| From the Carolina Spartan (Spartanburg,
S. C.) |
| |
| July 18, 1861 |
| |
| A Letter from Florida |
|
Baldwin, Fla., July 5, 1861
|
|
Dear Trimmier,
|
|
I hasten to drop you a line, informing you of a glorious
achievement of our Florida volunteers stationed at Cedar Keys, near
the mouth of the Suwanee River, and terminus of the Florida railroad,
on the 3d instant. The two companies stationed on that island
numbering some one hundred and sixty men rank and file, saw, by the
aid of a spyglass, four schooners anchored off the bar some fifteen
miles, and no blockading vessel in sight, the commanding officer
chartered a small steamboat, and detailed ninety men to go out and
take them. When they got in about fifty yards the commander ordered
them to surrender and haul down the stars and stripes, which was
refused at first, but when told that unless they did they would b e
fired into immediately, the Lieutenant left in command ordered his men
all below, and fired his pistol, a repeater, to the extent of itself,
and immediately hauled down his flag and surrendered. It appears that
the four vessels were Southern vessels, taken on the coast by
Lincoln's blockading vessels at that point; or on that coast, and
fifteen Southerners taken and held prisoners. The vessels were loaded
with salt, brick, railroad iron, &c., for the Mobile railroad,
shipped from New Orleans. They were all brought in to Cedar Keys with
twenty-five prisoners (our men) who were held by them, and thence
brought up today from Cedar Keys. the Southerners kept on their way to
Fernandina, on the way to New Orleans, their home. The twenty-five
prisoners are guarded in one of our railroad depots today, in which
the post office is kept, where I am now writing. They will be taken by
train tonight to Tallahassee. *****
|
|
R. G. Hunt
|
|