Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/52

 42 Southern Historical Saciety Papers.

when we left the Wachisett and had an opportunity of talking to the other men. After the men had time to get ashore, the commander of the Wachusett called away his boats, and sent an armed force after the boat in which our men had left. So anxious was he to get them ashore, that he sent them when the quarantine flag was flying at his fore in consequence of having the small-pox on board. The United States steamer Kcasarge left St. Thomas while we were there, and Dr. Charlton and the eighteen men on the Florida were transferred to her. When we arrived at Fortress Monroe, we were sent up to Point Lookout Prison, and there the officers were separated from the men, and sent to the Old Capitol Prison in Washington. But in three or four days we were sent back to the Wachusett at Fortress Monroe to go to Fort Warren, Boston. On our return to Fortress Monroe, I heard that the Florida's money-chest had been opened, and I went to Captain Collins and reminded him that soon after we were cap- tured, I informed him that there were three hundred and twenty dollars in it which belonged to the wardroom mess, which I had given to the paymaster the evening before we were captured, to keep till the caterer, Lieutenant Stone, should return from shore. He told me that he had mentioned it to Rear-Admiral Porter, but that the Ad- miral refused to give it to us. We saw the Florida before we left. She had lost her jibboom by a steam- tug running into her. A Lieu- tenant-Commander told me that if the United States Government determined to give her up, the officers of the navy would destroy her. Several other of our officers were told the same. Whilst in Fort Warren we heard these threats were carried out.

From Hampton Roads we were carried in the Wachusett to Boston, but before we were sent to Fort Warren, Lieutenant-Commander Beardsly went to the men and informed them that he was sent by Captain Collins to tell them that if they would take the oath of alle- giance to the United States Government they would be released. He, meeting with no success, was succeeded by the master-at-arms of the vessel, and a sergeant from the Fort, who told them that all the men but five of those who had come from St. Thomas on the Keas- arge had taken the oath. I do not know by whose orders this was told them ; but we found on arriving at the Ibrt that it had no more truth in it than the report they gave the men at St. Thomas, that Mr. Bryan was to meet them on shore. I am happy to say that but one of the crew deserted his flag, and he did it the day we were captured. When we arrived at Fort Warren, the men were all put in one room, and the eleven officers were put into one with thirty-two other pris-