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Bahia, October 13, 1864 |
SIR:
It
is with great pain that I have to report the capture of the C.
S. S. Florida, lately under my command. I arrived at this
port on the 4th instant, at 9 p. m., to procure coal and provisions,
and also to get some slight repairs, after a cruise of sixty-one
days. Just after anchoring a boat passing around us asked the
name of our vessel, and upon reply stated that the boat was from
H. B. M. S. Curlew. Next morning I found that the U. S.
S. Wachusett was at anchor near us, but no British steamer,
so I at once concluded that the boat which hailed us the evening
before was from the W[achusett]. We were
visited on the morning of the 5th by a Brazilian officer, to whom
I stated my wants, and was informed by him that he would report
the same to the president, and that until his answer was received
we could hold no communication with the shore. At noon I received
a communication (which was left on board the Florida) from
the president, stating that he was ready to receive me. At my
interview he informed me that forty-eight hours would be allowed
me to refit and repair, but that should his chief engineer, whom
he would send on board to examine the machinery, deem the time
too short, he would grant the necessary extension. He was most
urgent in his request that I would strictly observe the laws of
neutrality (implying by his manner, and, in fact, almost as many
words, that he had no fears on account of the United States steamer,
but that I was the cause of uneasiness to him, lest I should attack
the Wachusett in port), at the same time stating to me
that he had received most solemn assurances from the U. S. consul
that the United States steamer would do nothing while in port
contrary to the laws of nations of or Brazil, and that he desired
the same from me, which I unhesitatingly gave. The Brazilian admiral,
who was present at the interview, suggested that I had better
move my vessel between his ship and the shore, as our proximity
to the Wachusett might cause some difficulty. My assurances
to the president seemed to set his mind at rest on the score of
any collision between the two vessels, and upon leaving him I
immediately repaired on board and moved the Florida closer
inshore to the position suggested by the admiral. I found the
Brazilian engineer on board, and was informed by him that it would
take four days to repair the pipe of the condenser. Feeling now
no apprehension of any difficulty occurring while in port, and
wishing to gratify the crew with a short liberty, not only on
the score of good conduct, but also of health, I determined to
permit one watch at a time to go ashore for twelve hours, and
sent the port watch off that afternoon. About 7:30 p. m. a boat
came alongside stating that she was from the U. S. S. Wachusett,
with the U. S. consul, who had an official communication for the
commander of the Florida. The letter with the card of the
consul was handed to First Lieutenant Porter, who, after examining
it and finding it directed to Captain Morris, sloop Florida,
returned it unopened to the consul, stating that it was improperly
addressed; that the vessel was the C. S. S. Florida, and
that when the letter was so directed it would be received. The
next day (6th) a Mr. de Videky came on board, having received
a letter from the U. S. consul enclosing one for me. He requested
me, before receiving my letter, to permit him to read the one
sent to him. It was a request to Mr. de V. to carry a challenge
to the commander of the Florida and in case of its acceptance
to offer his (the consul's) influence in having the repairs of
the Florida speedily finished. I informed Mr. de V. that
I had heard quite enough, and finding the letter for me still
improperly addressed, declined receiving it, but at the same time
said to him that I had come to Bahia for a special purpose, which
being accomplished I should leave; that I would neither seek nor
avoid a contest with the Wachusett, but should I encounter
her outside of Brazilian waters, would use my utmost endeavors
to destroy her. I enclosed a letter, marked 1, since received
from Mr. de Videky. That afternoon, the port watch having returned,
I sent the starboard watch ashore on liberty, going also myself,
in company with several of the officers. At 3:30 a. m. on the
7th I was awakened by the proprietor of the hotel at which I was
staying and told that there was some trouble on board the Florida,
as he had heard firing and cheering in the direction of the
vessel, but on account of the darkness was unable to discern anything.
I immediately hastened to the landing, and was informed by a Brazilian
officer that the U. S. S. Wachusett had rammed and captured
the Florida and was then towing her out of the harbor.
I hurried off to the admiral's vessel and was told by him that
he was at once going in pursuit. He returned in the afternoon
with all his vessels, having been unable to overtake the Wachusett.
Upon mustering the officers and crew left on shore, I found there
were four officers, viz. Lieutenant Barron, Paymaster Taylor,
Midshipman Dyke, and Master's Mate King, and seventy-one men,
of whom six had escaped by swimming from the Florida after
her capture. Of the actual occurrences and loss of life on board
the Florida I have been able to find out very little. The
substance of what I have gathered from the six men who escaped
is as follows: That at 3:15 a. m. on the 7th, Acting Master T.
T. Hunter, jr., being in charge of the deck, the Wachusett
left her anchorage, and taking advantage of the darkness steamed
for the Florida, from which she was not seen until close
aboard; that she was hailed by Mr. Hunter, who, receiving no answer,
called all hands to quarters. Before the officers and crew were
all on deck the Wachusett struck the Florida on
her starboard quarter, cutting her rail down to the deck and carrying
away her mizzenmast, at the same time pouring a volume of musketry
and a charge of cannister from her forecastle pivot gun upon our
decks. The Wachusett then backed off and demanded our surrender,
to which demand First Lieutenant Porter declined to accede. The
enemy then fired again and again into us, which was returned by
the officers and crew of the Florida. Another demand was
then made for our surrender, and Lieutenant Porter answered, "I
will surrender conditionally." The enemy then stopped firing,
and the commander called for Captain Morris to come on board.
Lieutenant Morris answered that Captain Morris was on shore, and
that he as commanding officer would come on board as soon as he
could get a boat ready. The enemy then sent a number of armed
boats to take possession of the Florida. As soon as Lieutenant
Porter was heard to surrender fifteen of our crew jumped overboard
to escape capture, of whom only six succeeded, the remaining nine
having been shot in the water by men on the forecastle and in
the boats of the Wachusett. Mr. Hunter was wounded and
a number of men killed. The enemy made fast a hawser to the foremast
of the Florida, and, after slipping her cable, towed her
out to sea. I called in person upon the president as soon as possible,
but could get no further information from him. On the 8th I sent
a protest to the president, of which I send you a copy, marked
2. On the 10th our agent was informed by the interpreter that
the president did not intend to answer my protest, as the Confederate
Government had not been recognized by Brazil, and that I would
find all the official correspondence in the newspaper. I then
wrote the letter marked 3, in which reference is made to a letter
from the president, marked 4. Just before leaving Bahia, having
received no answer, I sent our agent, Mr. James Dwyer, to the
president. The result of his visit is contained in his letter,
marked 5. My next thought was for the care of my officers and
crew then ashore. Finding that it would be impossible to negotiate
a bill for an amount sufficient to pay off the crew, all of whom
desired to remain in the Confederate service, I deemed it best
to secure a passage on some merchant vessel bound to England.
Arrangements were made with Captain Bray, of the English bark
Linda, to take the men at £10 each and the officers
at £20 each, we to pay the expense of fitting up the berths,
etc., which would cost about £80. The Linda is expected
to sail for London on the 15th, two days after I leave. I have
taken passage for Paymaster Taylor and myself on the English mail
steamer, so that on our arrival such arrangements may be made
for the reception and disposal of the men as you deem best. The
Bahia papers contain a number of reports as to the killed and
wounded on board the Florida, all of which I have thoroughly
sifted and find no foundation for the same. At the time of her
capture there were about 25 tons of coal on board the Florida,
most of which was dust. The amount of funds and the list of
officers captured are contained in the report of Paymaster Taylor,
herewith enclosed and marked 6. The enclosed newspaper is an official
extra containing all the Brazilian official correspondence in
reference to the Florida. All of my papers, the signal
book, and cipher were captured in the ship, but I hope they were
destroyed, as the first lieutenant, the surgeon, and the captain's
clerk all knew where they were kept.
I am, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
D. MANIGAULT MORRIS, Lieutenant, C. S. Navy, Commanding, Late in Command of the C. S. S. Florida. |
6 January 2000