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Sun Nov 20 1864 LCDR George U Morris, USS Shawmut, writes SECNAV from Portsmouth Navy Yard "I respectfully report that during the cruise we were under sail and steam 84½ hours, under steam 243 hours. It was too stormy to use the sails much.
On the 5th November spoke the American ship Resolute and brig Mariner. Too stormy to hear where from or bound.
On the 7th November spoke the American schooner Josephine and English schooners Express and Ethel, bound to Halifax. Too rough for conversation further than to learn they had no news of the Tallahassee.
On the 19th November spoke the English schooner Wm. Lawsen, from Camden, Me., bound to St. John."
LCDR F A Roe, USS Michigan, writes SECNAV "Your letter of the 16th instant to my predecessor, Commander Carter, is referred by him to me.
Commander Carter informs me that he has had a reliable person from this vessel at Detroit along the Canada shore at Rond One [Ron- dean], Sarnia, Toronto, and Ogdensburg. He reports that the Georgian is employed in carrying lumber to Buffalo, and that her pursuits are legitimate.
Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, commanding the military post at Detroit, assures us that he has no apprehension in regard to her. He has two armed tugs at the St. Clair River watching everything which passes up or down. Commander Carter assures me that no apprehensions need be entertained in regard to the Georgian, and that the borders are quiet.
I found the Michigan hauled into the dock and housed over for the winter."
Thomas Savage, Acting Consul-General, Havana, writes RADM Hiram Paulding, New York Navy Yard, "I addressed yesterday to the honorable Secretary of the Navy at Washington a dispatch in the following words:
The pilot on the Ticonderoga has just been to see me. He wishes me to advise you that Leon Smith, of the rebel Navy, who has been here some days, is going to Liverpool, from which port a steamer of about 800 tons is to sail, and place herself under his command. She will be armed in the British Channel with eight guns - six of them broadside 68-pounder rifles, and two pivots, English, 100-pounaers, 7½-[inch] rifles. L. Smith says he will do nothing until he is in the Pacific. The pilot will endeavor to find out further information and communicate it to me.
The foregoing was given me at noon. In the evening the same person came to my private quarters and communicated the following:
The steamer is to be looked for on the west coast of England. Leon Smith won't tell the port she is to leave. It seems he is not to have the command of her, but Captain Barney. She is to receive her armament in the English Channel from a bark showing a red swallow-tailed flag, No. 5, Marryat's signals, at the fore-masthead. Say to the Government to send orders to the consul at Liverpool to advise the Niagara or other of our cruisers to look for that steamer from the 10th to the 15th of December.
I will be much obliged if you will telegraph the contents of this letter to the Secretary of the Navy immediately upon its receipt I have also information from our paid informer. He says that on the evening of the 18th instant he met at the Louvre coffeehouse a Savannah pilot, just arrived from Nassau, with whom he was acquainted, and who informed him that about the 25th of this month two boats called the Gem and Star will leave Nassau for Savannah, they being the first that have made the attempt since the capture of the Jupiter, more than a year ago.
This pilot, whose name is King, told him that there are now in Savannah four gunboats, three of them ironclad. That at the junction of the river on which the city stands and another river, the name of which he forgot, the rebels have a line of torpedoes laid across the river, not made to explode by being run against, but by means of a magnetic wire attached and leading to the opposite shore. King, while in Charleston some six weeks ago, saw the arsenal blow up. The rebels have in Charleston, made for immediate use, several torpedo boats.
There was a party of gentlemen from Nassau on board the Harriet Lane on last Wednesday. They went, having a master carpenter with them, with the intention of buying her if she suited hem. She was bored in several places to see if she had the dry rot, and was found to be perfectly sound. They did not buy her, because she drew too much water for their purpose.
Be so good as to make this information known as soon as possible to the Navy Department."
RADM David D Porter, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, writes CDR N Collins, USS Wachusett, "You will proceed to Point Lookout, Md., and take on board the officers of the Florida mentioned in the enclosed slip, and then proceed immediately to Boston."
CDR N Collins, USS Wachusett writes RADM Porter, "In answer to your order of this date, I give the particulars of the escape of eighteen of the crew of the prize steamer Florida from this ship on the 1st day of November instant.
Acting Master Thomas G. Grove, then doing duty as executive of this ship, informed me that several of the prisoners would run if they had an opportunity.
Being crowded with them, having one case of varioloid in one of our waist boats, which I feared would spread, and the weather being very warm, I thought it would be well to be rid of them. I had thought at one time of landing all of the crew of the Florida at some northern Brazilian port in preference to bringing them home to be fed by the Government. I therefore informed Mr. Grove that I would be glad if they had an opportunity to escape. He acted on what I said and permitted eighteen of them to escape at 8 o'clock p. m. in the coal barge which brought us the last load of coal. The above prisoners were principally Italians, Spaniards, and Dutchmen."
Edward La Croix, Selma AL writes SECNAV, "I am possessed of certain information which I think will be of use to your Department, and not knowing if you are already in possession of it, take this medium of communicating.
At Selma, Ala., has just been built a torpedo boat. Length, about 30 feet; has water-tight compartments; can be sunk or raised as desired; is propelled by a very small engine, and will just stow in 5 men. It has some arrangement of machinery that times the explosions of torpedoes, to enable the operators to retire to a safe distance. The boat proves to be a good sailer on the river and has gone to Mobile to make last preparations for trying its efficacy on the Federal vessels. Was built and is commanded by Halligan. What I have stated you can rely upon as strictly true; as to the danger to be anticipated from the boat, you can judge better than I."
RADM Samuel P Lee, Mississippi Squadron, writes Samuel Howard, USS Neosho "Proceed with the Neosho under your command to Smithland, Ky., and report to Lieutenant-Commander Le Roy Fitch for temporary duty in the Tenth District."
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