It was late before
that place was reached, and the night was spent standing off and on
outside the harbour. With the return of day, however, the Sumter ran
once more along the shore; and, without waiting for a pilot, steered
boldly past the group of small, bold-looking islands, and dropped her
anchor in the port.
No sooner was the anchor down than the following letter was despatched
to the Governor, asking permission to leave the prize until
adjudication:--
C.S. steamer Sumter. Puerto Caballo,
July 26th, 1861.
Sir,--I have the honour to inform your Excellency of my arrival at this
port in this ship, under my command, and with the prize schooner Abby
Bradford, captured by me about seventy miles to the northward and
eastward. The Abby Bradford is the property of citizens of the United
States, with which States, as your Excellency is aware, the Confederate
States, which I have the honour to represent, are at war; and the cargo
would appear to belong also to citizens of the United States, who have
shipped it on consignment to a house in Puerto Caballo. Should any claim
be given, however, for the cargo, or any part of it, the question of
ownership can only be decided by the Prize Courts of the Confederate
States. In the meantime, I have the honour to request that your
Excellency will permit me to leave this prize vessel with her cargo in
the port of Puerto Caballo, until the question of prize can be
adjudicated by the proper tribunals of my country.
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