Diary of Gideon Welles: Saturday, October 24, 1863

General Terry and Colonel Hawley from Morris Island, before Charleston, called on me. Both are prejudiced against Dahlgren, and the two are acting in concert. They come from Gillmore and have a mission to perform, which they at once proceeded to execute by denouncing Dahlgren as incompetent, imbecile, and insane. They represent him to be totally unfit for his position, and have many severe censures, some of which I think are unmerited and undeserved. They submit the correspondence between Gillmore and Dahlgren. I am satisfied they are, at least in some respects, in error, and Dahlgren has been feeble from illness. He is proud and very sensitive and the strictures of the press he would feel keenly. Those of his subordinates who belonged to the Du Pont clique do not love him, nor do some of his professional brethren become reconciled to his advancement. His honors, as I anticipated they would, beget disaffection and have brought him many unpleasant responsibilities. His cold, selfish, and ambitious nature has been wounded, but he is neither a fool nor insane as those military gentlemen represent and believe. Both Dahlgren and Gillmore are out of place; they are both intelligent, but they can better acquit themselves as ordnance officers than in active command.

After maturely considering the subject of the proposed purchase of a naval vessel by the Venezuelan Government or the unaccredited Minister, I wrote Mr. Seward my doubts, informed him that the whole responsibility must rest with him, and inclosed a letter to Stribling, stating it was written at the special request of the Secretary of State, which letter he may or may not use.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 474-5

Gideon Welles to William H. Seward, October 23, 1863

Navy Department,      

24 October, 1863.

Sir,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant, enclosing a translation of a note addressed to you by Mr. Bruzual, in which he speaks of an intention of buying a steamer in this country for the government of Venezuela, of which he is the representative, and in connection with which you ask if I am aware of any objection to the arming of the steamer in the manner indicated in Mr. Bruzual's dispatch.

I am not sufficiently informed of the condition of affairs in Venezuela to express an opinion upon the subject of your inquiry. The subject is one of extreme delicacy, and should, and I doubt not will, be duly considered by the Department of State, especially in view of occurrences transpiring abroad affecting our own country.

Herewith, I have the honor to transmit a letter to Comm^o Stribling, conformably to the request made in our personal interview last evening. The request of Mr. Bruzual appears to be, under the circumstances, one of extraordinary and unusual character, and such as, had the application been made by that gentleman to this Department, would not have been granted. He is not, it seems, accredited, by reason of the unsettled condition of affairs in Venezuela, and yet it is proposed he shall have extended to him the unusual favor of a public officer in obtaining an armed vessel.

Excuse me for suggesting doubts as to the policy of this step, but they are such that I have declined the responsibility, and placed the letter exclusively on your request, so that you can present or withhold it, as in your judgment, with a full knowledge of the facts and my doubts, may seem best.

Very respectfully,

Gideon Welles, 

Secty. of Navy.

Hon. William H. Seward,

Secty of State.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 475-6

Diary of Gideon Welles: Friday, October 23, 1863

Only a portion of the Cabinet present and but little done. The Missouri difficulty discussed, etc.

Late this afternoon the Secretary of State made me a formal visit and introduced Mr. Bruzual, who comes to this country as Minister Extraordinary from Venezuela, and the Secretary of the Legation. Mr. Seward proceeded to say that the disturbances in Venezuela prevented our Government from recognizing Mr. B. for the present, but that he would soon be accredited. In the mean time he wishes to purchase a naval vessel for the use of his government. Mr. Seward said Venezuela was at peace with all the world, the purchase therefore would be proper and did not, in any way, compromise our Government, and he wished me to give Mr. B. a letter to Commodore Stribling at the Philadelphia Navy Yard to assist him, or to designate an officer who would. I made a suggestion or two in regard to the propriety of this proceeding, but Mr. Seward, who had to dispose of his as yet unaccredited minister, who is to receive official assistance, said it was all correct, perfectly proper, wrote me the address desired, that there should be no recognition or mention of Mr. B. as minister.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 474

Lord John Russell to Edward Everett, July 12, 1861

PEMBROKE LODGE, July 12, 1861.

MY DEAR MR. EVERETT, – I have hitherto delayed answering your letter of the 28th of May, in hopes that a better feeling, and I must say a juster feeling towards us might spring up in the United States. I am not sure that this is the case, but I am told there has been a lull. In the interval before a fresh storm arises, I will write a few lines as to our position. I shall say little as to yours; I respect the unanimous feeling of the North, and still more the resolution not to permit the extension of slavery which led to the election of President Lincoln. But with regard to our own course, I must say something more. There were according to your account 8 millions of freemen in the Slave States. Of these millions upwards of five have been for sometime in open revolt against the President and Congress of the United States. It is not our practice to treat five millions of freemen as pirates, and to hang their sailors if they stop our merchantmen. But unless we meant to treat them as pirates and to hang them we could not deny them belligerent rights. This is what you and we did in the case of the South American Colonies of Spain. Your own President and Courts of Law decided this question in the case of Venezuela. Your press has studiously confused the case by calling the allowance of belligerent rights by the name of recognition. But you must well know the difference. It seems to me however that you have expected us to discourage the South. How this was to be done, except by waging war against them I am at a loss to imagine. I must confess likewise that I can see no good likely to arise from the present contest. If on the 4th of March you had allowed the Confederate States to go out from among you, you could have prevented the extension of Slavery and confined it to the slaveholding States. But if I understand your Constitution aright you cannot do more in case of successful war, if you have to adhere to its provisions and to keep faith with those states and parts of states where slavery still exists which have not quitted the Union.

I regret the Morrill Tariff and hope it will be repealed. But the exclusion of our manufactures from your markets was surely an odd way of conciliating our good will.

I thank you for your condolence on the death of my brother. It is a grievous loss to me, after half a century of brotherly affection. I remain,

Yours faithfully,

J. RUSSELL.

SOURCE: Massachusetts Historical Society, Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 45: October 1911 – June 1912, November 1911 Meeting, p. 77-8

From Mexico

NEW YORK, Feb. 20. – the steamer Kavanack has arrived with Havana dates of the 15^th, and Nassau of the 8^th.

It is stated several vessels had arrived at Havana, having run the blockade.

The steamer Kate sailed on the 30^th with part of the Gladiator’s cargo, probably for New Orleans.

The steamer Miramon saild for Matamoras on the 7^th.

The war in Venezuela continues.

A frightful revolution is progressing in Honduras.  Gen. Guardiola had been assassinated at his door.  The troops had joined the insurgents, and excesses were being committed in Truxillo.

St. Thomas dates to the 2d, state that the British commander had attempted to take a seaman from an American vessel by force, but a Federal Gunboat protected the man.  The government of St. Thomas notified the British that the guns of the Fort would aid the Iroquois.

The British Admiral subsequently arrived and reprimanded the commander and apologized to Consul Edgar.

The bark, W. G. Anderson arrived on the 28^th.

Ship Island dates of the 7^th, state that five ships of Porter’s expedition had arrived and two more were spoken off Havana on the 11^th.

Vera Cruz dates to the 8^th, state that no advance had yet been made.

Over 1,000 sick soldiers are there besides on hundred at Ligera.  Yellow and typhoid fevers had broken out among them.

The Mexicans insist on the re-embarkation of the Spanish troops, but consent to 2,000 allied troops attending the negotiations at Orizaba.

The allies state that they shall advance during February to Orizaba, and would give battle at Cerro Gordo if opposed.

The Mexican papers express the greatest hatred for the Spaniards.

Four rebel schooners had arrived at Havana from New Orleans with cotton.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 22, 1862, p. 3

Arrival of the Karnack

New York, Feb. 20.

The steamer Karnack has arrived, with Havana dates of the 10th and Nassau of the 8th.  It is stated that several vessels had arrived at Havana, having run the blockade.  The steamer Rate sailed on the 30th, with a part of the Gladiator’s cargo, probably for New Orleans.  The steamer Miramon sailed for Metamora on the 7th.

The war in Venezuela Continues.

A frightful revolution is progressing in Honduras.

Gen. Suardioler had been assassinated at his door.  The troops had joined the insurgents and excesses were being committed in Truxillo.

St. Thomas dates to 2d state that the British commander had attempted to take a seaman from an American vessel by force, but a federal gunboat protected the man.  The governor of St. Thomas notified the Britisher that the guns of the fort would aid the Iroquois.  The British admiral subsequently arrived and reprimanded the commander, and apologized to Consul Edgar.

The bark W. G. Anderson arrived on the 20th.

Ship Island dates of the 1st state that five ships of Porter’s expedition had arrived and two more were spoken off Havana on the 11th.

Vera Cruz dates to the 8th state that no advance had yet been made.  Over 1,000 sick soldiers were there, besides hundreds at Tjera.  Yellow and typhoid fevers had broken out among them.

The Mexicans insist on the re-embarkation of the Spanish troops, but consent to 2,000 allied troops attending the negotiations at Arzaba.  The allies state they shall advance during February to Arzaba, and would give battle at Cerro Gordo if opposed.

Mexican papers express the greatest hatred of the Spaniards.

Four rebel schooners had arrived at Havana from New Orleans with cotton.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, February 21, 1862, p. 1