Protest: Of The Officers And Crew Of The American Brig Creol...

[COZÏCLUDKD.] After a great denl of search, Merrilt was fuund, und Be Blackemith and Elijah drngged trim trom his berth. They and several others surrounded liim wi h knives, half hanátoiko, muskets and pistols, ruised their wénpons to kill him and made room fur him to fall. On his r'presentinj ibat he had been ihe mate of a ve?sel, that he was ihe only person who could navjgale fur ihem, and on Mary, a woman servant belonging to IcCaigo, urgiiig said-Madison Washingon to nerferp, Madison ordered them to top and atlow Merr.itt W have a converation wiih him. This took place in a tate room. Madison said he wanted (o go to Liberia. Merrilt represented thul they had not water and provisions fur that voyage. Ben Blacksmiih, D. Ruffin and several o! the sla ves then said that they wanted to go to tho British Islands. They did not want togoany where elae bul where Mr. Lumpkin's negroes weHt last year, alludingto the shipwreck of schooner Kermosa on Abacco, and the taking of the slaves ou board that vessol.by tiie English wreckers, to Nassau, in the Island of New Providence. Merritt then got h3 chart and explained to them the umie, nod read to them the Coast Pilot, and they agreed ihat if he would navigate ihem, they would save his üfe - otherwise death would be his portion. Ponrjpey Gnrrison had been to New Orleane and knew the route. D. Ruffin and George Ponlock knew the letters of thej compus9. They then set Merritt free,and demanded ihe timo of night, whieh was half-past one o'cloek, A. M. by Merritt's watch. The vessel was tben put in Merritt's charge. The nineteen 8laves confiued at Nassau, are the only slaves who took any' part in tho uffray. All the womon appeared tobe perfecily ignorantofthe plan,Rtid from their conduct, could not have known any thing ahout it. They were crying and praymg during the night. None of the male sta ves apparentiy under tweuty years took any part in the affray. The only negroes belonging toE, Lockett, who wcre in the fight, so far as can be usceriained are RuiRn, Ben Blacksmith, Addisony Tyler, and T. Smullwood. The only negroes belonging to F. McCargo, who were in the íight, so far as can be remembered are Elijah Morris, George Portlock, Wiley Glover, Madison Washington, and Pompey Garrison. The only negroes belonging to Sherman Johnson, who were in the fighf, were America Woodis, GeorgeBenton,Adarn Carney,and Reubin Knight. The only slave belong tig to J. &. A. Hagan, who was in the fight, was Jordán Philips. All the 8laves above named are aruongthe nineteen now cuntined at Nassau. Tnere were no others engaged in this mutiuy. There were fuiir who touk ihe most active part in the fight, viz: Ben Btacksmith, Madison Washington, Elijah Morris, and D. Ruffin. Some of the negroes rcfused to join in the affray, when they were threatcued by Washington that ihey wouid be killed if they did not join in it. At tho begining of the affray, Andrew Jackson, öne of the slaves belonging to Thomas McCargo, jumped inio the fore rigging, and cnlled to Francis Foxwell,one of the crew, to know where he should go to ave hid life. saying he was fearful they would kill hún. Foxvvell tuld him to go to the foretop. He sa id he was afraid he would f.iil off, and c'.imhed to the top and remained t líe ré during the night. There were five sailors belonging to said ves:el. Two were wounded, Hcnry Speek, and B. Curtis. They were kept in üq cabin. Two of the others, Francis Foxwell, and John Silvy, escapcd to ihe maintop, and ihe remaining sailor, Francis Lecompte, remained at the wheel during the whole of the affiay. The wounds of tho pailors were dressed by the neroes, and the sailors vere lelt to do as ihey plea6ed. During ihe affray, two of the negroes were severely wounded by handirpikes. Elijah Morris, when asked afier the fight, if they intended iokill tho sailors, said: "No I expeel we shall rise again amongourseïvee, but the white people shall not be luir:." About 5 o'clock, A. M. nne of the negroes informed Merrilt, that Gifford was in the rigging; Madison ordered him to come down. Ben Blacksmith put a ruusket to hts breast, and Madison threatened tokül him, f he would not take them to a British Island. He promised tü do so. - Elijjih Morris and Madison orderedvens tocóme down, and releaod him on nmking the same promisa Giftbrd had made. Tho captain wasthen brouglitdown by them, and he and Stevens put mto the forehuld and the wounds of the captain dresaed. Miuli8on, Ben, Morris, and Ruffin assumcd the solo control f the brig, and all on board. About day-break, by order of Merritt and Gifford, they made sail for Abacco. Ruffin was all tho timo either at the compaso or watching Merritt. Ben, Madison and Morris, would also watch the compasa by Urns. Ruffin, wheu he saw Merritt cark on th hldte the lajitüde which he was taking, cumpelled hitn to rubout the wordsin wrilitjg and make only figures and marks on the slate, for fear that Gifford and Merritt mighi communicate secreily by that mean?. Gifford Bpoke to Merritt about the reckoning, when Morris, Mudtson. Ruffiu and Ben kcpt their knives out all the time. A number of tho others of the 19 who wére in the aöray had knives, but nune of the other negroes had knives or look any part wilh the mutineers. Theolher negroes all remained at their regular stations, where they had been placed al the begiuing of the voyage, except the male slaves were not in the forehold - the captain, his family, and the secnnd mate beingconfined there. None but the 19 went imo the cab n. They ate in the cabin and the oihers ate on the deck, as they had done the whole voyage. The 19 were frequently close 1} engaged in secret conversation, but the others took no part in it, and appeared not to share in their coufidence. The others were quiet and did not associate wilh the mutineers. The only word that passeil tho ochers and the 19, were when the others went for water or grub or something of the kind. - The oihers were kept under aa much as the whiies were. The 19 drank liquor n the cabin and invited the whites to join them, bul not the other negroes. Madison giive orders that theookingfor all but the 19 should be as il was before, andappointed the game cook for ihcm. The 19 said that all they had dono was for their ireedom. Theoihors faid nothing about it. They were much afraid of the 19. They remained forward of the mammast. Tbe 19 look possession of the after p.irt of the brig, and atayed there the whole time or were on the watch. Some of the 19 were huggitig the fcmale servants in the cabin, and one of them said he had picked out one oí them for h3 wife but none other of the 19 meddled at al with the wornen slaves. The only knives found afrer the affray were two ebeath knives belonging to the sailors. the Cflptain's bowie knife and the juck knife. None of the negroes had any other knives. Madison sotnetimes had th bowie knife, and sotnetimes Ben had it. - No other negro was seen lo have thal knife On Monday aflernoon Madison got the pis tol from one of the 19, and said he did no wish them to ha e ony arms when they reached Nassau. The 19 paraded th deck armed, wbile the olber negroes be haved precisely as they had done befor the muiiny.About 10 o'clock P. M. of the 8th day of November, 1841jthey made ihe light of Abacco. Ben had the gun. Aboul 10 o'clock P. M. he fired at Stevens, who carne on deck os already stated. Merritt and Giöbrd alternately kopt waich. Ben, Mddisoi ,Ruffin, and Mcrris,kept watch by turns, the whole time up to iheir arrival at Nassau, with knives drawn. So close wne the watch, that it was impossiblo to rescue the brig. Neither paBsengers, officers nor suilors, wereallowed to commu nicute wilh cach other. The suilors performed their usual duttc-s. The pilot who carne ou board as the brig approached Nassau, and all his men in the pilot beat wero negroes. The pilot was actuig under the legal authority of the lsland. He and his men, on coming on board, mingled with the sluves, and told thom they were freemen; thatthey could go on shore ond never be carried away from there. One of the pilot's men told one of the female slaves that he should claim her as his wife. The regular quarantine officer carne along side, and Giiford went ashore in his boat. lic conducted GifFurdto the Amer ican consul, who accompanied him to the Governor of New-Providencc and all the other Bahama Inlands. Giiford then relaled lo the Governor all the facta relating to the voyage from Itichmond to that port. The American consul in behalf of said vessel,and all interested, requested of the Governor that he should send a guard on board to profeet the vcssel and cargo, and keep the slaves on board till such time as they could know what they could do. The Governor did so, and sent a guiird of 24 negro soldiers, with loaded muskets anc bayoncts, in British uniform, commandet by a whito officer, who took possession o tiie ve8sel and all the slaves. From Tuesday the lOih, till Friday th 13.h day of November, they tied Be Blacksmilh, Additon, Ruffin, and Morri put thera ia the bng boat, placed a 6entiel over them, and fed them iberc. They v mingled whh ihe negroe9 and told ihe l men they were free, and persuaded thetn o remain in the Island. Captain t ld, commanding the compauy, told many f ihe slaves owned by Thomas McCargo, 1 1 n presence of many other of the slaves [(, ïow foolish they were that they had not vhen they rose, killed all the whites on ti joard and run the vossel ashore, and thcn c ley would have been free, and there 'f vould have been no more trouble about ir. i .Vis was on Wednesday. Every day the officers and soldiers were t hanged at 9 o'clock, A. M. There are ( 500 regular soldiers on the Itlund,divided t nto four equal companies, commanded by officers called captains. There was a egular sentry stutioned every night, and liey placed all the men slave?, except the our which they tied, and placed a guard over the hatchway. They put ihom in 4he iold atsunset and let them out at sunrise. 'I here were apparently from twelve lo hirteen thousand negroes in the town of Vassau and vicinity, and about three or bur thousand white?' On Wednesday, the lOih of November, about 9 o'clock, A. M., three civil ningisrates of the Island cauie on board and commenccd examining all the white perons. They cornpleted the examination on the Friday following, when the attorney-gencral carne on board, with the three magistrales, and tho depositions were sign ed. The American consul was ptesent he fiist two days. The magistrales were accompanied by a clerk. The Aitorneygeneral on Friday placed the 19 mutineers in the custody of the captain and lis guard, and ordered ihem on the quarer deck. There were about fifty boats lying round he brig, all filled with men from the nhurr, armed wiih club?, and subject to üie, orders of the attorney general, and all awating a signal from one of the civil inagiatrates ; a sloop was tovved from the sho re iy some oar boats, and anchored near the brig; this sloup was also iiiled wiih men armed with clubs; all the men in the boais were negroes. The fleet of boats was un der tho immediate command of the pilot who piloted the brig into the harbor. This pilot, partly before the signal waa giveu by one of the magistrates, said that he wished they would get through the business - that they had their time and he wanted lus. The altorney-general here stepped Tnto the quarter decK, and addressing b'unseif to all the persons, except the nineteen who were in custody, said, 'My friends, you have been detained for a short time on board the Creóle, for the purpose of ascertaining the individuals who were cuncerned in this muliny and murder. They have been identified, and will be detained, ihe rest of you are free, and are at liberty togoon ehore, and wherever you please." Then addressing the prisoners, he said, "Men, theru are nineteen of you who have been identified as having been engaged in the murder of Mr. Howell, and in an attempt to kill the captain and others. - You wili be detained and ludged in prjson for a time, in order that we maynicate with ihO Eiiglish Guvernmcnt, and ascertain whether your (rial, shall take place here or elsewhere." At this time, Mr. Gifford, the mate of the vessel, thcn in commund, the captain being on shore under tho care ot a physician, addressed the attorney-general in the presence of the magistrates, protestcd against the boats being permitted to come alongside of the vessel, or that the negroos other than the nineteen mutmeerg, should bu put on shore. The attorney-general re" plied that Mr. Gifford had better mafie no oLjeclion,but let them go quietly on shore for if he did, there might be bloodshed. - At this moment one of the magiatrates ordered Mr. Merritt, Mr. McCargo, and the other passsengers to look to their laoney and eíFecis, as he apprehended the cnbii of the Creule would be sacked and robbed. The attorney-general, with one of the magistiatts, stepped into his boatand with drew into the stream a short distance from the brig, when they stopped. A magistrate on ihe deck of the Creóle gave the signal for the boats to approach instantly Wjth a hurah and a shout, a fleel of boats came alongside of the brig, and the magistrates directed the mea to remain on board of their own boats, and commandec (he alavés to leuve the brig and go on board the boats. They obeyed his orders and passing from the Creóle into the boats, were assisted, many of them, by this magistrate. During this proceedmg, the soldiere and officers were on the quarter deck of the Creóle, armed with loade( muskets, and bayonets fixed, and the attorney-general, with one of the magistrates in his boat, lay ata convenient dis tance, looking on. After the negroes hac embarked in the boats, the ailorney-gen eral and magistrale pushed out their boat and mingled with the fleet, congralulating the elaves on their escape, and shakinj hands with thom. Three cheers were then inven, aad boats went ta the shoreihero thüusands were waiting to receive hem. YVhen this proceeding was over, and all he sla ves except the 19 londed ; a bargo vas sent from the barracks to the Creóle, o tnke on shore the 19 prisoners and tho uard which had been left over them,- - Phey were taken on shore tothe barracks, ind the 19 carried thence to prison. OnO ifthem died the day after be had been ut in prison, in consequence of wounds eceived in tho affrny. During the investigation carried on by he mngialratea on board the Creóle, and m the eveningoftbe same day on which, he slavcs and prisoners were landd, the mutineers were arr.iigned and dentified by the witnesses. Rlany of theegroes who were eninncipated expressed desire to go to New Oleaos on tho Cre Ie, but were deterred fiom it, by raeana f threats which were made tosink tha essel, if she attempted to carry them wny. Threc woman,one girl and o boy oncealed themselves on board the Creóla nd were brought to New Orleans. Many f the male and nearly all the ft male slavea vould have remained on board and como o New Orleans, had it not been for the ommand of the Magistrate and the intererence as before stated. On Monduy following these event9, béng the loih day of November, the Attoraey General wrotea letter to Captain Eior, informing him that the passengefs of he Creóle, as bo callpd the slaves, bad apücd to him for assistance in obtaining iieir baggage which was still on board tbe rig, and that he ebould assist them in geting it on ehore. To this letter, Gifford, he officer in coimnand of the vessel, relied that there wae no baggage on board elonging to tbe slaves that be was awaro of, as he considered them cargo and tho iroperty of their owners, end thatifthey ïad left any thing on the brig, it was the iroperty of their masters; and besides bo could not land any thing without a permil rom the Custom House andan order from he American Consul. The Attorney General immediately got a permit from the custom-houso, but n order from the American consul, and pul an officer of customs on board the brig, and demanded the delivery ot the bnggage of the slaves oforesaid to be landed in the brig's boat. Tbe master of the Creóle, notfeelmghimselfatliberty to refuse, permitted the officer, with his men, to coma on board and take such baggage and proper ty aa they considered as belonging to the slave. They went inlo the hold of the vessel and took nll the wearing opparel, blankets owned by Mr. Lockett, which tiad not been openeö. These things were put on board of the boat of the officer of the customs and carried on shore. The correepondence which took place between the Attorney General and the ma8terof the brig is in possession of the American Consul at Nassau. On the next day, Tuesday, Captain Ensor proposed lo 6ell a portion of the provisions, in order to pay his expense, while lying at Nassau, having more than enough for the remainder of the voyage to New Orleans. Tho Collector of the Customsrefused to allow the provisions consisting of several bffrrels ofraeat and navy brend lo be entered uniese the slaves which had been emancipated should likewiso be cntered as passengers. The master oí il. a brig refused to accedo to this condilion. The next day after the landing of th slavee, the officers of the Government of New Providence cuused to be advertised a vessel for Jamaica totake out passengere to that island, (passage paid.) A nuraber of the 6lave of the Creóle entered their names. It was gencrally said by persons, white or black, that the object of putting up this vessel was to carry away tho slaves of the Creóle. The captain was po informed by the American consul, and Mr. Stark the agent for the Boston insuranea companies. About two or tbree houre after the brig reached Nassau, Captain Woodside of tho barque Louisa, with the American consul,, came on board, and agreed that Woodsir!c, with as many of ht3 crew as could be spaml and the 2d mate and four sailors of the brig Congress should come on board wiiU arms and with the officers and crew of the Creóle, reacue the brig from the Britisl officer then in command, and conduct her to Indian Koy, where there was a U. S. vessel of war. The Louisa nnd the Coigresa were American vessels and the ar rangement was made under the control of tho American consu'. Tho capain was e come on board with part of tho crew of tho Louisa and the Congress, so soon as the Creóle should be ready to leave Nassau. - Frequent interviews were had every dr.y with Capt. Woodside, the consul and lliw officers of the Congresa, and ibe whola plan was an'anged. Accordingly,on the morning of the 12th of November, Capt. Woodside, with bi3 men in a boat, rowed to the Creóle . Muskets and cutlasses were obtoined from tho brig Congress. Every effort had been made in concert with the consul, to purchase arms of the dealers al Ne&su btü