PRIVATEERING.

Otago Witness, Issue 522, 30 November 1861, Page 5

PRIVATEERING.

We copy from the "Philadelphia Press" 1 some particulars of a latu engagement off Charlstown, between the United States frigate St. Lawrence and privateer Gen. Aiken. The i officers of the St. Lawrence wisely judged that many privateersmen would not know her true character, and to still further conceal her armament and object, the port holes were kept closed, and the men put out of sight. She cruised for a month along the Atlantic Coast, between Cape Henry and Savannah, find on tne morning o f the Ist of August, while just out of the harbour of Charlston, ewied a long rakish schooner, filled with men and monntin" three or four guns, sailing ropidly down upon her. liie port holes were still shut; but the i flag was at the peak, and the St. Lawrence looked not unlike n great lumbering merchant- j man becalmed in a straoge latitude, and too I unwieldy for any purposes save the holding of a large cargo for the avarice of an enemy to court and a daring privateer to secure. *As j the stranger^ came down, the St. Lawrence hoisted all sail and affected to be anxious tp • get out to sea. In reality, however, she was

edging closer iv to shore, and making arrangement below to receive the reckless HMfors with appropriate iar^cs^. Directly a shot came skipping over the wa'cr, filling into the sea a few rods ahead of the fii<rafe, and a number followed in quick Mii-ce.i^ion, but nearly all striking b.jy.>.i'l or pacing over. The final di'-ch^.-ire :o;i~i?fed of grap.* and canister, which male -ten.; little dr.lHince with the frigate's rix ;•';->•. • > »"J 1 tdmo'ii^hed fhe commander that tli. 1 play v,-^s getting serious. At this time the vessels were within speaking distance, and a man in uniform was seen mounted upon t lie pirate's dc;:lc, who shouted to the St. Lawrence to lay to r.nd scn'l over a boat. The crew were distinctly seen flourishing their cutlasses, and the gunners ramming and pointing their guns. She carried three guns, supposed to be rifled cannon. Then the St. Lawrence threw up her ports, and disclosed i\ whole broadside of cannon, with the gunners at the breach of their guns, holding lighted fuses, and directly the broad decks were filled with sesmen in bluejackets, arnvjd with muskets, who sprung into the shrouds and ran out on the yards. laying prone in the maintop, on the bowsprit, on the forecastle, and at every point where aim could be taken with advantage. In a word, the ugly merchantman was metamopho^ed into a bristling war ship, with a man at every point, and a broadside of cannon looking into the eyes of the pirates. The latter, taken aback, recoiled a moment; but before they had time for action, evrn for thought, the guns belohed forth iron and fire, splintering the masts, cutting the rigging and sails as with knives, breaking the spars and booms, and literally cirvinj; the schooner into pieces, and opening gull's into which the water ru?hed as through sluices, filling the hold, and admonishing the rebels that their sole hopes of life Lny in the ship's boats or in wrestling with the sea. The fire still rontinueJ, and the water was full of drift wood. Many of the irun jumped overboard, and the rest, launching the life boat, jumped in, and held up a white handkerchief as a sign of surrender. But one man had ai opportunity to go down into the cabin for his property, and he was the lieutenant, a fellow named Harvey, formerly a midshipman in the United State? service, under command of Captain Satore. Ilarvoy recovered his trunk. The S. Lawrence still continued the lire with small arms, but directing the aim at the hulk and not at the small boat, the crew, excepting four men, were not injured. In ten minutes from the discharge of her first gun, the vessel swayed heavily and went under, carding down four men, one of whom, named Carpenter, was a former Philadelphia!!, living in Southwark. Tiie officers of the St. Lawrence now discovered the lifo-bmt and the flag of humiliation. They dropped a boat and made out to the rebels, and finally passed them on board ship, where they wore ironed as f;i<?t as received, and securely confined below. In the engagement the St. Lawrence received two shots, one in the foresail, the other in the quarter. She transferred Jjer prisoner-? to the i''lag on Sunday morning, and they were at once brought to this port. The Petrel was formerly the Gen. Aiken, a revenue cutter, and was seized in Charlstown harbour, after ihe surrender of Fort Snmter. She has proved a grave, mayhap, for some of the very men that seized her ; and may every Federal vessel that treason has appropriated likewise be its hammock and coffin. Another account s.iys — " The story as told by the crew, in respect to the attack on the Vt. Lawrence and the sinking of the Petrel, differs somewhat from that previously reported. They supposed her to he an Eost Indiaman, as her ports were closed. When they had got nearer the mistake was discovered ; the captain then went below, and took a glass of brandy, and coming up, swore they would give her one shot anyhow, and directed the gunner to fire, which he did, throwing the grape as stated over the heads of the officers. The men describe the effect of the broadside of the St. Lawrence as terrific, butting the Petrel almost to pieces. The men took to the boats as soon as the vessel was discovered to he sinking, and they were fired into with small shot from the St. Lawrence before a flag of truce was raised."