For this, and for this alone,
we burn their ships and destroy their commerce. We have no feeling of
enmity against them, and all we ask is to be let alone--to be allowed to
tread the path we have chosen for ourselves."--"_Cruise of the
Sumter_," from the "_Index_" May 1st, 1862.]
The following day saw two more prizes fall into the Sumter's hands.
These were the brigantines Cuba and Machias, both of Maine. The captures
were taken in tow and carried off in the direction of Cienfuegos. The
next day, however, the Cuba broke adrift from her hawser, and on being
recovered, a prize crew was sent on board the vessel, with directions to
carry her into Cienfuegos, for which port Captain Semmes was now shaping
his course.
Arrived off that harbour on the evening of the same day, it was found
too late to attempt to enter, and two more vessels being descried in the
offing, the Machias was cast off, with orders to lay-to until the
morning, and the Sumter started off in chase. On coming up with the two
vessels, at about half-past nine o'clock, they proved to be the United
States brigantines, Ben Dunning and Albert Adams. They were at once
taken possession of, and ordered to make the best of their way in charge
of a prize crew to Cienfuegos.
The night was passed in standing off and on outside the harbour, and
with the earliest dawn preparations were made for running in. The
weather was bright and clear, and the brief twilight of the tropics
flushed rapidly into the full glare of day, and showed to the watchful
eyes on board the Sumter the welcome spectacle of three more vessels
being towed out to sea by a steamer, the stars and stripes floating
gaily from their peaks.
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