Deposition of Clarence R. Yonge., this 6th day of April, 1863

Deposition of Clarence R. Yonge.

Clarence Randolph Yonge, of the State of Georgia, in the United States of America, late paymaster on board the steamer Alabama, formerly called the 290, built by William and John Laird & Co., at Birkenhead, makes oath and says:

I know Captain James D. Bullock, of the State of Georgia, in the United States, now residing at Waterloo, near Liverpool, England. He is a commander in the navy of the so-called Confederate States of America; his business in England is superintending the building of iron-clads and other war vessels for the Confederate States. In the autumn of 1861 Captain Bullock came from England to Savannah, Georgia, in the English steamer Fingal. At that time I was in the naval paymaster’s office in Savannah, Georgia, under the confederate government. Previous to Captain Bullock leaving England, as I afterwards learned, he had contracted for two steamers for the confederate government—one called the Oreto, now called the Florida, built by William C. Miller & Sons, of Liverpool; the other the 290, afterwards called the Eureka, and now called the Alabama, built by the Messrs. Laird, at Birkenhead. Captain Bullock was about to return to England to look after the completion of these steamers and to assume command of the Alabama, and wanted some one to accompany him. I was recommended by the paymaster at Savannah to Captain Bullock. I was then released by the paymaster from my engagement, and was subsequently appointed by Captain Bullock, under the written authority of S. R. Mallory, the secretary of the navy of the Confederate States, a paymaster in the confederate navy, and assigned to the steamer Alabama. We sailed for England in the steamer Annie Childs, commanded by Captain William Hammer, from Wilmington, North Carolina, about the 5th day of February, 1862. Captain James D. Bullock, Lieutenant John Low, Midshipmen Eugene Maffitt and E. M. Anderson, and myself, came over in the Childs. Low, Maffitt, and Anderson are now on the Alabama. We arrived at Liverpool about the 11th of March, 1862. I continued as paymaster in the confederate navy from the time of my appointment in Savannah, Georgia, up to the time of my leaving the steamer Alabama, at Port Royal, in January, 1863. I went out in the Alabama when she sailed from England, on the 29th of July, as paymaster, and acted as such, on said vessel, up to the time of my leaving her as aforesaid. Previous to our leaving Wilmington, in February, I acted as a clerk to Captain Bullock, and attended to his correspondence with the confederate government and others, and from this correspondence, and other circumstances, I know that he is a commander in the confederate navy; that he had contracted for building the two vessels now called the Florida and Alabama for the confederate government aforesaid, and was and is their acknowledged agent for building and fitting out naval or war vessels for the so-called confederate government, to cruise against and to make war upon the government and people of the United States. I wrote letters for Captain Bullock (which he signed) to Mr. Mallory, the secretary of the confederate navy, and saw letters from the secretary to Captain Bullock. There was much correspondence about building the two above named and other war vessels in England for the confederate government, and about the money to pay for the same, and those thereafter to be built in England. From this correspondence, and my transactions afterwards with the firm of Fraser, Trenholm & Co., of Liverpool, I learned that Lieutenant James H. North had been sent over to England, by the confederate government, to make contracts in England for building and fitting out iron-clad vessels for said confederate government, for the purpose of committing acts of hostility against and making war upon the government and people of the United States.

Captain Bullock was directed by Mr. Mallory, the secretary of the confederate navy, in the correspondence to which I have referred, to aid Lieutenant North and assist him in getting up and making contracts for building and fitting out these iron-clad vessels in England.

When we came over to England, it was understood by myself, and the other officers who accompanied us, that Captain Bullock was to have the command of the Alabama, which was then building by the Lairds at Birkenhead, and I was to go in her as paymaster. I came over for this express purpose. From the time of my coming to England, in March, 1862, until I sailed in the Alabama, on the 29th of July, 1862, my principal business was to pay the officers of the confederate navy who were over here in England, and attached to the Alabama, sent here to join and sail in her when finished. I used to pay them monthly, about the first of the month, at the office of Fraser, Trenholm & Co., in Liverpool. I drew the money for that purpose from this firm. Captain Bullock kept all his papers at Fraser, Trenholm & Co.’s, and transacted his business in one of the private offices of this firm. I was in the habit, during my stay in Liverpool, of visiting this office very frequently, almost every day, and saw, heard, and knew what was being done and going on. I also made visits to Laird’s yard, in Birkenhead, where the Alabama was building. I saw Captain Bullock there at times in the yard with the Lairds. I also saw the Lairds at Fraser, Trenholm & Co.’s office with Captain Bullock. On one of the occasions of my visit to Captain Bullock, at Frazer, Trenholm & Co.’s office, in Liverpool, I made for him a copy of the original contract between himself and the firm of William and John Laird & Co., at Birkenhead, for building the Alabama. This copy I had with me while I was serving as paymaster on that ship, and it was left on that vessel by me. I also frequently made copies of other papers, letters, &c., for Captain Bullock. Before we sailed in the Alabama I saw the plans, drawings, and specifications, made and furnished by the firm of William and John Laird & Co., for building the iron-clad rams for the so-called confederate government; I think it was in the month of June, 1862; it was in the office of Fraser, Trenholm & Co., in Liverpool. Captain Bullock had them. Mr. Freeman, the chief engineer of the Alabama, and several other officers, were there with myself and Captain Bullock examining them. A set of plans and specifications for building these iron-clad rams had been previously sent over to Richmond for the approval of the confederate government. The Messrs. Laird had some doubts whether the British government would permit them to build and fit out the vessels with towers or turrets on them, and were going to ascertain, through the Mr. Laird who was a member of parliament, whether they would be permitted to do so.

After we left Liverpool Mr. Lowe told me the keel of one of these ironclad rams had been laid by the Lairds at their yard before we sailed, which was afterwards corroborated by Mr. Freeman, the chief engineer of the Alabama, who stated to me that he had been over to the yard and seen it.

Capt. Bullock had made himself so useful and efficient in building war vessels in England, that the confederate government was not willing for him to take command of the Alabama, but required him to remain and superintend the building and fitting out of the iron-clads to be built by the Lairds and others in England. I learned this from himself. He told me that he had been ordered by the navy department to remain to look after and superintend the building of these, very iron-clads. He is very anxious to have command of a vessel, and expected in the first place to have the Oreto, then to have the Alabama. He told me just before I left, he would not let all of the iron-clads slip through his hands, as the Oreto and Alabama had.

On the 5th of April, 1863, I went to the shipyard of Wm. & John Laird & Co., at Birkenhead. In the southerly part of their yard, under the sheds, side by side, saw two iron-clad ram steamers which they are building there. I believe them to be the same that I saw on the plans and drawings made by the Messrs. Laird and in possession of Capt. Bullock at the office of Fraser, Trenholm & Co., hereinbefore mentioned. I have not the least doubt about the matter.

CLARENCE R. YONGE.