Charles Francis Adams to William H. Seward, September 5, 1862

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit the copy of a note addressed to me by Lord Russell, touching the case of the steamer Oreto at Nassau, with the accompanying papers. It is a little remarkable that, with the exception of a single sentence, not an intimation is given in them by the respective parties of a consciousness of the real destination of that vessel. I have sent to Mr. Dudley, at Liverpool, to know if more decisive evidence might not be obtained in other quarters.

I presume that Mr. Dudley keeps the government fully informed of the change of the chrysalis 290 into the butterfly Alabama, on a piratical cruise against American shipping. It turned out, as I expected, that she did not go to Nassau. Her difficulty will be to keep supplied with coals.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,