USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 52
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CASE OF THE SLAVE YACHT WANDERER
From the statement of General Henry R. Jackson, who was employed by the United States government to assist Mr. Joseph Ganahl, the U. S. district attorney for Georgia, at Savannah, "the Wanderer had been fitted ont for her illicit voyage at Eastport, " and he added that there could be "no doubt whatever of the fact that many, in all probability most, of the vessels engaged in the trade are constructed and equipped on the coast of Maine."
The Wanderer brought negroes from the coast of Africa, and it was no unusual thing at that time, during the years, 1858, 1859 and 1860 to hear the remark made coneerning certain persons of that race. pass-
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ing through the streets, that they were slaves brought here in the Wanderer.
On the 16th of December, 1858, a resolution was passed in the United States senate requesting the President (James Buchanan) "to communicate, if. in his opinion, not incompatible with the public interest, any information in his possession in relation to the landing of the barque Wanderer on the coast of Georgia, with a cargo of slaves." In reply to that resolution the President on the 12th of January, 1859, said: "I herewith communicate the report made to me by the Attorney General, to whom the resolution was referred. From that report it will appear that the offense referred to in the resolution has been committed, and that effective measures have been taken to see the laws faithfully exe- cuted. I coneur with the attorney general in the opinion that it would be incompatible with the public interest at this time to communicate the correspondence with the officers of the government at Savannah, or the instructions which they have received. In the meantime every prae- tieable effort has been made and will be continued to discover all the guilty parties and to bring them to justice." The report of the Hon- orable Jeremialı S. Black to the president was dated January 10, 1859, and is in these words: "The resolution of the senate, passed on the 16th ultimo, requesting you to communicate any information in your possession relative to the landing of the barque Wanderer on the coast of Georgia with a cargo of Africans, if, in your opinion, not incom- patible with the publie interest has been received at this office, and the subjeet has been examined. I have to state that at this stage of the pro- ceedings it would, in my opinion, be wholly incompatible with the publie interest to eommunicate the steps which have been taken therein. The fact that a vessel of that name did land a eargo of upwards of three hun- dred negroes from the coast of Africa, in Georgia, is well known, and there is official information to that effeet. It is also true that the most effective measures have been adopted by this government, and by the local authorities of the United States in Georgia, to execute the laws which forbid such importations, and to punish the offenders. The correspondence of this office and of the Treasury Department with the collector, district attorney, special counsel, marshal, and other officers at Savannah, is in my possession. It proves the general fact above stated, but I am sure that neither you nor the senate would be willing at this moment to have it published to the world."
PROSECUTION CONDUCTED BY DIST. ATTY. JOSEPH GANAHL, ETC.
Closely following the action just recited, the house of representa- tives on the 22d of January, adopted a resolution asking the president to "report what information has been received by him, if any, in regard to the recent importation of Africans into the state of Georgia, or any other state of this Union; and what steps have been taken to bring to trial and punishment the persons engaged in this inhuman violation of the laws of the United States, and to prevent similar violations here- after." The president submitted the resolution' to the attorney general who replied on the 15th of February in these words: "Agreeably to
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the resolution of the House of Representatives passed on the 22d ultimo, inquiring what measures have been taken with reference to the Africans imported contrary to law into the state of Georgia, which resolution was referred by you to this office. I have the honor to report that the local officers of the government at Savannah have been strictly and specially enjoined to perform the duties imposed upon them by the several acts of Congress relating to this subject, that special counsel has been em- ployed to aid the district attorney in prosecuting the offenders, and that the adviees received at this office satisfactorily show the diligence and activity of all persons engaged in the public service. To find the negroes who were clandestinely landed, to identify the parties engaged in the crime, and to ascertain other important faets connected with the prose- cution all this has been attended with many difficulties, but there is good reason to hope that they will be overcome, and justice, according to the law of the land. executed upon the offenders. But the present condition of the affair is such as to make it absolutely impossible that the proceeding already instituted, or those in contemplation, should be given in detail without very great prejudice to the publie interests."
The attention of the United States marshal for the southern distriet of New York, Mr. Isaiah Rynders, had been ealled to the reports as to the business in which the Wanderer was engaged, and the New York Courier and Enquirer declared that he "ought to be deprived of his office of marshal of this district for not having performed his duty in the case of the yacht Wanderer, charged with being fitted out as a slaver from this port." (New York.) In reply to that paper Mr. Ryn- ders wrote a letter to President Buchanan, dated New York, February 17, .1859, in which he made this statement of facts: "The Wanderer was arrested on a warrant as for being fitted out for a slave voyage, and was retained in custody for a few days. During that time she was thoroughly searched from stem to stern-every corner and cupboard was examined. but nothing was found which could by any possibility .convict her. The assistant United States attorney and reporter of the press were present during the whole of the investigation. We subse- quently examined her stores, which were on board the tender or lighter, with a similar result. I was then instructed by the United States attor- ney to discharge her from custody. After her discharge some of the newspapers charged me with having overstepped the bounds of my authority as a publie officer, and of having invaded the rights of private individuals, and others accused me of being humbugged, etc."
QUOTATION FROM ACCOUNT OF HON. II. R. JACKSON
In an account of this case given before the Young Men's Library Association of Atlanta. on the 13th of November. 1891. General Henry R. Jackson used these words: "Had some possessor of telescopie vision directed his eye to the Wanderer upon the 'middle passage. ' what of the Sonth would he have discovered about or upon her ? Made by Northern hands with the Northern wood; fitted ont * * * for the West Coast in one and cleared from another northern port: of the firemen upon her, in addition to her wretched cargo of Africans, forir were Northerners. headed by J. Egbert. Farnum, sometimes known as head salesman. some- times as purser, but finally coming ont in his true character as captain. All of the South in and about her was Corrie: Corrie so well
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known in Charleston-the vilest figure-head in all the world. Four of these men were already in jail when I was employed by the government to assist the United States District Attorney, Mr. Joseph Ganahl, in the prosecutions." Continuing, the leeturer said "I * *
prepared for the November term, 1858, of the United States Circuit Court for Georgia. No resident of Savannah at that time ean have forgotten what a period of peculiar excitement it was, nor what were the labors, and what even the personal exposure of the District Attorney, Mr. Ganahl, than whom government never had a braver man, more efficient or more indefatigable officer."
The cases of the persons indicted were tried in the United States courts at Savannah and Farnun's among them. Of the results, General Jackson said: "As in the other pirate eases there was no verdict ren- dered by the trial jury." In a short sketch of Mr. Farnum in Apple- ton's Cyelopedia of American Biography, after a statement that the subject "joined the Lopez expedition to Cuba, which left New Orleans in 1850, and also took an active part in Walker's Nicaraguan expedition," the writer says. "Still later he was captain of the steam yacht Wanderer, and was indieted at Savannah for carrying on the slave trade. He is said to have regretted this episode in his life."
Before the excitement attending the Wanderer episode had sub- sided the eity, in common with all sections of the country, became wild on the subject of the presidential election and the prospects of a dissolution of the union.
When the legislature of Georgia met in 1860, Governor Brown sent to that body a special message "on the subject of our Federal Rela- tions," on the 7th of November, and almost immediately the house of representatives took up the subject and agreed to a resolution, dated the 20th of the same month, by which the voice of the people of Georgia. as expressed in popular meetings in the several counties was put on record in the house journal. Chatham county, of which Savannah is the seat of government, went on reeord in the following words, presented by the Hon. Julian Hartridge :
"We, the citizens of Chatham county, ignoring all party names and issues, cordially unite in the following resolutions :
"Resolved, That the election of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Han- lin to the presidency and vice-presidency of the United States ought not to be, and will not be, submitted to.
"2. Resolved, That we request the legislature to announce this opinion by resolution at the earliest practicable moment, to communi- cate it to our senators and representatives in congress, and to co-operate with the governor in ealling a convention of the people to determine on the mode and measure of redress.
"3. Resolved, That we respectfully recommend to the legislature to take into their immediate consideration the passage of such laws as will be likely to alleviate any unusual embarrassment of the commercial interest of the state consequent upon the present politieal emergency. .
"4. Resolved, That we respectully suggest to the legislature to take immediate steps to arm and organize the militia of the state."
On the 21st, the governor approved an aet, which had already passed
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both houses of the general assembly, requiring the chief magistrate of the state. "to issue his proclamation ordering an election to be held in each and every county of this state on the first Wednesday in January, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, for delegates to a convention of the people of this state to convene at the seat of government, on the sixteenth day of January, eighteen hundred and sixty-one"
EXCITEMENT PRECEDING SECESSION OF GEORGIA
The news of the secession of South Carolina on the 20th of Deeem- ber, 1860, was received in Savannah with the greatest delight, and the people began wearing secession cockades made of palmetto leaves, and various plans were put on foot to show the desire of the people generally : to have the state of Georgia follow the example of her neighboring sister. A platform was erected at the Greene monument in Johnson square on which was placed a framed picture of a large rattlesnake, under which was printed the inscription "Don't Tread on mc," and badges with the same device and inscription were worn by many of the citizens. Meet- ings were held in Masonic Hall, at the northeast corner of Bull and Broughton streets, and in Firemen's Hall. at the southwest corner of South Broad and Abercorn streets, and sueh meetings took place in the afternoons as well as at night. Patriotic speeches were made not only by men of standing at the bar and in political life. but even very young men, such as those who were about to leave sehool' and law students, felt called upon to deelare themselves ready to enter the military serv- ice of their state and to urge in publie speech their comrades to take the same stand. Iu some instances the youthful speakers made use of language which showed that education was clearly more needed than amateur services on the tented field. The writer well remembers the laughter which followed the peroration of a wildly exciting speech of a certain law student who. in urging the people of Georgia to follow imme- diately the example of the states that had already seceded, made himself ridiculous by explaining, "Let us not be backward in this matter: we are now delaying too long, for I have just learned that the ordinance of secession, if not already adopted, will soon be passed by that gallant little state, Texas!" The orator's mistaken idea of the size of the "Loue Star State" was too much for the sehool boys present whose shouts of laughter caused the speaker to make a rapid deseent from the platform.
. The military companies of the city were eager to take part in the defense of Georgia, should their serviees be required, and the Chatham Artillery, Savannah Volunteer Guards, Republican Blues, Georgia Hns- sars, Irish Jasper Greens, German Volunteers, Phoenix Riflemen, Ogle- thorpe Light Infantry, and De Kalb Riflemen all tendered their services to the governor of the state, and it was not long before they began to experience the inconveniences of eamp life which became more serions in the time to come.
PROMPT ACTION OF GOV. J. E. BROWN
Even before Georgia seeeded, action was taken by the governor to secure the fortifications erected by the United States for the protection Vol. 1-28
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of the city. A eall for a state convention to be held in January, neeessi- tated the election of delegates to it from Chatham county, and the 2d of January, 1861, Messrs. Francis S. Bartow, John W. Anderson and A. Seaborn Jones were chosen. It was known that all of them were in favor of secession.
The news of the evacuation of Fort Moultrie. and the seizure of Fort Sunter in Charleston harbor by Major Robert Anderson, and the excite- ment prodneed thereby, induced Governor Joseph E. Brown to prevent like action on the part of the United States government in Savannah river. Accordingly he issued an order to Colonel Alexander R. Lawton, commander of the First Volunteer Regiment of Savannah to take pos- session of Fort Pulaski. The document is so important that it is here given in full :
"Headquarters, Georgia Militia, "Savannah, January 2. 1861. "Col. A. R. Lawton. commanding 1st. Regiment Georgia Volunteers, Savannah.
"Sir-In view of the fact that the government at Washington has, as we are informed on good authority, decided on the policy of coercing a seceding state back into the Union, and it is believed, now has a move- ment on foot to reinforce Fort Sumter, at Charleston, and to oeeupy with Federal troops the Southern forts, ineluding Fort Pulaski, in this state, which, if done, would give the Federal government in any con- test great advantage over the people in this state; to the end therefore that this stronghold which commands also the entrance into Georgia may not be occupied by any hostile force, until the convention of the - state of Georgia, which is to meet on the 16th instant, has deeided on the poliey which Georgia will adopt in this emergency, you are ordered to take possession of Fort Pulaski as by public order herewith, and to hold it against all persons, to be abandoned only under orders from me or under compulsion by an overpowering hostile foree.
"Immediately npon occupying the fort yon will take measures to put it in a thorough state of defenee as far as its means and arms will permit ; and for this purpose you will advise with Captain [Joseph S.] Claghorn, Chatham Artillery, who has been charged with all matters relating to ordnanee stores, and their supply.
"You will further arrange with Captain Claghorn a series of day and night signals for communicating with the eity of Savannah, for the pur- pose of ealling for reinforcements, or for other necessary purposes. And you will arrange with Mr. John Cunningham, military purveyor for the time being. for the employment of one or more steamboats, or other means of transportation by land or by water, that may be necessary, and for other supplies (except for ordnance stores, for which you will eall upon Captain Claghorn), as may be required.
"If circumstances should require it, the telegraph will be placed under your surveillance. I think from our conversations you fully understand my views, and, relying upon your patriotism, energy, and
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sound diseretion in the execution of this important and delieate trust, "I am, sir, very respectfully,
"Your obedient servant,
"JOSEPH E. BROWN, "Governor and Commander-in-Chief."
OLMSTEAD'S ACCOUNT
The order having been issued, obedienee came promptly. The man- ner in which it was executed is so well told by one who took part in the affairs and who later on was the commander of the fort, and defended it against the attack of the enemy to the last moment. that his words are here reproduced. Colonel Charles II. Olmstead, in his "History of the First Georgia Regiment." wrote:
"Upon the issne of this order the city was in a fever of exeitement. Here at last was the first step of actual war-a step that plaeed state and eentral goverment in open antagonism, the beginning of whose ending no man could foretell. There may have been faint hearts that trembled in view of resulting possibilities. but among the military of Savannah the order was received with unbounded enthusiasm. Dissati- fied ones there were, but only beeause they were not among the ehosen few who were to carry out the orders of the governor.
"At an early hour on January 3, 1861, detaehments from the Chat- ham Artillery, Captain Joseph S. Claghorn, the Savannah Volunteer Guards, Captain John Sereven, and the Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Cap- tain Franeis S. Bartow, marched to the wharf at the foot of West Broad street and embarked on board the steamer Ida, to take possession of Fort Pulaski.
"Truth eompels the statement that the expeditionary foree carried enough baggage to have served for a division later in the war. Every soldier had his trunk or valise, his cot and his roll of bedding, while to every three or four there was a huge mess chest large enough for the cooking outfit of a full regiment. The recollection of all these things brings a smile now, but there is only prond exultation as those who took part in the stirring event, recall the generous enthusiasm, the fervid patriotismn, that glowed in every heart. Alas! how many of those noble young hearts were soon to beat no more: how many gallant yonths who on that bright morning gloried in the honor of serving our mother- Georgia, were soon to illustrate' her by their death. Some led the way in the first shoek of arms upon the plains of Manassas; some in the fierce seven days' grapple around Richmond; some at Sharpsburg. at Fred- ericksburg, at Gettysburg, at the Wilderness, at Murfreesboro, at Chieka- mauga, at Kenesaw, at Atlanta, at Franklin, at Nashville, and some at the last fatal struggle at Sailor's Creek.
"In due time Fort Pulaski was reached; its garrison, one elderly United States sergeant. made no defense, and the three companies of the First Volunteer Regiment marched in with drums beating and colors flying, and so for them a soldier's life began.
"The arrangement of the Fort at that time consisted of but twenty old-fashioned long 32-pounders, mounted upon cast iron carriages, rusty from age and lack of care : the magazines were nearly empty : a few solid shot were all the projectiles that could be found. And yet the little gar-
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rison felt ready to meet the entire navy of the United States, for which, by the way, we looked at every high tide. The duty of the hour ealled for hard, vigorous work, and it was refreshing to note the alacrity with which this citizen soldiery turned their hands to every thing, from serap- ing the rust from gun carriages to polishing the casemates. There was an individuality in each man, that marked characteristic of the southern soldier that afterwards, npon so many battlefields held grimly to posi- tions from which, by all the rules of warfare, the Confederates should have been swept. All the routine of garrison duties was promptly in- augurated by Colonel Lawton, whose West Point training and army life here served him in good stead. Guards were regularly mounted, drills at the heavy guns began at once, and a rigid system of military discipline maintained.
"In course of time the first three.companies were relieved from this duty, and others took their places, until every command in the city, including the Georgia Hussars and Savannah Artillery, had again and again served at this excellent school of military instruction. True it was long ere an enemy appeared before the walls of Pulaski, but the lessons learned in garrison life there, were fit preparation for active service on other fields. Meanwhile military spirit ran high in the city, and during the first part of 1861, several new companies were formed and added to the regiment, under the provisions of the act * ** Among these were the Pulaski Guards, the Irish Volunteers, Company B, Irish Jasper Greens, the Forest City Rangers, the City Light Guard, the Washington Volunteers, the Coast Rifles. the Montgomery Guards. Each and all were full companies, and did valiant service throughout the war."
The writer failed to mention one company, formed at that time, which, however, did not find a place in the First Regiment, but was added to the Fifty-Fourth Georgia Regiment of Infantry and served with honor throughout the war. That company was the Savannah Cadets, and it was organized on the 17th of May. 1861, and, after serviee in the state troops, mustered into the Confederate states army as Com- pany F, in the regiment just mentioned.
Reverting to the capture of Fort Pulaski, it seems proper here to record a little incident, mentioned by Colonel Lawton in his letter to Governor Brown, annonneing the occupation of the fort by the state troops. The colonel wrote :
"On steaming down the river this morning I ascertained with regret that certain unauthorized persons had taken possession of the United States revenue entter, Dobbin, and are now exercising control over her in the waters of Georgia." He turned the captors away, and, on receipt of the imformation, Governor Brown wrote to the collector of the post, Mr. Jolin Boston, expressing his regret at the unlawful transaction. and the Dobbin was again placed in charge of her captain. The excitement cansed by the taking of Fort Pulaski was considerably intensified by this ineident.
SECESSION OF GEORGIA
Delegates having been elected from all the counties of the state, the Georgia secession convention met in Milledgeville, then the capital, on the 16th of January, 1861, and, after passing the ordinance of seeession
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on the 19th, that body adjourned to meet in Savannah upon the call of the president, the IIon. Geo. W. Crawford .. It reassembled in this city March 7th, and it was here that the important action of ratifying the permanent constitution of the Confederate states of America, which was unanimons, was perfected in these words: "That the Constitution adopted at Montgomery, in the State of Alabama, on the eleventh day of March, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, for the 'permanent federal government' of the Confederate States of America, be, and the same is. hereby adopted and ratified by the State of Georgia, acting in its sovereign and independent character."
Gov. BROWN'S FIRM STAND ON SEIZURE OF GUNS BY NEW YORK POLICE
Savannah was the scene of another exciting episode shortly after the adoption of the ordinance of secession. The Macon firm of D. C. Hodkins & Son, purchased in New York two hundred guns, to be shipped to Savannah in the steamer Monticello, on the 22d of January. Those guns were seized by the New York police, and then the purchasers appealed to Governor Brown to have justice accorded them. Acquaint- ing himself with the facts the governor telegraphed Governor Morgan, of New York, briefly relating the case, and ending with the words: "As Governor of Georgia I hereby demand that the guns be immediately delivered to G. B. Lamar, of New York, who is hereby appointed my agent. I trust no similar outrage may be perpetrated in future." Not receiving a reply, after waiting until the 5th of February, Governor Brown ordered Gen. Henry R. Jackson, at Savannah, to "seize and hold every ship now in the harbor of Savannah belonging to citizens of New York." Seizure was made by Col. A. R. Lawton of several vessels, and the incident was brought to a close by the receipt of a telegram from Lamar, dated February 9th, in these words: "The arms have been put at the command of the owners here; please release all vessels."'
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