Posted inBiographical

Col. Walrath Dead

An Old and Respected Citizen and a Brave Soldier Gone. Col. Ezra L. Walrath, for half a century a prominent citizen of Syracuse, died yesterday afternoon at 4:30 of pneumonia.…
Posted inBlack History Maritime & Naval History US Civil War

Schooner S. J. Waring Recaptured

Schooner S. J. Waring

We publish on this page an engraving of the schooner S. J. Waring, of Brook Haven, Smith, master, hence for Montevideo, July 4, with an assorted cargo. We also give views of her deck and the cabin, where the tragedy described below occurred. She returned to port on 21st, and reported as follows :

On the third day out from port, the 7th inst., when 150 miles from Sandy Hook, in lat. 38°, long. 69°, was brought to by the privateer brig Jeff Davis, which sent a boat full of men alongside, and ordered the captain of the schooner to haul down the United States flag, and declared her a prize to the C. S. A. They ransacked the vessel, and took from her what they wanted—such as charts, quadrant, provisions, crockery, etc., and after returning to the schooner a second time, they put a prize-crew of five men on board without arms, and took away Captain Francis Smith, the two mates and two seamen, leaving the steward, two seamen, and Mr. Bryce Mackinnon, a passenger, on board. The prize-crew were Montague O’Neil, a Charleston pilot, in command; one named Stevens, as mate, and Malcolm Liddy, as second mate, and two men.

Posted inUS Civil War

July 28, 1861 – What Planters Should Do With the Coming Cotton Crop

As the time is fast approaching when the new cotton crop will be ready for market, we would say a word about the matter to southern planters. The probability is that the Confederate Government will pursue the policy of which we have been the constant advocate in common with several contemporaries—to-wit : Purchase the entire crop so as to exercise exclusive control over it, paying for it in Government bonds and Treasury notes. A resolution to this effect has, in fact, already been introduced into Congress snd referred to an appropriate committee for action.

Posted inDaily News Maritime & Naval History

The Dramatic Artist and the Terrible Marine Monster

The Semaphore of December 22 says:

While the steam packet Le Claire was on its way from Marseilles to Algiers, with 400 passengers on board, it encountered a strong gale from the south-west. In the middle of the night a tremendous sea struck the ship, swept the deck, penetrated into the cabins and engine room, and threw every thing into the greatest confusion. In the midst of the general panic, while the crew were making every exertion to rid the interior of the boat of the superfluous element, a terrific cry was heard from the second cabin: “Help! help! the shark is gnawing me!” screamed, in a voice half-suffocated with terror, an unfortunate dramatic artist, who, awaking in a cold bath, had found in his arms a sheep, which had been precipitated into the cabin through an opening made to let off the water.