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New York Morning Herald, August 29, 1839, p.2
CAPTURE OF THE SPANISH SCHOONER LA ARMASTEAD
This famous piratical vessel, about which so much has recently been said, has been
captured, and the anxiety is therefore over. She, together with her black crew of
fifty-nine men and three whites, were seized on Tuesday morning last in Gardener's
Bay, west of Montauk Point, Long Island, by Lieut. Charles W. Chauncey, of the United
States Surveying brig Washington. In the afternoon she was towed into New London,
where she will probably remain till the time arrives for her to be given up to the
Spanish authorities.
It appears that the blacks put into Gardener's Bay for water, and part were ashore
when the schooner was captured. They had plenty of provisions on board, and also
specie and small arms. Some accounts say, that there are two hundred thousand dollars
in coin stowed away in her hold. Many of the blacks were stark naked and had belts
containing doubloons tied around their waists. One negro leaped over board when Lieut.
Chauncey boarded her but was brought too [sic] with a pistol shot, but now, however,
till he had cut the belt from his body, holding give hundred doubloons. They were
very flush with their money, and had paid the farmers, on Long Island, a doubloon
per barrel of water.
The facts relative to her seizure by the blacks when two days out from Havana, which
we gave yesterday, were nearly correct. We stated that with the exception of the
two sailors who jumped over board, all the whites had been murdered, including Mr.
Carrias, and his nephew Mr. Riug. But since her capture by Lieut. Chauncey, we learn
that three others were saved for the purpose of navigating the vessel. It was the
intention of the negroes to make for the coast of Africa after having obtained possession
of the schooner.
One at a time of the three whites was permitted to come on deck and manage the vessel
for them.When the Sun could be seen, the blacks knew which way to go and therefore
the white man done as they wished, but in the night and when the weather was thick
he changed the vessel's course, and in this manner got her over on our coast. The
black crew had no idea of becoming pirates, and all they wished was to be free and
in their native country. But they have missed a figure.
Thus much for the "suspicious vessel" which has created, for the past few
days, such an excitement. There have been four Revenue Cutters cruizing for her,
beside the steam frigate Fulton, which cruized for twenty hours without once catching
a glimpse of her. The schooners Wave, of this port, Vigilant, of Newport, and Rush,
of New London, are now out in quest of her. The Gallatin, of Philadelphia, arrived
here yesterday, after having scoured the coast from the Delaware to the Montauk Point.
The Washington was on a surveying expedition, and her officers are as follows:
Thomas R. Gedney, Esq., Lieut. commanding; Charles W. Chauncey, Lieut; Richard W.
Meade, do.; Franklin Clinton, passed midshipman; A. Holcombe, do.; R. W. Bache, Jo.;
David B. Porter, do., and S. Sharpe, surgeon.
Captain Gedney, we understand, was absent, and consequently the command devolved
upon Lieut. Chauncey. He will probably claim salvage, and reap a rich reward for
his exertions and tact in securing the schooner and her piratical crew.
This morning's steamer from Stonington will bring us further particulars.
