Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Congress
Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: Not being altogether satisfied with the condition in which the case of the Shenandoah was left, under the statement of facts assumed by Lord Clarendon to be true in his note to me of the 2d of December, I took measures to search out, through Mr. Dudley, the consul at Liverpool, testimony of some persons on board of that vessel, as to what the truth really was. Not without difficulty [Page 45] he obtained and sent me an affidavit from one of the crew, which contained so much internal evidence of its substantial accuracy, that I thought it advisable to forward it at once to Lord Clarendon, with a note distinctly specifying the points in his own statement upon which it bore. His lordship has thus far contented himself with a cold acknowledgment. Understanding from Mr. Dudley that copies of the depositions have been already forwarded to you, I now send you copies of the other papers.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Adams to Lord Clarendon.
My Lord: Entertaining no desire to reopen the questions already discussed in connection with the steamer Shenandoah, I propose to submit the accompanying letter from the consul of the United States at Liverpool, and the two depositions to which it refers, solely for the purpose of placing more fully on the record what appear to be the facts connected with her cruise.
The points to which I desire particularly to call your lordship’s attention are these:
1. In your note to me of the 2d instant you state “that no armed vessel departed during this war from a British port to cruise against the commerce of the United States.”
2. In your note of the 4th of November your lordship is pleased to rely on the authority of the commander of the Shenandoah for the statement that he committed no depredations upon the commerce of the United States after he knew that the rebellion had been suppressed.
3. In the same note you state, on the authority of the report of the officer sent to muster the crew, that there were no persons known to be British subjects on board.
On the other hand, with the aid of the narrative and list of the crew herewith submitted, I trust it may be made to appear—
1. That the Sea King did depart from a British port armed with all the means she ever had occasion to use in the course of her cruise against the commerce of the United States; and that no inconsiderable portion of her hostile career was passed whilst she was still registered as a British vessel, with a British owner, on the official records of the kingdom.
2. That the commander had been made fully aware of the suppression of the rebellion the very day before he committed a series of outrages on innocent, industrious, and unarmed citizens of the United States in the sea of Okhotsk.
3. The list of the crew herewith submitted, with all the particulars attending the sources from which the persons were drawn, is believed to be so far substantially correct as to set at rest the pretence of the officer sent on board that there were no British subjects belonging to the vessel.
Deeming it to be of the utmost importance to the establishment of the precise relations of neutral powers towards belligerents in future emergencies that all the facts attending the share taken by her Britannic Majesty’s subjects in the late war should be clearly placed before the world, I have ventured to take the liberty to ask of your lordship the privilege to consider these papers as intended to modify, so far as they may be fairly entitled to be regarded as doing so, the allegations of fact which appear in the notes to which they respectively refer.
I pray, &c.
The Right Hon. Earl of Clarendon, &c.,&c.,&c.
Mr. Dudley to Mr. Adams.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose you copies of two affidavits: one of William A. Temple, a very intelligent seaman, who shipped on the Shenandoah (then called the Sea King) in London, and remained on her during the cruise, and was discharged from her after she came to this port; the other that of Margaret Marshall, the wife of David Marshall, of Liverpool, who went out from here in the steamer Laurel, and joined the Shenandoah near the island of Madeira [Page 46] in the capacity of a fireman. David Marshall was also on the Shenandoah during the whole of her cruise. At the time of his enlisting they gave him what is known as a half-pay note, for the one-half part of his wages, payable to his wife at the office of Fraser, Trenholm & Co., in Liverpool. This note was sent to Mrs. Marshall by her husband; it was for 3l. 10s. per month. Her affidavit shows that this money was paid to her at the office of Fraser, Trenholm & Co., Liverpool, monthly, during the cruise of the vessel, up to the month of October, 1865. That the last payment was made to her on the 18th day of October last.
The affidavit of Temple covers the time of the whole cruise, and gives an account of some of the events that occurred, with a list of the officers and crew, and their nationalities. By it you will see that she had 26 officers, 33 petty officers, 54 seamen, 12 firemen, and 12 marines, making, in all, 137 persons on board. Of these 78 were British subjects, 26 foreigners belonging to other nations, and 33 Americans, divided as follows: Of the officers, 19 Americans and 7 British subjects; of the petty officers, 5 Americans, 23 British subjects, and 5 other foreigners; of the seamen, 9 Americans, 26 British subjects, and 19 other foreigners; of the 12 firemen, all British subjects; of the 12 marines, 10 British subjects and 2 foreigners of other nations.
Among other matters, the affidavit shows that the Sea King, when she sailed from London, had two 18-pounder guns mounted upon her decks, and that these were the principal guns used during the whole of her cruise; that the day before they reached the island of Madeira they painted over the name of Sea King wherever it appeared on the vessel or any of the iboats or fixtures; that on her arrival at Melbourne she was received in the most cordial manner by the officials and people at that port, and every facility afforded to obtain supplies and make repairs; that the officers of the Shenandoah were entertained on shore, and in their turn entertained the officials of Melbourne on board the Shenandoah; that Captain Waddell entertained privately on the Shenandoah the governor of Melbourne; that the government engineer at Melbourne was on the vessel two or three times a day, and if he did not superintend the repairs that were being made, at least gave them the benefit of his advice; that at the time they left Melbourne they had more than forty persons stowed away on board the vessel, all of whom were enlisted and enrolled upon the ship’s articles before they were out of sight of land; that the ship was coaled there by the English ship John Fraser, of Liverpool; that notwithstanding they received information of the surrender of Lee and the termination of the war as early as the month of June of this year, they still went on burning and destroying all vessels they fell in with sailing under the United States flag, and after receiving this information captured no less than nineteen vessels, all of which were either bonded or burned; that the flag generally used on the Shenandoah when speaking other vessels or decoying their victims was the English; that the men received their bounty-money when they enlisted and their wages afterwards in English gold; that the contract made with them was that they were to be paid in this money, and be discharged at an English port or placed on board of an English vessel after their several terms of enlistment had expired; that they were brought to the English port of Liverpool and entertained by Captain Whitehead, who sent off a boatload of fresh provisions to them on the night of their arrival; that Jones & Co. on the following evening also sent off a boat-load of provisions, which the custom-house officers refused to permit to be taken on board; that the officers and crew were all discharged from the ship by Captain Paynter, of her Majesty’s ship Donegal, the crew having been previously informed that on their names being called they must give their nationality as southerners; that the crew upon being landed at Liverpool were admitted into the Sailors’ Home, and that they were paid there either the whole or part of the wages due them in money obtained at Liverpool.
I am informed that the Captain Whitehead who sent off the boat-load of provisions to the Shenandoah on the night of her arrival is a member of the firm of Whittaker, Whitehead &. Co., Liverpool; and that the firm Jones & Co., who sent off the boat-load on the following evening, is the same firm that fitted out the pirate Georgia.
When you add to the facts disclosed in these affidavits those that were known before, that the vessel was built in Scotland; owned at the time she sailed upon her cruise by Richard Wright, an English merchant of Liverpool, in whose name she was registered in London, and who so late as October of this year stood there as her registered owner; that she was fitted out and sailed from London upon her cruise, was armed with English guns and wholly supplied from England, it seems to me that the character of this vessel as an English buccaneer is fully made out.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Affidavit of William A. Temple.*
I, William A. Temple, of London, now residing in Liverpool, No. 108 St. James street, say I was born in Madras, and am a British subject. In October, 1864, I was in want of a ship, and stopping at Green’s Sailors’ Home in London, and I heard of the Sea King. I was [Page 47] called in the office by one of the officials. Captain Corbett of the Sea King steamer, afterwards called the Shenandoah, was there. I was asked for my discharge by Captain Corbett. I tendered him my papers; he told me he would ship me as an ordinary seaman; he told me he would give 35s. per month. This was on Wednesday. He told me to be down on the next Friday morning. I signed the articles of the Sea King for a voyage to Bombay, not to exceed two years, Captain Corbett giving me a note for one month’s advance wages. I signed in the name of W. J. Jones, and I continued by that name, William John Jones, during all the cruise of the Shenandoah. I went down on Friday; was told she would not go out until next morning, and that I must be on board by four o’clock. I went at the time mentioned, and found her going out of dock. I got on board; she was in command of Captain Corbett. We proceeded down the river at half speed. At the time we left London we had two 18-pounder guns mounted on the decks. These were the guns we generally used while on our cruise in bringing vessels to. I found on board Lieutenant Whittle, who was afterwards first lieutenant; he was on her as a cabin passenger under the assumed name of McDonald. There were several parties on board; some of them, left us at Deal. Richard Wright, a merchant of Liverpool, who owned the vessel at the time, was one of them. The captain was on very intimate terms with Lieutenant Whittle, treating him with every deference. I became steward to the steerage officers, and remained in this capacity after I enlisted on the Shenandoah until a month after we left Melbourne, and I then went on -deck and did duty as an ordinary seaman. We kept down the channel under easy sail and steam, and made the island of Madeira on the following Monday week. At the time we left London the name Sea King was on the stern of the vessel, on each bow, on all the boats, buckets, life-buoys, and other fixtures and furniture. The day before we reached the island of Madeira the name Sea King was either painted over or else scratched off. During that night we kept on and off. Next morning we ran into the harbor, signalled a small steamer lying there, which afterwards proved to be the Laurel. We went out of the harbor again; the steamer Laurel followed us. In two hours we reached a small island lying in an easterly direction from Madeira. The steamer Laurel anchored close into the shore, and we came alongside and dropped our anchor. She (the Laurel) soon came alongside and made fast to us. It was now for the first time that I learned what was up, and that she was going a privateering. The steamer Laurel was in command of Captain Ramsay, a British subject, who held a commission as first lieutenant in the confederate navy. The first mate, by name of Heasman, came to us and told us about it. He stated that the gentleman Whittle, who came with us, was to be first lieutenant, and told us that any of us who desired to join would get 4l 10s. a month. As soon as the two vessels were fastened together they commenced transferring the guns, shot, shells, ammunition, clothing, &c., from the Laurel to the Sea King. We worked from about 2 o’clock that day until 3 o’clock next morning; during this time grog was served out to the men about every two hours. Captain Corbett. Lieutenant Whittle, and the officers and men of both ships, were busy engaged in making the transfer. After we finished we lay down and took a sleep and turned out again about nine o’clock. As soon as the men were out we were all called aft by the boatswain of the Sea King; the men from the Laurel were also called on board. As soon as we got aft Captain Corbett came out with the ship’s articles in his hands, and made a speech to us something to this effect: Men of the Sea King, you signed these articles with me to go to Bombay or any intermediate port, and if the ship should be sold on the voyage, you were to sign clear of her. Some one said we did not hear anything about that in London; he replied, Here it is, and read it to them. He then went on to say that he had sold the ship, and that those who wished to join the ship could do so; that they would be paid, on their signing a paper clearing from the Sea King, two months’ wages, whilst those who did not want to join her were to take their clothes and go on the steamer alongside, which would take them to Liverpool, where they would be paid two months’ wages upon signing a similar paper. Some of the Men demanded that they should be paid immediately. Captain Waddell was standing close to Captain Corbett at the time, in full confederate uniform, and as soon as Captain Corbett had finished, stepped forward and took his place by the side of Captain Corbett, and said, Men, I am an officer in the confederate navy, authorized to take command of this ship. He offered to read his commission, but the men said, no, never mind. He then said, Any of you that feel inclined to serve under the confederate flag will get good wages and good treatment. I do not intend to fight; any one can see that this vessel was not made to fight; I intend to run away rather than fight, unless in a very urgent case. My orders are simply to destroy the federal commerce by burning and destroying all ships that I can find sailing under the federal flag. He said, as each vessel was taken they would be valued, and half of the value of each would be divided among the ship’s company, and paid to them at the end of the war. Some one asked what bounty he would give; he replied, he would give £15 bounty, in gold; to able seamen he would give £7 per month, and those that were married could have their wages paid to their wives in Liverpool during the cruise. Notes were given to the married men for the half of their wages, payable in Liverpool at Messrs. Fraser, Trenholm & Co.’s office. These notes have been paid, as I have been informed, up to three weeks of our reaching Liverpool, in last month. He told the men as the wages were high, they would only sign for six months, at the end of which time he would land them in some British port, if it lay in his power; if he could not do this, he would endeavor to place them on board a British vessel bound for the United Kingdom. He expected to make up his crew [Page 48] from the prizes he would take. He said her name was the Shenandoah, and that he was to command her. No confederate flag had up to this time been shown. The only flags used had been the English. Myself, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. John Clark, and John Martin signed cleared of the Sea King, receiving each two months’ wages from Captain Corbett, and then were sworn to the effect that we were to serve the Confederate States to the best of our ability, and never betray them; we signed this at the bottom. Efforts were made to get the other men to join; many from the Laurel did join; those who would not, returned to Liverpool, or started for there, in the Laurel. Mr. Smith, the purser of the Shenandoah, paid me the two months’ wages for serving on the Sea King, also the bounty money for enlisting on her. It was about 12 o’clock when the Laurel left us; she steered towards Madeira, and we took a southwest course. On parting company with the Laurel we hoisted for the first time on the Shenandoah the confederate flag. It was up but for a few minutes; another vessel hove in sight, and we hoisted an English flag to her; she replied with the same flag. This was the 19th day of October, 1864, when we parted with the Laurel. Captain Corbett, and all the men who did not join the Shenandoah, went on the Laurel. We were ten or twelve days in stowing things away and mounting the guns. We had two guns mounted at the time we left London, each eighteen-pounder; we mounted four sixty-eight-pounders smooth bore shell guns, and two long thirty-two-pounder Whitworth rifle guns. These were all English guns. There were also rifles, revolvers, cutlasses, &c., in abundance. Each man at his quarters during our cruise was armed with a rifle, a cutlass, and a revolver. This was continued until the 3d of August last. There were but nineteen men, besides the officers, at the time we left the Laurel. All these men were British subjects. All the guns, small arms, and ammunition, as well as supplies, were from England; had been brought out either from London in the Sea King, or in the English steamer Laurel, from Liverpool. Our bounty money was paid us in English gold. Indeed, Captain Waddell told us at the time we joined that our wages would be paid us in English gold. We were paid, at least myself, £2 in English money, at Melbourne, and since my arrival at Liverpool I have been paid by Mr. Lewis Wiggins, who held the post of signal quartermaster on the Shenandoah, about one-half part of my wages. This payment was made at the Sailors’ Home, Liverpool, on the 13th of November, (last month, 1865,) in English money. This last payment was made by Wiggins and Charles H. Morton, one of the seamen; they told us we need not be afraid, we would get the rest of it.
About the 29th day of October, 1864, we captured our first prize in the bark Alina, of Searsport, from Newport, bound to Bahia. When we got within signalling distance of her we hoisted the English flag. She replied by hoisting the American, and as soon as we got up near her, we fired a blank shot across her bows, and hoisted the confederate flag. She hove to, and an armed boat was sent to her. The vessel was condemned, and sunk. The captain and men were brought on board the Shenandoah, and all the men and officers, except the captain, were put in irons.
The next prize was the schooner Charter Oak. She was bound from Boston to San Francisco. She was condemned and burnt. The captain had his wife and wife’s sister on board. They were brought to the Shenandoah. The captain had about two hundred dollars. This, Captain Waddell took from the captain, but gave it to his wife on leaving the Shenandoah. The captain of the Charter Öak represented that this was all he had in the world, now that his vessel was burnt. This vessel was loaded with furniture, provisions, preserved fruits, preserved vegetables, meats, &c. We took out sofas, furniture, preserved fruits, meats, &c., and transferred them to the Shenandoah; indeed, we almost unloaded her, and transferred her cargo to our vessel. We spoke a Danish brig, bound to Rio Janeiro; all the prisoners were placed on this vessel. Our captain made a bargain with the Danish captain to convey them there.
A week or ten days afterwards we took our third prize, the bark D. Godfrey, of Boston, and bound from that port to——. We condemned and burnt her.
We then captured the schooner L. N. Stacey, of Boston, and from that port to Honolulu. She was condemned and burnt.
The next vessel we captured was the Kate Prince. She was a ship from Cardiff to Bahia. Her cargo proved to be neutral. She was ransomed, and all our prisoners transferred to her.
Our next prize was the bark Adelaide. She was condemned to be burnt; but while they were breaking up her cabin, a letter from her owners in Baltimore was discovered. It was brought on board, and the order to bum her was revoked, because she belonged to southern owners. She was released on giving a ransom bond for a small amount. She was under a Buenos Ayres flag.
The next prize was a brigantine, the Susan, from Newport to Rio Janeiro, loaded with coal. She was condemned and sunk.
The bark Edward was next captured west of the Cape of Good Hope. She was from Nantucket, and bound on a whaling voyage. We lay aside her for two days, transferring stores from her to our vessel. She was then condemned and burnt.
The next day we made the island of Tristan d’Acuna, where there is a British settlement. We landed all our prisoners there, to the number of about forty.
The next prize was east of the Cape. It was the bark Delphine; she belonged to Ports [Page 49] mouth, New Hampshire; was in ballast. She was condemned and burnt. The captain had his wife with him. She and the rest were transferred to the Shenandoah.
From this time until we arrived in Melbourne, on the 26th of January, we took no more prizes. We were well received by all the authorities and people at Melbourne. All the officials and most of the leading inhabitants of the place visited the Shenandoah, and were very warm in their congratulations and well-wishes to us. The governor of Melbourne visited captain Waddell, and was privately entertained by Captain Waddell, on board the Shenandoah. There were 8,000 visitors came on board to see us, in one day. All the government officials were on board to see us, and most of them were entertained on board, either by the captain or his officers. The government officials in Melbourne gave an elegant entertainment to Captain Waddell and his officers during his stay there; it was given at their club-room in Melbourne. Every facility was afforded to us, both by the officials and people of Melbourne, to make our repairs and to procure our supplies; indeed, everything we wanted. One very warm friend was a man by the name of——, formerly the United States consul there.
A dinner was given to the officers of the Shenandoah, at a place called Ballarat, in the country. Mr. Smith, Mr. Grimball, Mr. Scales, Mr. Mason, Dr. Lenning, and Mr. Brown went. They were received at the station by some two thousand people, who cheered them as they passed.
The English government engineer was on board our ship while we were undergoing our repairs three or four times a day, and certainly assisted them with his opinions and advice, if he did not superintend our repairs.
We left Melbourne on the 18th day of February. When we left we had from fifty to sixty persons on board as stowaways; among them was Captain Robert Blackar, who commanded the English steamer Saxonia. It was known to the officers on board at the time we sailed that most of these men were on board. All these persons so stowed away on board were British subjects, and were enlisted or enrolled upon the ship’s books as officers or men within twelve hours from the time we left our anchorage, and while we were within sight of land. Their names are mentioned in the list annexed hereto, and comprise all those set down in said list as shipping at Melbourne.
Before we left Melbourne we were coaled by the ship John Fraser, from Liverpool, which I have since learned was sent out with coal expressly for us. It was some six weeks after we left Melbourne before we took another prize, during which time we were organizing a company of marines and drilling the crew.
About the 2d of March we spoke the schooner Honolulu, under the Honolulu flag; the captain of the schooner told us there were six American whalers anchored in the harbor of the island of Ascension. Remade all haste, steered directly to this island, and entered the harbor two days after. We found there four vessels, all whalers: the ship Hector, of New Bedford; ship Edward Carey, of San Francisco; the bark Pearl, of New London; and the bark Harvest, of Honolulu. This last vessel was from Honolulu, under the Honolulu flag, and in command of a citizen of Honolulu. These vessels were all lying at anchor in the harbor. The Honolulu bark was brought alongside, and all her supplies were removed to the Shenandoah; her captain was brought on board and placed in double irons, and kept in this condition for three or four days. The captains of the three American vessels were visiting the missionary on the other side of the island at the time we arrived, but most of them returned in time to see their vessels burned. We took possession of all the vessels, the three that were under the American flag as well as the one under the Honolulu flag. Within an hour after we arrived we took possession, and the savages of the island were told they might go and plunder the vessels and take whatever they desired. They took the boats belonging to the vessels, sails, furniture, supplies, &c. They almost stripped the vessels. We fired and burned the Pearl on the day we arrived; the next Monday, the 6th of March, we gave the Edward Carey and the Hector to the flames; the Honolulu bark was burned about two days after. The vessels were all in the harbor at the time they were burned. The crews from all these vessels were turned on shore among the savages as soon as we took possession. All the captains upon their return, which was not until after we had seized their vessels, with their officers, were brought on board the Shenandoah, placed in irons, and kept there until we were ready to sail, when they were paroled and sent to the shore with their men among the savages. We left them there. The King of the island came on board while we were there. Waddell and his officers received him in full uniform, wearing their swords. He was brought aboard in the ship’s gig, and entertained by the captain in his cabin, and shown round the ship.
We left the island of Ascension about the 14th day of March last, and cruised for about a month off the coast of Japan, hoping to fall in with some of the United States traders with that country.
The last part of May we entered the Okhotsk sea; we there captured the whaling bark Abigail, of New Bedford, We lay alongside two days transferring the spirits, potatoes, and supplies from her to our vessel. There were on the vessel some twenty or thirty silk dresses which the captain and officers had purchased in Japan, and a quantity of fancy Japan workboxes and fancy articles. All these were taken by the officers and men of our ship. The vessel was then burned. A part of the time we were lying by her our crew had reached the [Page 50] liquors, and were in a frightful state of intoxication. The second mate of this vessel, F. Manning, an American belonging to Baltimore, on coming on board, told our captain that he was well acquainted with the seas in the neighborhood, and would pilot the vessel Shenandoah to a place where we would find fourteen or fifteen United States whaling vessels together. He was placed upon the articles as ship’s corporal, and gave the information to the captain. We afterwards, under his piloting, found eleven American vessels all together, nine of which were burnt as hereafter mentioned. Manning was at once, for this service, rewarded by being made a master’s mate. He is now in London. After cruising for more than a week we made for Behring’s straits.
In the month of —— we sighted two vessels within about nine miles from the land; they proved to be the ship William Thompson and ship Euphrates, both from New Bedford. They were both burned. While they were burning, another ship hove in sight; we gave chase under the Russian flag; she proved to be the English bark Robert Downs, of Sydney. We gave them our name as the Russian ship of war Prince Petropaulovski, bound on a cruise; she saluted us, and we parted.
In two or three days, near the entrance of Behring’s straits, we sighted three more vessels; they proved to be the ship Milo, the bark Sophia Thornton, and bark Jerry Swift; they were all captured. The Milo was bonded on condition of her receiving the crews of the others and the prisoners we had on board; the others were burned. This was in the month of June. The next vessel we took was the brigantine Susan Abigail, of San Francisco; she was twenty-eight days from San Francisco, and bound on a general trading voyage in the Arctic sea. She had many fancy articles on board, but we took nothing from her, but burned her immediately, as the captain and crew had told us that General Lee had surrendered and the war was over. It was on the —— day of June last when we captured and burned this vessel. This was the first news we had that the war was over. This news depressed us. On the following night, about 12 o’clock, we took three other vessels: the bark J. C. Nye, of San Francisco; bark Nimrod, of New Bedford; and bark Catherine, of New Bedford, all whalers. These three last vessels were captured and burned on the night of——.
The next vessels taken were the bark Isabella, of New Bedford; the bark General Pike, of New Bedford; and the bark Gypsie, of New Bedford. They were captured on the ———.
The General Pike was ransomed; the Isabella and a bark called the Gypsie, of New Bedford, were burned. The Isabella was brought alongside the Shenandoah, and her stores taken out and placed on our vessel before she was burned. The crews from these vessels were all placed on the General Pike. Another vessel was in sight, but the captains from the prize vessels told us she had the small-pox on board, and we let her pass, although she showed the American flag.
Early in the morning of—— ——, the weather being foggy, we were very nearly being run into by the bark Waverley, of New Bedford. We took her and burned her. On the same day the fog cleared off, and we saw several vessels anchored in a bay or roadstead; they were about eight or twelve miles from land. Most were at anchor; some were with their sails furled up; there were eleven all together. We were at this time under the pilotage, of Mr. Manning. It was through him that we had reached this point. They all hoisted the American flag. On our nearing them we too hoisted the American flag. The first vessel proved to be the bark Martha, of New Bedford; she was under canvas, and was just going to anchor; she was boarded by us and taken possession of. We then came up to a lot of them: they were the bark Congress, of New Bedford; bark Nassau, of New Bedford; bark Corington, of New Bedford; the ship James Murray, of New Bedford; the ship Brunswick, of New Bedford; ship Hilman, of New Bedford; the bark Nile, of New Bedford; the ship Isaac Howland, of Warren, Rhode Island; and the bark Favorite, of Fair Haven. This last vessel, on our boat going to board her, made resistance. Her captain pointed a bomb gun at us, and threatened to fire at us if we approached his ship. All his crew were armed with handspikes. At this time nearly all the vessels above mentioned were in our possession, and several of them were in flames, and the United States flag was still flying at our gaff or mizzen-peak; we had not had any other up to this time flying. On receiving this hostile reception we returned to the Shenandoah, and informed the lieutenant what had happened. He hauled down the United States flag and hoisted the confederate flag on the Shenandoah, and approached with his vessel to within speaking distance, hailed the captain, and told him that every person must leave her within five minutes, or he would fire into and sink them. Captain Waddell ordered one of the Whitworth guns to be loaded, and repeated the order to point the gun to hit that ship. Before the five minutes had expired all the crew had left her d in their boats; the captain refused to do so, and remained on board. First Lieutenant Whittle, on seeing that the crew had left the ship, hailed the bark again, and told the captain to haul down his flag. The captain replied that he would not. The first lieutenant then ordered our boat to be hauled up, and in great excitement snatched a loaded rifle from one of the marines, jumped into the boat, and told us to give way and pull with all our might. On approaching the vessel Lieutenant Whittle pointed the rifle at him, and told him if he did not within five minutes go and stand in the port gangway, leaving his arms on the poop, he would shoot him dead on the deck where he stood. The captain appeared to be intoxicated. We went round and boarded the vessel, took possession, and burned her.
[Page 51]We bonded the two ships James Murray and Brunswick, and burned all the rest. The crews from the burnt vessels were placed on the Murray and Brunswick.
After firing these vessels, we steered to the northward for a day and a night, but meeting with heavy sea we turned about and steered for the south. Manning protested against our turning about, saying in a few more days he could find as many more vessels as we had already taken.
Three or four days after, about the——, we spoke a Honolulu brig; hailed and asked her what news she had. He replied that General Lee had surrendered, and the northern President had been assassinated.
After this, on the 6th day of July, we left Behring straits for the Pacific ocean. When in the latitude of San Francisco, on the 2d of August, 1865, we spoke the bark Barracouta, of Liverpool, from San Francisco to Swansea, fourteen days out. We sent a boat on board, and he told us that the war was over, confirming the news we had heard before.
On the following day all hands were called aft, and Captain Waddell told them it was indeed true that the South had been suppressed, and the war over. He told the men all they had to do was to obey him; that he intended to take them to a British port, and that however much trouble they might be put to, he and his officers would be in a much worse condition; but that if they would stand by him he would stand by them. He alluded to a letter which had been sent aft by the crew, requesting him to go into a British port. He told them he would go into a British port. Some wanted to go to Australia; but they all seemed well content with his ultimate decision to come to Liverpool.
We rounded the Horn on the 13th September and made direct for Liverpool. When in latitude of the Cape of Good Hope the officers called a meeting, and signed a petition requesting the captain to run in and land them at Cape Town. Captain Waddell refused to accede to this.
The next day Liéutenant Whittle waited on the captain, at the request of the officers, and renewed the matter. The captain still refused.
On the following day the men held a meeting, and signed a petition to the effect that they were willing to go wherever the captain took them. He then continued on his course for Liverpool, where we arrived on the 6th November, 1865.
Our general practice while cruising was, when we captured a vessel, to bring the men and officers to the Shenandoah and put them in irons. In some cases the officers were not put in irons. In approaching vessels our general practice was to hoist the English flag. This was done in most cases when we captured a prize or spoke a vessel. In a few instances we hoisted the Russian and American flags; but the English flag was the one we generally used.
The only inducement held out for men from vessels captured to join our ship was this: After they were put in irons the officers would approach them and say: How you are in irons, and will probably be kept there for a month, and you are earning nothing; now, if you will join us you will be set at liberty, treated well, and earn good wages; you had therefore better consent and do it. Many agreed to do this.
F. Manning, the mate from the Abigail, was not put in irons at all. He became an active man among us as soon as he got on board, and volunteered his services to conduct us to the whaling fleet, and was thanked and complimented by the captain, and promoted for his services.
When we captured a vessel we always took all the money, jewelry, chronometers, and other valuables that were in the ship, and all the money and jewelry that the captain and officers had in their pockets or about them, except their watches and what they were wearing. In one or two instances their watches were taken from them by our men. Complaint was made by the captains of this to our officers, but they never got any redress.
After a vessel was condemned, and we had taken everything we wanted from her, we would proceed to breakup her cabins and furniture with our axes, and then set her on fire. That is the way we did whenever we burned them. There were two cases where we sunk them.
A day or two before we arrived at Liverpool, Captain Waddell had all the men called aft. He commenced to address them, and said when the ship first started she had $22,000 on board of her. Out of that he took $18,000 to defray the expenses in Melbourne; consequently, when he came to consider the large amount that was due to each one of us, the small amount of money left would go but a little way among us; but what there was should be equally divided among the officers and men, and on our arrival in Liverpool he would endeavor to see where the rest of our money was to come from. He said he had no doubt but that among the southern population of Liverpool, who had been so interested and concerned in the war, there would be some who would be willing to contribute to pay us, who had done so much. He then went on to say what satisfaction the good conduct of the crew during the cruise had given him, and he only hoped up to the last moment of their stopping in the ship they would behave in the same orderly manner. He added, “You have gained a name by serving in this vessel that will never be forgotten. Your acts will be talked of all over Europe.” He said that when he got on shore it would be very annoying to him to have the men following him about Liverpool to the offices; he would therefore appoint Lewis Wiggins and James Brossman, to whom he would communicate, and who would communicate [Page 52] his wishes to the men. He promised to give ns each a certificate of the exact amount due us.
The day before we arrived in Liverpool we were paid the money that was promised on the ship—that is, the cash in hand was divided. My share was £5, which was paid me in English gold. A part of the crew were paid partly in English and partly in American coin.
We came on shore at Liverpool on Wednesday evening, the 8th of November, 1865. We heard nothing more about the payment until the following Friday. I had gone to and was stopping at the Sailors’ Home, in Liverpool. A majority of the men from the Shenandoah were stopping at the Sailors’ Home, in Liverpool. No objection was made to our stopping in the Sailors’ Home, in Liverpool. They admitted all who applied, but would not take the name of our ship. They put us down under the name of another vessel.
On Friday Wiggins, who was stopping at the Sailors’ Home with us, came and collected all the certificates that had been given us before we left the Shenandoah, showing the amount due to us, telling us that he would most likely pay us the following day.
About ten o’clock on Saturday, the 11th of Novomber, 1865, he commenced to pay off the crew upstairs in his own room at the Sailors’ Home. Morton acted as clerk. He called them in one by one, and commenced paying them in full in English gold. He paid off about one-half of the crew in full. The following day I went down to the Home and asked him to give me a few shillings, as I had not been paid, and he then told me there would not be enough money to go round and pay all.
The next morning he commenced paying the crew one-half their wages, and retaining their certificates. There was due me £49 14s. I got only £22. This was paid me in English gold. That same evening Wiggins went to London in disguise. Morton took a second class ticket to Bristol.
On Friday, the 17th November, I went to the Waterloo Hotel, and there saw Captain Waddell. He took me up to his room. I asked him what prospect there was of our being paid. He told me he had given Wiggins enough money to pay all the men all that was due them, and he had no doubt but that Wiggins was acting for the best. This is the last time I have seen him; but several of the crew have seen him subsequently.
We arrived at Liverpool on the afternoon of the 6th of November, as above stated, and anchored in the river Mersey, near her Majesty’s ship Donegal. We came up with the confederate flag flying.
Just as we anchored a lieutenant from the Donegal came on board. After conversing with Captain Waddell he left, and soon after Captain Paynter, of the Donegal, came. He remained about an hour, and as he passed over the side of the ship said he would telegraph Earl Russell and let Captain Waddell know the answer as soon as he got it. That night a company of marines, with two officers, from the Donegal, came on board and took possession of the vessel. These men from the Donegal would not permit any of the officers or men to leave the vessel. That night Captain Whitehead, of Liverpool, sent off to the ship two barrels of ale, one of porter, a lot of fresh beef, fresh mutton, a large supply of vegetables, eggs, and cheese, enough for all hands, and two or three tubs of butter, with plenty of fresh bread. This was received on the vessel, and all hands partook of it. The next night Jones & Co. (or Jones, Highat &Co.) sent us off a boatload of provisions, &c.; but the custom-house officers would not permit it to come on board. Captain Paynter visited the ship frequently. On the morning of the day we were released he came, and as he was going he said, “Men, you need not be impatient; you will soon be released; probably this evening. I am doing all in my power to obtain it for you. As soon as the formalities are got through with, and I receive the proper instructions, I will do it.” That evening, the 8th of November, he came on board in a tug-boat. As he came on board he said, “I have come to release you, my men.” He was cheered by the men. He went immediately aft. The men were all mustered. While we were mustering and making preparations to go aft, Captain Waddell sent some of the marines among the men to tell them they were all to be southerners when their names were called. I was myself told this by a marine by the name of John Ivors, who told me that the captain had sent him to tell all the crew. On being mustered aft in the presence of Captain Paynter and Lieutenant Whittle, in consequence of this information, we all stated that we were southerners when our names were called out. The mode was this: We were all mustered one side of the vessel. Lieutenant Whittle called our names and number, and as each man was called he passed in front of Captain Paynter, who addressed to each, “What countryman are you?” All the Englishmen, Scotch, or Irish answered that they were southerners. The other foreigners answered according to their nation. As soon as this was done we were told to get into the steamer as quick as possible, which we did, and were then landed at Liverpool. No parole was asked or taken from any of us. We were told we were at liberty. Mr. Lynch, the carpenter, married an English woman some time before our cruise commenced, and was living before, and is now living, in Liverpool. On Thursday or Friday after we were landed, James Baines, a merchant of Liverpool, sent for all the officers of the Shenandoah to come to his office.
The annexed list contains the names of all the officers, petty officers, and men of the Shenandoah after we left Melbourne up to the time we arrived in Liverpool. There were [Page 53] some men who left the ship at Melbourne, whose names I do not know. With two or three exceptions, the men and officers in the list are those that were landed at Liverpool. The list gives the nationality of each person, when he enlisted, and when he left the vessel.
Before me—
List of the officers and men of the Shenandoah, referred to in the preceding affidavit.
officers.
James J. Waddell, commander; an American; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
William C. Whittle, first lieutenant; an American; joined the Sea King at London.
John Grimball, second lieutenant; an American; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Sydney Smith Lee, third lieutenant; an American; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Frederick Chen, fourth lieutenant; an American; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Dabney N. Scales, fifth lieutenant; an American; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Charles Edward Lining, first surgeon; an American; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Frederick McUlty, second surgeon; an American; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Matthew O’Brien, first or chief engineer; an American; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was in the Alabama.
Charles Codd, first assistant engineer; an American; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was in the Rappahannock.
John Hutchinson, second assistant engineer; a Scotchman; came out in and joined from the Sea King.
Francis McGuffney, third assistant engineer; an Irishman; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was in the Sumter and Alabama under the name of Curren.
Irvine S. Bullock, sailing master; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was in the Alabama. Is brother to J. D. Bullock.
John Blackar, an Irishman; captain in the English merchant service; joined at Melbourne as captain’s clerk.
Orris A. Browne, a passed midshipman; an American; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
John J. Mason, a passed midshipman; an American; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Cornelius Hunt, master’s mate; an American; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was on the Georgia and Rappahannock.
F. C. Minor, master’s mate; an American; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was in the Alabama and Sumter.
Lodge Colton, master’s mate; an American; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was in the Rappahannock.
H. Manning, master’s mate; an American; joined us from the bark Abigail; was second mate on her.
W. B. Smith, purser; an American; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was captain’s clerk on Alabama.
George Howard, boatswain; an Englishman; belongs to the royal navy of England, or had served in it; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool; has been in the Alabama.
Peter Guy, gunner; an Englishman; has been in the royal navy of England; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
John Lynch, carpenter; an American, from New York, but married to an English woman residing in Liverpool; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
John O’Shey, carpenter, but resigned at Melbourne; came out in Laurel from Liverpool; was an Irishman by birth.
A. Alcott, sail-maker; an Englishman; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was on the Alabama.
[Page 54]petty officers.
Michael Moran, an Irishman; first captain of forecastle; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
William Warren, an Englishman; second captain of forecastle; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Louis Rowe, a Frenchman; captain of main-top; joined us from bark Alina.
Robbert Dunning, an Englishman; captain of fore-top; joined us at Melbourne.
Thomas Strong, an American; captain of mizzen-top; joined us at Melbourne.
Charles Cobbey, an Englishman; gunner’s mate; joined us at Melbourne.
James Bronnan, an Englishman; chief boatswain’s mate; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was on the Alabama.
Thomas Hall, an Englishman; quartermaster; came out in steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
John James, an Englishman; carpenter’s mate; joined us at Melbourne.
John Spring, an Englishman; captain of the hold; joined us at Melbourne.
William Crawford, an Englishman; gunner’s mate; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was on the Alabama.
Lewis Wiggins, a Russian; signal quartermaster; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Ernest W. Burt, an Englishman; doctor’s steward; joined us at Melbourne.
James A. Exshaw, an Irishman; purser’s steward; joined us at Melbourne.
Peter Ramond, a Frenchman; captain of fore-top; joined us from bark Alina.
William West, an Englishman; captain of main-top; belongs to royal naval reserve; joined us from bark D. Godfrey.
John Griffiths, an Englishman; captain mizzen-top; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Henry Fox, or Henry Yates, an Englishman; gunner’s mate; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool; was on the Alabama.
John Davy, an Englishman; boatswain’s mate; joined us from bark D. Godfrey.
John W. Jones, a Welshman; quartermaster; came out in the steamer Laurel from Liverpool.
Jacob Hanson, a Dane; quartermaster; joined us from the bark L. M. Stacy.
Francis Tuft, an Englishman; cooper; joined us from the Edward.
Franklin Gloon, (his right name is—— ——,) sail-maker’s mate; an American; joined us at Melbourne.
Charles McLaren, a Scotchman; master-at-arms; joined us at Melbourne.
James Marlow, an Englishman; wardroom cook; came out in the Laurel from Liverpool.
Charles Hopkins, a negro, Baltimore; wardroom cook; joined us from schooner L. M. Stacy
William Smith, an Englishman; ship’s cook; joined us at Melbourne.
John Williams, a negro; ship’s cook; joined us from bark D. Godfrey; left us at Melbourne.
William Bruce, a Malay; wardroom steward; joined us from bark Alina; left us at Melbourne.
David Alexander, a Scotchman; corporal of marines; joined us at Melbourne.
William Park, an American; corporal of marines; joined us from ship Hector.
William Fenner, an English boy; captain’s steward; came out in the Laurel from Liverpool.
H. C. Canning, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne; died October 29, 1865.
seamen.
John Collins, an American; joined us at Melbourne.
Thomas Foran, an Irishman; joined us at Melbourne.
Lawrence Kerney, an Irishman; joined us at Melbourne.
John McDonal, a Scotchman; joined us at Melbourne.
John Ramsdale, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
John Kilgower, a Scotchman; joined us at Melbourne.
Thomas Swanton, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
James Welch, an American; joined us from bark Pearl.
John Morris, a Portuguese; joined us from ship Hector.
George Adeias, a Portuguese; joined us from ship Hector.
Walter Way, an Englishman; joined us from the Susan.
John Hawthorn, an Irishman; joined us from ship General Williams.
Alfred Seaman, a Prussian; joined us from ship S. Abigail.
Charles Graft, a German; joined us from ship S. Abigail.
[Page 55]Antonio Delombas, a Portuguese; joined us from ship Hector.
John Blacking, a Dane; joined us from bark D. Godfrey.
John Moss, an Irishman; joined us at Melbourne.
William Simpson, an Englishman; came out in the Laurel from Liverpool; was on the Alabama.
Joachim Roderichs, a Portuguese; joined us from ship Hector.
George Flood, an American; joined from bark D. Godfrey.
James Fegan, an Irishman; joined us at Melbourne.
Samuel Crooks, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
John Simmes, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
John Hill, an Irishman; joined us at Melbourne.
William Hutchinson, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
Thomas Evans, a Welshman; joined us at Melbourne.
Charles H. Morton, an American; joined us at Melbourne.
George H. Gifford, an American; joined us at Melbourne.
John Kelly, an Irishman; joined us from brigantine Susan Abigail.
John Dowden, an American; was mate on the Abigail, and joined us as seaman.
Julius Colar, an American; joined us from the ship General Williams.
Alexander Pattison, a Scotchman; joined us from the Susan Abigail.
John Hilcox, an Englishman; joined us from the General Williams.
Henry Canning, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
Joseph Steveson, a negro; joined us from the Pearl.
John Vanarery, a Canadian; joined us from the Gypsey.
Michael Rose, called Reed; an Englishman; came out in the Laurel from Liverpool; was in the Alabama.
William Bill, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail; died 26th October, 1865.
Henry Givens, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
John Mahoe, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
Joseph Long, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
James California, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
James French, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
John Sailer, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
William Brown, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
Joseph Kanaca, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
John Boy, from Sandwich Islands; joined us from Abigail.
Edward Wicks, a negro; joined us from the Waverley.
W. J. Jones, an Englishman; came out in Sea King.
James Ross, a Canadian; joined us at Melbourne.
John Williams, an English boy; joined us at Melbourne.
James Oar, an English boy; came out in Laurel from Liverpool.
Robert Rosell, a Spanish boy: joined us from the Hector.
Duke Simmons, a Malay; joined us at Melbourne.
firemen.
John Martin, an Englishman; engine storekeeper; came out in the Sea King
David Marshall, an Englishman; first-class fireman; came out in the Laurel.
Thomas McLean, a Scotchman; first-class fireman; joined us at Melbourne.
William Brice, a Scotchman; joined us at Melbourne.
William Green, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
William Rawlinson, an Englishman; came out in the Laurel from Liverpool.
William Clark, an Englishman; came out in the Sea King from London.
William Burgess, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
Joseph Mullineux, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
Henry Sutherland, a Scotchman; joined us at Melbourne.
James Carr, an Englishman; joined us from the ship J. C. Nye.
James Stranth, a Scotchman; joined us at Melbourne.
marines.
Henry Reiley, a Canadian; joined us at Melbourne.
William Kenyon, an Irishman; joined us at Melbourne.
Robert Brown, an Englishman; joined us at Melbourne.
John Murray, an Irishman; joined us from the bark Abigail.
Emanuel Silver, Portuguese; joined us from the bark Abigail.
William Burnet, a Prussian; joined us from the bark Abigail.
Thomas Barry, an Englishman; joined us from the brigantine Susan Abigail.
Thomas Floyd, an Irishman; joined us from bark Favorite.
[Page 56]John Ivors, an Irishman; joined us from bark Favorite.
Thomas Poulson, an Englishman; joined us from bark Favorite.
James Clury, an Englishman; joined us from bark Favorite.
John Grimes, an Irishman; joined us from bark Favorite.
Affidavit of Margaret Marshall.
I, Margaret Marshall, of No. 29 Benseidi street, Liverpool, say I am the wife of David Marshall. My husband was one of the firemen on the steamer Shenandoah, late in command of Captain Waddell. He went out from Liverpool in the Laurel and joined the Shenandoah at the island of Deserta, near Madeira, and remained on her during the whole cruise, and left her only after her arrival at Liverpool last month. His wages were £7 per month. They gave him a half-pay note for me; it was sent to me by my husband from Madeira. It was for £3 10s. per month, made payable to me. It was payable at the office of Fraser, Trenholm & Co., Liverpool, No. 10 Rumford place. It was paid regularly every month while he was gone, up to the 18th day of October last, on which day the last payment was made to me—I mean October 18, 1865. Mr. Robinson was the cashier in the office of Fraser, Trenholm &, Co., who made some payments to me. The payments were made to me in person. They took my half pay note from me at the office and now have it.
The Earl of Clarendon to Mr. Adams.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th instant, enclosing further papers respecting the case of the Shenandoah, and to state to you that they shall receive due attention.
I am, &c.,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
- The blanks in this statement were not filled up in the copy forwarded by Mr. Dudley.↩