Today in History:

751 Series II Volume VIII- Serial 121 - Prisoners of War

Page 751 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.- UNION AND ONFEDERATE.

the city of San Frncisco, Cal., 22nd May, 1865, "of violation of the laws and usages of war."

Specification.- In this, that they,m the said T. E. Hogg, E. A., Swain, Joihn S. Hiddle, W. L. Blac, T. J. Grady, R. B. Lyon, and Joseph Higgin, being enlisted, enrolled, commissioned, or engaged by the Govenrment of the so- called Confederate States, at war with the United States, did, on or about the 10th November, 1864, come on board the U. S. merchant steamer Salvador, then lying in the friendly port of Panama, New Granada, in the guise of peaceful passengers, without anyvisible mark or insignia indicaating their true character as eneemies,a d id so enter on board of said steamer, secretly armed and provided with manacles, with the intent, purpose, and object of treacherously rising on the master, crew, and unsuspecting passengers of said steamer, when she had reached the high seas, and capturing her and the property aboard, and of covnerting her into a cruiser to prey onthe commerce of thecitizens of the United States.

The prisoners were severally sentenced to be hng bythe neck until dead. The proceedings and findings of the court, with c ertain qualifications and exceptions which ned not be enumerated in this report, were approved by Major-Geenral McDowell, commanding Department of the Pacific, and the sentence of death mitagated to confinement in the State penitentiary at San Quentin, Cal., as follows: T. E. Hogg, the leader, for the term of his natural life, and each of the othere prisoenrs enumerated for the term of ten years. The proof is that a few days before the 10th of november, 1864, Acting Rear- Admiral George F. Pearson, of the U. S. Navy, commanding the Pacific Squadron, being on boad his flag- ship, the Lancaster, lying in the Bay of Panama, was called on by Captain Douglass, commanding the American packet steamer Salvador, then also lying in the said bay, who informed him that a number of passengers whom he considered dangerous would probably cme on board his ship, to sail on the 10th of November, and requsted that a sufficient force be sent on board to protect the ship, his passengers, and himself fromharm, while he should examine the luggage of thepassengers, in which he expected to find implements of war. Admiral Pearson complied with this request by sending on board the Salvador on said 10th of November, at a concerted signal, Commander Davenport, of the Lancaster, with an adequate force of armed sailors and marines, who took possession of the Salvador, got her immediately under way, and stood down the bay, following the Lancaster, which ship had weighed anchor and stood out in cahrge of thee admiral . In the meantime the search of baggage, as well as the persons of a pridentified as belonging to these prisoners were found numerous pistols with ammunition, about twodozen pairs of shackles, or hndcuffs, and numerous papers, showing their connection with the rebel naval service. Among them was a letter of instrtuctions from S. R. Mallory; styling himself "Secretary of the Confedeate Navay," to Acting Master Thomas E. Hogg, of that Navy, containing directions in detail for the seizure of the Salvaoder, or her consort, the Gaulemarela, without fail, nand here conversion into an armed rover under the rebel flag, to prey on the commerce of the United States in the Pacific Ocean in concert with the Alabama, and to communicate with the captain of that vessel, Semmes, at the earliest moment possible. Charts of portions of the Pacific Ocean and coasts were also found; three Confederate flags and a crew list, from which it appears that Swain, the present applicant for pardon, was an acting master's mate in theservice and was to have been executive officer, or second in command of the prize. It may be proper to remark in this connection that it was shown at the trial that the preparations for the seizure and conversion of the Salvador or


Page 751 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.- UNION AND ONFEDERATE.