboat Albatross, Captain Prentiss, came into Hampton Roads the other day, with the Enchantress and her prize crew, recaptured after she had been taken by the privateer Jeff. Davis. The following account of her last cruise may not be uninteresting:

The Albatross, after leaving her first prize with Commodore Stringham, proceeded to sea again on the 18th of July, and on the following day arrived off Oregon Inlet, on the coast of North Carolina, where she saw a rebel steamer towing a schooner. The Albatross immediately gave chase, but the steamer, being of light draft, was able to get out of the way, under cover of a large battery commanding the Inlet, and took her position behind a sand-bank. The Albatross opened fire on her, which she returned, but her shots fell short, with one exception, which just cleared the smoke stack of the Albatross. She was hit on the port bow, but the Albatross received no injury. After she was hit, the rebel steamer took a safe position further off, where was another steamer that took no part in the engagement. Finding it unsafe to attempt pursuit or a landing, the Albatross made for Cape Hatteras, speaking and boarding several craft on the way. She found the shore strongly fortified with batteries. She soon fell in with the Enchantress, captured by the privateer Jeff. Davis, six days out from Boston to St. Jago, and in possession of a prize crew of five rebels and a negro belonging to the schooner before she was taken. On speaking her and demanding where from and whence bound, she replied Boston for St. Jago. At this moment the negro rushed from the galley where the pirates had secreted him, and jumped into the sea, exclaiming, 'they are a privateer-crew from the Jeff. Davis, and bound for Charleston!' The negro was picked up and taken on board the Albatross. The prize was ordered to heave to, which she did. Lieut. Neville jumped aboard of her, and ordered the pirates into the boats, and to pull for the Albatross, where they were secured in irons. The Enchantress was then taken in tow by the Albatross, and arrived in Hampton Roads on the 22d.

It seems that the Enchantress, when about one hundred and fifty miles south of Nantucket Shoals, came in sight of what was supposed to be a French brig, with French colors.  From his appearance, Captain Devereaux of the E. supposed he was bound to New York.  As he came along very near to make inquiries, Capt. D. chalked on his quarter what he supposed this Frenchman wanted to ascertain - viz: the longitude.  When near enough to throw a biscuit on board, up jumped some one hundred men - the 'longtom' was uncovered - ports were opened - and down came the French flag, and up went the Confederate!  The E., being unarmed, had to submit.  The E. was a clipper, and the fastest sailer in the States; and with the lease suspicion on the part of the Captain, could easily have sailed the piratical craft out of sight.

This colored man has since been handsomely rewarded for his bravery.

A FREE MAN SOLD INTO SLAVERY - HE ESCAPES WITH A SLAVE GIRL.

Walter Eugene Murray, a colored sailor of the Star of the West, the steamer that was surrendered to the rebels by its traitor officer, has arrived at New York, and tells the following story of his adventures:

'I left New York on the 12th of March, on the steamship Star of the West, bound for Brazos, a port in Texas.  Arrived there after a passage of fifteen days; sailed from there on the 25th for Indianola, arrived on the 26th, laid off in the stream seven miles for three weeks.  On the fourth week, Capt. Howes left the ship for Powder Horn.  He returned to the ship on the following evening, and brought word that the Federal troops would be on board the next evening at 12 o'clock; but instead of that, the steamer Rusk brought down Confederate troops, and we were made prisoners of war, and taken to Galveston, and received there by a Confederate Captain and engineer.  Then started for New Orleans, and were received at Fort Butler amid cheering of soldiers and firing of guns.  When we arrived in New Orleans, we were taken from the ship, under a heavy escort of infantry, to the railway station, and then forwarded to Mobile City, and from there to Montgomery, the capital.  We arrived there after three days' passage, and were received by the War Department and taken before the Hon. Jefferson Davis, and his order was to take the two negroes and sell them, and appropriate the money to the Commonwealth.  The idea of sending free negroes through here on a parole of honor was ridiculous.  I was then taken by a man named Pink Williams and transferred to his plantation.  The other colored an was sold to another party in Wetumke.  I staid with Williams three weeks; I then made my escape, taking with me the slave girl Sarah, placed there to watch me. - I went to Mobile City, where I shipped in an English vessel bound for Liverpool, taking the girl with me.  The other colored man is still held in slavery in Montgomery City.'

ATTEMPTS TO ENSLAVE SIX COLORED MEN.

The 'R. C. Wright,' Capt. Garland, arrived at New York August 4th, under the following peculiar circumstances: - It appears that the brig sailed from the island of Cuba, having on board an entire crew of colored men, who, when they learned she was bound to Baltimore, refused to go to that port, alleging that when they arrived there they would be sold into bondage.  No persuasion or assurance on the part of the captain and his officers could alter the feelings of the colored men, and they resolved on a measure in their minds the only one by which they should escape a life of slavery.  They took a favorable opportunity and rose en masse, and informed the captain and officers, if they persisted in going into Baltimore, they would, by force, take possession of the vessel and bring her into a Northern port.  The superior numbers of the colored crew, and their determined attitude, led Capt. Garland to fear for the life of himself and officers; and after vainly attempting to modify the exasperated negroes, he was obliged to alter his course.  As the negroes insisted upon being brought to New York, the brig was headed up the coast and reached that port on the day stated.  The negroes were taken in charge by an officer, and locked up in the station house.  The next day they were discharged, and the Judge before whom they were examined took the necessary steps to libel the vessel for the wages of the crew.
     ___________________________________
              MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
                   _________
--Twenty confiscated negroes have been brought up to the Washington Navy Yard, and set at work there.
--Traitors Breckinridge and Vallindigham undertook to get up a meeting in Baltimore on the 8th ult., but the demonstration was chiefly on the Union side.  The former made vain attempts to speak, but was hissed down by the crowd, and by the time he was crushed out, Vallandigham bad vanished.
--The recent election in Kentucky resulted in the success of the Union party.  The traitors Breckinridge and Powell will be requested to resign their seats in Congress.
--Garibaldi, who tendered his services to the Federal Government some months ago, has received an appointment of Major General in our army.  He will soon arrive in this country.
--President Lincoln has appointed the last Thursday in September as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer.
--Recent advices from St. Domingo represent that the war between Hayti and Spain is at an end, the difficulties between the two countries being amicably adjusted.  The Spanish authorities declare slavery forever abolished in the Island, and threaten with penalties any person endeavoring to reinstate the system.
--Sherman M. Booth, who has suffered so much on account of his opposition to the Fugitive Slave Law, is about to start a daily paper at Milwaukie.

--One of the favorite Massachusetts songs, sung by the regiment under Fletcher Webster, son of Daniel Webster, which recently left Boston to join the army, commences as follows:

John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
His soul's marching on!
Glory Hallelujah! Glory Hallelujah! Glory Hallelujah!
His soul's marching on!

The stanzas which follow are in the same wild strain:

2. He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord, etc.,
His soul's marching on!
3. John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back, etc.,
His soul's marching on!
4. His pet lambs will meet him on the way, etc.,
They go marching on!

WELL DONE CHICAGO! - The Board of Education of Chicago has opened the doors of the Normal School, in that city, to the admission of colored pupils.  This action of its educational authorities stamps the Queen City of the Lakes as occupying the first rank in the march of human progress.  Narrow-minded people complain bitterly, but they can give no good reason why the blessings of education should not be extended to all classes of the people, without distinction of nationality, condition, or hue of color.  Well don, Chicago! you have acted nobly.

--On the return of several of the three months' regiments, quite a number of slaves managed to escape with them, passing themselves off as servants.  This has now been stopped, and a strict watch is now kept on all negroes leaving Washington.  The enforcement of this order has resulted in taking from the New York Fire Zouaves fourteen negroes, whom 
they were attempting to convey to that city.

--That noble man Gerrit Smith has recently given $5 to each of the families of volunteers who have left Peterboro to fight in defence of the Federal Government.

__________________________________________

TIME AT LAST MAKES ALL THINGS EVEN. --
How just are the retributions of history!  Virginia originated the heresy of State Rights run mad, which has culminated in Secession; behold her, ground between the upper and nether mill-stones.  Missouri lighted the fires of civil war in Kansas; now they have burst out with redoubled fury upon her own soil.--It was done in the name of slavery; but the reaction which logically followed has given more impetus to the Emancipation movement in Missouri than all the Abolitionists of Christendom could have done in twenty years. --She sent forth her hordes to mob printing presses, overawe the ballot box, and substitute the bowie-knife and revolver for the civil law.  Now her own area gleams with Federal bayonets, the rebels newspapers are suppressed by the file of soldiers, and the civil process supplanted by the strong military arm.  Caliborne F. Jackson led one of these raids into Kansas, which overthrew the civil authorities and drove away honest citizens from the polls.  To day, the poisoned chalice is commended to his own lips; a hunted fugitive from his chair of office and his home, he is deserted by friends, ruined in fortune, and the halter waits his neck.  Thos. C. Reynolds, the late Lieut. Governor, is a German Jew, born on the Prague; his former name was Reinhold. -- Twenty-five years ago, in South Carolina, he advocated the right of secession, and did much to poison the public mind of that State.  He, too, has his reward in disgrace and outlawry - not daring even to come within the borders of the State which so lately delighted to do him honor. -- Pittsburg Gazette.
      _________________________________

TERMS OF DOUGLASS" MONTHLY.

Single Copies, to American subscribers, $1 per year.
 "   "  to British "  5s. sterling.
Subscriptions must be paid for invariably in advance. 
All communications, whether on business or for publication, should be addressed to
FREDERICK DOUGLASS, ROCHESTER, N. Y.

AGENTS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

We take the liberty of using the names of the following gentlemen who will receive names and subscriptions for Douglass' Monthly in Great Britain:

Halifax - Rev. RUSSELL LANT CARPENTER, Milton Place; Rev. Dr. CROFTS, North Parade.
London - Mr. L. A CAMEROVZOW, Anti-Slavery Office, 27, New Broad Street, E. C.
Dublin - Mr. WM. WEBB, 52, High Street, and 8, Dunville Avenue, Rathmines.
Derby - Dr. SPENCER T. HALL, Burton Road.
Glasgow - Mr. JOHN SMITH, 173, Trongate.
Leeds - Mr. ARTHUR HOLLAND, 4, Park Row.
Newcastle-on-Tyne - Mr. WALTER S. PRINGLE.

























Transcription Notes:
Reviewed - removed unnecessary descriptions of formatting - see Instructions...