CAPTURE OF TWO FEDERAL MERCHANTMEN BY THE CONFEDERATE STEAMER ALABAMA.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 49, 29 February 1864, Page 5 (Supplement)

CAPTURE OF TWO FEDERAL MERCHANTMEN BY THE CONFEDERATE STEAMER ALABAMA.

(Fnom the Java Times, Nov. 13th.) Great excitement was occasioned here, by the intelligence that the crews of two American vessels, captured by the celebrated Alabama, had arrived in an almost destitute condition from the coast, at the American Consulate.The news spread like wildfire, and the speedy arrival of the cruiser herself at Batavia, as well as the probable reception she would meet with from the Government, became the general subjects of conversation. We are able to give our readers the following information regarding the capture of these vessels, which we obtained from some of the crew of one of them. The account, therefore, though undoubtedly true, in the main, if not altogether, must not be taken as official. * On Thursday last, the Amanda, Captain Larrabee, 600 tons burden, Stewards and Crossbuary of Bangor, Maine, owners, bound from Manilla to Cork, for orders with a cargo of 315 tons sugar and 4000 bales hemp, loaded, we believe, by Messrs. Ker and Company, of Manilla, for account of Messrs. Halliday, Pox .. and Company, of London. When about- 200 miles from Java Heads,, in company with two or three British vessels, and steering S.W., a la.rge vessel was perceived coming up astern, and was taken for a Spanish gunboat, but on Hearing, she showed the British colors, and ordering, the Amanda to back her mainyard and lay by, inf owned her that a'boat would immediately be sent off to her. A boat was accordingly i lowered, filled with armed men, and sent alongside the doomed, when the Alabama hoisted the Confederate -flag (white ground, with a red square, a blue cross, and thirteen stars). The lieutenant, on coming aboard the Amanda, ordered the master and mate to accompany him to the

cruiser, and to bring >. wjth him the aTiip*s papers and -other documents, They were then conducted before Captain Semmes, who, after v perusing the papers, pronounced the Amanda to be the legally ; prize of; the ■Alabama.- -Hereafter -they were sent back to their own ship, and with the rest of the crow were ordered to break bulk. ■ThislMted;'j^..;^ii^lit!;'-wiien the bedding o? the crew was cut into small pieces, laid all over the hold, and set on fire. The men were thenalmost suffocated j sent on board the Alabama, and placed 'below in. irons^ with the exception of one man w)iO; was, sick. : Next morning they were turned on deck. : . : ' The Alabama then bore towards the . coast of Sumatra, where they; on Sunday morning spoke a Butch merchantmany who informed them that; the . "Wyoming had been at Batavia,; but had left tiatpbrfc op..a,' cruising expe-' dition. Next morning she, made weigh, , and stood for the- straits, and when abreast of North Island saw a vessel .malting for the Sumatra coast. ■': The Alabama fired two shots after her, and showed the St. George's Gross; The'vessel hoisted American colors, when .a boat with armed men was sent alongside, the St.' G-eorge's Cross Was lowered, and the Confederate, flag raised. She proved to be the Winged Racer, of New Xork, ISOO tons burden, bound from Manilla ,-to New York, laden with a cargo of sugar. The master went on board alone,' and the two mates had to fblloAV afterwards, when an officer of the Alabama took her in charge, and brought her to anchor near North Island, under the range of the Alabama's guns. The Winged Racer was then stripped of all her ropes, sails, coals, piwisions, and nautical instruments, and set on fire. She sank at about half-past eight on the morning of the 11th instant. The men then got into their own boats, and were allowed to take with them a few articles of clothing, water, raw salted beef, three muskets and some gunpowder. The crew of the Amanda were also placed in one of the boats, with a few provisions and articles of clothing. The master of the Winged Racer with his wife, child and nurse were transferred to the British vessel Julia, from Shanghai to London, which will probaly land them at Anjer. During their stay on board the Alabama they were most kindly treated and allowed the same rations as the crew. The Amanda was valued by Captain Semmes at 140,000 dollars, and the Winged Racer at 300,000. The Alabama has six guns and two pivots. When the Alabama was last seen she was steering to the northward. This is the sSth prize that she has captured. «UM^Li-^uuj.mp«»i»a«M^| • I