The Revere
The Revere
Opinion of the Court
This vessel and' cargo were seized, October 11, 1862, by the United States- steamer Montieello, at sea, off the western bar of Cape Fear river, and sent into this port for adjudication. She was British built, and had a certificate of British-registry, dated January 29, 1862, issued to Nehemiah H. Clements, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The prize was libelled and arrested in this district October 25, 1862, and, no person intervening or claiming the vessel or cargo, a decree by default was duly rendered against both, November 11th thereafter. The shipping articles, executed in September, 1862, at Nassau, New Providence, stipulated for a voyage from that port to Baltimore, in the United States, and the vessel was cleared on that voyage, September 15, 1862, with a miscellaneous cargo. She had on board a bill of parcels or invoice, and two bills of lading from Henry Adderly & Co., and a letter from the same, all of the same date, dated at Nassau, and addressed to F. H. Montell & Co., Baltimore. The letter advises Montell & Co. that the articles are shipped to them for sale-on account of the shippers, owners. The master, the mate and one seaman were examined in preparatorio before the prize commissioners. The master testifies that he was an Englishman by birth, but had resided in Charleston, with his family, since 1847. He was appointed to the command of the vessel September 15, 1862, by one of the firm of H. Adderly & Co. He did not know the vessel
The log affords no explanation of the course of the vessel consistently with the theory that she was pursuing the true navigation of Nassau to Baltimore. Her courses and distances are not noted, and, to judge from the report of the longitude she maintained, she must have hugged the coasts of the insurgent states from the time she reached their latitude, which apparently must have been within the first three days’ run; but this conclusion is not very definite, as. during the whole period after her departure from Nassau, no natural objects are noticed on the log, nor are the distances run to the time of capture specified, either by the day or in gross.
I think it very palimble, upon the above proofs, that the vessel and cargo were prepared at Nassau, and despatched thence, for the purpose of evading the blockade at Charleston or Wilmington, and that her papers were simulated and falsified, with a view to cover that culpable purpose and attempt.
A decree of condemnation and forfeiture must be entered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The REVERE
- Status
- Published